Engine Blown 48k miles, how do i prolong new engine?
10-20-2016, 08:10 PM
#1
New Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Engine Blown 48k miles, how do i prolong new engine?
The title says most of it. I have a 2004 Mazda rx8 and my engine blew due to a coolant leak. What can i do to prolong my new engine's life to keep the car running for as long as possible?
10-21-2016, 08:20 AM
#2
Water Foul
Welcome!
Read this thread in its entirety. It is full of extremely valuable information:
https://www.rx8club.com/new-member-f...t-here-202454/
Engines mostly tend to die from 1 or more of 3 causes:
1. Ignition system weakness
2. Cooling system weakness
3. Inadequate lubrication
Yours probably died from overheating, as that is what usually causes coolant seal failure. Unfortunately, Series 1 RX-8s have cooling systems that are barely up to the task when they start to age. The radiator gets dirty, the fans slow down over time, the thermostat doesn't open completely, the water pump design is less than ideal, the radiator sealing foam breaks down, etc.
For your new engine to last, you need to address all 3 of the above. I have a few minutes, so I will explore each of them for you a little bit, but you need to search and read as much as you can on this forum to learn the rest of it.
1. Ignition system weakness. Mazda chose to use less expensive coils on the 8 than they previously had on the 7. The 8's coils break down over time and are considered wearable items. Newer revisions can last as long as 30K miles, but some may only last 8 or 10K. One of my Rev B coils died at 11K. Weak coils cause misfires, which results in unburned fuel and oil reaching the catalytic converter, which clogs up fairly quickly. The clogged cat pushes back pressure against the rotors, and the added heat cooks the seal springs. This causes premature engine death. The solution is to stay on top of your ignition health and replace your coils, plugs, and wires regularly. Alternatively, you can buy one of the stronger aftermarket ignition kits like the BHR kit. While expensive, such kits really only cost the same as 2 refreshes with conventional parts, and they should theoretically last the life of the car. You must also inspect the cat and make sure it is not showing signs of clogging. Replace it if it shows any signs at all.
2. Cooling system weakness. As previously noted, the cooling system in the 8 starts out on the weak side and gets weaker with age due to the above reasons. Eventually, it can't keep the engine cool enough in some climates and/or during some events. Repeated mild overheating or one serious overheating event can kill the internal coolant seals in the engine. The solution is to refresh it. Replace and/or upgrade the radiator, test the fans and replace/upgrade if needed, replace the coolant bottle (it gets brittle), flush the coolant, replace the thermostat, seal around 3 sides of the radiator with new foam (leave the exhaust manifold side open). I would replace the hoses while doing the rest. You can also lower the fan turn-on temps if you want to spring for a tuning system like a Cobb Accessport. You need to spend the time and money to get this right. The engine MUST have adequate cooling.
3. Inadequate lubrication. The engine's seals need adequate lubrication. This is accomplished via the OMP injecting oil from the crankcase, which means the engine burns oil by design. You MUST stay on top of the oil level under the hood. Some cars burn about 1 quart of oil per 1K miles. Some burn 1 quart in 3K miles. How much oil is burned depends on driving style. Check your oil level every 2nd or 3rd time you buy gas to be on the safe side. You can boost the lubrication the engine receives by premixing 2 cycle oil with the gas when you fill up. About 1/2 ounce per gallon of fuel seems to be the accepted amount to use. You can add up 1 oz per gallon if you drive it hard. Also know that the OMP lines are usually not replaced during an engine replacement. They get brittle with age and tend to fail, so make sure they are replaced when the new engine is installed.
Read this thread in its entirety. It is full of extremely valuable information:
https://www.rx8club.com/new-member-f...t-here-202454/
Engines mostly tend to die from 1 or more of 3 causes:
1. Ignition system weakness
2. Cooling system weakness
3. Inadequate lubrication
Yours probably died from overheating, as that is what usually causes coolant seal failure. Unfortunately, Series 1 RX-8s have cooling systems that are barely up to the task when they start to age. The radiator gets dirty, the fans slow down over time, the thermostat doesn't open completely, the water pump design is less than ideal, the radiator sealing foam breaks down, etc.
For your new engine to last, you need to address all 3 of the above. I have a few minutes, so I will explore each of them for you a little bit, but you need to search and read as much as you can on this forum to learn the rest of it.
1. Ignition system weakness. Mazda chose to use less expensive coils on the 8 than they previously had on the 7. The 8's coils break down over time and are considered wearable items. Newer revisions can last as long as 30K miles, but some may only last 8 or 10K. One of my Rev B coils died at 11K. Weak coils cause misfires, which results in unburned fuel and oil reaching the catalytic converter, which clogs up fairly quickly. The clogged cat pushes back pressure against the rotors, and the added heat cooks the seal springs. This causes premature engine death. The solution is to stay on top of your ignition health and replace your coils, plugs, and wires regularly. Alternatively, you can buy one of the stronger aftermarket ignition kits like the BHR kit. While expensive, such kits really only cost the same as 2 refreshes with conventional parts, and they should theoretically last the life of the car. You must also inspect the cat and make sure it is not showing signs of clogging. Replace it if it shows any signs at all.
2. Cooling system weakness. As previously noted, the cooling system in the 8 starts out on the weak side and gets weaker with age due to the above reasons. Eventually, it can't keep the engine cool enough in some climates and/or during some events. Repeated mild overheating or one serious overheating event can kill the internal coolant seals in the engine. The solution is to refresh it. Replace and/or upgrade the radiator, test the fans and replace/upgrade if needed, replace the coolant bottle (it gets brittle), flush the coolant, replace the thermostat, seal around 3 sides of the radiator with new foam (leave the exhaust manifold side open). I would replace the hoses while doing the rest. You can also lower the fan turn-on temps if you want to spring for a tuning system like a Cobb Accessport. You need to spend the time and money to get this right. The engine MUST have adequate cooling.
3. Inadequate lubrication. The engine's seals need adequate lubrication. This is accomplished via the OMP injecting oil from the crankcase, which means the engine burns oil by design. You MUST stay on top of the oil level under the hood. Some cars burn about 1 quart of oil per 1K miles. Some burn 1 quart in 3K miles. How much oil is burned depends on driving style. Check your oil level every 2nd or 3rd time you buy gas to be on the safe side. You can boost the lubrication the engine receives by premixing 2 cycle oil with the gas when you fill up. About 1/2 ounce per gallon of fuel seems to be the accepted amount to use. You can add up 1 oz per gallon if you drive it hard. Also know that the OMP lines are usually not replaced during an engine replacement. They get brittle with age and tend to fail, so make sure they are replaced when the new engine is installed.
Last edited by Steve Dallas; 10-21-2016 at 08:22 AM.
10-21-2016, 10:26 AM
#4
///// Upscale Zoom-Zoom
Well put Steve
10-21-2016, 12:56 PM
#5
New Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Okay. I usually add oil every 400 miles and change it every 2500. After I get my car back i will probably get the bhr ignition kit and get a new radiator when i get the money for that.
10-21-2016, 02:43 PM
#6
If you lost a coolant seal, you may want to look for overheating problems and the quality of coolant you were using. Do you have a good way to monitor actual engine temp (the dashboard indicator is not very useful). BHR coils and a good oil regimen are always a good plan 
10-22-2016, 07:51 AM
#7
40th anniversary Edition
I second this advice. You can get an OBDII dongle from Amazon ($10-$15), and then get an app like Torque (free) or Torque Pro ($5) for your smartphone and use them to give a realtime monitoring of coolant temps and more.