Jessicaa814

What does a "full circle service inspection per mazda specifications" entail? I just has one done about a month ago, but Ive been having problems that have lead me to most likely my ignition coils since then. (Loosing power around 5 and 6k rpm in first and second gear about 60% of the time.) This started about a week or so before I brought it to the dealership, but its getting progressively worse.

Dirtyswiff

Well give us a description of your ride, modifications, if you have a cat or not.

Jessicaa814

2005 Sports Edition 6 spd, All stock.

Dirtyswiff

Check your catalytic converter maybe it's clogged when's the last time you replaced your ignition system?

Jessicaa814

I bought the car 6 months ago, with only 31k miles on original engine. Ignition coils were replaced almost 2 years ago, but not many miles have been put on them since, I cant recall how many exactly. Spark plugs were replaced about a month or so ago, stupid me blanked and flooded the engine. And mazda replaced them when they did the inspection. Wouldn't they have recommended changing the ignition coils at that time if they were shot?

Dirtyswiff

U gotta replace everything together (coils plugs plug wires), sure u can replace it one at a time, but they all work together so if they are not all FULLY funtional they start to bring one another down. U can probably still salvage your plugs if they aren't shot. But check your cat it might be damaged, the dealer didn't tell you anything about that?

Jessicaa814

Nope, the dealer just recommended changing out spark plugs when they inspected it. I told them to go ahead and do a compression test while they were at it. It passed (they didn't give me an actual score -_-) and asked if there was anything else they would recommend me having done. Nothing other than plugs and considering dealers usually try to get you for as much money as possible, and that being the only thing I wasn't too concerned about it. But now that I'm having the loss of power, so I want to know what they actually consider a full service inspection.

Dirtyswiff

Geez, that's why I do everything myself, You just gotta make sure your ignition system is all good and check your cat like I told you, it's a 1,000 dollar piece of equipment, bad coils = misfires which leads to clogged cat. Check all those and if your problem still persists check back.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Ignition coils do NOT appear on any Mazda maintenance or inspection list. Even if they did, the Mazda coil test procedure tests the conductivity of the internal circuit and not the igniter, and it is the igniter that fails.

Please don't rely on a dealer to identify problems for you, or automagically solve them.

Their full circle inspection has only a couple items that are actually critical to the health of the engine, and they inflate the rest of the list with lots of lubrication points and stuff to make the list look big. Every car dealer does this, not just Mazda.

It won't include:
- coil testing
- spark plug inspect
- plug wire testing
- coolant system pressure testing
- compression testing
- O2 sensor testing
- MAF cleaning or testing
- ESS testing, cleaning, or resetting
- vacuum leak testing
- electrical grounding testing
- cat testing or inspection


If you want any of the critical stuff done, then you have to either learn how to do it yourself (Relatively easy), or get some help from other members on the forum here. The compression test is the only one that you can't reasonably do yourself, but you already did that and passed. (You really need to demand those scores. You paid for them, you have a right to get the actual scores)

Jessicaa814

My cel came on yesterday. I got it checked today and it came back as my intake valve sticking. The cel went off on my way home, but I've been losing power around 5 and 6k rpms in first and second gear. How do I go about fixing this problem exactly? Still a fairly new owner....

Jessicaa814

My cel came on today, I took it and got it checked, It was due to intake valve sticking. So i'm going to check into all those things and try to solve this problem while im at it. The cel went off on my way home from getting it checked...

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Please don't post the same thing in multiple threads. I merged your new thread into this one.

A sticking intake valve could indeed cause power loss. Do you remember which valve it was? The cleaning instructions change a bit from valve to valve

Jessicaa814

Thanks, I didn't mean to, computer glitched and I wasn't sure if it posted. and He said intake valve. I plan on calling mazda for my compression test numbers, and I was looking through my paper work from them I didn't notice but they did put a side not saying "P2070 was stored in the PCM for intake tuning valve e sticking. This valve changes the flow in the air through the intake. This sticking again will result in low power and a check engine light. There is an upgraded part to prevent this happening again...."

BigCajun

iTrader: (1)

If you are relying on the dealer's diagnosis, I would suggest getting your codes scanned elsewhere, auto parts stores do it for free.
There are unscrupulous dealers who will stonewall unsuspecting customers until warranties run out.
Not saying yours would, but it never hurts to get a second opinion.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

P2070 - SSV stuck open

So the SSV valve.

Two DIYs here:
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-do-...valves-174009/
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-do-...-video-184663/

It is fairly involved.

I am not aware of any "upgraded SSV" that would prevent future sticking. Sticking is usually caused by some oil being drawn into the intake (sometimes through refilling oil without a funnel and it leaking into the vent tube at the top of the filler hole), which then coats the valve with motor oil. Over time, this turns to carbon residue that can cause sticking. Not getting oil in the intake is the solution to prevent sticking.

Jessicaa814

The quote is what the dealer wrote last time I had my car up there. And since the closest dealer is an hour away, I went to the auto parts store today to check the cel. They both are pointing to the intake valve

Jessicaa814

Would you suggest me just taking it somewhere, if its pretty involved? I mean this would be my first engine work done by me personally. I don't believe there are any rotor specialist around, so would the dealer be my only option?

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Yeah, the dealer is your worst option. Dealers like to just replace the entire lower intake manifold, at a total cost of around $2,000 due to how much labor is involved in that. I'm fairly certain that you would agree that paying $2,000 to replace a lot of parts rather than just cleaning the one that needs to be cleaned ...it's rather unreasonable.

Forum members that would be willing to help out would be the cheapest option, usually most of us are willing to help out for food and drinks.

Most small shops could do it, but you would have to find one that is willing to do a procedure that isn't listed anywhere officially, and is willing to go by those DIY threads. Finding such a shop might not be easily accomplished, though you might be able to get some recommendations from members in your area as well.

Jessicaa814

Well thanks, I'm on the phone with mazda trying to get the numbers from my compression test. and after that I think Ill call around and weigh out some of my options. Ive got a friend who's father is a mechaninc I might just try to get them to help me out with it.

04Green

iTrader: (1)

I just did the work, following the DIYs above. Nothing was really hard, it is just work. You will see some additions I made on one of them.

There is a fairly active Mazda community in Jacksonville. Should be some help there. Or, tag the friends father. Again, not hard, just work. Heaviest lifting is getting the battery out, then maybe a dozen or two bolts.