04 with trashed engine
 

New poster, but not new to RX's. Owned 88 RX7 and loved it.

I now have a 04 RX8 with 40, 000 miles currently in the shop with a trashed engine due to lack of compression. I thought mine was immune, but just too low mileage and not driven in heat year round.

So Mazda refuses to put in a new engine. Mazda wants to use a "remanufactured" (used engine that has already failed in someone else's car). What's that old saying, "the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior"

Has anyone had a "remanufactured" engine put in and care to share their experiences?

I am fed up with Mazda, they have known this issue for years and have been intentionally using deceptive practices to cover this issue up. Using different TSB names for the same issue, revising TSB rather than issuing TSBs, "voluntary emission recalls", and dealers that never perform the TSBs when they know they exist.

I see a lot of people screaming class action suit, has anyone actually acted on that?

It is clear by the way Mazda chose to ignore our satisfaction surveys and how fast Mazda took the leaked video down that they intend to cover up this issue and not deal with it ethically.

Its obvious that everyone can give up on complaing to Mazda, as they are in CYA mode and covering up the issue.

If you want to have your voice heard, go over Mazda's head to the BBB, FTC, NHTSA and your local state attorney's consumer affairs division.

Or perhaps better yet, think of issues that Toyota, BP and Goldman Sachs had lately.

What do Toyota, BP and Goldman Sachs all have in common, a story looping every 30 minutes on CNN and a public relations nightmare.

Maybe you can give us some history of the car, location, maintenance, driving style, recalls and TSBs
Are you the original owner?

Generally it's bad form to make your first post a big rant against the RX8, Mazda and the world so Prepare the flame suit

Sorry, I hear you on the rant. I literally spent all day on the phone today dealing with this issue and with Mazda arrogantly blowing smoke up my %$#.

Don't get me wrong I loved my RX7 and it is why I bought an RX8. The RX7 engine was wonderful.

The RX8 engine is a flawed design and Mazda is well aware of that. They are spending more time and money on their legal dept and public relations dept than fixing the issues.

As far as the car specifics go 04 RX8, purchased new, 40K miles, meticulously maintained, never abused, had all the TSBs and recalls that I could make the dealer do installed.

Now currently in the shop and Mazda has an severe attitude about it.

Again, sorry I am a big fan of the rotary engine. Mazda has me so fed up and frustrated.

The re-man engines Mazda uses were hit and miss for a while just like the originals... I think they've improved.
You can find replacement threads on this forum.

So what did your engine fail from? Carbon would be my guess
These engines like to be thrashed once they warm up: lots of high revs.

You mentioned heat... what's your location?

Thanks, I will have to search for the replacement threads.

I was told in 09 engine was totally redesigned to deal with the defective design issues.

Dealer never gives you any information unless you force them to. Never informed why specifcally it failed. I was just informed the car failed the tests due to low compression.

Located in midwest US, car does not like snow, but a few months of summer get quite warm.

Same exact area where I drove my RX7 for years without having an engine fail.

I've gone through 3 engines in the car. The first 2 (original and replacement) were new from Japan. So getting a new one doesn't guaranty that you wouldn't have a problem. The third one was from a third party re-builder that Mazda had contracted out. That one was shit.
My present engine was rebuilt by Mazda's rebuild facility in Virginia and it is better than any of the previous engines that I have had.

So..your engine failed...Mazda is willing to replace it under warranty....

What's your problem?

There are a lot of people that only wish they were that lucky.........................

Did mazda ever actually claim that if your engine fails they will give you a brand spanking new engine? I thought they just said that they would replace the engines.

I think you are right, i dont think they ever guaranteed a brand new one.

Id actually understand getting a rebuilt one, liek the guy a few posts before this said, just be happy you will be getting a new one unlike some of the unlucky people on here.

Reman or not you still have a bit on the engine warranty so if it craps out you do it again just keep reciepts of course.

Plus sometimes reman's are better built than new ones since they probably go through a lot more testing to qualify them as a working reman engine. Or at least I like to believe so heh.

Here's a list of changes
https://www.rx8club.com/series-ii-technical-trouble-shooting-160/series-ii-mazda-oe-parts-number-listings-complete-188306/


:pat: I get it now!
You expected an 09 spec engine in place of the failed one?
If you get that it will have to be with an 09 spec car.

sigh +


u said u got a 88? so its a s4. no issue ? lucky you.

the engine has no issue. the assembly line is the problem. i wont bother explaining it again. do a search.

as for new engine. b4 u say reman sucks. go learn what they use in the remann and try to understand this engine more

Thanks everyone for the info.

The list of chnages in the series 2 is immense and interesting. Major overhaul totally different car. engine changes are focused on lubrication and cooling, surprise surprise!

I've heard numerous stories of people having 2-3 engines replaced and the remanufactured are no better than the original.

Surprising since they are the same flawed design and have already suffered the damage of failing in a previous victims car.

I am curious how a person knows or can determine where the remanufactured engine came from and how/if it was remanufactured and has all the latest updates?
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Albert Einstein

+1 ^^^

IIRC, there were serious issues with the engine remanufacturing process/facility early on that have since been solved.

Relax and enjoy the car.

:rollingla:

that pic should have ended this thread

Some folks here went to NHTSA about the clutch pedal bracket failures...with the successful result that Mazda is instituting an extended warranty for the part.

BTW - the reason the dealer is not telling you why the engine failed is because they don't know. They don't get to open the engine up for a look. They just get a reman from Mazda and send the old one back. Part of the "White glove" treatment they talk about for the 4206f recall.

Ken

like i said, u still don't know what exactly they did to the engine.

in short, all they did was they drill an extra hole on both rotor housing for the extra injector. some updates here and there. but the engine are 98% the same as the current one.

Reman engine will not get those "so called updates" cuz it won't work. well, it will get the newest part, Mazda did make some update to the metallurgy and other slight changes, but its really minor.

the biggest update between the S2 & S1 is the completely new EMOP system. the MOP system found in S1 has been in use since 1989. Its time for an update.

Based off the information that DarkBrew posted earlier I have a very good idea of exactly what has changed in the engine. Here is the link again if anyone needs it.

Here's a list of changes
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=188306

Hopefully after looking at that long list there is no way that you can say the S1 engine is 98% the same as the S2 engine.

Its obvious that almost the entire oiling system has been changed, the computer, almost the entire cooling system and temperature sensors.

Hence the issues with hot temps and the test procedures, drive the car slow in warm temps with the A/C on full for 45 minutes then stop and wait until the car ilde drops or car stalls.

Any car with a defective design from the factory that does not provide adequate lubrication and cooling is going to destroy itself.

I see today in the news why NHTSA and the FTC are not investigating Mazda, they are too busy with Toyota and yet another recall from them!

I actually thought almost all replacement engines were reman's or at least rebuilt with your still-functional parts combined with new core parts + necessary replacements.

I agree it's a total nightmare for Mazda and many original owners, but from my perspective I'm taking advantage of the rock-bottom resale values that have come in consequence and getting a world-class sports car for damn cheap.

get it fix and trade in your s1 for a s2

Good plan

Get the reman without being such a ranting pussy. Premix and voilà, problem solved.
Since you have an 04 you have probably spent a lot of time with the first pcm flash. Here's your problem, combined with not driving the car hard (by your claims).

I love my rx8.
can u tell me how cost to u rebuild ur engine ? also phone# of Mazda's rebuild facility in Virginia.
thanks.

Hi
First, please to introduce yourself and give a history of the car
Model year, mileage, maintenance etc.
Next, you should make sure that you search to see if this has been covered somewhere.
Last, you should start a thread for this if necessary.

I would also be intersted in knowing how to identify where your remanufactured engine came from.

Obviously if the Virginia plant does a better job that is where I want to make certain that my engine comes from.

Does anyone have any contact info and insight on how to identify where an engine came from?

Also what other components have been damaged and need to be changed with the engine block itself? I would think that the catalytic converter needs to be changed from damage also?

What version of software needs to be on the PCM when the new engine is installed to give the new engine the correct amount of oil?

Also what is the formula and frequency for the premix being mentioned?

Thanks.

That's a lot of questions. I'll answer the ones I can

PCM information is a sticky in https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-tech-performance-21/

You'll have to search the pre-mix threads. It's been discussed almost as much as which oil to use.
Read up on using seafoam to de-carbon your engine.
And learn about the benefits of getting a Cobb access port from MazdaManiac

Understanding this unique engine will help you enjoy years of trouble free operation

@OP Just be thankful you live in the USA.

this thread hurts my feeble brain

omg, go away dude. you're getting your engine fixed under warranty. why on earth did you think you'd get a brand new one??

they'll fix it under warranty...and guess what...you'll still be under warranty! what a crazy thought that is.

get your "shitty" reman'd engine and sell it so we don't have to deal with your whining anymore.

by the way, failed engines are by far in the minority, so calm down on the class-action bullshit. if you had an rx7, you knew rotary engines can have issues, so stop playing the naive innocent victim. idiot.

He's not just getting his engine fixed. He's getting a rebuilt one. That's a lot better than what happens with conventional engines, where the dealer will open up the old one and just overhaul it.

Ken

Typically if an engine covered under warranty fails, the manufacturer (or private extended warranty company) will replace the motor with a re-manufactured motor that previously had the same amount of miles as yours OR LESS. Also, Re-Manufactured doesn't always mean it totally failed previously. They can be bought out of a used/salvage vehicle, cleaned up, replace gaskets/wear-items, and tested to ensure it meets the same quality specs as a re-manufactured engine. This is exactly what happened with my 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix. The ONLY time I PERSONALLY might expect a NEW motor, is if it failed within a few thousand mikes from new.

Dude, get over yourself! Take the re-man'd motor and sell the Rex!

Remanufactured should mean the same thing as rebuilt: torn down completely, everything machined and/or re-fitted to new engine specs, and reassembled. As opposed to overhauled, where broken parts and one-time parts like gaskets are replaced and the fit criterion is within wear limits.

For auto engines the mileage of the core should not matter, as long as they test for cracks and don't have to machine beyond max limits.

Ken

I totally agree with you on this. It **should** mean rebuilt. But according to GM, as long at it meets the same quality standards, and passes all the testing, they have the option to use a "used" motor instead.

Also agreed. But like I said, this was my experience with GM...

I can't even take this thread seriously with the ridiculous user name of the OP.

:rolleyes:

ha ha that's funny!

Take the warranty engine it's as good or better. It's not "fraud". Good luck.

I knew Mazda was screwing me when they sold me this engine! I should file for that class action lawsuit. How dare they sell me a motor that is going to die right away!

Wait, I'm on the original motor still.

Pardon me!

I've never thought I'd see the day that someone is bitching about getting a rebuilt engine.

With the series I engine out of production for two years are there any "NEW" ones to be had anyway?

So the replacement is a good used engine with the same or less mileage? And it passes compression test, etc?

If that's GM's policy and that's what they state in the warranty, then that's what it is. The purpose of a warranty is to keep you whole, not restore you to new. I think a lot of warranties say something about replacing with "new or used."

Ken

I think im with the majority here. I'm sure you're frustrated that you have a bad engine... I would be too. But its covered under the warranty, you are entitled to a replacement. What is the problem? If you don't like the car, or don't want to deal with any headaches, then get it fixed under warranty and sell it.

You can still order new engine from Hiroshima. But it's going to cost at least 6k shipped to NYC and the quality will not be as good as a custom rebuild with everything cut to exact spec. Plus a custom build engine will cost about the same as buying new from Mazda so why bother.

Even when they stop making preassembled engine one day, you will still be able to get the parts, consider I can still get parts for 13b desi now, don't worry