Called this morning and scheduled my 15,000 mile service plus the recall work. I take my 8 in on Monday. The Service Manager said, without me asking, that I will be given a CX7 to drive until the recall work is complete on my 8. I asked what all the recall would entail and asked if the rumors about possible engine replacement were true. He confirmed that engine replacement may be possibility. My 8 is an early 2004. I asked what the criteria were to determine if my engine gets replaced. He says they do some testing, and check for a history of CEL's but it is really up to me if I say that I have "performance concerns"about my current engine. I have had a few CELs, and a melted fuel tank replaced under an earlier recall, but no flooding problems. My question here is : Are there any negatives of getting a new engine? Other than having to go through the break-in period again would there be any other drawbacks? At first glance it would look like it would be a good thing but I'd like to get a few other viewpoints on it.

Thanks
Brett

 

I would not want my engine replaced. You never know, they may give you a remanufactured one from America instead of a new one from Japan. You would have to go through the break in again, your gas mileage most likley would be worse than it was rotarys tend to get better with age.

 

1st i have to ask- was your tank actually melted? that was a possible effect of a problem that was taken care of in a previous recall , but i only know of 2 cars that actually had the tank warp.

which by the way was caused by a flooding situation- raw fuel pumped into the cat then burning off there causing a spike in temp under the car which could cause the the tank to warp causing a fuel leak. one of the remedies was to install a heat shiel/thermal blanket over the tank in case an incident did occur. a pcm change made it not likely to ever occur by changing the program that would cause a sustained high idle while sitting still.

if they actually replaced your tank you should definetly go in for the recall just so they will check your cat - which is probably in need of replacement.

its not up to you to say you had performance concerns really. if you have they wont do a test. if you have they will. if the engine fails the test you get a new one. do you really want a new one ? if your current one fails the test then it is dieing. one day soon it will stall on you and never start again. it will probably happen at he most inconvenient and/or dangerous time. either in the middle of the night in the worst neighborhood you can imagine or in the middle of traffic as you try to turn left- itll stall right in the intersection and some asshat who isnt paying attention will plow right into you causing severe damage to the car and possibly you. now ask yourself the question again- if your engine is about to fail, do you want a new one?

think that is a worst case scenario? its already happened to people who's engine had this problem- the breaking down in the middle of aleft turn part.

 

When Shazoom asked if he "really wanted" a "new" engine, what he probably meant was... "Are they going to give me a molested neighborhood ***** or daddy's little innocent virgin?"

I think it's going to be somewhere in the middle.

 

Well I just had my engine replaced and I will tell all of you that first off Gas Mileage is better with the new engine 1. Second It is a brand new 07 RX8 engine that went in. I am amazed because the car is smoother than before and I feel more HP.

 

what do u do if u have the aem cai n the greddy sp2? take them off or just leave them on when going in for the test?

 

Do you really want a new engine? That's a good question, because it seems there are many opinions as to what a "new engine" actually means. I've read everything from "remanufactured to the same tolerances as brand new"—to "be careful 'cause you might end up with one that's been beaten on".

Until we know exactly what a "replacement engine" really is, how can we know if getting one is a good thing or not?

 

Based on what I have read, if your engine fails the compression test, that is automatic grounds for replacement. Don't really understand why a service manager would give you a choice in the matter, because if you need one, getting one is obviously a good thing, otherwise you'd be going back home with an engine that is already failing compression tests, and is probably loaded with carbon build up.

But if a manager is going to ask you about "performance concerns," maybe you should start by mentioning that your 232hp engine is putting down less than 180hp to the wheels according to dyno sheets, and see if that counts as a valid "performance concern."

 

^lmao!

 

Zoom 44....Yes, my fuel tank was actually melted out of shape. The dealer, Royal Moore, said that mine was the only one they had seen up to that point. They had the car a couple days while they ordered and installed the new tank.
You guys make some good points about the possible engine replacement. If the tests indicate a replacement is needed I will push to see where this new engine comes from. Also, I have had the car in for "performance issues" once before. The check engine light came on and it didn't want to rev much higher than about 7500 rpm. They said that the engine control computer had lost part of its factory settings and asked if I had had the computer upgraded, which I hadn't. This should all be on their data records for my car I would think.
Thanks for the advice.

Brett