PSUGreySreet

I did search the many many CEL threads and even typed in certain words pertaining to my problems and I got a few good responses, but I feel that everyone's symptoms are slightly different and someone may just have an answer for me out there...

So I'm about 2 miles away from my house (after a 45 mile trip)... go to make a right hand turn at a green light and I lose all power in 2nd gear. The CEL light starts to flicker and when I attempt to accelerate again, the car sputters and flutters and will go nowhere in any gear. Car rolls to the next light and stalls with the battery light coming on. Car will start up when I turn it on, but doesn't idle much above .5k rpms and then shuts off. I've tried to gently accelerate in neutral a couple times, but there is NO JUICE. Anyone think they have a clue?? Just had an oil change about 300 miles ago and am at 78k miles. Think its the cat? Any other suggestions... ECU reset??

Will Mazda honor roadside assistance even though I am at 78k?

PSUGreySreet

So I just went out to check on the car after sitting for a bit... Had my girlfriend stand in the back and watch... The sputtering definitely seems to be coming from the back end and when I turned the car off... there was something wet sitting in the lips of my exhaust tips. When I wiped it... sure looked like oil!! After a second thought, it could be condensation mixed with the blackening on the tips, but now that I'm not at the car, I can't check again right now. My first pretty sound thought was oil.

Can anyone help please!!

tmak26b

No fuel or sparks? I would say sparks first as that seems to be a problem area on the RX-8

PSUGreySreet

The car will turn on and start up to about .5k rpms but with no pushing of gas, it lasts about 1-2 secs and turns off (it seriously struggles). I can push the gas and the tach raises, but that is when you hear the sputtering and extreme bogging and then once I lay off, it stalls and turns off again. I'm really hoping its the cat as I am 1.5k under that warranty, but to be honest... the oil coming from the right exhaust tip scares me.

Note* I did fill $20 of gas before the 45 mile trip, but the car ran perfectly fine for whole trip until the turn.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

either your oil seal blew, or your cat is clogged.

where r u in NYC. even tho I got food poisoning I can still come out and look (if u're not too far from queens)

PSUGreySreet

I have not changed my location.. apologies. I just moved back to PA last month.

Is it possible to have oil coming from the cat? or would it more likely be condensation mixed with exhaust soot?

Also, wouldn't it seem weird for the cat to all of a sudden become clogged after normal driving?

I hope it isn't a blown oil seal. UGH!

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

Its alright


Its not normal to have oil coming from CAT. it could be just condensation mixed with soot.

All CAT dies when driving.

It probably not, but if you can pull the plugs out and see if they're still good and check the coils see if they're firing.

but I have a feeling your CAT is just dead. happened to me before.

PSUGreySreet

I appreciate your help and I'm hoping that's the case as I'm at 78.8k miles right now and the CAT is covered under 8/80. I was supposed to go away tomorrow, so I have to check into towing and get it to the dealer before I leave.

Mazda Roadside's not an option at 78k, am I correct??

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

Nope, Mazda's Roadside assistants is free ONLY when you're still within Bumper to Bumper warranty.

PSUGreySreet

UPDATE: I had the car towed to the local Mazda dealership tonight after hours. The gentleman started the car up like I had described... was idling super low (.5k), was sputtering exhaust out, and the car was shaking a good bit while sitting in the drivers seat. The tow driver tried to tell me the car was running and therefore it was fine and didn't NEED to be towed, but it certainly wasn't. When he tried to move it a few feet to get it to the base of the flatbed, it stalled once and sounded VERY boggy when trying to move it the 2nd time. I told him to stop trying and move the flatbed to me. I will talk to the service manager in the morning and hopefully hear a diagnosis. I'm getting more and more convinced it has to do with the CAT & hoping since I am just barely in the warranty.

If someone can tell me one more thing... what does the 8/80 emissions warranty cover?? Just the CAT? o2 Sensor? Other hardware, servicing to the emission related parts??

I will keep this updated for those who can learn from it.

PSUGreySreet

Also..... after heading back out tonight, I am thinking differently about the oil coming out of the tailpipe. Although I still not 100% sure, I am now leaning more towards condensation combined with the exhaust soot.

tmak26b

They will probably charge you to replace the coils/wires/plugs. You are not going to get out of this free even if it is the cat, sorry.

Tigerfootball

I would want to know how oil could get into the CAT to start with. Would a blown oil seal be able to cause that? And I would think it is probably just condensation mixing with the soot.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

the 8yr/80K warranty covers emission related equipment. but this "warranty" is pretty tricky. they will cover the CAT for sure, but sometimes they "choose" what they want to cover. for example.

Oil shouldn't go into CAT. if your oil seal has blown most likely it will clog the cat in no time. and you will see black maybe blue smoke.

PSUGreySreet

UPDATE: Well I got a call from the dealer last night after hours and when I spoke to him this morning I received the following info... He said my spark plugs were very worn and not making the spark/contact they needed to be and two of the spark plug wires had deteriorated so bad that they had lost contact with the plug. Also, (I'm not sure if this is due to the spark plugs) but he said they wanted to replace the ignition coils as well because they had been put under such stress that they were not working properly. He said after they completed the work, they would then drive it and see if any damage had been done to the CAT from all the fuel being pumped into it when the car wasn't firing properly.

So here it comes... he said the total labor (with the diagnosis check) would be around $850. Now that seems VERY HIGH to me, but maybe someone else can throw their opinion at me. I have 4 new spark plugs in my possession so that will save a tiny bit on that parts cost. I have also heard that changing plugs, wires, and coils are somewhat easy if you have half a brain and some direction. Should I do this stuff myself or with the help of someone to save on labor costs?

Tigerfootball

that price sounds right. Although the last Mazda dealer I went to to talk about getting my plugs, coils, and wires changed quoted me over $900. Needless to say I did it myself and saved myself from sacrificing my first born child for service to my car.

Do it yourself, you will be surprised how easy it really is. Just use the DIY forum and you can't go wrong.

PSUGreySreet

After waiting through the weekend and then the first few days of the week for parts to arrive, I finally have my car back. All spark plugs were replaced, all spark plug wires, and both ignition coils.

After driving it today, it feels very smooth & drives very well. Although my wallet took quite the hit, I'm glad it's all fixed and everything is good to go.

Mazurfer

Did you ever have this car tuned-up before? Nobody ever asked you that.
BTW.......you have 4 coils.
You really should at least get things changed when the manual says to do so. Me.......I do it more often than that, especially the plugs.
Glad it wasn't anything more serious.

PSUGreySreet

I have gotten the car tuned at some of the important mileage steps along the way, but obviously not enough I guess. You doing it more than the recommended times is probably a very good practice.

About the coils, I could have sworn I saw only 2 replaced on the work order, but I went back and checked and it was indeed all 4.

All in all, I'm happy to have her back... however, I will be watching her a lot more closely and studying the DIY's so I can be doing more checking/tuning myself.

Mazurfer

Good Plan!