So I took the 8 in for hard start / rough idle and they ended up seafoaming the engine(supposedly) and doing a compression test. I think they might have also tested the engine cold, because on another page the engine coolant temp was 71C(150~F?) which is the min value.
Results were
rotor1: 634:835.77 / 603:804.77 / 652:853.77 Diff port: 49
rotor2: 603:804.77 / 496:697.77 / 588:789.77 Diff port: 107

So I'm guessing that is 8.3/8/8.5, 8/6.9/7.8 ?
Misfire counts are rotor1: 4 last 10 cycles, rotor2: 9 last 10 cycles.

MazdaUSA wanted pictures of my straight pipe. They said the reason for failure is probably 'lack of backpressure due to no cataylic convertor'. I'll hear back from them on monday.

Opinions?


I drove it home ~40 miles highway and noticed it sounded and was running different. Once I got to city driving the car was dying repeatedly at idle! I could hear what sounded like a vacuum leak and sure enough both (diagnostic?) vacuume nipples on the engine were wide open. I could put my finger over them and smooth my idle out. Went ahead and re-plugged them. The engine of course had thrown a code for too lean, and I wonder just how lean the car was running with the vacuum ports sucking in air like that on the highway past the MAF? Should I be worried? Are there any other things I should check?

They also lifted my car by the sideskirts and broke my driver side mazdaspeed skirt and scratched a bodypanel down to the metal. Going to have a fun discussion with them on monday about that one.

This is why I don't trust dealerships.

 

Idiots!

Good luck.............I don't know enough to really give you any sound advice at the moment.......so I won't, but some things are obvious.

 

why did you drive it home. were they made aware of the body damage before you took the car? did you call them immediately upon finding they had left the vac lines off?

 

Lack of back pressure. WTF!

Once you leave the lot your pretty much on your own.

you: Well you guys left my vacumn lines off.
dealer: Oh rly?
you: yes, really
dealer: Car ran fine when it left.
you: (^%#)(*&^#@^$&(&#
you: You guys broke my side skirt when you lifted the car up!
dealer: Are you sure that wasn't already broken before you got here?
you: Yes I'm sure!
dealer: Let me ask the tech, He said it was cracked before hand.
you: (&^$%*&&(*&@%&@$))$#^@($*
dealer: I'm going to have to ask to to leave

All I can say is ALWAYS check out the car BEFORE you leave the service drive. Always have the service writer do a walk around with you before and after the service. Have him write down any little things you see.

Sorry to hear about the problems.

 

Yeah I picked the car up after service hours. I attempted to call as soon as I realized the car wasnt running properly but they were closed.

I'll be dealing with the crap after I take it in on monday.

 

damn dude.... just go in there furious as hellll! and mosttt likely they will screw you over bc of the cat pipe.... i wouldnt doubt it since they screwed me the *** over for a damn intake and made me try to pay 8000$ for damn motor and labor...GTFO of here!

but good luck...and also the syptoms sound the same when that happened to my car... =/

 

Oh, man... Just saw this. What a bunch of idiots.

How can you tell anything from those results? You still have the old starter... slower cranking speed = lower numbers I think. They might not be so bad except they are all over the place on rotor 2. Assuming they did the test right... and I have no idea but I would think having the vac lines off during the test would make some sort of difference.

Did you talk to them yesterday?

 

Over the weekend I almost had to have the car towed as It refused to start.

Mazda said the poor compression could be caused by a lack of backpressure due to my straight pipe? They wanted me to put my cat back on, so I spent last night under my car re-installing my catalytic converter. The car is so damn quiet now, I'd forgotten the jetsons spaceship sound it makes when it's muffled properly!

The dealership seems pretty willing to work with me and admitted to the mistake about leaving the vac lines open. Kind of ignored my questions about the paint damage but I'll bring it up when I take it back in today. I'm going to request another hot run compression check to see what's up.

I asked about the starter specifically and the dealership said that mazda had started requesting the seafoam treatment prior to the starter upgrade. I'd like to check the TSB and see if my VIN is in the range for the upgrade(early 05) but the TSB site(finishlineperformance) is down.

 

if the numbers are right of course you need another engine. tell them on a non overlap, non fi'ed engine exhaust backpressure has nothing to do with anything in regard to low compression/blowing a seal.
If they let you pick the car up after hours then they are liable to what happens to the car between the time they closed and the time you picked it up--so they waved the right to say the car was OK. They didnt inspect it nor were they even present when you picked it up--so how do they know?
olddragger

 

If no cat=ruined seals I guess several race teams have a LOT of luck, not to mention the rest of us who have street cars with no cats.

 

lack of back pressure ... wow

I mean, whoever works at Techline @ Mazda USA can make up ANY bullshit just to deny warranty repairs. Wow Mazda WOW !!!!

 

Car is back at the dealership now. Oddly enough they said they would not be performing another compression check which baffled me as to why I was required to put the cat back on. They said they would be using the first check's results.

Just to confirm, the results I posted at the top of the thread indicate a replacement engine for sure? What's the official operating range for our renny(I searched a bit and didnt find a solid answer)

 

Weird... Maybe they did their homework in the meantime and figured out the straight pipe didn't matter.

Curious... did they not say anything about the intake or had you taken that off?

 

No, they also complained about the intake. The dealership asked if it had been oiled (no) and I told them I no longer had the stock airbox.

The dealership said not to worry about it and if required they would pull one from a car on the lot for me. I do feel like they are working with me on the issue.

 

I wonder... maybe you should insist on the 2nd compression test and pay for it under the circumstances.

When I was having these symptoms I was also afraid of low compression, but I solved my hard start with an upgraded starter which makes me think the vibration at idle is unrelated (motor mounts?)

Could anyone give any input as to how a weak starter could affect his compression results?

 

i'd run the hell out of your engine and then get another test done... all the readings look good except for the one (either a carbon stuck seal or a seal thats been damaged)

 

Thats not really complaining, I think they're trying to help you

Only if NYC dealerships are 1/2 as good ...

 

Not the dealership, mazda complained about the intake.

I am now officially part of the new engine club. Mazda is replacing my engine.

 

What year is your car and how many miles are on it.

 

Ballstastical. Sorry to hear that.

 

So its all good then.

 

I had something similar happen to me but i wont hijack the thread

 

05 MT GT, I think the build date was july 04(bought in sept 04). 36,000 miles on the engine. So much for reliability! Been wanting to turbo real bad, but don't know if I'll do it on the reman, seems like a ticking time bomb at that point.

I'm stuck in this Mazda 3 for a week(engine is supposed to arrive monday) and hate it
Autotragic power-nothin'.

 

My build date is Dec 2004. got my car in June 2005 :o

Engine works fine, 40 K miles

let us know how ur *reman* new engine works for ya later

 

Sorry to hear about your car.

I just got a new engine in yesterday. I have traded my " time bomb" in though.