You have to admit Mazda is replacing what is wrong--I think they are also analizing this engines to try and figue out how to make them better--its slowly happening. Sounds like your dealership is backing you--thats good --show your appreciation--carry the service guys some doughnuts or something. They are hardworking guys just like us. They will remember it.
You have to admit guys --we dont drive this car like a minvan. Problems? --yep---some---,fixable-- yep. Great car? I think so!!
olddragger

 

04 AT ...

 

04 AT are not the only ones going out.... and you say that like it is OK that they blow up because it is an 04 AT?

 

Believe me, I love the 8. I'm not happy with where the torque is but even after driving much faster cars I always enjoy the way the 8 handles more.

This is why I want(ed) to turbo it. Slightly more torque and I think i'd be set. Maybe turbo the remanned engine right off the bat, I don't know. Currently I'm also considering just getting some track rims+tires, upgraded rotor/brake set and maybe fiddling with a bike later.

 

If he's like me, he's just getting annoyed at you going through to all the engine threads and giving it a quirky nick name, Example: "time bomb", and saying you got another car....we know, thanks.

 

Did you read this thread even?

wOrm called it a ticking time bomb. I just agreed.

Your going to be a lot more annoyed when your engine goes so get used to it.

 

I called it that first initially, the fact that mazda both opened a renny reman-factory and has changed the 2009 engine to include a top dead center OMP injector kind of supports this opinion.

 

You are aware that not everyone has blown an engine right?

 

Of course I know that.

and I qoute wOrm from above.

the fact that mazda both opened a renny reman-factory and has changed the 2009 engine to include a top dead center OMP injector kind of supports this opinion.

 

Regarding this talk of compression tests, I was just at the dealer to demonstrate my lack of power / stalling / rattling problem, and I spoke with the Mazda Master Tech who claims to have many years of experience working on rotary engines. He seemed pretty knowledgeable about the Renesis and the problems people are experiencing. He told me that Mazda no longer recommends using compression tests to determine which engines need to be replaced, because these tests were flagging perfectly good engines for replacement while failing to identify bad engines in some cases. He said the new test is just an intake manifold vacuum measurement that is performed after engine cleaner has been run through the engine to get rid of the carbon build-up. I just read the latest TSB for "lack of power" and it seems to match with what he's saying. Further, it appears that this new TSB replaced the old "lack of power TSB" which called for compression testing. The tech told me that compression testing is now only performed in special circumstances.

 

makes sense. and a vacuum test can be done at home easily.
olddragger

 

Don't have a service manual handy, so what's this car supposed to pull on the vacuum side during the test? I have plenty of vacuum/boost guages I can hook up and get a reading but that's useless if I don't know what a good engine is supposed to pull. Anyone know?

Tim

 

They're probably going away from compression tests because the iDS can't do them...and most dealerships don't have anything else that can do it either

 

vacuum over 16 at least---under 16 and you need to get checked. cold engine will pull more vacuum that a warm one. you can check each rotor at the time. at idle of course.
OD

 

Maybe there's a chance of getting a DIY for that?

 

Thanks OD. Good to know what to look for on the 8 now as well.

Tim

 

I can do a DIY for that, I already got the test tool. I just need the millimeter thats about it.

The test is easy, you dont even need to pull anything apart, just take the washer fluid bottle away for more space, warm the engine up and thats it.

 

Got the car back yet?

 

Car is done, the master tech wants to check it out tomorrow morning and they said they are taking care of the paint damage as well.

I'm going to check the car over every inch when I pick it up tomorrow, but the dealership does seem to have been on my side through this thing.

 

That sounds good

take some pic of ur new motor :P

 

That's great. Hope everything passes your inspection.

I know when I got my car back, I was just glad to get it back with it running. I ignored some things that I should have pressed them to look into instead of either assuming it was normal or taking their word that it was normal. Bottom line, if it's not perfect, make them fix it no matter how many trips it takes. I am paying for it now that I'm out of warranty.

 

I made sure to check everything out and let the car idle for plenty of time when I got the car back. I think I made them slightly nervous having the hood popped right out in front of the dealership, the tech who did the swap came out and talked to me for about 20 minutes.

Overall I'm pretty happy with the swap. I checked over, under.. tested everything and walked around the car twice. They touched up the paint damage to the bodykit and gave me some touchup paint to add a couple layers. Oddly enough I noticed I seem to be developing rust spots over the entire surface of the car and I'm quite worried about my clearcoat.. but that's an issue for another thread.

I was told twice by seperate people(services manager, master tech) that my engine is actually a new one- apparently mazda didnt have remans on hand so I was sent a brand new motor? The shortblock definately looks new, the serial number still had etching shavings on it. IS THERE ANY WAY I CAN VERIFY THIS? I think it'd be awesome if it was actually a new motor.

The car starts up wonderfully now and the 'ticking' noise I'd heard is gone. Their tech said he'd heard it before and it was typically a stuck apex seal. Makes sense. The only thing wrong I found was that they had overfilled the oil. They also took my fumoto oil drain valve off, cited it as a possible warranty void for non approved oil drain blah blah. If I ever have engine problems again Mazda wants me to be running entirely stock(no intake, no straight pipe, etc) and I saw this notice from mazda myself.

The car starts, runs and idles 100% smoother. I had definately lost power as the upper end seems to have a bit more 'oomf' to it now. I'd forgotten how quiet the car is with proper cats installed

Again, I'll get some pictures if there's any way to tell if the short block was really new, is there some kind of indicator on a remanned renny?

 

I read on here somewhere that it is stamped or labeled someway to indicate remanufactured... When I get time, I'll nose around and try to find where it is on mine so you can check yours. But it was mentioned on here somewhere. Unless I'm crazy... very possible...

Anyway, that is awesome if it's new. Did they tell you to break it in? On my reman they said there was no need for a break-in process although I did anyway. Did they give you a new warranty period, or just the remainder of factory?

 

This is scary - 05 MT GT, near same mods, near same mileage, near same build date...

Aside from the rough idle did you have any other symptoms?

 

Hard starts. Replaced the plugwires, plugs, verified starter was OK, battery OK. Mostly if the engine was hot. At one point I almost had to have it towed after pulling into a drive-in and having the car refuse to start again.

I also had a metallic 'clicking' which sounded like a bad belt. I checked all my belts which were fine and tracked the sound down to my exhaust manifold which made me believe it was an engine issue. The master tech said it was probably an apex seal. (this was at idle)

Ozzy- Appriciate it, I'd really like to know if it is indeed a reman or not. The dealership said even though it was a 'new' engine, that mazda had not mentioned following a break in procedure. They said they had already 'run it very hard' to make sure the power was there through the entire RPM range. Regardless, I'm more or less following break in procedure and will be changing the oil at 1k miles.