MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

Look at the ESS.
If it is almost completely shrouded by a metal casting that is part of the front cover, then it is new.
Otherwise its a reman.

Shoafb

My wifes had pretty much the same symptoms, no obvious power loss.

It stalled on her at a drive through and the guys where coming out to push it out of the way when she finally got it started again. ( fortunatley I had just replaced the battery ) It's hard to tell with these cars. Seems like the same symptoms can just be the plugs/coils.

w0rm

I had no obvious power loss, but I suspect it was because I was gradually losing the seal. Over the past 6 months I had thought about testing the 8 against another 8 off the dealership loss because I had thought I felt some power loss but figured it was due to the heavier rims. I also thought my coils might be having issues.

With this replacement engine I feel a much more smooth transition of power in the upper rpms.

max5roadster

I have had the exact same ticking sound and have gone to the dealership 3-4 times now with no resolution. The first time it was blamed on me running a 5-30 synthetic with a non mazda filter (pureone)... no joke.. Returned after running it for 1000 as they requested, with oem 5-20 and mazda filter. Switched to 10-30 and drove to Florida after talking to the tech about his opinions on the OMP as they thought mine may have been failing, but it tested alright. Well, in Florida, I had multiple hard hot starts and the idle droop was worse. Went back and this time got a, "Well its coming from the lower intake manifold... ummm not sure what it is, but here is the updated flash and engine decarb with new plugs." Great, drove it around as requested, still droops to below 700rpms and the ticking is very noticable at idle. Tock, tock, tock.... Went back and the service manager said I have to wait til a special Mazda tech is back in the area because they have no idea... He got my cell and it has been a week and I have heard nothing.. So this whole time I had to drive my car as they requested and now I am at 60065 miles, which technically puts me out of warranty. I went by today and he was gone for the day and the other service lady had no idea what I was talking about... So I go back 2mrw, but now I may have to fight since this has dragged on past warranty... FWIW I have the uprated batt and starter and coils are only 10k old... Was your noise only present when the car was warm?

Varalith

For what it's worth, and in regards to the talk just now of whether they are putting remans or new engines in, I have a little story about the 8 I just purchased that should shed some light.

When I purchased it, I was informed that all flashes, TSB's, and recalls had been done to it (this included the "replace engine for hard to cold start in the morning" issue, it came from auction apparently, and was purchased by the local mazda dealer for resale).

It being an 04 I was concerned about the engine problems, so I contacted the service department directly, and spoke with their head rotary tech. He told me that it did indeed have a new engine in it. When I got the paperwork, I had both "new crate" and "reman." marked on the bill, both in the extended information section of each item. I found out that one of my business' customers (who owns a service shop) uses the head rotary tech at the mazda dealer to do extensive engine replacement work, etc. after he closes for the day. I actually spoke in person to the gentlemen, who showed me exactly what Mazda Maniac described, and explained to me the item information section, and how it was that I actually came about a new engine.

Apparently depending upon what Mazda deems necessary (he spoke like it was a random omnidomni up there that caused this), they will replace the engine with either a reman, or a new. Also he said if they had no more remans, rather than delay the customer, and due to the perceived engine trouble with the vehicles, they simply sent a new engine. He said in this particular dealerships invoicing/service writing system, they list the engine as both since they never know what they'll get in. On a good note, he did say that locally that is the first engine they've had to replace in an 8 since they came out, don't know if that's due to how few there are around here, or just good owners/drivers, etc.

Didn't mean to hijack the thread, but figured I'd throw that information y'alls way to let more experienced people sort it out.

w0rm

Mostly noticed after I'd been running it hard or hot. It was troubling to diagnose because it would come and go. I used the trick of sticking a metal tool to my ear and pressing it against different car parts under the car to isolate it down to the exhaust manifold so I was pretty sure it was either an odd gap leak or something internally.

When I'd brought it in initially to show the dealership of course it wouldnt do it. I leave, and it starts.

If I were you I'd look for another dealership and ask for a compression check.. the problem is you're now technically out of warranty. Keep your paperwork.

max5roadster

At fisrt it came and went.. And the first time I btought her in, it didnt do it for them either... Now it does it all the time. I also have no powerloss issues or totall stalls, just droops and occassional hot start issues. The ticking can be heard through the exhaust BTW. I am going back today. I should not have to fight with this as I did as the deaer told me and drove it after each of their "fixes".

RX8_Buckeye

Thank you very much for sharing. Also, thanks MazdaManiac for the information about what to look for on a new engine.

My car has been at the dealership for a week and a half now getting an engine replacement, and I'm supposed to be getting it back today. My major symptom was a significant loss of power and rough idle/stalling in high ambient temperature conditions (>70F) when the engine had been under load for a sustained period (like taking a 20 minute cruise at ~75mph on the highway). This was the 3rd time I had taken the car in to the dealership for this problem, and each of the previous two times I was told that they could not duplicate the problem (they never ran any of the tests in the lack of power TSBs, which pisses me off). Finally they got a Mazda Master Tech who actually followed the procedure, and sure enough Mazda told him to replace the engine. I'm curious to know if I got a new one or a reman.