Is this oil in my air filter?
 

Hi,

I took out my air filter recently and noticed a wet, oily deposit in my air filter that looks like engine oil. However the tech at the dealership says there is no trace of oil in my air filter and adds that it's impossible for oil to get in the air filter in a rotary engine.

Comments anyone?

http://www.mendossa.com/rx8/airfilter.jpg

http://www.mendossa.com/rx8/huile.jpg

Not impossible, quite ordinary - search in the tech section for why it happens, and how to stop it.

S

I actually know about it (oil overfill) but was wondering if THIS (pic in 1st post) actually qualifies as oil or if actual oil spill is messier or darker or something since the tech says it's not oil.

Smell it. Engine oil has a distinct smell. If you're not familiar with it, wipe some off the dipstick with a tissue and smell it.

Feel it. Does it leave an oily residue on your fingers?

Blot it -- firmly press a tissue against the stained material for 10 seconds or so. Does it bleed into the tissue?

I think you'll be able to decide if it's oil or not.


Also, open up the airbox again and look inside. Also check the accordion tube. When there's oil present it usually pools in the corrugations of the tube. Pour some of that on your tech's desk. Tell him not to worry because it's not engine oil.

tell the "technician" to read thru all of his service bulletins. if he cant find them to read point him to rosenthal mazda's finishline performance website. then if he has read them all and still doesnt believe oil could get there tell him to get on the Tech line and ask them if its possible. If that doesnt convince him i can forward him the emails i have from my conversation 4 years ago about this specific issue with Mike Allen the RX-8 Technical manager from MNAO. Then he can use the address to talk to Mr. Allen himself. I could also dig up and send to him all the pics of Oil in the Airbox from this forum.

While he is doing all of that and getting himself educated, ask for a different tech who has a clue.

Thanks for the advice guys, I've sent my service rep the second pic. Two weeks after I first noticed this, it still feels wet and leaves an oily residue on my fingers as well as on a paper towel.

Considering the fact that we've had extremely hot and sunny weather for the past week, I doubt it can be anything else than oil.

Didn't Mazda even change something on the 06 or 07 to make sure oil didn't get in the intake as easily anymore? :scratchhe
I'm pretty sure I read something about it...

it looks like oil to me. But then again it's just a picture.

And yes, it is 100% possible for oil to get in the intake. There is a 3/8" rubber hose from the oil filler neck connected to the intake as part of the emissions system. Federal US law implemented this so oil goes back through the engine instead of being dumped on the street. Most people bypass it by installed an oil catch can, which is just a glorified container mounted in the engine bay with two nipples on it and it goes in parrell between that aformentioned hose and all the oil goes in the can and not in your engine. They cost around $20 bucks on Ebay.