Well, I was driving home in a storm on Sat. night and started to feel the engine sputter. Low and behold when I came to a stop light she just died (and no, I wasn't driving througha deep puddle). I then had to push her out of the traffic lanes and walk home (with girlfriend) about two miles in the rain..grrrrrr

The next day I go back hoping my baby wouild start, but alas, everytine I turned the ignition, it sounded like to rotors just didn't want to spin. So I now assume she's hydrolocked. Monday morning comes around and I call my service advisor (car towed there on Sun) to see what was up. He then called me back 2 hrs. later and said I needed to call my insurance company because my RX-8 (2 months olw with inly 1700K) needed a COMPLETE NEW ENGINE!!!!! WTF

This bothers me because:
1. I wasn't driving through deep water, as no others cars stalled in the spot where I did (was there 20 minutes trying to get it out of the way)
2. The dealer could not have had enough time to take the plugs out, drain supposed water, drain fluids, give it some time to dry out, put fluids back in, and then try to crank it upo again.

O.K., so I'm no rotary mechanical professional, but I feel like the dealer is just taking my insurance company for a new motor. So now I have a few questions for anybody who has experienced any of these problems:

1. Is hydrolock different in rotary engines?
2. Could water have gotten into the engine that easily?
3. Is swapping out the 1.3 wankel a MAJOR procedure that will lead to a lifetime of me driving a rental car around?
4. How long would a swap take if done by "professionals"?
5. Will my insurance get jacked up because of my bad luck? I have peeps tellin me the damage is covered under comprehensive ("act of god") so they can't jack my rates up?

I appreciate any feedback and I promise to keep this thread updated till I am back zoom zoom'ing without worrying about engine problems....

wish me luck!

Thank, LAyton

 

A swap shouldn't take that long at all, getting the actual replacement engine...that is a different story.

 

Theres a lot more detail you need from your dealer. FIrst of all, if you need a new engine, they obviously know whats the problem with this one. Is it a warranty issue? Why do you need your insurance involved?

After they give you that info you can proceed. Just cause it died in the rain doesnt mean it was hydrolocked. Others have posted their expeiricne with engine swaps. Once the engine was there it seemed to take a week or so from what I remember.

 

They said that there was water in the engine so it was definitly NOT a warranty issue.

 

Wow, that sounds crazy. I was just driving through some deep waters... I would have been more cautious if I had read this first. From what I have heard, it takes a while to get an actual replacement motor, but labor doesn't take long.

 

Sorry about your engine.

I was driving around in some heavy storms saturday night. Tried to slow down through all the standing water. just didn't see some of them, or people were driving fast in the lane next to me, that sort of thing..

Anyway, the next morning when I was checking my coil packs, I checked my airbox and my filter was wet.


Luckily I did not experience your problem. I may have been close!!

 

Find the largest BS flag you can and start waving it out front of the service department. Have them prove to you there was water in there and how it found it's way in there. Demand a regional rep come out also. Don't even lower your stance on this.

 

Amen.

The intake for this thing is above / between the headlights. If you are hydrolocked, you would have had wet feet before you got out of the car, at which point walking 2 miles in the rain would have been no big deal. Either something is seriously wrong BEFORE the water got in or you are not telling us the whole story.

 

Uhh, yeah.

Why would you accept the word of the dealer that this is your fault? You should have to drive through a river WELL ABOVE THE FLOORBOARDS of the car to get large amounts of water in the engine, and even if you did, why exactly do you need a new engine? I mean how is the engine permanently damaged, and if it is, how is ti your fault? You need to start getting into some peoples' faces and definitely get a Mazda rep out there. This stinks to high heaven.

 

If you get shafted by your service dept. get a lawyer. They would eat this one alive...

 

I smell a troll, or a highjacked account (trolling doesn't usually start with post 34). This should be under warranty. If not hire a lawyer.

 

Never heard of a rotary dieing from hydrolock,.. pull the plugs, pull the fuel fuse (atleast thats what we do on rx7's, dont know bout the 8, in any event disable fuel somehow so it doesnt flood), crank engine for bout 20 seconds, ispect and clean plugs, repalce plugs, start motor.

 

Saturday I was driving about 45 while it was raining so hard there was almost an inch of standing water on the road. The car handled it like a champ.
A coupple years back my buddy an I were driving through the woods and had to cross a 3' stream. I have a custom air box so I made it no problem, but my buddy died. Turned out he sucked water into his intake and the hydro lock bent a rod. Seeing as the rotary doens't have any rods, the only thing I can think of is it would damage the e-shaft. I think I agree with haze though, you'd have your feet wet before you got water in your intake.

 

**UPDATE**

Thanks for the responses guys. As far as water not being able to get in the engine, I totally agree. But its almost impossible to prove that the car wasn't driving through deep water. I just don't know how to substantially prove it. Yeah I could get a lawyer, bitch and moan to MAzda, bitch and moan to my service rep, but if/when anything would get resolved, it would be months later. I just can't justify not having a car for that long, plus burning most bridges down at the dealership I purchased/get maintince from.

The insurance adjuster looked at it yesterday and they ordered a new engiine this morning. I was worried that it might take a while to get a replacement motor, but my service rep swears he has one waiting for delivery in CAli. Said it should be here Friday (believe it when I see it!!). Lets hope he isn't BS'ing me.

Well, its been a long stressful couple of days. If the engine arrives on Friday, they said they could have it ready by Wed!

Zoom Zoom!

 

BS BS BS!!!!! did they show you the engine? did they actually take it apart? dont let them d@&k you around like that. also if it's coming out of your insurance i assume you have a deductible-which means you are paying for the new engine. Make them give you back the bad engine. IT's yours not theirs!! if Mazda wants the whole engine back in japan to study it then they should give you the new one free. KEEP THE BAD ONE IT'S YOURS!!!!!

 

Rotary motors don't get damaged the way piston motors do if they get "hydro-locked". There are no rods to bend. The water will just stop the motor and then run out of the ports since there are no valves to stop it. Pull the plugs, drain the motor with a couple of turns with the gas pedal all the way down, put it back together and start it up.

This is a warranty issue.

 

didn't want it to get lost on the previous page-THE BAD ENGINE IS YOURS!!

one the hydro-lock issue- wouldn't there be some seall issues due to the water washing the oil out?

 

I dont think you can hydrolock a wankel?
Im not sure about the Renisis but the old motors with the periphial exhaust ports wouldnt lock.

I dont see why the Renisis should be any different.

In any case, MazdaManiac is right. Theres no rods to bend like a piston engine. Any water should just drain out the exhaust port.

Does the engine turn or is it seized?

 

100% BS man. Did you at least get lubed up before the raping?

 

Not to sound like to much of an *** but wtf u care who pays for it?I would be happier then a pig in **** if my insurance paid for it and i got an extra engine out of the deal.Send it out get comp dropped and run about 20psi threw that thing.

 

Definately keep the old engine. If you want, I'll even buy it..

When the new motor comes it should come in a nice crate that is a perfect fit. Request that too.

 

what i am saying is that if he were getting it under warrenty then the old engine would belong to Mazda. but since he (or in this case his insurance mostly) is paying for it then the old engine is his! we are agreeing here- he should definetly keep the "bad" one and do what you are saying. and get the new one's crate too! :D

 

a rotary can break an apex seal if hydro locked hard in theory, but ive personally never heard of this happening. Ive heard quite a few storeis of people hydrolocking the motor, pulling the plugs, and restarting it within bout 10 mins,.. i think your dealer is full of BS....

 

also you should have made the dealer show you the copression test that showed the motor was bad,.. thats the only way to know if it broke an apex or not.

 

I dunno ppls.... Smells like stink to me.