Olorin2

iTrader: (6)

Hey guys,

I posted in the BHR impressions thread that I now need a new engine (not due to the BHR coils, of course), but I wanted to try and get a little info about this process. In short, I took the car in for a hot-start problem, and the engine failed the compression tests. Honestly, I'm both happy and nervous about getting a new motor. I haven't asked (yet) if they are giving me a new or remanned engine, but I have read here that a lot of the remanufactured engines are as good as, or better than new ones. I'm assuming I will just have to take what they give me and hope for the best.

Also, I was wondering if some people here (who have gone through the replacement, or not) might give me a check-list of things to ask the tech before this all happens, and anything specific I should watch out for. Maybe it isn't even necessary, but this is a pretty big deal to me and I want to make sure all bases are covered. Ray from BHR suggested that I pull the coils (which are brand new), because the techs will probably destroy the wires when pulling everything out... and said that I may not even get my kit back because they'll replace it with stock coils. I don't know about this yet -- I'll have to ask my shop what they'd do in this case. But I was going to speak with the tech and ask him not to pull the wires off the coil terminals. If they are unwilling to honor my request, I will simply pull the whole thing and put the stock coils in for the engine swap.

The car is an '05 with 42K miles. I don't race it, but I do drive aggressively. I perform all maintenance on the car on a regular basis... oil is changed every 3K miles, added in between changes, etc. Basic mods are in my sig. I have a 20 minute commute to work, which also takes me onto the highway, so I'm able to get the engine nice and warm every day. Of course recently, I couldn't even start it when it was hot. My idle and gas mileage problems prompted me to order the BHR kit, but the car has been to the shop in the past for lack of power, idle and starting issues. Until now, Mazda claimed they couldn't recreate the problems and just gave me the new flashes when they were called for.

I have the car back right now, while they're ordering the motor. They actually replaced my starter with the upgraded version, and it is such an improvement. No more 5-7 second cranking (at best, since it didn't even start sometimes).

I appreciate any advice on what to watch out for during the process, or just general comments.

Thanks!

Hank

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Just look everything over when you pick it up. They broke my fuse box cover clip and one of the parts on the air box that holds the engine cover and I didn't notice it until a few days after and they denied it. Not a big deal but annoying. Overall my dealer has been great so I didn't make a huge deal out of it.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

Similar to my case, 05, 49K, Hot-start will just die, and I have rough idle at times.

Im in the process of "replacing" the engine.

Compression test last sept (I paid for it, since I was kinda worry), and it came out ok (not great, it was 7.5 range, but not failing).

few months later, for some reason mpg has gone downhill to 120 miles a tank. with premix I am "able" to bring it back up to around 160 (which is still bad)

So I took it back, Computer saids LTFT and bunch of other stuff are "not good, but not bad enough to trigger a CEL", tested compression, Bam ! one face is in the 5. Replacing.

What to look for ? hmm, well yeah pull your coils first.

if you've never changed your Clutuch and/or Flywheel, you might as well ask them to do it as a "favor"(or pay them a small fee)

You just got your starter replaced? damn, you hardly check your car didnt u ?

Olorin2

iTrader: (6)

I'd taken to Mazda before for hard starts, but they could not recreate the problem. At the time, I didn't have problems with it not starting, so I didn't push the issue. But I was definitely aware of the issue.

Olorin2

iTrader: (6)

I'm still waiting for Mazda to call me to bring the car back in for the engine replacement. They told me it would take 3-4 days for the engine to come in, but whatever.

I just wanted to find out how long others waited for their engine to come in, and how long it took your shop to actually do the job. I'm trying to plan a road trip and it's tough when I don't even know if I'll have a car.

Thanks once again!

teknics

unless youre going to crawl all over the motor looking at connectors and wire routing after its installed there's nothing to "watch for" if anything is wrong after the install it will most likely be obvious in that it will set a CEL or be noticed on the drive home. Pulling the engine out of the car itself is pretty basic in the dealer world, disconnect rad hoses, unplug PCM, disconnect battery harness, either set aside or disconnect a/c compressor, disconnect steering shaft.

the rest of the work isnt too visible, most of the harness stays connected it's basically unbolted from the block, flipped onto the intake manifold, the manifold is swapped to the new motor, the harness is laid back on the block and bolted on. If you go over to NYCGPS' big thread in "tech garage" go towards the last pages and find my photo album of his swap, youll see a generalization of the steps of replacement.

as for them swapping out your aftermarket coils for stock, they cant. If they put them on for free they couldnt send your aftermarket units back for warranty so that won't happen, theyd have to sell you new stock coils at which point you simply say no and thats that.

so much disinformation about the dealer floats around....i laughed at the coil thing out loud, like we can just give away parts....

kevin.

05rx8mazda

iTrader: (4)

mine just went in for compression test today.. i dont want a new motor.. im afraid i miss my baby! i left my bhr coils on the car the dealers never gave me anything about them. they ae just coils ya know? with stock dwell settings.
chargingme 110$ for the test..

hope all goes well witby our ride bro.. mines a 2005 57,760 miles!

Olorin2

iTrader: (6)

Hey, thanks Kevin. I did see your engine pics prior to this. I really wasn't too concerned over them taking the BHR coils away from me... I was just worried that they might unknowingly break the wire connectors. Ray mentioned they were a bit fragile and recommended that we not even take them off the terminals during the coil install.

Would Mazda be replacing my flywheel and possibly the engine mounts, along with the engine? I was going to have them inspect these things anyway.


Yeah, the dealer never said a thing to me about me coils when it was in there for the testing. Like teknics said, they shouldn't hassle me about them during the swap, either. I'm surprised they're charging you for the compression test. I would hope you'd get reimbursed if indeed you need a new motor! Thanks for the reply.

05rx8mazda

iTrader: (4)

yeah i have aftermarket flywheel as well... they have never said anything when i got my tranny rebuilt last year.. but never know u know? also i would ask them to change the clutch and pressure plate!

yeah tey are charging me because i am out of warranty.

teknics

Yea if the maker of the product says theyre fragile you may want to pull them, but at least the way i do it, i only unplug the spark wire from the plugs and unplug the harness from the coils. then i unbolt the plate and move the coils over with the plug wires still in the coils. But you never know how your specific tech may be.

All reman engines come with a too spec flywheel, dunno if theyre brand new but they look it. Also since youre at the dealer you *will* get a reman, getting a brand new motor is pretty rare and it's not really up to the customer since its warranty, although that can be fought.

As for the motor mounts, if they dont notice they need replacing, as soon as you pick up your car, start it, get out, complain of the engine vibration, say it wasn't there before. They'll probably know then the mounts are bad and will just say they must have broke when doing the motor. Others might give you a hard time, its up to the dealer really.

requested compression tests have to pay, mainly because if we as techs comp test a motor and it tests out fine and dandy mazda wont pay us labor because we didnt diagnose anything. If the results come back as bad compression mazda pays labor for that diagnosis because repairs are needed. I diagnosis of "no repair needed" means "i did nothing".

kevin.

05rx8mazda

iTrader: (4)

thy didnt even test my car... they said my coils and my midpipe cause the car to act different and a compression test could not be done unless it was braught back to stock.. now i have to get sock parts and re install them.. but what does it have to do with compression test?? i was gonn apay out of pocket!!!! and they still chargedme 110 for nothing! they didnt even tell me anything!

teknics

PMing you.

kevin.

Olorin2

iTrader: (6)

Please let us know if anything further happens with this!

WaRdaWg3

WOW! After reading this, I am wondering if my 05 with 43K may need to be tested. I get 160 to 180 miles to a tank and stay on top of oil changes and general maintenance. The idle is rough and almost dies and then revs up before dropping again. 4th gear grind and low power until higher rpms. Are these the "usual" signs of needing an engine replacement?

lshu

^ it may be just tired OEM coils. At around 50K miles my car felt sluggish both low and high RPMs, had a rough idle, and I was getting random misfires every so often. New OEM coils and spark plugs fixed it good as new! If you change those and it's still the same, then I'd be worried...

teknics

too many other possibilities. engine replacement is obviously the end of the diagnostic chain.

carbon buildup, plugs, wires, coils, TB, wiring, PCM,

kevin.

WaRdaWg3

After posting yesterday, I went and picked up coils, plugs, and wires. Hopefully this will help with the issue(s). I also asked the dealership about the grinding going into 4th, and the tech told me that they would have to take the transmission apart to diagnose anything, at my expense. If it is covered under warranty, then I would get reimbursed. He then went on to say that if the fork is bent, then that is not covered and is common. Since I bought the car used, I am hesitant to proceed at my expense and praying that it is something that would be covered.

monkiboi69

Do they take your current waterpump off and put it back on the block or do they give you a new one?

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

All short block comes with brand new water pump.

teknics

and "external" gaskets and flywheel.

kevin.

Olorin2

iTrader: (6)

I am finally taking my car in tomorrow for the new motor. For some reason, it took them 2 weeks to get it.

Are there any hoses or anything else I should think about replacing, while the engine is out? I'm going to push for new motor mounts and tell them that my clutch pedal is feeling mushy lately (which it is). I was also going to mention that I was having some grinding when shifting into 4th at higher RPMs. But recently I put in the AFE short shifter and for some reason the tranny is not grinding as much. So, I don't know if it would be worth paying for them to inspect the transmission too.

Thoughts about any of this?

Nemesis8

iTrader: (3)

Good luck on your new engine! I would replace all the coolant hoses with the BHR silicone ones. I'm curious what your compression test results were. Can you post them?

Olorin2

iTrader: (6)

That's great to hear about your engine! I intended to ask the shop for a copy of the compression test, and if they can give it to me, I will post it here.

Taking the car in right now!

gtommy

iTrader: (2)

I dont understand why ppl are so affraid of getting their engine replaced if its not working properly or if it fails the compression test.

I am, personnaly, dying to get my engine replaced. And Im sure its due for replacement but my dealer doesnt seem to care or agree.

Whatever I try to fix on this car, it still doesnt operate the way it should (by that I mean simply normaly...).

I also have the hot start issue, replaced battery, sparks, coils, plugs, starter at my own fees and it didnt solve anything.

I asked for a compression test and paid for it : all I was told is that it's fine, dont worry. You have 11.9 and 11.8 (without any units, just numbers) which is good.
I simply dont believe it. And what, it's an average per rotor they gave me?

I replaced coils+sparks+wires+CAT in november and my CAT+muffler was dead again in feb because of bad coils. I then upgraded to BHR coils and now the car is not running due to a clutch failure (another stealership story).

Im paying for anoher compression test at another dealer.
Im amazed how dealers in USA sound so honest : you failed the compression test, we're getting you a new engine.

Here, I have to fight to get them looking at a problem.

Olorin2

iTrader: (6)

Well, I'm assuming that since your car is passing the compression tests, they aren't allowed to replace your engine... even though you are having the same symptoms as the rest of us. Hope you have better luck at a different dealership. I have to say that even here, the dealerships are very inconsistent about what the will and will not replace for you.

Case in point, another member here had his car in for a motor replacement last week, and the dealer just went ahead and replaced his motor mounts and entire clutch assembly under warranty. I requested that my shop specifically inspect these items while my engine was out, and they told me they would not replace them, even though my car is still under full warranty. The shop even acknowledged I had the old style motor mounts and that there is a TSB for new ones. So, it would cost me around $1000 to replace these items, when someone else got them for free at a different dealership. I don't think I'm just entitled to free stuff, but I wonder why there is so much inconsistency with the dealerships.

Good luck with your engine man... I know it's a frustrating thing trying to deal with Mazda.