Help me diagnos my engine problem (video example included)
 

Hey guys,

I will give the long story short and the long version if you want to read into it. (**EDIT** Just realized that i murdered "diagnose" in my title, sorry)

Bottom line is that my rx8 has low power at high rpm. No SSV valve stuck open CEL but i am getting the rotor misfire code(usually flashing CEL). The dealership replaced 4 coils today and said that all should be good, it wasn't. They have inspected the Cat converter, and updated the PCM. They also stated in their Workorder that the fuel trims were good.

Car Details:
04 MT Highpower(not so high power as of now, lol)
75,000 km
spark plugs changed about 10k to 15k km ago.
91 octane gas

Video link (not great quality, taken from my BB Bold, you can see the CEL flashing right before i shut off the recording. Units of measurement on the dash are kph. This is third gear acceleration):

Usually it will rev higher than it did, however this was not the case this evening.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d40CMn9XjF0
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If you want a bit longer of a story here is my posting on the Canadian forum:

"Now the bad news. Service rep calls me up and says "It is all fixed and you can come pick it up, the service mechanic took it out for a test run from sunridge mazda to the airport and said that it was good in high RPM's"

Went to pick it up and took it for a spin, once it was warm i gunned it in third gear on the deerfoot, pulled strong until 6700 or so and then felt a big power loss which was followed by a jerk it power at 7000 something(only for a fraction of a second though). If i kept holding the accelerator down it would SLOWLY climb up to redline(we are talking like 10 seconds from 7500ish to 9000rpm in third gear). Oh and when i was stopped at the lights i was reving it in neutral and when it hit 7000 i could see it pause for a fraction of a second and then continue(this was followed by flashing CEL).

Took it back to the dealer and had a talk with the lead service tech, he pulled the code and it was the misfire code again. Next i let the lead service tech take it out for a drive with me in it and he definitely noticed the power loss(he only had it in first gear and it is alot harder to notice it in that gear because it is over so soon). His next suggestion was to get a compression check because seeing that much power loss and the hard starts that i have every time he thought that could be it.

Once i was done talking to him and ready to leave my car BARELY started(at least 10 seconds of cranking, and it was 100% warm because we just took it out for a 15 min drive after my 30 min drive).

Dunno what to do guys, do i try seafoam procedure first or just get them to check the damn compression and be done with it?(dont really have alot of time considering i am moving Saturday and work all day from now until them)."

Thanks for looking guys/gals,

SpecialBlend

Classic bad coils.

^Dealer replaced all four coils today.

Next will be the cat.;)

I wish it were that easy, they claim that they tested it and it was fine.

So, because i payed for diagnostics and 4 brand new coils and it did nothing to help my problem they are going to do a compression test for me for free tomorrow. I will update the with results(Not sure what i want to hear from the test though), lol.

Even though you have new coils.. one of them can be bad.

I saw two new coils out of 4 that were bad. Not likey or probable but a freak of nature does happen.

How did they inspect the CAT?

They have to take it off and look inside.

Just because the computer said its fine, doesnt mean its really "fine"

they should take it out and look at it, they have lift and stuff, takes maybe 15 minutues.

Anyway, let us know what happen tomorrow

I was also lead to this bulletin that should be covered under warranty and will give me a answer if the compression test does not.

http://www.finishlineperformance.com...4-08-1924g.pdf

Were plug wires ever done? Good coils are useless with bad wires.

If mazda would do plug wires with the 48,000km warranty work then yes(48k service includes the spark plugs and oil change, not sure about wires though).

I believe i got the 48k warranty done at 55k or something like that.

does it include spark plugs????I thought the 48k service only includes oil change, air filter and some inspections....anyways, i am facing coils or spark plugs problem too or both. mine doesnt look like yours. when I rev it upto 5000 rpm range, i could feel a little pause or jerk (not really a jerk, the rpm seems just to pause by half sec) then started to rev up again. when it reaches 8000rpm ( i know its supposed to be 7300 rpm to open the 3rd air opener or whatever you wanna call it), it gave me a pause again with a CEL (P0302). BHR, can you answer me what it is? P0302 is a misfire code on rear rotor but does it really explain the pause at 5000rpm and 8000 rpm? I doubted it would be a SSV stuck cuz it didnt give me that CEL code anyways. I know misfire is a forsure but should I replace all coils and plugs and wires???

they need to take the cat off and check it

A good point to start diagnosing low power in renesis, before replacing any other thing.

^^it is a good starting point. and if the dealer is going to do that for free then might as well take it. keep us posted.

Compression Test results:

Rotor 1--------------------------Rotor2
80.04 --------------------------82.215
75.545 --------------------------83.085
77.285 --------------------------83.085
---------------------------------------------
203RPM--------------------------207RPM

Yes i know my starter is shit....lol.

They are getting authorization from their district manager to do the "Engine lack of power" TSB tomorrow(includes Cat Check, SSV valve check, zoom zoom(seafoam) cleaning and a vacuum test if necessary). This should give us a definitive on the state of my engines life.

I wonder, do you think if i need a new engine they will refund me the 4 coils that i just bought for 550 installed?(that didnt fix the problem) They have like 40km on them now, lol.

prob not..getting anything out of a dealer is like pulling teeth on an alligator.. but if you do get a new engine you they will use your current coils, so at least you'll have piece of mind knowing that you have new coils

^prob not!

Are those numbers pretty bad?

at that rpm, i'd reckon average.

Wow, I literally have your EXACT same problem. Just started this morning. My first thought was compression. Let me know what they say.

I just got off the phone with the dealership and apparently Mazda has slapped an 8yr 100k mile warranty on the renesis motor and retro acted it all the way back to 04. If you do need a new motor it should be covered. Not sure about the coils though. I'm going to take mine in and see what they tell me for mine.

Ya that extended warranty on the core will be a life saver for alot of people i think. I am still under my 5 year 100km warranty so it would be covered. Just waiting on the dealership to get back to me with the results from the TSB i had them do today.

Yeah I definitely want to know the results of that. When I called the shop the first thing he said was plugs and I'm not trying to spend 75 bucks a plug on some plugs that were just replaced.