zoom44

just id throw this out there

REAmemiya 2nd oil cooler for at cars

http://www.re-amemiya.co.jp/new_part...il_cooler.html

SimbaKui

Well, when I was told I would have to pay $3900 for it, they had a brand new engine already at the dealership just waiting for me (or some other unfortunate RX-8 owner). Now I am told they used that engine in someone else's car last week and they would have to order a remanufactered engine for me. Said it would take a week to get there. So, looks like I may have my car back in 2 more weeks! It has been at the dealership since July 25th.... I asked them to go ahead and do the heat shield recall so they said they would do that this week, but the control arm/ball joint recall parts were not available yet so could not do that one (?).

zoom44

where are they getting the reman engine? is this the dealer doing this or MNAO?

RexApex

For those of us with 6 speeds, don't forget this post:
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...860#post514860
It cheers me up.

Tremblay and Haskell currently lead Grand-Am ST class and have no problems with their motors. If there was an inherent design flaw they'd have found it by now (babied and 4-port motors excepted.)
-R

SimbaKui

MNAO made me the offer. Dealer knew nothing about the offer until I contacted them and told them, and then they verified it. I don't know where the rebuilt engine is coming from. Should I be concerned enough to ask?

zoom44

yes ask where its coming from are they using genuine mazda factory rensis seals for teh reman or are they using aftermarket seals etc? in some case aftermarket could be better

anyone know if that place in florida is still doingthis work for mazda? cant think of the name right now.

sharward

SimbaKui, I'm very glad that you're getting your car fixed without having to incur any costs out of your own pocket. Perhaps it was your legal threat that got their attention -- but I'm confident that the facts of your case are what ultimately got you the resolution you needed. I really think this was a case of the right information just not getting to the right person at the right time.

Under the circumstances, I think a quality remanufactured engine provided to you by MNOA with a 12,000 mile warranty is a good outcome.

Thanks for keeping us in the loop, SimbaKui. Please continue reporting back -- we're waiting now for the ultimate "drove it home and it drives wonderfully" post.

khoney

Zoom - I'm gonna have to disagree with you about this problem only happening to AT cars. I had the 'power loss, rattling and car dying' symptoms twice a couple of months ago. I took the car in, they reflashed it, changed plugs, and I drove OK for a couple months. Well, yesterday, it died on me again, and it was scary as sh*t because it happened on a dangerous section of roadway with no shoulders. I thought I was gonna get creamed from behind. Fortunately, I was able to start it again. The commonality among all three incidents?

1) It was HOT! Ambient temp reading was over 100.

2) I had been sitting at idle quite a bit, stuck in traffic.

I have driven on many hot days in the time between the first 2 incidents and the most recent one, but I have NOT been stuck in traffic, due to school being out for the summer. Every single time the car has acted weird, shown power loss, or died, it has been after idling for lengthy periods on a hot day. There is no doubt in my mind that there IS a problem that is not confined to ATs.

I'm really getting worried, because I only have about 6K left on my warranty - about 4 months worth of driving for me.

zoom44

khoney i have said since then that there appear to be a few MT cars as well. i know of one in jersey and 1 or 2 others . now yours,have you had your car in after this incident?

Oktobernv

there are AT LEAST 4 Manual Trans cars with blown motors in Vegas as well.


Rob

zoom44

right sorry i believe you mentioned those before. so thats like 7 lets make it 10 for a few unknowns. 10 out of 200. and can we be certain all 10 have the same problem for the same reason?

SimbaKui

I wonder if we can set up a poll to see how many AT vs. manual Rx-8s have had or needs to have the engine replaced for the same performance issues (lack or power, pinging noise at high RPMs, stalling at idle, etc). I would be interested in seeing the numbers just from owners that belong to this site alone.

Oktobernv

Zoom, I "might" be getting my car back tomorrow.

I will ask when I am at Magic if the MT's with blown engines all had the same failure.

Will report back late friday or sat morning.

Rob in Vegas

Jay Goldfarb

rob

when you get the car back, dump the light oil and go to Valvaline racing oil. high temps breakdown the lower weight oil. Good luck

Jay in Florida

Oktobernv

Jay

Is it "ok" to mix the oils?

I know I will still have quite a bit of the "dealership oil" in my car even if I drain it.

Any concerns about mixing standard 5-20w oil and the racing oil?


Rob in Vegas

Nubo

I would wait at least several hundred miles before draining the factory fill. It has an additive package specific to break-in.

6speed8

SimbaKui, you do not say if/when your spark plugs were replaced, Were they? The owners manual states they should be replaced at either 37K miles, or 35K (for more severe conditions). With 55K miles (if the original plugs are in) I would expect the engine would not run so well.

Jay Goldfarb

I have never heard of any problem. If you are really concerned, change oil, run for one day and than change again, but I think that would be total overkill.

A great investment is Groits Garage oil pump that pulls oil through the dip stick hole. I do every third change through the drain plug and the others with that tool. I also change oil every 2000 to 2500 miles or before any track event.

The funny thing is that this pump pulls as much oil as draining if not more somehow.

Jay

SimbaKui

Yes plugs have been replaced twice already -- once with a flooded engine around 30K, and the 2nd time as part of the $500 60K mile service (which was done early). New plugs made no difference in the performance problems I was experiencing.

Oktobernv

thanks for the info Jay

I will order that pump today

what wieght of oil would you recommend for Vegas?

Again, I do mostly city driving.

No long trips. No racing.


Rob in Vegas

Jay Goldfarb

I used to run 20-50 Castrol GT, but changed to the Valvoline racing after speaking to Speedsource. Use this for summer and than go to 15-40 when weather cools.

I am no expert, but I just don't like the idea of 5-15 or whatever Mazda recommended for warm areas of the country. I use the 20-50 wt all year round, but I am in South Florida.

Jay

crossbow

Racing oils will destroy a street car. Race oils have little if any detergents in them, as they are designed to be changed after an event, and cleaners aren't necessary in such conditions.

Obviously this is not the situation on the street...unless you want to change the oil every 100-500 miles or so.

Thicker viscosity oils result in higher oil temps as proved by tribologists on BITOG. The solution is not to change the oil, but to fix the oil coolers so they have some sort of airflow through them when your sitting in traffic...about 8 inches from 170-180F tarmac.

6speed8

SimbaKui,

Did they (the dealer(s) check your catalytic converter after the flood, or have they checked it lately?

agoodcave

All,
I have been reading these engine failure emails since they started several months ago (mazdaspeedgirl's failure at 19,000). I took note of the similarities and emailed mazda. below is their response and my initial email. I specifically said engine failures and not fuel tank failures so luckily he's implying a new recall.

Mike

Hello Michael,

Thanks for contacting Mazda.

I am glad that you are not experiencing any concern with your 2004
Mazda RX-8. There is actually a recall coming out regarding the
symptoms you described. Right now parts for this recall are being
shipped to the dealerships and customer notifications should be going
out very soon. I entered all your information into our system, so if
your vehicle falls under this recall, you will be notified by mail. If
you do receive one of these notifications, you would then want to take
your vehicle into the dealership to have this taken care of. Further
details and information regarding this recall has not been released yet
though.

Again, than you for contacting Mazda and have a good weekend.

Please take a moment to give us your opinion about our e-mail service.
Click or paste the link below to complete a brief, online survey.

http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB2248YQB39SC

Regards,

Daniel M.
Specialist, Customer Assistance E-Business




Original Message Follows:------------------------

Form Message

Email Address: agoodcave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
First Name: Michael
Last Name: Cave
Message Address: xxxxxxxxxxx
Message City: Oceanside
Message State: CA
Message Zip: 92057
Work Phone: 760940xxxx
Home Phone: 760940xxxx
Subject1: Ownership & Maintenance
Subject2: Recalls & Special Service Programs
Current Mazda Owner: true
Model: RX-8
Year: 2004
VIN: JM1FE1xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx - (I did this MJC)
Message Body: I have heard that quite a few engines have been failing
recently when idleing in traffice with high ambient temperatures (95degF
and higher). Most areas include Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Texas. While
automatics tend to more prone than manuals, manuals are also
experiencing this as well. Milage also tends to occur between 32k-50k
miles. While my car has been virtually troublefree, I am concerned as I
drive mine only about 7k-8k miles a year. If failures occur after 32k
miles, this would occur after my warranty runs out, but well ahead of my
usual life usage of a vehicle. Could you share with me any factual
information you have on these engine failure issues and how this will
affect all Mazda RX-8 owners. Thank You, Mike Cave

JonsToy

This implies that 1) Daniel at Customer Assistance didn't fully understand your question or 2) there may be a fix coming for this situation.

I'm betting on #1.