I too got the call from my mazda dealership today... car still runs great below 7500RPMs(heistation after that point).... could not diagnose or fix after numorus tries, so ill get it back this afternoon, engine will be in beginning of next week, then have it back just in time for the VT vs UNC Football game. Any guys having any issues with there new engines?

 

Some have https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-trouble-shooting-95/new-engine-lasts-3-days-122148/

 

I'm not really having as much engine trouble , as I 'm having cooling sytem trouble!

 

I think i might be joining soon 05 mt....Flashing CEL today and then it stayed on with a severe loss of power . . . let it sit for a while, drove it again today and it felt like i had more power but not what it used to...Also i have done all my maintenance work at my job, i have Repair orders in the glove box going back a year and half or so, is that going to be enough to prove maintenance has been done on the car?

 

I got my car back today, is there any other break in instructions. The guy told just me to not set cruise control and dont drive at a constant speed for the first 500 miles.. Im hoping it warms up soon so I can see how it does.

They did change the motor mounts, plugs and popped in a new engine.

nikon they didnt ask me to prove anything

 

Well, I've been on radio silence for a while on what happened with my car, but it's resolved now and back in my possession. After a great deal of back-and-forth, Mazda determined that the engine overheated after damage to the underbody splash shield and would therefore not cover the replacement under warranty. So at that point, luckily, my comprehensive insurance kicked in and covered it, so today at lunch I retrieved her - new engine, new starter, new spark plugs, new underbody splash shield and wheel wells - and she's running fine. Running great, actually, but maybe I've just forgotten how smooth she ran to begin with after a month in a rental.

After I get the windshield replaced this Monday (rock crack from a few months ago) this car is probably (99% chance) going up for sale.

 

I'm sorry to hear that. It still sounds like crap but at least you had insurance for that. So how badly destroyed was your underbody tray? It would have to be 1/2 torn out to have that big an effect. That and you should have seen your temperature gauge spike in that case.

Did you temp. gauge every go up on you? If not I'd call BS. Either way though sounds like it's all water under the bridge at this point.

 

The splash shield was pushed up flush against the underbody of the vehicle when I drove through some moderately high water. The car gave me no problems on the drive home - about 20 miles, no warning lights or anything - and started and ran a few days later. But it was pretty much crushed upwards so I do know it had to have had an effect on airflow.

As you say, mostly water under the bridge, except that (wince) I haven't actually been able to crank it since I got it back. They gave me the keys at the dealership while it was still running, I drove it back to my office around noon, and at 6:45 when I went to leave - no crank! Looks like the battery is dead. I took the rental home and I'll go try to jump start it later. Sigh.

 

Sounds shady and either way I would look for a new dealer. I would search for one that is part of Mazda's President's club. This means they have high customer service ratings and Mazda has confidence in their ability to perform warranty work properly.

A good dealer makes all the difference in the world.

Good luck!

 

well.. i needed the extra seats in the back... i loved that car it was awesome, fun to drive, even put in an ACT racing clutch in it, stage 2... along with other mods, it would fly

but nonetheless.. i love my rx8 and wouldnt trade it for anything..

 

gardengirl, Well what ever you do dont get a GTF. My boy works at there shop in town. Same Engine **** just like us. They just stack them Engines all over the place.

 

I'm thinking that I'm giong to join this club for the second time. it's been about 3 months since I've had the Remanufactured motor in (1500-2,000 miles) and all of a sudden it starts to vibrate alot. I thought ok bad gas. 2 weeks and 2 fill ups later it's still there. No CEL but when I pull up at a stop light the whole car shakes, you can see the steering wheel center vibrate alot. Idle is very low and there is hesitation at starting. I'm going to do my scheduled oil change this week. A week early and notify them of the problem. Call them on Monday take it in on Tuesday. Is the warranty 4 years or 5.

 

This sounds to me like a motor mount problem rather than an engine problem. Yes, there is a problem with the motor mounts too.
The warranty was extended for the 04 and possibly the 05 models to 5/60 for the engine.
BTW, I haven't posted here before but, I am a member of the 2 engine club. First one went at 12K miles in Aug 05. 2nd one went at 36K miles in Sep 07.

 

I am wondering if people that have always premixed are having engines replaced too?

 

Excellent question. Have been wondering that myself.

I wonder what data Mazda Engineers have collected to determine the root cause of engine failures.

I also wonder how the failure data looks for non-US cars that are probably running a decent 10W-30 oil rather than the thin but efficient 5W-20 recommended for US engines.

 

I always premix.

but I have an 05.

and my engine is running great. almost 35K miles.

 

I was thinking motor mounts to. That's what I thought the first one was but it wasn't. I didn't go in this week I've been so busy. I'll see Mazda on Tuesday. It Vibrates very, very bad when the A/C is on. Let me also throw in that on the tach, there are 2 dashes before 1k. Usually the car Idles above the second one (closer to 1k) but when shaking occurs or A/C is on it goes below that dash I want to say the mark is 750 RPM. I hope it's motor mounts.

 

Well, talked to the service manager this morning about issues found with my hot start problem and Mazda is authorizing a new engine for me... I have had no powerloss history or low idle issues! No hot climates for the last 30K and never dogged with the A/C on. Oil chagnes were done every 3000k or less (Royal Purple 5-30 since 20K). plugs, coils, and wires have all been replaced in the last 10-15K. Premixed since 20K with Lucas UCL and Semi-Synth 2stroke. (Maybe that was hiding damage done before 20k when we lived in missouri and temps would spike past 100 in the summer) The only thing he could say was that the plugs were fouled, but since I premix and they have nearly 15K on them, I wouldn't assume new engine. Hey Im all for free, but I just have doubts about the symptoms vs. diagnosis. Hey said they called the tech line and they were told to replace. I wish I could request a compression test, but since this is under warranty, Id have to pay outa pocket for it I'm sure. Should I get a second opinion? I brought it in cause I don't have the newest battery and I think I have the slowerer starter. I just wanted those TSBs addressed.

 

update... Just got a quick glance at their compression numbers for my car. I can definately say I have the old starter for sure - look at the low crank speed!
At 169 RPM
5.1
5.1
5.3

At 171 RPM
5.3
5.3
5.7

Thoughts? I have to check to see specs, because normally that is done at 250+ RPMs so I need to dig up the graph showing values for this RPM.

 

That's low. Should be between ~7 and 8. I don't know what the RPM difference will do to the test.

 

Jjust kinda wondering why such a low RPM.
Has the dealer done the starter TSB? And if those numbers are correct, that's NOT GOOD.

 

no starter tsb done, that is why i took it in. cranking rpm and compresssion numbers have a relation, not linear, but related. mazdas online chart doesnt even show comp numbers at this cranking rpm.

 

So today I went on a Cruise with the local Club "Colorado Mazda Club" and my CEL came on. I'm thinking that that's not from motor mounts. I'll see on tuesday. (I'm at school all day monday, 10-5)

 

I am now a member of the new engine club. My 8 seems to fit the profile: 04 model delivered in sept 03 - built july 03. GT version with MT.

Yesterday I backed out of my driveway pulled away and went to shift up to 2nd - I experienced a total loss of power and engine light on, it was all I could do to get back into my driveway. I tried to start it again after an hour -same condition.
I had no history of pinging or noises at least that could be heard over the stereo.
Thanks to this thread/forum I had the heads up on issues with 04 models - dealer was trying to pin it on an emmissions issue (no longer under warr) and have me pay for the exploration . When I went in to discuss it with them they showed me the plugs and the tech told me that he told me he had some concerns about coolant leaking in lead chamber- this plug was white and cracked from the heat.
I told them that this issue with 8's built in spring/summer 03 was all over this forum, which I believe caused them to change their tune on the cause of the problem. They suddenly confimed later that day that my new engine was on order.
I will followup and let you know how it goes.
Disappointing that Mazda hasn't informed anyone about this and we have to battle with the dealers before they conceed that there is a problem.

 

so the mazda warranty covers the engine, and everything from front to back till 50,000 miles or 4 years? I also have the extended warranty.