poobah

04 mazda A/t 45,000
rebuilt engine will pick up the car today.
Anyone who has had a the engine replaced --- can you tell me if it cured the problem?
Mazda will not say why i am getting a replacement engine or what was wrong with
the original.

Tracker

um i havent had a problem with my ENGINE since then but then again it also depends on your particular problems.. as for telling, i would find if hard to beleive that they would just voulnteer the information, you might have to try for beating it out of someone.. or demanding sometimes works if your not in the mood to have charges pressed

Tracker

REMillers

*crosses finger*
Had the 8 over heat today after driving abour 4 miles notice the temp guage was almost pegging all the way over. Pulled over, cracked the hood and a small amount of burning coolant was puffing away. Turned it off, and saw very small maybe couple ounces flowing from the over fill tube on the reservoir.

Looked around the engine area and didn't see any coolant draining or on the motor, looks like it was all coming around the reservoir area. Was just in the dealer 2 days ealier for oil change, tune up and new plugs.

So hoping it isn't anything with the engine, has 35k on it. Called Mazda roadside and they were there within about hour to tow it to the dealer which was about 5 miles away. Probably could have driven but figure with it heated up like that, probably not the best thing.

*crosses fingers again* Please don't let it be a engine issue

zoom44

then why did you let them change the engine?

Outlaws eXtreme

Btw, people that have some sort of issue, please list the year of car, MT or AT, and how many miles is on the car now. That might help other members. Once again mine was...

November 2003, AT, 43k+ miles. Had been occuring more and more when it got hotter and hotter... 80+ in temp and also when I've been on the road at least 30 minutes or more.

Kirin

I also became a recent member of the new engine club.

I have an 04 Auto in Cincinnati, OH.

I started experiencing similar symptoms with my engine at 18,000 miles (rough idle, stalling, lack of power, pinging). Sometimes the car would seem to be running just fine, without any of the previously stated issues. It seems like a pretty rare problem around here, from what my service manager says. I'm only the third engine replacement that he's aware of at his dealership (don't know why he would lie about this).

Unfortunately, the dealership coudn't duplicate the problem, and I had to bring the car back in 4 times between August of 05 and May of 06 for the same issues. They were finally able to duplicate the problem at 29,000 miles. At first they said it was something in the computer related to the A/C unit and did a reflash. When that didn't fix the problem, they did a compression test, which came back low spec, hence the engine replacement.

He wasn't more specific about the actual cause of the problem, but I should be getting the car back in a couple of days and will find out more then.

REMillers

Well getting the radiator replaced under warrenty, still waiting for them to do a compression check on the engine to make sure no damage was done when it over heated.

*relaxes fingers*

lbeagley79

Well, I too now belong to the new engine club. I own a 2004 MT RX8 with 20K miles. It has been in Tucson, AZ the whole life of the vehicle and has been babied.

The symptoms I experience are very similar to what has already been posted - extreme lack of power, bucking, and rough idle.

According to the limited info I received from the Mazda service department, the issue they believe causing the problem is carbon build up. I will be receiving a remanufactured engine. I was told it's a new engine but technically Mazda could not call it new because of the changes they made to the engine. What changes they made is still a mystery to me - the service department did not have that information at hand. I'll try to find out more information ASAP and share it here with everyone.

All I know is a replacement engine kills the resale value. Maybe it's time for me to start looking into AZ's Lemon Laws....

RotoRocket

iTrader: (1)

95% of the new engine people have 20 posts or less.

I'm just making an observation.

Old Rotor

I wonder how many of the new engine people are first time rotary owners?

lbeagley79

This is my first rotary vehicle. I must admit the vehicle ran great in cooler weather conditions but when the summer heat hits in AZ is when I started experiencing the problems the vehicle is having now.

I had never done any reading online regarding RX8 issues or posting for that matter of course until I too started experiencing problems. Everyone who has been part of this website for years and done lots of reading/posting has more information to share which is what I'm looking forward to learning.

My main concern is with this new engine I will be receiving. What has Mazda done to remedy the issues experienced in hotter climates? If it truly is a carbon build up problem as I was told by the dealership, where was it building up and what has changed in this new engine to reduce and/or eliminate it? Wouldn't carbon build up be affecting the vehicle even in moderate climates as well?

Sorry if some of my questions are a little off topic - I'm just trying to understand everything better relating to this new engine going into my RX8...

agoodcave

Ryan,
What's up with the new engine. You left us all hangin'

Mike

VOODOO8

I find the carbon build-up story line to be suspect myself. Mazda has done an excellent job of keeping the real info for these engine failuers under wraps so all we have is speculation. IMHO, it is more likely related to heat stress, lean burn combustion issues, or a combination of the two. I have also seen some interesting information from another site member, dating back almost a couple of years now, about some mechanical tolerance isues he had discovered relative to the intake/exhaust ports. Using a carbon build up cover story gives Mazda some air cover on the issue as this can be related to individual user driving habits, fuels, etc. Heat stress &/or lean burn &/or mechanical tolerancing issues are much more related to either design or manufacturing flaws and hence put Mazda at risk for more warranty related claims, etc. It also casts a bigger shadow over the Renesis as a future powerplant for the hydrogen fueled vehicle that has been in the works at Mazda for a while now (and for which the PR machine at Mazda has gone silent as of late - hhmmmm, I wonder if there is a connection here)

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

Thers a new recall Flash that fixes your problem, sometimes it takes a while for long term problem like these to show

The new flash fixes :
modified OMP flow rate so it "pumps" a bit more oil during light throttle, to prevent immature wear of the engine.
Fixed a problem that engine might shut off unexpectly

spieder

I need to make an appointment to have mine looked at. My car is starting to have the following problems:

1.) Cooling light is coming on, loosing a little bit of coolant.
2.) Power loss after driving 30+miles in 90+ heat. I do not get a power loss driving for 2+ hours when it is cool. When I get the power loss I can't climb anything in more than 4th.
3.) "Marbles" during power loss.
4.) Always had excess vibration at idle since 5k.


Interestingly, I have no problems when the temp is 85 or below. THis is my 4th rotary. All of my 12a's did the pinging a little under heavy loads but never as loud as my 8. I am going to drain the oil tomorrow and see what I find.

My car was made in Sep of '03. I bought it in Sept of '05 with 5k mile sand have put 30k on it since then. My mileage has gone from 21.xx to 24.xx over the exact same conditions. Confusing. Since I get the power back when it's cool it leads me to believe the power loss is not necessarily the blocks fault but something else. I do get the impression from this thread that when this condition is created, it is shredding the engines.

Mazmart

iTrader: (12)

I just wanted to remind most of you that I sell both used and remanufactured Renesis engines for those of you out of warranty. We do various enhancements to the remans including those related to cooling.
Paul.

DOMINION

That should not matter. Like the service manager said:"If its going to go then there was nothing we could do to pervent it. Thank God your ok."

RedRotaryRx8

My thread can be found here:
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...0&page=1&pp=15

For the short version:
2004 Velocity Red RX-8
A/T Tranny
Bought July 2004
33k miles
Live in Washington DC.

Issues with the car started around 15k. When I was in manumatic mode around 5500 RPM in 2nd, I would get detination (a.k.a. marbles in a blender sound). Also the car would shake fiercely at idle. Took car in various times between 15k and 30k for the same issue and dealership could not duplicate the problem.

Around 30k my car started to act up like many of the other owners here. In addition to the "marbles in the the blender" sounds, I had increased shaking from the back of the car at idle, car would idle below 500 RPM (used to idle over 800 RPM) and the car would stall frequently espically during a warm day with the air on. I had 5 stalling incidents within 20 minutes on the beltway here in Washington DC. That was not fun being stuck in bumper to bumper traffic with your car stalling frequently.

I took it to another dealership here in Gaithersburg (moved to the DC/Metro area last september) several times since 30k and they could not duplicate the issue. Took the car back to the dealership in May and they sent the chip to CA to be reflashed. The reflash acted like a band-aid and the car stalled twice after the reflash. Took the car in to the dealership on July 6th, 2006 and got a call on friday saying that they have ordered a new engine for me.

The dealership is a Mazda/Acura dealership so their loaner cars are Acura TSX's. Unfortunately for me, when I took the car in, the loaners were all checked out so I am in a 2005 Cavalier with 30k + miles but I guess it beats walking.

spieder

BTW, mine is a MT. I have an appointment for 8:45 tomorrow. Does anyone know which definitive test they use to determine the faulty engine? I assume it's a low compression test. However, since my power is fine when it's cool I wonder if it's a cracked seal or something that only shows up under a certain test.

DOMINION

If its not the "Low Compression" issues then its due to a "bubble in the casting". Good luck

spieder

I've got a loaner now. They are keeping it over night. So far they are replacing the starter, plugs, battery and flashing it. Not sure what they'll do tomorrow. I already miss it.

spieder

Well, they flashed it with some new flash, replaced the starter and spark plugs. I havent heard the marble noise nor I have experienced power loss on my two runs home from work since I picked it up. It seems to have a lot more pep on pick up off the line as well. Hopefully the problem is fixed permanently.

lbeagley79

That's good news to hear. I will have my RX8 back later this week with a new engine. I'm guessing the new flash will be updated as well. Sure hope it fixes the problem! I'll keep everyone posted when I get the car back.

RedRotaryRx8

how long did it take to get your engine put in? I just want to have a rough estimate of how long I can expect it will take.

Took my car in on July 6 and the new engine was ordered on the 14th.

I miss my 8

zoom44

i thought i have articulated the issue clearly on many occassions. it is a compound of several factors over temp oil andf carbon build up being the top two. i havent posted speculation on this issue since the begining last summer. every facet of this issue that i have posted about this year comes from mazda.