Francisco1620

Yesterday(8/20/13) I took my car to the Mazda dealer to have them install BHR ignition system plus BHR midpipe with cat. Today(8/21/13) I notice a weird noise around my engine that it never had. I'm suppose to take the car back tomorrow to the dealer so they could check what went wrong. Just wondering if someone could explain the noise so tomorrow I don't go in blind back to the dealer and they try to charge me extra. Thanks

JamesD31

My guess, just from the noise, is that the belt is snagging on something. Or something is at least flapping around / getting hit.

girth

iTrader: (1)

I'd almost be willing to guarantee it's your SSV. What I can't explain is why it would have happened (or you only began to notice it) after you replaced some coils and an exhaust component.

For reference, here's what mine sounded like when the SSV was getting stuck: h ttp://youtu.be/01Rw727LYlc

You can purchase a new one or take apart the intake manifold and clean it to try and free it up. It's a well documented problem on the forums, some searching will help you far more than I can. There's a good DYI writeup for doing it somewhere too, I believe.

Francisco1620

JamesD31: hopefully that's the cases.
Girth: I'm 100 percent sure that noise wasn't there before I went to the dealer. I'm always checking the car.

girth

iTrader: (1)

It sounds exactly like that to me. I don't know what else it could be then, sorry. Maybe it's just a coincidence. Good luck.

Francisco1620

Girth: So I'm assuming you fix your problem and it was the SSV, around how much you had to spend to fix this problem ??

bladeiai

iTrader: (1)

I'm at work and can't watch the video, are you reving the engine up or just idling and hearing the noise?

If you take it apart and clean it yourself it's a $10 plus time job, take it to the dealer and I have seen everywhere between $1200-$2000 to clean/replace it.


I took it apart and cleaned it a couple weekends ago just as preventative maintenance, you can expect to spend several hours (took me about 6 I believe) and have to remove:

Air pump
Drain radiator
upper/lower thermostat housing
water pump pulley
alternator bracket
Upper intake manifold
battery and battery tray
Air intake
throttle body
main wire bundle from ECU
and a butt load of hoses...

Francisco1620

okay so basically I'm fucked!!!

200.mph

iTrader: (9)

if you payed the stealership to do your ignition and mid pipe your probably fucked. i do this kind of work for members all the time for free and show them how its done. gl op

bladeiai

iTrader: (1)

I also can't hear or see the video, if you aren't reving your engine then your SSV shouldn't be actuating so that really shouldn't be the noise.

Also it's not really in the area they were working and it seems unlikely that you would have a new noise right after the dealer did an install and it not be related in any way.

bladeiai

iTrader: (1)

But yes... if you paid the dealership to do something as rudimentary as an ignition and midpipe install, there is little chance you would want to undertake something like this...
Where in PA are you? I live in Frederick MD

ShinkaEvo

iTrader: (3)

Just go back to dealer and question about their installation, have them fix it.
Since it wasn't there before installation....

Francisco1620

I'm not revving the engine. I hope it has nothing to do with the SSV. Hopefully they fucked up somehow and they fix it tomorrow when I take it in. If not I'm fucked!!!

girth

iTrader: (1)

I'd recommend reading and attempting to do this if you want to save some money: https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-do-...-video-184663/

If you want to do it by the book, the new, upgraded version isn't cheap. You need the shutter valve, the valve gasket, a longer bolt to fit the flange, a gasket for the ACV, and the thermostat housing gasket. All of that will run you north of $250 on the low end, god knows how much if you buy directly from the dealer. Then add on labor. The official TSB procedure has you drain the coolant and rip apart the lower intake manifold from the bottom to get to it, which is time consuming, to say the least. http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...,d.eWU&cad=rja

Most people will recommend you try to free the valve and clean it yourself using the DYI first, as the part may still work fine after doing so.

Like I said, it sounds like the same thing to me but it's just my opinion. Maybe there's something making a similar noise. I had the opposite experience of what bladeiai said, though. It could only be distinguished when idling, but when I revved it was hard to notice.

Francisco1620

I have no experience as a mechanic. So it would be impossible to get this done myself assuming is the SSV. So lets say the SSV is the problem and don't have the money to fix it, what could happen if I just continue driving the car ?

bladeiai

iTrader: (1)

Oops, I thought the OP was in Pennsylvania, but I was looking at girth's post I guess, I was going to offer to help.

SSV should flip over at higher rpm and shouldn't be clicking at idle, but if it's stuck I guess it could be. Do you get any CEL codes? Rough idle or just a clicking noise? If it's a consistent, rhythmic clicking I would guess it's something touching one of the belts...

bladeiai

iTrader: (1)

I had no mechanical experience before I did my coils on my RX-8, I have gained some since then, but I really believe it is more in changing you mind set and getting over the fear more than anything else. And buying tools... that is a constant hurdle at first. You could get a CEL, you might not. Depends on whether it is stuck open, closed or somewhere in between as to what the effects would be. To my knowledge it won't hurt anything, just have some power loss (either low end or top end depending on where it's stuck).

The SSV should cycle when you turn the engine off, so you can have someone turn it off and listen to hear if it clicks open/close like it should.

P.S.- I agree with ShinkaEvo, you should take it back to the dealer and ask them what they messed up

Francisco1620

I live in Chicago. Only cel codes I'm getting is PO300, PO442, PO456. That what the dealer wrote on the summary yesterday. Yes I have a small leak. I only hear the noise while idling.

bladeiai

iTrader: (1)

You are still getting those codes or you were before the ignition was changed? Also do you turn your gas cap until it clicks twice?

girth

iTrader: (1)

If there's one thing about owning an 8, is that it will force you to become experienced. :P

I agree with bladeiai, though. I replaced my SSV and had it done by someone else cause I was scared/intimidated... I literally had the car for 2 weeks, so I didn't know anything about it. The only thing I felt comfortable doing were oil changes. I've come a long way since. Read up and dig in.

Francisco1620

Well the engine light is off now after I came from the dealer yesterday but I'm sure it will come back up since I still have the small leak. I'll guess I'll just take it back tomorrow and see what happens then.

Francisco1620

It's just very frustrating right now.

bladeiai

iTrader: (1)

That much I can sympathize with... and the other reason I started fixing things myself is that I found that every time I let it out of my sight (especially for someone to "fix" something) I ended up getting it back with more/different problems.
Perhaps I'm a pessimist, but I find most people seem to have no idea what they are doing, no matter how many weekend certifications they have.

JamesD31

No, that is just what Mazda dealers (and most mechanics in general) tend to do. Or they do not disclose every single problem, at which they hope you find it and bring it back to them.

I am from Chicago as well, been to 3 dealerships, all of which I hate. Now I am looking to find someone to work on my damn power steering rack x_x

Francisco1620

Yes I wish someone other than the dealer could mess with the rx8. It would make things less stressful!!!