Ok so during some recent spirited driving, I have noticed my R3 beginning to have some difficulties in high rpm/load situations.
Like say, approaching the top of 4th gear. Around 7k rpms it... stops pulling clean. Slows down, and feels a bit labored. Its not noticeable in lower gears, only in 4th and I would assume higher gears.

No CE lights yet; does this sound like my cat is headed south? I don't really want to drive around with a ratty cat, but I'm also not too keen on dropping the car off at the dealership and describing how to replicate the problem.

 

Can you inspect it?
Another guy had one of the intake valves stuck, at those rpms it may be it as well in case the catalyzer turns out to be ok.
Catalyzers have a history of failing early with the s2 so i'd check that first.

 

It is possible that it is starting to clog up. Since you have an S2, it will still be under warrenty. However, the dealer won't likely replace it until you do get that CEL/MIL light.

 

I also just recently had the car in for an oil change. Since I assumed the dealer knew WTF they were doing, I didn't check the level before I drove off. So two fill ups later I check the oil level and it is still substantially over the "full" marker.

So yeah, if that can **** up the intake... then I have something else to check. I suppose a catch can will be in order as long as I have to trust them to change the oil...

 

take out the MAF see if theres oil inside the rubber tube. if so bring it back tell them to clean it up and drain the oil.
also oil in the intake could clog up the MAF making the engine run weak, so you might want to clean the MAF with only MAF cleaners.
if possible, change a different dealer in the future.
not all Mazda dealers are good at rotary engines.

 

OP,
How about some details on your car, Mileage for one might help.

Again,you should not need a 'Catch can' Oil in Intake is not an issue with Series 2, unless your Oil Pan is WAY over full??,as you say it is/was, then naturally drain some oil out.

Many CAT failures were at low mileage or age, again your car detail are vague.

If not CAT, could be Spark Plugs, again how old and mileage??

 

5500 miles, on a 2009 R3.

 

Could be CAT, it is around the Mileage..

You are probably going to have to take car to a Mazda Dealer, I would tell them what is happening and that you are aware of some CAT failures in some 09's.

Another thing you could check (at night) after a 10-15 minute spirited drive to look quickly under car at CAT and see if it is Glowing RED...

Could be SSV (stuck intake valve), but IMO your mileage is a little too low.

 

I don't know your specific weather conditions but at 96+mph it's not gonna pull as strong as it does through the lower gears. You are fighting alot more wind resistance with only 232hp to do it with. Also you have less torque multiplication with 4th being 1.18 versus 3rd at 1.58

I've only maxed out 4th a couple times in my R3 and it definitely slows way down after the end of 3rd gear.

 

This sounds a bit like the issue I mentioned on the forums earlier this year. My 09 felt like it was struggling a bit more at high RPM, not feeling quite as powerful there as it used to. I also recorded a 1.5 to 2 mpg drop in expressway fuel efficiency this past summer compared to the car's first summer (when I consistently hit 22 mpg in 70 mph expressway driving). I was also told that it sounds like it might be a cat that's on its way to failing. I plan to ask the dealer to look at the issue in the spring when the car is no longer garaged for the winter.

 

ok, when my cat crapped out, it threw a code telling the efficiency was below threshold, just saying.
tho I didnt notice any power differences.

 

I'm gonna take the intake apart and look for oil. Plenty of time with snow on the ground, she won't be moving anytime soon.

When I *do* take her out next, I'll be using on of the apps on my ipad to datalog all the **** from the ECU. I'm fairly certain there is a value for the cat temp. Surely someone knows what the ideal temp range and what is am "omgwtf" heat range?

 

That light might also indicate a poisoned cat, i have it!

 

I run anywhere from 1300F(just after warm up) to when really running hard, I might see 1600F, that's about it. This is a series one car however, it may have changed?


I was well over the speed limit last night for a number of miles and saw about 1550F or slightly more, does that help?

I would say normally I'm sitting in the 1500 range.


Not knowing what it should really be spec'd at, all I know is that knowing where mine normally sits and constantly monitoring it along with many other parameters, it would be the change from norm that would get my attention.