[TOY4TWO]

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/08/mazda_recall.html

Seems Mazda/Ford still can't make a reliable rotary.

 

[SkyBos]

The revolutionary rotary engine gets like 15 MPG.

Truly revolutionary.

Sky Performance + Rolls Royce Miles Per Gallon.

 

[RMFNSKY]

Mazda is preparing to replace the engines in many of its top of the line sports cars as a result of the recall.

Any problems the Sky has had seem insignifcant compared to this .

 

[ykS]

already posted a whole article on this last week.

 

[snaponbob]

The revolutionary rotary engine gets like 15 MPG.

Truly revolutionary.

Sky Performance + Rolls Royce Miles Per Gallon.

As Larry the Cable Guy says, "I don't care who ya are, that there is funny."

 

[KappaMan]

Well, when ya burn through 4 1/2 quarts of oil in 12,000 miles, and the Mazda dealer tells you either "you're crazy" or "that's normal for a rotary..."


...ya gotta know SOMETHING isn't right.

(a friend's RX-8, this happened to. They thought it odd when the "low oil light" came on .... turns out it REALLY was low...)

 

[JohnD]

What I find interesting is that the problem is that the oil is interfering with the catalytic converter. Did I read that right? So the engine is fine, but the government-mandated emissions gizmo gets whacked by oil blowing through the engine...

Don't cars burn a lot cleaner now than they did in the '70s when they were introduced? Isn't there some other technology available? Why do we still look at the Catalytic Converter as the savior of the green planet after more than three decades?

 

[KappaMan]

What I find interesting is that the problem is that the oil is interfering with the catalytic converter. Did I read that right? So the engine is fine, but the government-mandated emissions gizmo gets whacked by oil blowing through the engine...

Don't cars burn a lot cleaner now than they did in the '70s when they were introduced? Isn't there some other technology available? Why do we still look at the Catalytic Converter as the savior of the green planet after more than three decades?

They DO burn cleaner, but the requirements have gotten more strict too. A clean car (meaning that the majority of stuff coming out of the tailpipe is CO2, N2, and H20) REQUIRES a cat. converter to get there.

Even the cleanest of the cleanest engines still have partially or unburnt hydrocarbons, and produce SOME level of Nitrous Oxides, which require a Catalytic Converter to help convert them to N2 and the hydrocarbons to complete the combustion cycle.

THEN, this is only when the fuel delivery is set to maximum cleanliness - but that is NOT the best setting for optimum torque and power. The instant you alter an engine to power enrichment (about 12.2:1 ratio) a higher level of unburnt hydrocarbons and NOx is produced, and there's no way around it.

The largest gains in emissions came with the ability to deliver fuel with more precision, and that is STILL the area for best chances of improving emissions. In the 70's, fuel injection was exotic, now there are no carbureted cars being built - because you can't really get a carbureted engine to perform at the emissions level of even the roughest throttle-body injected engines. The next step in fuel delivery is direct injection, which has the promise of higher gains in emissions and more power from a smaller package by allowing more lattitude in spark optimization....

Unfortunately, catalytic converters are here to stay.

 

[MidniteBlues]

Well, I sure am glad I don't own one of these puppies--The article also states plant in NC that will "rebuild" the returned engines--In other words, when you get an engine replaced it will be a "rebuilt engine" not a new one--Does not sound promising. If they rebuilt with the same junk won't it crap out again or do the same thing--Mazda needs to now switch to a 4-banger and can the wreckel--:lol:

 

[Axel]

--Mazda needs to now switch to a 4-banger and can the wreckel--:lol:

I Agree!! I've always liked the looks and great handling of the RX8, but that engine always scared me off... All they need to do is put the Mazdaspeed 3 engine in it and you'd probably get a lot more buyers!

 

[TOY4TWO]

Well, I sure am glad I don't own one of these puppies--The article also states plant in NC that will "rebuild" the returned engines--In other words, when you get an engine replaced it will be a "rebuilt engine" not a new one--Does not sound promising. If they rebuilt with the same junk won't it crap out again or do the same thing--Mazda needs to now switch to a 4-banger and can the wreckel--:lol:

In the RX7 it wasn't surprising to replace your engine every 60,000 miles.

Many of the problems came form the cat as well. Trapped lots of heat in the engine bay. The apex seals were the weak link on those old motors.

 

[marklynn70]

Anyway you look at it, it sucks to be Mazda right now. :jester:

 

[Ernest]

Anyway you look at it, it sucks to be Mazda right now. :jester:

Yes sir definatley a bad time for imports.:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[skywulf]

I had a Mazda Protege that I ran 300,000 miles. They can make a dependable car, why can't they fix the sportscar?

 

[Inwo]

I had a Mazda Protege that I ran 300,000 miles. They can make a dependable car, why can't they fix the sportscar?

The Protege had a Ford engine I thought? The rotary is an ENTIRELY different animal. By design the rotary uses oil...it's just not supposed to use THIS much. I've had a few friends go through rotaries, now one of them has a V8 under the hood and another is on his 3rd engine in 40k miles :lol: The price you pay to go fast with an RX7 I guess.

 

[Mycah Leonhart]

Hi, former 1st (FB) Gen and 3rd (FD) Gen "Rex" owner here.

Those motors are NOT that bad, they just require a LOT of upkeep.......and oil lol - you have to be anal to keep a rotary.

Ironicly, the newer they got.......the LESS dependable they got - FB, FC, FD, SE they got less and less dependable - save for the series 7 and 8 FD RX-7's that were released in Japan from '99 - '02 those were the BEST they ever made.

My FB (1st Gen) was bought for a whopping $200 and she had 96K on her, it was sitting for about 5 or 6 months so I had to give it some "TLC" meaning I had to fill the motor with ATF to get to Apex Seals going again, etc she was a fun little ride.......for only $200 lol

My FD (3rd Gen) was bought for 7K and she had 97K on her, it was owned by an older asian gent who wanted to sell it for a nice DP on a RX-8 Shinka this thing was BEAUTIFUL it had NOTHING but dealer installed Mazdaspeed COOLING parts (oils cooler, diff cooler, etc) the only Speed Mods were a boost controller and CAI + Pipes all Mazdaspeed stuff and also strut bars, etc. this thing was done right and it was driven about once a month I guess and had NO SIGNS of failure anytime soon even had the OG sticker and ALL recipets.......god what I would give to get 5 min. alone with the drunk that hit me :brentil:

 

[TOY4TWO]

no doubt those cars are FAST when tuned. There is also a yellow fully caged one that tears up our local autox course. My friend gave me a ride in his RX7 TT it was amazing how fast that car cornered and the brakes OMG. I remember coming up to an intersection I thought we were going to go straight and he turns the car 90 degrees and gasses it, that puppy STUCK. I have driven or rode in many nice cars, vettes, NSX, Bimmers, and NOTHING cornered like that car. Granted it wasn't stock though.

He wound up selling it becuase of all the up keep and got a Lexus IS300 (totalled after 1 month). I told him not to drive the IS300 like it was an RX7, didn't listen.

I think the imports aren't keeping up for once. The Miata isn't so great, the only "imports" I think get respect currently are the S2000, G35, and the 350Z.

From what I'm reading the Japaneese sports cars will be making a comeback when the new Supra, NSX, and Skyline hit the streets in a little over a year. Then the Celica, MR2, and RX7 will hopefully follow.

 

[Antonio]

no doubt those cars are FAST when tuned. There is also a yellow fully caged one that tears up our local autox course. My friend gave me a ride in his RX7 TT it was amazing how fast that car cornered and the brakes OMG. I remember coming up to an intersection I thought we were going to go straight and he turns the car 90 degrees and gasses it, that puppy STUCK. I have driven or rode in many nice cars, vettes, NSX, Bimmers, and NOTHING cornered like that car. Granted it wasn't stock though.

He wound up selling it becuase of all the up keep and got a Lexus IS300 (totalled after 1 month). I told him not to drive the IS300 like it was an RX7, didn't listen.

I think the imports aren't keeping up for once. The Miata isn't so great, the only "imports" I think get respect currently are the S2000, G35, and the 350Z.

From what I'm reading the Japaneese sports cars will be making a comeback when the new Supra, NSX, and Skyline hit the streets in a little over a year. Then the Celica, MR2, and RX7 will hopefully follow.

the supra, nsx, and skyline are all upper tier automobiles....$40K +

For that price, there's a lot of domestic competition that frankly outperforms it. Granted, not too many of the domestics can corner like some of the imports, but across the board, i believe the domestics in that price range have them beat. The foreign car makers are finally beginning to give american vehicles some well deserved credit.

 

[Mycah Leonhart]

the supra, nsx, and skyline are all upper tier automobiles....$40K +

For that price, there's a lot of domestic competition that frankly outperforms it. Granted, not too many of the domestics can corner like some of the imports, but across the board, i believe the domestics in that price range have them beat. The foreign car makers are finally beginning to give american vehicles some well deserved credit.

Starting with the Kappa Cars no less.

 

[skywulf]

My friend has an NSX and it is amazingly low maintenance. The Supras...the old ones, I am told were indestructable. I want US to do well, but I believe competition is good for the industry.