I've heard it mentioned that some of the early 8's shipped witht he wrong dipstick and others had the oilpan recalled. I checked www.nhtsa.gov and I saw no recalls. Anyone know what the deal is?

 

Not exactly a recall, but a technical service bulletin. Depending on your VIN or if you get false low oil lights, take the car in and they will swap the oil pan. Don't know about the dipstick; I think that was a rumor when our first-increment cars were delayed at the POE.

 

what if your VIN is affected but the light never has gone on?

 

The bad oil pans had faulty baffles. So at highway speeds over extended time, the oil would move to the back of the pan, thus triggering a low oil light. If your light hasn't come on, you either don't have the bad pan or just haven't spent enough time at higher speeds. The only time I got mine was after a few hours on the interstate.

 

Um, if your VIN is covered by the TSB, then you're eligible to go and have the condition corrected. There's no "burden of proof" that you have to satisfy. You're frankly better off having the situation corrected since your car is recorded by Mazda as having been seen for the TSB and a savvy buyer several years down the line will check to see if a particular car of interest has had all the relevant TSBs performed.

 

I think he said "or" so if your VIN matches, bring it in.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

All the early RX-8 owner exchanged the oilpan at mazda Dealer, in JAPAN.
Of course, cost free for them.
But, Mazda didn't said words "recall".

The reason of the exchange is for sounding the warning which was sometimes wrong in the oil temperature sensor.
I don't have that experience yet, But I will exchange them next month.

Thanks
EAST MOON

 

he did and you are correct. i was just verifying. i will be bringing mine in.

 

Had my oilpan on order and just had it switched out today.

 

Mine still needs it, but my dealer apparently didn't understand what I was telling them when I explained what was going on. I'll try again at 8k miles when I take it in.

 

Mine has been done, and I have read other posts about it being changed out. Got an oil light on the freeway after about an hour of driving. My VIN is 6557 if that helps anyone.

 

Check this out. I got that low oil light at high apeeds when i first got the car in July. (my vin is within the TSB range) I put oil in it and it made the light go away, but after I got my oil changed at the dealer (Irvine Mazda), I have never had that light come back on. Do you think it is possible for the dealer just to swap out the oil pan without them telling me? Does anyone have an explanation why the oil light is not coming back on, because they didn't change the oil pan (to my knowledge)...

 

When I got my oil pan changed, the dealer wanted to keep the car overnight to allow the silicone sealant to dry that they use on the new pan...gaskets aren't used for some reason. So if you got your car back in a matter of hours, they either didn't change it, or the dealer isn't looking out for the longevity of your car.

 

When I made my appointment for later this week and said my car's VIN was covered by the TSB so I'd like a new oil pan, the service writer said "fine" without asking whether the light had gone on. Will report whether it's questioned on Thursday.

Has anybody else had a dealer request for time for the silicon sealant to dry? If so, how many hours from the time they actually replaced the part?

 

My dealer ordered my replacements back in August. Still not here.

 

What is the VIN range for the TSB?

 

Interesting comment about the oil pan not needing a gasket. I took my car in this past weekend and I was told that they ha the oil pan in stock but needed to order the gasket. Was I being told wrong?

 

Hercules -

VINS: 40000000 - 40111043

Check here
http://www.finishlineperformance.com.../01_027_03.htm

and here for other TSBs
http://www.finishlineperformance.com...ocs/index.html

 

Bulletin No: 01-027/03
APPLICABLE MODEL(S)/VINS
2004 RX8
VINS: JM1FE17* *40000000 to 40111043
DESCRIPTION
The low oil level warning light may come on while driving with engine speed 4500 to 4800 RPM and the oil level
is within specifications (1/4 above L on the dipstick).
All vehicles within the VIN range should have the oil pan replaced using the following procedure:
REPAIR PROCEDURE
1. Remove the oil pan.
a. Disconnect the oil level sensor electrical connector from the side of the oil pan.
b. Remove the oil pan bolts (22-10mm)
c. Separate the oil pan from the engine
2. Install the new oil pan and level sensors assembly.
a. Clean all silicone sealant, oil and dirt from the engine.
b. Clean all silicone sealant from the oil pan bolts.
c. Apply a 2.5 to 6.5mm (0.10 to 0.26in) bead of silicone sealant to the oil pan as shown.
d. Install the oil pan bolts and torque to 8.8 to 11.8Nm (77.9 to 104.4 inlb).
3. Connect the oil level sensor electrical connector to the side of the oil pan.
4. Fill the engine with oil.
5. Verify Repair.

Parts Needed:
N3H8-10-4AXA Oil pan with oil level sensor 1
8527-77-739 Silicone sealant 1

Hope this helps!

 

You were told wrong. There is no gasket.

 

I had the pan changed a few weeks ago and asked about this. I had a Toyota that needed a 24-hour cure time on the sealant, but was told the RX8 sealant cures solid in a few hours. They did keep the car overnight, but road tested in 4-6 hours after initial install.

Anybody out there got the facts on cure time for the oil pan sealant used by Mazda? I'm curious if the dealer was right or if I'm riding down the mis-information superhighway.

 

I just took my baby in for her first oil change and told them about my oil light coming on and mentioned the TSB. They had a pan in stock, so they did the oil change and replaced the pan, no questions asked, no charge. I'm sure glad the service dept is much more competent than their sales dept. They even provided me with a rental for the day (and it was a Mazda 6). Can't complain about that.

 

I just printed that TSB out so I can go in and HAND it to the dumb dealer when I take my car in next.

 

good idea. thats what i plan on doing.

 

I got mine changed on 12/4, @ 3,124 miles. I was getting the false oil light only in the last 3 or 4 times out, so that was good timing. It was due for its 4 month checkup.

They had 4 of the new oil pans in stock & when I told the guy on the phone, he said, yeah, he knew all about it, in fact he did one about an hour ago.

I had the TSB in-hand when I took it, but didn't need it. When I told the guy who took it when I dropped it off (different guy, I think), that it needed it, he just wrote it down & that was that.

4 hours later, I got the call that it was ready to be picked up. Totally painless. (Wish I'd have gotten a rental though, but my fault for not asking, I guess. But my situation was pretty painless in that respect too. That rental process is a pain in itself.)