Apex Seal Failure? Help Me Diagnose, Please!
09-07-2012, 01:55 PM
#1
Apex Seal Failure? Help Me Diagnose, Please!
Hopefully this is the last thread I have to make for a while. I'm on the move right now so I can't search, but from my other thread about my rear flange, this is where I stand and why I think I might be in for a new engine:
I have all of this. My odometer is literally at 99,999 after running all my errands today. The car would not hold idle until I was sitting in my driveway, trying to catch it on camera in order to show it to you guys. It took me 3 tries to start on average, all warm...until in my driveway. I have power (e.g. it's not in limp mode), but it seems like when I hit 6K and the ports are supposed to open up, nothing happens. It just climbs slowly to 9K. Before this, it was giving me brief bursts of power, followed by split seconds of hesitation at certain RPMs, all in the upper half of the range. My gas mileage rarely climbs above 18 flat, and I do mostly highway driving with the usual redline a day coming home from work. But yeah, hard warm starts, no issues when cold, stalls at idle, stalls returning to idle, and I have been getting misfires recently.
I replaced the plugs, coils and wires at about 82K. I've been trying fuel system cleaner thinking that maybe my fuel pump was going bad, but I don't think that's the case. Hopefully this helps. I'll post that video if necessary/it would be helpful.
Edit: I wanted to clean the ESS because I read yesterday it might be screwing with things, but it's behind the air box (I think?), which I've never removed. It was dark out so I didn't try.
Lots of issues show up from low compression:
- Hard to start when warm, no problem when cold
- Rough idle (also caused by ignition failure, vacuum leaks, MAF dirty, ESS fouled, O2 sensor failure, motor mount failure)
- Power Loss (also caused by ignition failure, vacuum leaks, MAF dirty, ESS fouled, O2 sensor failure, clogged cat)
- Poor gas mileage (also caused by ignition failure, vacuum leaks, MAF dirty, ESS fouled, O2 sensor failure, clogged cat)
- Stalls at idle (also caused by ignition failure, vacuum leaks, MAF dirty, ESS fouled, O2 sensor failure)
- Stalls as the revs are returning to idle (also caused by ignition failure, vacuum leaks, MAF dirty, ESS fouled, O2 sensor failure)
- Misfires (also caused by ignition failure, vacuum leaks, MAF dirty, ESS fouled, O2 sensor failure, clogged cat)
There are other more exotic issues too, but not really ones you are going to run in with a stock RX-8. Other engine failures possible other than low compression too, which would have some symptom differences.
Yeah, nearly every common problem we have with our car shares it's symptoms with nearly every other major problem as well. It makes diagnosis hard sometimes, but there are usually little exceptions for each problem that help isolate it, like hard to get it started when warm with no problem when cold is pretty exclusive to low compression.
- Hard to start when warm, no problem when cold
- Rough idle (also caused by ignition failure, vacuum leaks, MAF dirty, ESS fouled, O2 sensor failure, motor mount failure)
- Power Loss (also caused by ignition failure, vacuum leaks, MAF dirty, ESS fouled, O2 sensor failure, clogged cat)
- Poor gas mileage (also caused by ignition failure, vacuum leaks, MAF dirty, ESS fouled, O2 sensor failure, clogged cat)
- Stalls at idle (also caused by ignition failure, vacuum leaks, MAF dirty, ESS fouled, O2 sensor failure)
- Stalls as the revs are returning to idle (also caused by ignition failure, vacuum leaks, MAF dirty, ESS fouled, O2 sensor failure)
- Misfires (also caused by ignition failure, vacuum leaks, MAF dirty, ESS fouled, O2 sensor failure, clogged cat)
There are other more exotic issues too, but not really ones you are going to run in with a stock RX-8. Other engine failures possible other than low compression too, which would have some symptom differences.
Yeah, nearly every common problem we have with our car shares it's symptoms with nearly every other major problem as well. It makes diagnosis hard sometimes, but there are usually little exceptions for each problem that help isolate it, like hard to get it started when warm with no problem when cold is pretty exclusive to low compression.
I replaced the plugs, coils and wires at about 82K. I've been trying fuel system cleaner thinking that maybe my fuel pump was going bad, but I don't think that's the case. Hopefully this helps. I'll post that video if necessary/it would be helpful.
Edit: I wanted to clean the ESS because I read yesterday it might be screwing with things, but it's behind the air box (I think?), which I've never removed. It was dark out so I didn't try.
09-21-2012, 05:19 PM
#3
Bringing this back.
Engine failed compression - 0kPa in rotor one and 560kPa in rotor two. No idea if the second was low or not, but obviously running on one rotor was no good. Extended warranty company is covering most of my costs except new plugs and wires. Waiting on a remanufactured engine currently, and it'll be swapped out of the car in the next few days.
Replying mostly for other people who find this thread during search. Only question I have is if I should ask them to do anything with the new engine, like clean the ess or reset memory, etc.
Engine failed compression - 0kPa in rotor one and 560kPa in rotor two. No idea if the second was low or not, but obviously running on one rotor was no good. Extended warranty company is covering most of my costs except new plugs and wires. Waiting on a remanufactured engine currently, and it'll be swapped out of the car in the next few days.
Replying mostly for other people who find this thread during search. Only question I have is if I should ask them to do anything with the new engine, like clean the ess or reset memory, etc.
09-22-2012, 12:40 AM
#4
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you can clean the ess without removing the airbox. You can just lift the air filter box, get a can of electric contact cleaner with a small straw attached to it and aim for the ess. If you arent satisfied, you can go underneath the car and clean it some more.
The memory will be reset by removing the battery so you dont have to ask them that and im sure they are aware of the 20 brake pedal stomp. If your extended warranty doesnt cover costs like coils, plugs and wires, I would tell them: "no thanks ill do it myself when i get home"
Just order them online now from mazmart delivered to your door for 340$ or ebay. OEM mazda parts which can be done in your garage in 1 hour with a 10mm socket wrench and a jack stand to remove 1 wheel. Unless you want the dealer to charge you 900+ dollars plus installation. Unless you have money to waste.
I would switch the coils even if they are still good. You are getting a new engine, you dont want your ignition to be working at less than 100%. Start fresh and worry less.
gratz on the new engine!
The memory will be reset by removing the battery so you dont have to ask them that and im sure they are aware of the 20 brake pedal stomp. If your extended warranty doesnt cover costs like coils, plugs and wires, I would tell them: "no thanks ill do it myself when i get home"
Just order them online now from mazmart delivered to your door for 340$ or ebay. OEM mazda parts which can be done in your garage in 1 hour with a 10mm socket wrench and a jack stand to remove 1 wheel. Unless you want the dealer to charge you 900+ dollars plus installation. Unless you have money to waste.
I would switch the coils even if they are still good. You are getting a new engine, you dont want your ignition to be working at less than 100%. Start fresh and worry less.
gratz on the new engine!
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