Mazdas Run Out of Oil?

Fixed that for you.

 

I think this refers to Audi. As to Mazda, I am a fan. Mazda powers more motorsport vehicles than any other brand. Formula Mazda, Pro Formula Mazda, Formula Atlantic, MX-5 Cup, Spec Miata, Spec RX-7, EP, and Sports Racers, just off the top of myhead.

The absolute best track car I've ever owned is a Miata with a turbo bolted onto a bone stock, high mileage engine, and I've done the Thunderhill 25 hour race 3 times in Mazda powered vehicles without a single engine failure. I've raced SM for 15 years with NEVER an engine failure or DNF due to engine problem. 7000+ RPM shifts every shift, and a little 4-qt wet sump with track tires.

Have these cars consumed oil? You bet, but not in a way I consider shocking or excessive. But a few seconds of inspection is all it takes to avoid catastrophic engine failure. WTF is the problem with checking oil level?

The driving dynamics of Mazdas are pretty universally respected.

Maybe a Camry uses less oil, but then again you are stuck with a home appliance on wheels.

 

That does stink. A radiator leak shouldn't have any influence unless it has a built in oil cooler that was leaking?

I have to agree with the other advice. Different engines in different cars are going to burn oil at different rates. I would check the oil between changes just to get a feel for how your car consumes oil. I wouldn't wait till 80k miles to do that either.

Yes Mazda rotary engines burn a lot of oil. The RX-7s and RX-8s were notorious for oil consumption even when brand new. Just because you don't see a trail of blue smoke doesn't mean the car isn't burning enough oil to run out after 4-5,000 miles.

 

And my son has done it again ... boiled his Mazda. Fan belt broke apparently and yep red light was on, and yes the temperature gauge was telling him but no, he did not stop!

This generation has been bought up on computers where no matter how bad it gets you can turn it off and on and try again ...

If I had a label maker that still worked I'd add useful descriptions to each warning light on his dash board, like FNCKEN stop!, or if this light comes on and you continue driving it will cost YOU all your beer money for 6 months!
Pete

 

My pinhead little brother did that to me many years ago with my Honda. The thermostatic switch for the cooling fan failed and he just drove it until it seized. So it's not just the youngest.

 

interesting. People complain about some modern cars that go into limp home mode if a fault is detected but I feel for the manufacturers. What are they supposed to do? Warning lights and gauges are ignored and then that person blames the car ...

I wish my son would give up on cars and use public transport. He's too mechanically inept to have any machine under his control, but of course has strengths in other areas .
Pete

 

My wife and I have been through an MX3, Miata, a 2012 3 and 2013 2 during our time together. They've all been solid cars, no crazy failures. My miata had 140k on it when I sold it, and was using about .5 qt every 1000 miles. It was on a 3k interval and I checked it about once every other week, so it didn't ever get to the failure point I guess. I don't have any experience with the late models and high mileage as ours are both under 30k, but we did have a mid-2000s hyundai elantra with 85k that burned 1qt per 1000mi like clockwork. Even with me checking the levels regularly and never missing a change it started having trouble by 95k.

Not really helpful, I apologize, but another data point for the discussion at least.


EDIT: My understanding of rotary engines is that they consume oil by design. Not an issue with the 2/3/6 cars, but the RX cars shouldn't be lumped in here if the owner was supposed to add oil regularly from the beginning. I lurk on some RX8 forums because sometimes I have terrible ideas about getting one, and the drivers over there talk about adding oil like there's a fuel-level type gauge for it.

 

A sudden loss of oil is usually a cracked oil pan. It doesn't take much. A jumped curb can do it quite well, very quickly. On a quality note, someone I know bought a new Mazda 3 with a cracked engine block. Nothing says quality like an engine replacement as soon as you take delivery. I will never even consider buying a Mazda because of the "Kick the door to shut off the alarm feature" they built in for thieves. It's why every 3 you see has a dent above the door handle.

 

Actually the warnings can be detrimental. On a 50 mile drive home, I developed a radiator leak in my 2014 CTS-V wagon. I noticed the temp gauge (and why I like them) creeping up, but had a long way home so decided to try to nurse it home. When warning came on it said to let card idle! That would have destroyed it for sure, since it turned out that the overheat was due to most coolant having slowly leaked out. I simply ran the car for a few seconds at a time, killed the ignition and coasted, repeat. Turned key on so steering would not lock, and obviously steering and brakes were heavy. Also why I put very little stock in the "death by ignition switch failure" claims, but that's another story.

It just makes sense to have a wee bit of mechanical sympathy. If you have a basic understaninding of how stuff works, it can help you avoid and work around inevitable mechanical issues.

 

Over the weekend my musician/paper pusher brother asked me to check some fuses in his camry because his cig lighter/power port wasnt working. While we had the hood open I asked, when was the last time he had checked the oil level?
Care to guess?
Dry dipstick.

 

I have owned 2 Mazdas, a 2008 Mazdaspeed 3 and a 2011 Mazdaspeed 3. The only issue I ever had with either car is the 2011 got moisture in the headlight, causing the HID to go out. It was replaced under warranty.

Never had any other issues and no issues with burning oil. I would consider another Mazda in the future (esp if the new MS3 is 300hp and AWD like the rumors suggest).

 

My brother in law had this happen to his Mazda 3 hatch.

 

So as we are moving soon (I've just sold the family car) and my son is travelling (around India) we made a deal to lend me his Mazda and I'd fix it up for him.

Well I drove it home yesterday and it was running on 3 and a bit cylinders. Later that evening after it had cooled down I had a look to see if it was holding water and the top tank was empty ... sigh. I also checked the oil level and there was nothing on the dipstick at all. So I think he's blown the head gasket at least with this recent overheating experience and with god only knows what other damage and wear has been caused by ignoring the oil light I don't think it is worth investing any money or my time on this car. I had already bought 4 brake discs for it and was going to replace an engine mount, sort out a head light, etc.

I think I'll buy him another car instead, or at least contribute to another car. I think if I pay for it entirely he will never learn ... sigh.

I'm amazed the poor thing keeps going, and hardly anything to blame on Mazda. In the end a lot of Mazda's are owned by young people, and they are just stupid when it comes to looking after anything. I've had to lend him my cars in the past for short periods and I hated it!!!!!!!!!!!
Pete