What have you done to your MS3 today?

Busy indeed !

I'm supposed to do inner and outer tie rods on an Altima, a radiator in a Charger and a door latch in a CLK... That's in addition to my own personal cars!!!
 
Restrictor bolt showed up today. May install it tonight.
 
Nice!! Hopefully it works for you?!!

I installed it when I got home last night and took all of 20-25 minutes. Heatshield fasteners worried me as they were rusted, but each one came loose with both my battery ratchet and 3/8" impact. I road tested it immediately after installation and under WOT at 6,000RPM I'm not getting the nice little plume of smoke like I was. So, maybe it'll buy me a little more time. Took note of the mileage so I can start monitoring it and see if it does minimize my oil consumption. I would say that it will, but to what extent, I'm not sure. We'll see soon enough.
 
I installed it when I got home last night and took all of 20-25 minutes. Heatshield fasteners worried me as they were rusted, but each one came loose with both my battery ratchet and 3/8" impact. I road tested it immediately after installation and under WOT at 6,000RPM I'm not getting the nice little plume of smoke like I was. So, maybe it'll buy me a little more time. Took note of the mileage so I can start monitoring it and see if it does minimize my oil consumption. I would say that it will, but to what extent, I'm not sure. We'll see soon enough.

Well that's good news!
 
When the turbo seals fail, it smokes at idle. I never had smoke at WOT high rpm. I hope the bolt helps you. I waited too long and it did not stop the problem, which was already well advanced.
 
When the turbo seals fail, it smokes at idle. I never had smoke at WOT high rpm. I hope the bolt helps you. I waited too long and it did not stop the problem, which was already well advanced.

Yep...

The stench of burned oil is present at idle with only the slightest visible 'mist'.

Restrictor bolt has made a difference with the 'thickness' of the plume of smoke that's expelled, but it's still present.

Additionally, it's soooo ******* random- one WOT run it won't smoke an ounce, ten second later, do it again and there's smoke.

Anyway, I installed my 'race pipe' and replacement transmission mount. Transmission mount correct and on/off throttle clunk.

Just ordered replacement tires (again) and will have them installed this afternoon. Maybe. I have my lug key at home... In 200 miles this sit will have about 10,000 miles on them, so about average for me.
 
That's the turbo going from no boost to full boost and side loading the shaft.
Thats when the oil seeps into the exhaust tract. End play will not heal itself as you mentioned. Believe i have tried !!
I have a spare K04 that needs a rebuild. I might have two. But i just saw the latest one in the garage last night

I believe this to be the cause, the reason for the intermittent smoke plumes.

Maybe I'm just experiencing a placebo effect and it's not actually reduced the amount of visible smoke, but I've been getting around 550-600 per quart. It's easy enough to monitor and check myself. If not, it was a whole $25 and I'm still in the exact same place.
 
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Mine is smoking a bit at idle after my downpipe install.. guess my turbo seals are going as well.. time for a new turbo!!
 
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I believe this to be the cause, the reason for the intermittent smoke plumes.

Maybe I'm just experiencing a placebo effect and it's not actually reduced the amount of visible smoke, but I've been getting around 550-600 per quart. It's easy enough to monitor and check myself. If not, it was a whole $25 and I'm still in the exact same place.

FWIW, I never lost any oil on the dipstick between 3,000 mile oil changes even when the turbo smoke at idle got bad. It takes very little oil past those seals to produce quite a fog.

If you are smoking at high rpm under load and losing over a quart per thousand, it may be rings. Have you done a leak down test?
 
FWIW, I never lost any oil on the dipstick between 3,000 mile oil changes even when the turbo smoke at idle got bad. It takes very little oil past those seals to produce quite a fog.

If you are smoking at high rpm under load and losing over a quart per thousand, it may be rings. Have you done a leak down test?

I'm well aware of the possible causes. I'm well aware as to how to determine it. As stated numerous times in the past six months in this thread, a leakdown, nor a compression test, have been performed. I've had inconsistent oil loss with as much as 250 miles per an ENTIRE ******* QUART, then a week later make it 600 miles, then a week later make it 400 miles. Either way it's far beyond excessive with even the most liberal allowances from other manufacturers. Hell, I could have easily done the compression test the other day when the intercooler was off for installation of the restrictor bolt. Not that it's a five minute job to remove it anyway. Maybe it's denial, maybe it's because the end result will be the same either way or maybe it's just a reason to keep me coming back here and bitching.

In other news: New tires installed. I love new tires. There is nothing better than hitting the interstate, accelerate at WOT and just be a smooth ride.

I want to address this damn sway bar bracket, but I'm not excited about dropping the subframe. I'll be doing a clutch soon anyway.
 
Mazdaspeed 3 Oil Consumption Issues

I'm well aware of the possible causes. I'm well aware as to how to determine it. As stated numerous times in the past six months in this thread, a leakdown, nor a compression test, have been performed. I've had inconsistent oil loss with as much as 250 miles per an ENTIRE ******* QUART, then a week later make it 600 miles, then a week later make it 400 miles. Either way it's far beyond excessive with even the most liberal allowances from other manufacturers. Hell, I could have easily done the compression test the other day when the intercooler was off for installation of the restrictor bolt. Not that it's a five minute job to remove it anyway. Maybe it's denial, maybe it's because the end result will be the same either way or maybe it's just a reason to keep me coming back here and bitching.

In other news: New tires installed. I love new tires. There is nothing better than hitting the interstate, accelerate at WOT and just be a smooth ride.

I want to address this damn sway bar bracket, but I'm not excited about dropping the subframe. I'll be doing a clutch soon anyway.

I have a 2007 Mazdaspeed 3 with 123,900 miles. When I bought the car in 2010 it had a Xede Chip, FMIC and Cold Air Induction. It ran really great for a couple of years and then I began having multiple issues because of the poor wiring job that was done when the Xede chip was installed. Boost dropping off at 7 psi and even times when the engine wouldn't run at all. The chip was removed and the wiring has been redone. After I hit a dip and knocked the front mounted Intercooler completely off the car, I went back to the top mounted Intercooler. I put a Cobb Accessport on the car and I am running their stock map. It runs great except it began to have oil consumption issues.

The car began using oil at the rate of 400-600 miles per quart. The dealer did a compression test and found that cylinders 2 and 3 were losing 20-30% compression. They told me that those cylinders did not get the volume of cooling that cylinders 1&4 get and it is not surprising at that mileage they had lost compression. I ordered a remanufactured long block from Edge Autosport in Denver and will have it installed as soon as it arrives. The cost of the long block was $3,480.00 after my old motor is shipped back. Shipping both ways is paid by Edge Autosport. It has a 3 year warranty. I expect to drive the car for another 2-3 years before upgrading to something nicer and faster. Hopefully, there will be a happy ending.
 
I was able to replace the front sway bar bushings and brackets without removing the subframe. It is tight, but I could get to them. You go in from behind the swaybar with your feet forward toward the front bumper, flat on your back. I used the JBR brackets and bushings. They have zerk fittings. Be sure to grease them well before installing then pump them full once in place.
 
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We all know what's wrong with it- the only thing that is so damn bothering about it is the varying mileage. I went as low as 250 miles and as high as low 6's. Random smoke- like, say, 20 miles between occurrences. Something I've also noticed- right hand turns and WOT can just about guarantee some smoke. Restrictor bolt has no difference in consumption. Just does not make sense to me.

Anyway. The clunk I had in the front, when I actually took five minutes to really investigate, found the lower ball joint pinch bolt to not be tight enough. Installed the control arms almost five months ago and all other fasteners were tight. I took a bit of force to actually make it move, but the ball joint stud being nice and shiny is what clued me into it as it indicated it had been moving. Snugged it up, noise gone.

We got a lot of rain the past couple of weeks and the rear sway bar bushings are being noisy, even though I used grease (no-name black tube) from a set of poly bushings a couple of years ago. Will get some quality grease for them.

Finished rebuilding the Protege5 bottom end (just bearings, crank, oil pump, front and rear seals, timing belt and tension spring) and am selling it to a friend. Wanted to purchase an NB, but not sure that I'll get another car right now. Wanted to have it to drive so I could teardown and build the MS3 engine this fall, but meeeeehhhhh...
 
Have done nothing but drive the MS3. Oh, well, I cleaned it. Got the drivetrain reinstalled into the Proteege5, A/C is now operational, but it still needs an alignment and the new tires mounted.
 
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