Cracked Block?

[hargs79]

Just wondering if this might be a more common problem than just my s***-ass luck.
So I was driving my bone-stock msp (76k miles) at 30mph (second gear and driving normally) the other day when I heard a rattle, clank and my engine died. I got out and saw a trail of oil down the length of road that it took me to pull over.
Towed it to the nearest mechanic and he tried to start it because he deemed it ok because there was oil in it...the engine was shaking really badly and started spitting out antifreeze and oil. He told me that I need a new engine.
My car didn't overheat or anything, and the only warning that I got was a day or two of a clicking noise (other than the normal one,) that was in tune to the rpms.
I just want to know if anyone else had this or similar problem because if they don't give me a new engine, I'm going to throw the biggest shitfit ever. (ghey)

 

[msp35]

That's bad...and sadly out of warranty so that pretty much sucks balls.
But you can find a used FSDE engine at a salvage yard as it's the same as the MSP.

 

[mazdaspeedpower]

That really sucks...and thats how a few others have gone too...of course those where modified engines..but the problem was prolly cause by a weak connecting rod that f-ed everything up. I'm really sorry to hear this, but as mentioned a used FS-DE block is easily available new or used and at a fairly cheap price....Don't get conned into buying a 'special' MSP block...as the 2.0L FS-DE block and internals are the same on all protege models 2001+(Maybe even before too, I'm not sure)..the only special things are anything associated off the block and head itself(IE Manifolds and turbo and s*** like that)

 

[xelderx]

MSP exhaust cam is different than the N/A Protege's...incase you have to replace the head.

 

[low_psi]

there are differences in the MSP block from NA blocks. oil return, feed, water lines etc. all have pretapped holes or special fittings.

did you buy your msp used?

 

[xelderx]

The block (cylinders) is actually the same. Just some different stuff bolted to it.

 

[hargs79]

I'm so screwed

Nope...bought it new. Still have 2 1/2 years to pay it off too. I pretty much figured that I'd be able to find a used engine at the junkyard; thanks for the reassurance. I'm sure that they'll be sure to **** me for all the money that they can though just because it's a mazdaspeed.
Thanks for the response. Any further suggestions are welcome.

 

[noclue119]

Damn that is ****** up. If my block cracks at 70k thank god I got warranty

 

[low_psi]

your block cracked cause you put a rod threw it.

 

[Scott]

Hmm...Second gear at 30mph and you were just cruising? Seems a little fast to be cruising in 2nd gear.

 

[msp35]

no way man 2nd goes to like 59

 

[hargs79]

agreed...what are you thinking?! first gear ends at around 30. You should be doing at least 40 when you shift out of second...driving normally. Racing, I'd hold that till high 50's. I'm pretty sure that Second Gear and 30 mph translates to around 30-35 hundred rpm's...shouldn't be anything crazy (I can't back that up however because my car is ******,) but I know it's not anything stratospheric like 6500 rpms.
No block should EVER crack doing 30 mph in second gear after driving (normally) half a mile to burger king in the middle of the summer. Even if I was racing the car (which I absolutely wasn't,) it's a performance car and should be able to take it otherwise that pretty much defeats it's purpose.
Also, please contact me at my AOL screenname (hargs79) if your block cracked at all. I've now been hearing horror stories about this from some of my friends that are mechanics. It seems that it's not so uncommon a thing with our engines, and [if necessary] I will intend to threaten a class action lawsuit if it's not covered.
I've already spoken to customer service and there is some form of "after warranty assistance program" that I'll let everyone know if my situation qualifies.
Plus, I don't think it's fair that at 76k miles I have to pay $7900 (nearly half the cost of a new MSP.) What guarantee is there that this new engine won't break after another 76k miles?

 

[dirtysouth_msp]

That really sucks. Something similar recently happened to me at like 28,000 miles. Are you sure that the clicking that you were hearing was not knocking/pinging. My block did not crack, but my engine went in third gear at like 3600 rpms while still in vacuum. It started knocking/pinging and I immediately noticed it and had it towed. Turns out it was a bad wrist pin. The sad thing in your case is that unless you bought some type of extended warranty you a probably out of luck.

Is $7,900 the price that the dealership told you? Mine was covered, but they showed me what it cost them in parts/labor. They said it took 7 hrs of labor. The price that they showed me was somewhere around $4,600. That was replacing the block with a brand new shortblock from Mazda. $7,900 seems pretty damn high. You can buy the MAM built shortblock for less than $4,000.

Good luck.

 

[hargs79]

No...it was definitely just a clicking sound. That's why I just deemed it as a minor issue and paid no attention to it for the few days it was happening.
$7,900 is for parts and labor...that includes new engine block ($3750,) new turbo (if necessary...they found antifreeze in it and think it might be broken now: $2000) and then labor.
If they don't give me some kind of deal on it, I'm absolutely, 100% bringing it somewhere else. I'm not going to let people that misdiagnosed a throaty noise when I hit 3000 rpms (obviously an exhaust issue) as a "sway bar bushing" and took over a week to figure out why I went through 3 subwoofers (originally diagnosed it as "a bad batch of subwoofers" and not something external from the sub itself like I originally told them...turned out to be the deck) install a new engine in my car. They'll probably put it in backwards. Only way they're doing the work is if I get either parts or labor for free and then some kind of warranty on those parts. Otherwise, I'll find the parts I need and pay someone who knows what they're doing to do it. I know I'll save a lot of money going the non-dealer route but it's still ridiculous to have to do this at 76k miles. It'd be pretty much ridiculous to crack a block at even 150k miles.

 

[low_psi]

Where are you located? Sorry to hear about all the troubles.

 

[hargs79]

Suffolk County, NY

 

[dirtysouth_msp]

Damn, they are overcharging a little on everything I think. I did not need new turbo, so there is most of the price difference. But you should really try to go ahead and get a MAM or ********** block. It will be cheaper, more durable due to forged internals, handle more boost and make more power. The only thing is that you will have to wait awhile to get it. Paying $3,750 for the same motor that just failed is absurd. I'm sure that you can find a FSDE in a junkyard for much less and probably with less miles than you had on yours.

 

[hargs79]

Yeah, you're absolutely right. If I can't get Mazda to pay for this, or offer me any help in the least (which looks like that's going to happen,) I'm definitely going with the MAM block. No way am I going to stick the same engine in there and pay more for it.
I'm still trying to fight with Mazda about this, and I'm still continuing to hear horror stories about Mazda making bad engines. Why did I never hear anything bad about Mazda until after this happens?

 

[lcruz64]

No...it was definitely just a clicking sound. That's why I just deemed it as a minor issue and paid no attention to it for the few days it was happening.
$7,900 is for parts and labor...that includes new engine block ($3750,) new turbo (if necessary...they found antifreeze in it and think it might be broken now: $2000) and then labor.
If they don't give me some kind of deal on it, I'm absolutely, 100% bringing it somewhere else. I'm not going to let people that misdiagnosed a throaty noise when I hit 3000 rpms (obviously an exhaust issue) as a "sway bar bushing" and took over a week to figure out why I went through 3 subwoofers (originally diagnosed it as "a bad batch of subwoofers" and not something external from the sub itself like I originally told them...turned out to be the deck) install a new engine in my car. They'll probably put it in backwards. Only way they're doing the work is if I get either parts or labor for free and then some kind of warranty on those parts. Otherwise, I'll find the parts I need and pay someone who knows what they're doing to do it. I know I'll save a lot of money going the non-dealer route but it's still ridiculous to have to do this at 76k miles. It'd be pretty much ridiculous to crack a block at even 150k miles.

I had a clicking noise too when I found out that on one of the spark plugs I had oil = messed up ... but it was only clicking thank god I paid attention to it but still had to buy internals for it. Sorry to hear this anyway

 

[jmc94gsx]

Check your oil, I want to know if it is sparkling. with metal flake. (deadhorse