My MAZDASPEED may be broken......

[AGR]

I was out in my garage today, just washed my wife's Protege ES, and I noticed there were black spots under my tailpipe. Like splattered. My neighbor had just come over and asked about it, and I said I didn't know, the car was running great. I just got back from a 250 mile trip yesterday, and it ran just perfect.

So I start it up and this water with black in it is dripping from the exhaust. There was also white spoke evident. It was in the 40s today. I gave it more gas as it is idling, and more water is spitting out. :wtf: I have never seen anything like this. It's dripping with what appears to be oil in it onto the garage floor.

We shut it off; let it cool a little while, and I check the oil. The level is fine, and so is my water level. I start it back up, and the same thing...... I put my fingers in it, but it really doesn't feel oily.
Needless to say; I'm confused.

So; I just finished putting my stock airbox back on it. I figure I will have to take it to the dealer. So now, I'm wondering if for some reason the K&N is causing this, possibly due to a different air mixture? I don't know.

Anybody hava any ideas? I would greatly appreciate it!

And yes.. I Still Love My Mazdaspeed!

 

[gotdlife]

My friends 97' Vette did that. My escort did it to when I was in college. I think that is normal. If you would rev it up really good it would spit black water stuff out the back. He did it in his garage every once and a while said he was cleaning something *shrug* I am sure someone here will have better idea.

 

[boostisgood]

AGR,

I see many cars do this at red lights. Its condensation that will build up in your cats, and of course turn black. Then get forced out with the exhuast gasses flow.

If it didnt feel or smell oily, fuel like, or coolant like, I would not be terribly too concerned.

I suggest checking the oil level, then letting the car run for about 20 minutes, cool down for 45, then check the oil level. IF it goes up, you might have a bad head, as water is getting into it.

hope that helps. sorry for any issue you may have bro. Keep you head up and know you still got a kick ass car.

 

[OrangeAppeal]

this happens with my CRX...even after the engine rebuild. It's just condensation that is mixing with the carbon in your exhaust (carbon being the byproduct of the combustion process)...keep an eye on it, but I don't think it's anything to be concerned with. Just do as already recommended above.

Also, whatever you do...keep lovin' your Mazdaspeed...I know this:

I LOVE MY MAZDASPEED

 

[LiLiTaLy]

My car did this also? When I first got it i noticed some black spots on the garage floor behind the exhaust. I haven't seen it lately the only thing I notice is when I wash my car that at the bottom of the exhuast there is a black buildup and I have to clean it off.

 

[Jim Frye]

It's not broken and it's normal

My old Saturn did it, my '97 Civic does it, so does our '03 P5. It's just the water vapor from combustion condensing on the cold metal of the exhaust system, mixing with the carbon on the inside, and getting blown out by exhaust pressure. This is the stuff that rots exhaust systems of cars that are not driven long enough to throughly heat the exhaust system to the point where the moisture is all dried out. Prime example is my "97 Civic with 22,000 miles on the clock and a rusted out exhaust system. My wife drove it in short little trips for the first six years.

 

[AGR]

Re: It's not broken and it's normal

Sounds like everything is okay, then (I hope). The Protege ES, I haven't noticed doing this.

I don't think I have ever had another car do it, either.

I really appreciate the responses to my thread. Thanks much!

 

[AGR]

ttt

 

[Mark94]

Don't worry about it Greg. My prelude has done this since day one. Hondas tend to run rich from the factory and cause a lot of carbon in the exhaust and it is nothing that robs performance or will cause any problems down the line. Mazdaspeeds may experience this carbon because they are perfomance tuned for more fuel intake and some may not be fully combusting. It's better to run slightly rich than lean.

Sounds perfectly normal to me.

Mark

 

[Teamzero]

Mine does this also. I doubt it is anything to worry about but the black junk on my back bumper is not too appealing.

 

[Newf]

Can't say I've noticed water spitting out of mine, but there is carbon build up. the pipe will go black if not washed for a long time. Been doing this since day one. She just runs rich

 

[Logan]

It's quite normal to have water come from your exhaust, I don't know what the ratio is, but there is some water in gasoline.
Don't sweat it.
If it starts smoking and you can't see, then sweat it.

 

[APEXistud]

My friends turbo'd SI does this a lot and my old 97' Civic Ex did it a lot too. I think it kinda has something to do with cars that run rich when it comes to fuel of course. My friends Civic has a big black stain with splatters around it on his garage floor. So I think you're in the clear too.

 

[Street KingFD]

DON'T SCARE ME LIKE THAT EVER AGAIN! It's just condinsation. The chemical reaction also that takes place in the exhuast creates water as a by-product also. Nothing to worry about. It being black is just the carbon you see. Take off your exhaust and pour water through it, you will see nothing but black water at the end.

 

[blynzoo]

It's quite normal to have water come from your exhaust, I don't know what the ratio is, but there is some water in gasoline.
Don't sweat it.
If it starts smoking and you can't see, then sweat it.

lol, I THINK maybe it might be the result of the cat converting CO to C and H20...just a guess.

 

[AGR]

I want to say thanks to everyone that responded to this post. 'Much appreciated! I feel much better now.

My K&N will be re-installed immediately.

..now it's about time for a good beer! (drinks) It's been one hell of a day.

 

[Micaspeed!]

AGR,

Good post, I want to throw this out. Anybody consider what the filter oil may do to the MAF sensor wires? I have been pondering this, knowing the true function and operation of these devices. An over rich situation is quite undesirable due to cylinder wash and oil contamination. It is quite possible, not confirmed, that the oil may/could throw off the sensor. Anybody else?

Godspeed!
Dave
www.delsingmotorport.com

 

[AGR]

AGR,

Good post, I want to throw this out. Anybody consider what the filter oil may do to the MAF sensor wires? I have been pondering this, knowing the true function and operation of these devices. An over rich situation is quite undesirable due to cylinder wash and oil contamination. It is quite possible, not confirmed, that the oil may/could throw off the sensor. Anybody else?

Godspeed!
Dave
www.delsingmotorport.com

Dave: Interesting point, for sure. I only mention this because a friend of mine owns a Trans Am, and they do not recommend a filter like the K&N, because of the re-oiling affecting the MAS. So.......my thinking is this; I might just buy a new K&N every 10,000 miles, instead of re-oiling. It's about $33.00 from where I bought mine. $33.00 every 10,000 - no big deal, right?

 

[sleeper_]

umm dang man, haven't you people taken basic chemistry?
water is a by product of combustion:
CH4 + 2O2 --> C02 + 2H2O

However, due to the process not being 100% and incomplete combustion, other by products are produced and the job of the catalytic converter is to REDUCE the harmful by products. Also due to the high surface area within a cat (to maximize converter efficiency) there's a lot of surface area for condensation when it gets cold.

i doubt it has anything to do with water in the gas.. the percentage of that moisture vs the water produced from the combustion process makes it negligible. But water in the gas is bad b/c obviously it's not part of the input process of combustion.

 

[Jim Frye]

K&N Filter Oil

I've been using K&N filters for lots of years in a lot of different cars and I've never had a sensor problem in any of them. If you are getting oil sucked off of the filter element, I'd opine that you are using way too much of the recharge oil and probably trashing the air flow effectiveness of the filter. Just follow the K&N instructions and things should be fine.
Now if you are really concerned about sensor damage to your MSP (or any other car), why not contact K&N and ask? That way, if you do get the sensor damaged and the service guys(gals) tell you that, you have documentation from K&N to fall back on.