Sue Mazda?
- Thread starter Mazdamia
- Start date
msubullyfan
Yeah, I'm an engineer...
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- 2005 Nissan Frontier 4x4
Moeed said:
Moeed, I've heard several times that there is a TSB. However, no one can find it (even the tech that worked on my car). Do you have a copy or know how to get your hands on one?
msubullyfan
Yeah, I'm an engineer...
- :
- 2005 Nissan Frontier 4x4
SkinnyJoint said:
If you have the problem, your car will be almost undriveable.
If you don't hear a loud, rapid banging that hurts your ears if you're looking under the hood, and if the car isn't misfiring so badly that it lurches and hesitates like crazy while you're driving it, then I doubt you have the problem.
The funny thing is, I have only seen people with Proteg5s having the problem in the forums. Anyone know of people with sedans/MSPs having the issue?
If anyone wants more information, do a search on "vtcs screw" on the forums (sometimes people misspell and use "vcts" instead, so use that term, too).
I think I saw on my paperwork that the replacement parts would have been about $550. You can probably double that due to all the disassembly/reassembly labor that it takes.
Oh, and the butterfly can't make it into the cylinder chamber. It's only the screw that can make it through, and I seriously doubt it's large enough to do real damage to the cylinder. After two instances, I borescoped through the spark plug socket with the tech and we could only see minor scratching on the cylinder head. Compression testing the cylinders revealed only about a 2% difference in pressure (and the affected cylinder wasn't the lowest). So, it may leave you on the side of the road, but the chance for major engine repairs is probably pretty small.
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- 02.5 MP5
wow thank you that was a the most reassuring post ive read in a long time. but i do have a couple follow up questions.
i do hear a "machine gun" rattle but mine is quiet and only really hear it when its in gear. But its definatly not loud. and my car doesnt mis at all shes a steady idle at 750 with no "shaking"
so do you think i am in the clear?
i do hear a "machine gun" rattle but mine is quiet and only really hear it when its in gear. But its definatly not loud. and my car doesnt mis at all shes a steady idle at 750 with no "shaking"
so do you think i am in the clear?
good call on the locktite, this is how SE-R guys are getting around it. the qr25de has been eating butterfly valve screws and sucking in pre-cats since its inception in the SE-Rs. if someone is overly worried about it, then locktite-ing the screws is your best preventitive bet. people are finding that most any color locktite will work but red is the what most are using...Nomad said:
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- 02.5 MP5
how much time are we looking at to take the intake man off and locktite and put back on.... eta
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- 02.5 MP5
o god thats easy i might just pop mine off one day and take a looksy better safe then sorry i suppose.
Hopefully I won't have that either.As some people know this is A FACTORY DEFECT!!! This HAS happened to me during past fall/winter period....lost 5 screws, each screw within a 2-3 weeks period, one after another, just because bad dealer next to me wouldnt do s*** for 2 months. I took my car to different dealer (where i bought my car) and mechanic told me that it seems like a factory defect on '03 model sedans as my car was 6th or 7th at the dealer because of that problem for period of 6 months. They gave me a loaner car and I left my Protege at the dealer for 2 weeks. They have replaced most of the top end on the motor. Head, intake manifold, fuel rail, exhaust camshaft, all the valves, springs and lifters. Everything came out to 5429 US dollars with change under warranty work.
Now I know that its not only '03 sedans but also p5's. And to top it off its ONLY 2003 model Protege's. Find out where your car came from....which car plant in Japan. There are two car plants that were making Protege's in Japan. One in Hiroshima and one if Tofu or Kofu.....The ones with this factory defect came from Tofu or Kofu (dont remember how to spell hehe). Dont know what they were doing during year 2003, but obviously they ****** UP! Put the mani together.....find 1 of the 2 bolts for that butterfly, bolt the butterfly with that ONE and only one bolt back into the mani, and put the mani back on, then bring it to the dealer, and tell them what happened but dont tell them that you took the mani off. ALSO! make sure that you WILL call MAZDA USA 1-888-222-5500, and tell them what have you experienced with your car and tell them that you suspect the ViCS problem. I have called them and they have my statement on file. Also say that you are not the only one with this problem and you know that all the defected proteges seem like only 2003 models and only the ones that came from Tofu plant. Im sure they will help you out. hope this helps
Now I know that its not only '03 sedans but also p5's. And to top it off its ONLY 2003 model Protege's. Find out where your car came from....which car plant in Japan. There are two car plants that were making Protege's in Japan. One in Hiroshima and one if Tofu or Kofu.....The ones with this factory defect came from Tofu or Kofu (dont remember how to spell hehe). Dont know what they were doing during year 2003, but obviously they ****** UP! Put the mani together.....find 1 of the 2 bolts for that butterfly, bolt the butterfly with that ONE and only one bolt back into the mani, and put the mani back on, then bring it to the dealer, and tell them what happened but dont tell them that you took the mani off. ALSO! make sure that you WILL call MAZDA USA 1-888-222-5500, and tell them what have you experienced with your car and tell them that you suspect the ViCS problem. I have called them and they have my statement on file. Also say that you are not the only one with this problem and you know that all the defected proteges seem like only 2003 models and only the ones that came from Tofu plant. Im sure they will help you out. hope this helps
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Mike R said:
yep ViCS, my bad. All the Protege's that i know of on these forums so far been only 2003 models, and your p5 is actually the 1st sports wagon that I know of that has this problem.......before I thought it was only sedan.
Well...
The local Mazda parts dept. told me that the whole affected half of the mani has to be replaced: 412.00 plus tax for the part (paid in full before ordering). The A-hole parts guy says to me "the butterflies aren't meant to be disassembled-reassembled." I said, "yea, I don't think they are meant to fall apart either." He just replies, "have a nice day then." That doesn't include the approx. three gaskets that I will have to replace for proper re-assembly by the way
The service manager said he has had at least two other occurances like this. Now, if I am number three, and there are X number of service departments in the US. Do the math. There have probably been hundreds of occurances of this problem acrossed the country.
The Mazda rep happened to be stopping by the dealer today so I left the part with them to show him. He said Mazda would help with "some" of the cost of the manifold (hmmm, admission of guilt?) but I had to have the repair done at the dealer and they haven't given me an approximate price yet. There is no recall or TSB for this according to the search that the service manager did in front of me.
If you had to pay for this out-of-pocket, take 412, add 2-4 hours of labor and miscellaneous parts, I bet about $700 dollars if they didn't give you any discount. It really does sound like a machine gun, or that the engine is literally falling apart.
ETA to take apart and fix and reassemble: about 4 hours I imagine. It took me 2.5 to take the manifold off with beer and bathroom time included.
The local Mazda parts dept. told me that the whole affected half of the mani has to be replaced: 412.00 plus tax for the part (paid in full before ordering). The A-hole parts guy says to me "the butterflies aren't meant to be disassembled-reassembled." I said, "yea, I don't think they are meant to fall apart either." He just replies, "have a nice day then." That doesn't include the approx. three gaskets that I will have to replace for proper re-assembly by the way
The service manager said he has had at least two other occurances like this. Now, if I am number three, and there are X number of service departments in the US. Do the math. There have probably been hundreds of occurances of this problem acrossed the country.
The Mazda rep happened to be stopping by the dealer today so I left the part with them to show him. He said Mazda would help with "some" of the cost of the manifold (hmmm, admission of guilt?) but I had to have the repair done at the dealer and they haven't given me an approximate price yet. There is no recall or TSB for this according to the search that the service manager did in front of me.
If you had to pay for this out-of-pocket, take 412, add 2-4 hours of labor and miscellaneous parts, I bet about $700 dollars if they didn't give you any discount. It really does sound like a machine gun, or that the engine is literally falling apart.
ETA to take apart and fix and reassemble: about 4 hours I imagine. It took me 2.5 to take the manifold off with beer and bathroom time included.
If the screws were put in better the system would be damn near perfect.
Dis, the screw never actually fell out, it was really loose though. Might be the reason all these cars sound rough. If the screws never come all the way out, the plates rattle like crazy. My car got rid of the noise I had been bitching about to the dealer for, well, since the car was a couple months old. Even after they replaced the motor for the rod bearing failure.
They had done at least 2 of the cars with the VICS screws problem....
Dis, the screw never actually fell out, it was really loose though. Might be the reason all these cars sound rough. If the screws never come all the way out, the plates rattle like crazy. My car got rid of the noise I had been bitching about to the dealer for, well, since the car was a couple months old. Even after they replaced the motor for the rod bearing failure.
They had done at least 2 of the cars with the VICS screws problem....
