What have you done to your MS3 today?

speedi3 said:
Thanks all. Its so hard to do... But thats what needs to be done.

Well Bud, all I can say is that you can "pay" for it now (back off until...,) or pay for it later (when all the engine mounts break.) I'd suggest that you pay for it now. Later will be more expensive. NowotImeen? :D

 
That "hard knocking" might be your intake pipe hitting up against the frame rail. When the motor mounts flex hard it pulls back on the piping on top which in turn flexs it down below. Make sure you have your CAI adjusted correctly. Might solve the problem.

Scott

Oh BTW I washed my car today...and cleaned my new wheels for the first time. Woot woot!
 

I detailed the car for the first time in about 8 weeks. WHEW!!! Found 20 NEW stones chips and a scratch in the lower front bumper I didn't know was there. Took most of the day. It's harder and more time consuming the longer you wait to do it.
 
Hey Rotus, i figured you of all people would have a plasma cutter lol. You should make a new plate that is a little smaller than the one that comes with the intercooler and put it on top to cover all those little gaps. Or you could use that firm white weather strip on the endtanks themselves underneath the plate, so that they dont stand out like that orange stuff u used. Anyway, looks great. Can i be a passenger some day?
 
javanc said:
Hey Rotus, i figured you of all people would have a plasma cutter lol. You should make a new plate that is a little smaller than the one that comes with the intercooler and put it on top to cover all those little gaps. Or you could use that firm white weather strip on the endtanks themselves underneath the plate, so that they dont stand out like that orange stuff u used. Anyway, looks great. Can i be a passenger some day?
The problem is most weatherstrip won't survive the temperature. I got some silicone strips to try to put on the tanks directly under the plate, but nothing will stick to it. I tried 3M emblem mounting tape, contact cement, 3M weatherstrip adhesive, nothing sticks to the silicone. So I got some stuff that fits over the edge of the plate, doesn't need adhesive. Yeah, it looks a bit weird, but it's effective.

We'll link up sometime in the next week or so. And the plasma cutter is on my list...
 
hmm a meet-up in silicon valley? mind if i bring my rental car? lol

Rotus, your modifications look good, I too would love to feel the difference of the upgraded intercooler. I cant afford it just yet, but its on the future list for sure...
 
Today I went all out and traded my 3 for an MS3........................all I can say is..................................WOW!
 
RODSCALIP5 said:
Today I went all out and traded my 3 for an MS3........................all I can say is..................................WOW!

All I can say is...time to update your profile. ;)
 
Just took the License Plate mount off the front and covered the holes with the remaining plastic and it looks LOADS better from the front. I merely put the license plate behind the windshield, passenger side.

I also got a smoked shield for the back.. Finally some of the bright yellow is gone!
 
Gave my car a good hand washing today, nice waxing, and finally bought my first real mod. I ordered a INjen cai from crossover performance, they had one hell of a promo deal on it so I couldnt refuse!!! SHOULD BE NICE!!!
 
I took pics of this today. HAHA. Check your bolts guys.

Motor_Mount_Failure2_by_Fourthmeal.jpg


Story about it here on MazdaForums, for your viewing pleasure.

Has this happened to you? Lets start a list HERE
 
I can't tell by the pict what happened

fourthmeal said:
I took pics of this today. HAHA. Check your bolts guys.

Motor_Mount_Failure2_by_Fourthmeal.jpg


Story about it here on MazdaForums, for your viewing pleasure.

Has this happened to you? Lets start a list HERE

Can you put some visual aids to show what failed. It maybe tough for people who aren't familiar with the parts you show in the pict. Maybe a point of reference so we can get our bearings.
 
Well...there's a bolt there thats sheared off. Take a peek at my pics that I alluded to in the above post.

Its that little circular thing right under the shadow...there should be a threaded stud there.
 
fourthmeal said:
Well...there's a bolt there thats sheared off. Take a peek at my pics that I alluded to in the above post.

Its that little circular thing right under the shadow...there should be a threaded stud there.

In the first place, that SUCKS, Dude! Just be glad no one was hurt in the process.
Second, I think you mean here:

Motor_Mount_Failure2_by_Fourthmeal.jpg


Does that help?

 
Yep that helps immensely- thanks

bbrich57 said:
In the first place, that SUCKS, Dude! Just be glad no one was hurt in the process.
Second, I think you mean here:

Motor_Mount_Failure2_by_Fourthmeal.jpg


Does that help?


Everyone's POV is different, so having a visual aid helps-thank you

That is pretty scary. However I guess I'm used to manufacturing issues. As I've said before Mazda may have tested the hell out of these mounts, but there is always the chance that a batch of faulty bolts made it through QA. Manufacturers engineer EVERY part within tolerances. Its possible that these bolts may have been part of a yield that went slightly out of tolerance.

Judging by the location this part needs to deal with huge temperature swings, while handling vibration and twisting forces. If the formulation or the forging of the alloy is the least bit off it could cause the metal to become brittle at certain frequencies. The roughness that people report before the engine collapses is probably the result of the metal vibrating at it's sympathetic frequency, which in turn amplifies and shatters the molecular structure of the metal. This is one of the theories that surround the Tacoma Narrow Bridge collapse. Think about ht ecomplexity of the root cause for a moment. The driver would have to be driving at a certain speed, in a specific gear, at a certain rpm, in certain weather conditons. They may have shifted up sooner, or had to stop quickly. Maybe the issue happens at a lower ground speed but a hihger gear, where the engine mabe turning less RPM to push the car with more torque at a higher gear? The combinations are practically endless. Which makes finding a root cause difficult.

Manufacturers typically do spot-checks on parts quality. There is no way they can test EVERY single part. Doing so would increase the cost of manufacturer and the end cost to the consumer. It's a gamble every manufacturer (except maybe a Ferrari or Rolls Royce) takes- and is why they have insurance.

It's unfortunate that it happens but that's life- it happens with even the best companies. Personally I've already put down a deposit on an MS3 and will be ordering my 08 within the next couple of days.

I have confidence that this issue isn't epidemic and know that Mazda will address it. Something we all have to remember is that it takes a company some time to react to issues. Someone else mentioned that it takes time to research, test, design, fabricate, REtest and manufacture a fix. It took Mazda a month and a half to verify a problem, figure out a fix and then implement a change in production when the Mazda5 exhaust system was overheating. And that;s while sifting throug the noise of making sure the issue wasn't user error (those who know about the exhaust issue know that the root cause was due to users leaving the tranny in 2nd gear, in manual mode while driving at hihgway speeds)

Those who know about design and manufacturing know that a month is pretty fast for any change-nevermind a major change to occur. I actually have a lot of respect for Mazda's abilities. Managing change across a manufacturing line of complex products isn't as easy a throwing a switch. It takes a lot of people, who know their s*** to orchestrate a running change on a manufacturing floor. That Mazda is able to incite change so quickly is a testament to their manufacturing process and committment to the consumer.

Mazda is a small company who cares about the customer. This is not baseless ass-kissing, it's from a person who has owned 6 mazdas over tha past 12 years and has NEVER been let down by their Customer Service or products.

I know it's hard, but have faith.
 
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I've had 2 RX-7's, and two B-2000 pickups. Not the best cars I've owned, IMO.

I picked the MS3 because it represented a new level of performance for a simple hatchback vehicle, but in my mind, a failure of this level is simply too much to bare. My wife is never getting in that car again, and I respect that. She has a strong intuition, and I usually follow her on her "hunches",...like putting the motorcycle away when she says "I'm not riding with you today"...

I've sent a certified letter out to Mazda customer care, and I hope they handle it right.
 
It is interesting that this failure really looks to be the bolt itself. The other couple of failures where I have seen actual descriptions or pictures (rather than just "oh s***, the engine fell our of my car") it appeared that the bolt backed out of the mount and then when there were only a few threads holding it, the remaining threads ripped out of the aluminum bracket.

Is there any way to tell (I know this is after the fact and hard for you to get evidence) if the bolt was still fully engaged? If it was part way backed out, an impact effect of the bolt sliding in the mount may have triggered the bolt failure. If it was tight, the bolt failed from pure tension which is pretty remarkable.
 
Heated Mirrors Installed

I just installed heated mirrors on my Speed. This wasn't an available option, but the parts are available from OnlineMazda. I need to park outside and I like to be able to see behind me pulling out of my driveway into the highway.

The installation is pretty simple, but I took pictures and can post a How-To if you guys want it. The only real complication is the mirrors I got are painted Black Mica and my car is Cosmic Blue. The black actually looks pretty good on my car, but I decided to exchange the shells to keep the (mostly) monochrome look. This swap is a bit tricky to avoid breaking off the tabs holding it together.

Edit: How To created here: http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3140968#post3140968
 
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How To? SURE!!!

Rotus8 said:
... I took pictures and can post a How-To if you guys want it....

Even if I'm not planning to do this, and why would I? Here in this part 'o' Texas we usually have <5 days of sub-30's weather a year. None the less, I always enjoy reading your How-To's. They're always well written and informative, and would love to see you post one.
Just be sure to post a link on this page so we can all find it easily.

+1 on the How-To!

 

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