Few ?'s on new protege

[Got_boost02]

hey fellas, i just picked up my new titanium mazdaspeed and i have a few new owner questions. first of all, i am coming from an rx-7 and this car really impresses me overall compared to that, which is suprising. but, i was wandering on how you guys were breaking in your cars. like how many miles, what speeds and such. also is the turbo on this car oil cooled and is it a good idea to sit in the car before parking and let the turbo cool down until i get a turbo timer or not to worry?? also, the car reaks badly when running and i am hoping it is just the new car parts burning oils off????? if anyone could give me some input, tha'd be great, thanks!!


2003.5 Titanium
$20,000 sticker!!

 

[girth]

Well, IMO there's not 1 single definitive answer to any of your questions. That being the case, here's my opinions....

Break-in period -- not needed. In the owners manual (not sure what page) it says something like just don't beat the crap out of it for the first 600 miles. So if you're real anal about it, take it semi-easy the first 600 or so. For me, I just drove like I always do regardless of miles, but then again my MSP had over 200 miles on it when I got it.

The turbo is water cooled but of course oil is passing through there for wear protection. A turbo-timer has been much debated on this site and my personal opinion is that it's just a waste of gas and money. If you beat the crap out of the car just before you're ready to turn her off, just sit in her while idling for 30 seconds to a minute to let her cool down. Otherwise for normal driving just shut it off -- there will be vacuum that slowly pulls oil through when she's sitting there anyway.

The smell has also been commented on too. My car stinks like piss after I get out from a ride. Personally I think it's coolant spilling on hot engine parts but other people say no. So I'm not really sure what it is but I'm not the only one that has it. I do know that coolant is or was leaking at some point - not sure if it still is or not (haven't had time to check). But it only smells (mild smell) after a long drive. Short drive, no problem. That's with 3000+ miles. Still no answer there yet....

 

[Minishotglass]

keep speed under 60mph for first 600 miles
max rpm 3000 first 600 miles
let turbo cool for 30 seconds before shutting off the engine

 

[Striker187]

shawn at mazdaformance told me this when i bought the car from jeff haas:

break-in: first 1000 miles, keep the revs under 4k and don't beat the car to death. i want to keep this car for a long time so you can bet i kept the revs under 4k and drove it like a baby for that 1000 miles.

cooling time: just as everyone else says. in fact, the little card that was on the flip down sun blocker (i have no idea what it's formally called) says that after cruising hwy speeds or a hard run to let the car cool for at least 30 sec. i thought about a turbo timer but then, what the hell? i'll stick with the manual turbo timer (that's me) and save a hundred bucks.

as for the car smell, i have no idea. my car smells fine

 

[SpicyRay]

i let the car cool down after runs but under 60 for first 600 miles, yeah, that didnt happen, for sure...im still debating whether i have coolant leak or not, sometimes i swear it smells other times it doesnt, i checked and the coolant line doesnt look like theres stuff forming there...i just cant tell!

 

[MSP Pro]

The smell is the coolant leak at the small hose to the turbo metal coolant pipe. Look at that pipe at the right front of the engine. See the green crusty stuff. That's dried coolant. I took mine in on warranty and they pressure tested the radiator, said there was no leak, cleaned off the pipe and sent me away. They said the green stuff was left over from "assembly". Two weeks later, I had more green crusty stuff where it continues to leak. But now I have proof I took it in for warranty work, so if it let's go it isn't my fault. After a few thousand miles, mine stopped smelling so I think it isn't leaking anymore. Plenty of fluid in the radiator and overflow jug still, so I'm not worried about it.

 

[SpicyRay]

i dont have the crust build up, maybe im just paranoid...one thing i do find annoying is our ping, its just, annoying.

 

[girth]

i let the car cool down after runs but under 60 for first 600 miles, yeah, that didnt happen, for sure...im still debating whether i have coolant leak or not, sometimes i swear it smells other times it doesnt, i checked and the coolant line doesnt look like theres stuff forming there...i just cant tell!

Hey SpicyRay, I was like you originally and didn't know I had the coolant leak until I got under the car to change oil. I looked many times by popping the hood but never noticed any dried coolant near the turbo. But then I crawled underneath the car and, sure enough, there was dried on coolant VERY evident towards the front of the engine. I then got out from under the car and looked near the turbo again and, sure enough, I saw some coolant buried way deap inside the engine under a bunch of hoses and other junk.

So my advice to tell if you have the coolant leak is to get under the car and look around towards the front side of the engine. If you don't see any dried green junk, you probably don't have it.

For now I cleaned mine up with a wet rag and need to get back under there to see if it's still leaking.

 

[Kenetix]

The coolant leak on thiese cars isnt ANYWHERE near the turbo. Its on the top right hand side of the motor, between the air box. Its call the engine coolant bypass hose.

 

[Got_boost02]

okay then, does anyone have a leaking turbo? i only have 225 miles on this car and both the inlet and outlet sides of the turbo oil lines are leaking at the bung. nothing major, just enough you can smell and see if you run your fingers over it. is this normal for a break in, were they torqued too tight or not tight enough?? i dont want this to get any worse. anyone else experienced this??
thanks!!

 

[MSP Pro]

No oil leaks on my turbo; perfectly dry. I'd take it in under warranty. Ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

 

[Got_boost02]

damn

 

[boostisgood]

Drive it like yous stole it. Dont let the "break in" period set into your mind. The car was built to be driven, so dont waste your time and drive it.

I didnt do any stupid "break in" and my speed runs like a virgin to a football star on prom nite.