Well, i took my car to the dealer to get my Speedometer fixed after i got a ticket for it. I figured its only a speedometer so they could manage to not F my car.

anyway, they put 116 miles on my car in 2 days and charged me $200 and didn't even fix it.

Now, I am pulling a consistantly low vacuum at idle. The idle used to be 850 with 18-19 in vacuum, now at around 850 i'm getting 14-16 in and the idle then drops to 600 after a while and the vacuum goes down to 12. The vacuum is not usually jumpy, but now sometimes when its cold it will fluctuate and so will the rpms from about 1000-1500 rpms.

Any ideas on what may be wrong, or if the engine is blown or if my compression is lower because the technician probably floored it for a long time without warmin it up? I need to know this stuff so i can tell the manager at Mazda what I think happened when the technician was driving all those miles. I'm going into Mazda in a few days and speaking to the manager etc about how ridiculous it is that they logged so many miles etc, and i will request a compression test be done.

Also, i can probably pull the UIM off and check the hoses tomorrow, but i don't know if this is a vacuum leak or something worse.

 

That is your problem, you took the car to the dealer.

 

116 miles in 2 days?!?! Wow....i'd be calling the service mgr. and asking why they were joy riding in your car. And make sure you have them fix the problem on the Speedometer. No reason you should have to pay them for something they DIDNT fix.

 

This was in the Detroit area? Which dealership was it?

 

yep, joyriding! Trying to see what she gots! You would have probably been better off confronting them immediately. But definetly make them do something about it. Don't even pay for the compression test, that's the least they can do.

 

Suburban Mazda in Troy

 

does anyone know how long a compression test usually takes....theyre trying to tell me it takes 4 hours and they are trying to charge me for it! (i'm not paying though) Also, does this sound like a blown engine, or a loose hose?

 

If your engine doesnt shake like a **** under idle - just idles normally with low vacuum, you have a vacuum leak. Could it they took it for some ruff ride and some hose popped off.

Does your car still pull strong ?

 

Well I definately won't be giving THEM any more of my business then. Small consolation I'm sure but I'll be sure to get everything I need from Ed at Metro Mazda. Awesome guy with an awesome name! He gets parts in faster and cheaper than Suburban ever does, too.

I hope you get your car fixed and I hope you get reimbursed by them for this.
Sorry to hear this happened to you.

 

well i got the results of the compression test....first rotor was 8.0, 7.9, 8.1. Second rotor was 8.2, 8.1, 8.6. My bet is that a hose popped off, which is what i told the guy after he told me the results (he also tried to charge me for 5 hours of labor for the C test, but i wouldn't pay)...then he told me he thought it was a timing problem with my ecu because i changed it (its a Pettit unlimited).

He said this because he heard it pop a bunch of times, especially on the cold start. I always assumed poping occasionally was normal, or because i disabled the AWS.....any comments?

 

That's good news about your motor though! I need to do me a compression check soon just because I like doing it yearly.

 

ya i was relieved...just for my personal knowledge....what do people or dealerships normally charge for compression checks???

 

The boost module against the firewall has a habit of coming loose on mine without much effort and caused similar issues, it is worth a check.

It is a small black module with 'Denso' across the top and two lines going into it; one in the side, another in the bottom. It is near the TB/AWS and is mounted on the upper portion of the firewall in plain site.

Hope that helps, yea I am very careful about dealers, especially after working for one. I am lucky enough to know a tech at the local dealer and learned who to take my car to.

~Kris

 

Compression checks go for 150$, that's what I was quoted from the dealership and Tri-Point, but Tri-Point does a 2 hr inspection also to let you know what's going on.

 

i picked up the car, and immediately noticed they jacked the boost up to 1200....tryin to hide a blown engine? Before the idle was anywhere from 600-800, now it won't go below 1200? I'm not putting any more miles on it and am taking it to another place to get a compression check Saturday just in case...and asking to watch it just for my own piece of mind.

One more thing, the engine seems to pop alot, i'm not sure if this is called backfiring. And after I let off the gas and put it in neutral, or hit the brakes causing the rpms to lower, it will pop alot.

The Mazda service manager tried to tell me this is because the timing might be off because of my upgraded (Pettit) ECU.

 

Kris, that thing is called MAP sensor.

And yes, its hose does come off sometimes, causing same symptoms as blown engine (lumpy idle, shaking UIM, ...)

 

Blown engine will not make any power. If your car is making power they just maybe adjusted your idle.

Is your car making power ?

What is the last time you changed your plugs ?

With vacuum/boost leak you would easily foul your plugs.

If your car is making power, check for loose/disconnected vacuum lines and change your spark plugs, then report back.

 

you're taking this much better than I would. Ever hear of the BBB?

 

Thank you for the correction.

~Kris