My old Mazda3 died yesterday

"for Michigan" (formichigan)
09/20/2019 at 08:15 • Filed to: None

After I paid it off and bought my 1-series, I gave it to my brother because his Scion Tc was dead and he needed something to drive to work. Two weeks ago he asked me to help him with a flat and when we started it up I heard knocking. The car was very low on oil, so we did a quick oil change and it sounded fine but I figured it was living on borrowed time at that point.

Two days ago he texted me and said it had started knocking again so he checked the oil and it was somehow low. No visible leak though so he topped up the oil and decided it was a good idea to make a 100-mile round trip on an engine that was now knocking even full of oil. He was about halfway back when he started to smell burning oil and the car stalled out.

After I got off work last night, he called a tow truck and I drove him out to meet the driver. There was oil everywhere, but the source wasn’t immediately apparent in the dark with a flashlight. However when we got it home and off the truck, I noticed a chunk of something lying on the flatbed. It was that partial rod end pictured above.

Now to help him find a new car and see if this thing is worth saving...

DISCUSSION (21)

pip bip - choose Corrour > for Michigan
09/20/2019 at 08:22

just grab another engine from a wrecker and go again

Spanfeller is a twat > for Michigan
09/20/2019 at 08:24

and 100 more > for Michigan
09/20/2019 at 08:44

Maybe your brother should look into a used Leaf? Little- to- no maintenance, just need to keep it charged.

vondon302 > for Michigan
09/20/2019 at 08:45

Kabl ooey!

shop-teacher > for Michigan
09/20/2019 at 09:08

Ouch!

Dogsatemypants > for Michigan
09/20/2019 at 09:18

Maybe he isn’t meant to drive. The universe is telling him to gain a healthy respect for preventative maintenance by paying for his own car.

bob and john > for Michigan
09/20/2019 at 09:18

sounds like your brother needs to learn what maintenance is....

and no, the little lights on the dashboard are not there for ambiance

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > for Michigan
09/20/2019 at 09:46

I was wondering what happened to this car. Sorry to here it’s DOA.

nerd_racing > for Michigan
09/20/2019 at 09:50

I’m curious, how many miles on it and what year/engine?

for Michigan > nerd_racing
09/21/2019 at 07:21

2006 2.3L 170K miles.

for Michigan > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
09/21/2019 at 07:25

I need to put a budget together, but I think I may take it back and put a Duratec 2.5 in it.

for Michigan > Dogsatemypants
09/21/2019 at 07:33

While I agree that he needs to be better about maintenance, he treated this car no worse than the four previous ones that he bought himself.

And I think there was something else wrong with the car as it was barely overdue for an oil change and should not have burned though 4 quarts of oil in 6000 miles.

for Michigan > pip bip - choose Corrour
09/21/2019 at 07:35

Pricing that out right now. 2.3 MZRs are a little pricey for a 13-year-old car with 170K miles. Looks like I can swap in a Duratec 2.5 for about half the price, but it’s a more involved swap.

for Michigan > and 100 more
09/21/2019 at 07:36

Well out of his budget and he drives more miles in one night delivering pizzas than a Leaf can travel on a charge. We're looking at old Accords and Civics.

pip bip - choose Corrour > for Michigan
09/21/2019 at 07:38

buy a wreck off copart perhaps?

and 100 more > for Michigan
09/21/2019 at 08:49

Ah , makes sense.

Dogsatemypants > for Michigan
09/21/2019 at 23:16

Yeah.... that engine is somewhat notorious for massive oil consumption late in life. If i remember right, it’s the piston seals. I was a bit harsh in judgement.

I hear the tortured screams of the wretched and neglected autos, and their owners scream that i am trying to rape their wallet. I am just trying to be a lorax for the cars.

nerd_racing > for Michigan
09/23/2019 at 07:08

Thank you for the info. I’m around 86k on my 2.5L and was curious what kind of longevity the engines have seen.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > for Michigan
09/23/2019 at 10:00

That sucks.

My old Mazda 3 was running well (sold to a friend) when it met it’s end on a wet, curvy section of highway...

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > for Michigan
10/19/2019 at 16:04

Your brother done goofed.

for Michigan > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/19/2019 at 16:48

To be fair to him this seems to have been caused by a commonly known defect that we were both unaware of. I think it’s Ford/Mazda’s fault the car is dead, not his.