VICs Problem AGAIN, after recall repair done ?

So ... my engine was replaced, by Mazda, under warranty ! (long block) at 30K miles, due to VICS butterfly in cylinder. At the time, the delaership said they fixed the VICS screw problem, and it will never be a problem again.

50K miles later, this morning, my wife and I were driving to work.

- sudden rough running, misfiring, etc ... pulled off freeway, parked, shut off.

Turn it on for a second, and the old "change in a dryer" sound is coming from
inside the engine block.

Shut it off and got it towed .... I'll pull the plugs and have a look tonight
(before I take it to the stealership)


My question is .... has anyone heard of any Proteges (or 5s) having the screws or butterflys fall off AFTER having had the so called recall repair ?

Sounds like they did not replace the intake manifold as prescribed by the warranty procedure. Probably just patched yours up & put same one back on. After they did mine I took it off & put it up in the attic since I had already gotten an extra to do VTCS removal, P&P & red loctited the s*** out of the VICS screws. Haven't had any issues with my modded one.

Loads of Fun (long story)

So ... long block was replaced 50K ago by stealership.

Apparently they didn't think it was important to use antiseize on any of the spark plugs ... AND, they thought that finger loose (not finger tight) was good enough for two of the plugs. (I'm such an idiot for not checking ALL of their work ! ... I was just happy at the time to get our car back with a shiny new engine)

Here's how the diagnosis went:

CEL reader said "misfire on #2".

After pulling #2 and #1 plug boots, both were covered with fine charcoal like substance, as were the plugs inside of plug boot holes. Both plugs were so loose that I could easily spin them with my fingers. It seems like those two cylinders were so "open" that combustion gases were escaping around the plugs for a long time (I am really surprised that it was running as well as it was ! ). #3 & #4 were tight and clean. All four plugs were "difficult" to remove because there was no anti seize used on the install.
Pulled the plugs. #2 side electrode was gone.
Before pulling the plugs, I blew the holes out with compressed air. After pulling the plugs, I vaccuumed #2 and #1. Last, I got in there with a tiny (but very strong) magnet and extracted one small piece of the side electrode (thought that maybe vaccuum got the rest.
New plugs with antisieze went in nice and easy, torqued to proper spec, fired her up, ran fine, no change in the dryer. Couple minutes later, after warm up and spirited revving, more change in the dryer.
Pulled #2 plug again, found rest of side electrode with magnet (maybe it had shot back up the intake tract and then fell back out ?).
Put her back together, drove the piss out of her, everything is fine.

And now the questions:

How could plug tip have broken off (if not by VICS screw again) ?
- it is hard to see the piston clearly, but I know what the VICS screw
damage looks like ... and I didn't see any (although piston top was
"cleaned" by plug electrode bouncing around for 0.5 mile)

How hard is it to remove and install the intake ?
(so that I can check that the VICs problem has not returned)
- has anybody posted instructions ?
(I'll start searching now)
- I've done lots of carby V8 intakes ...
.... is the install process anything like a pushrod V8 ?

P5 is running great now .... I just want to be sure that I'm not going to get another VICS butterfly shooting down into my cylinders !






... rocket scientist by trade, gearhed by choice ....

Detonation

Could detonation have broken the plug tip ?
... seems like the loose plug could or could not have caused it ?
(which was letting combustion gasses escape past the plug)

Why would I have detonation on a car that is running perfect ?

Loose plug = less compression = no chance of detonation ?
Loose plug = lean condition = detonation ?

Or maybe the stealership dropped the plug, then re-gapped it, weakening the electrode ?


When it happened, there was no notice, we were cruising along at 55 on a fwy, sudden no power and sewing machine noise ....


I sure hope it wasn't the VICs screws falling out again !

I don't want to have to pull the intake to just "check it out", but I need to drive it, so if a butterfly falls off into the engine again ... hopefully Mazda will replace the engine again ...

.... also thinking that I should just swap for a 626 intake = no more VICs problems

Think it'll pass smog if I keep the 626 intake "stock" looking ?

if you haven't done it before, takes from an hour to 2 to pull the intake mani, depends on if and how you label stuff yada yada yada.....


i've pulled mine off like 5 times now and can have it off in less than 30 mins...

is it possilble, well when it comes to mechanics, anything is.

there is no reason you shouldn't pass inspections, just make sure you go in with a nice warm engine since that's what the vics is for

VTCS is for cold start warmup, VICS is for routing air differently via long or short route to head depending on rpm for torque purposes. VICS is what the screws fall out of. VTCS is what people remove for better flow/less rattling sounds from motor if in warmer climates. I actually cut the rod off the vtcs stalk even with 1st runner of intake instead of threading bolt in it to keep actuator in it's normal position so nothing looks out of place visually but filled the other runner holes with hi temp quicksteel & did slight p&p inside intake to smooth off edges. Red loctite the hell out of the VICS screws & knock on wood no problems at all. Passes emissions without issue with that & header/non foulers.

i12drivemyMP5 said:

VTCS is for cold start warmup, VICS is for routing air differently via long or short route to head depending on rpm for torque purposes. VICS is what the screws fall out of. VTCS is what people remove for better flow/less rattling sounds from motor if in warmer climates. I actually cut the rod off the vtcs stalk even with 1st runner of intake instead of threading bolt in it to keep actuator in it's normal position so nothing looks out of place visually but filled the other runner holes with hi temp quicksteel & did slight p&p inside intake to smooth off edges. Red loctite the hell out of the VICS screws & knock on wood no problems at all. Passes emissions without issue with that & header/non foulers.

Click to expand...

If they pass your car with a header, who are you keeping that VICS rod in place for to visually inspect? Or is it just for cosmetics?

I keep the VTCS actuator rod in place with the actuator itself just like normal just that it is cut off at first runner & it cannot back out but once the intake is installed there is something in the way of it doing that anyway. Have had no issues with it, believe me I checked it very regularly when first done. Stays put like it should. The VICS is untouched. Car is not turboed so it doesn't have single runner intake since that wouldn't benefit my car other than robbing low end torque. Sport auto does that enuff without adding to it. VICS is OK except the falling screw s***. Just red loctited mine.