Mazda 3 MPS - Smokey exhaust

[Gun]

Been having this issue with my MPS for a few weeks now, after running the car for a while and letting it idle for an extended time an acrid smelling smoke will start coming from the exhaust. The worst it's been was last Saturday when I drove from Eastbourne to Letchworth, idled for a minute or two when I arrived and it emitted a huge plume of white/blue smoke. Anyone else had this problem?

[Marf]

Sounds like oil smoke. Turbo seals died perhaps?

[ultraheed]

I'd go over to the MPSOC forum. A few guys have had this problem and its a pretty big fix unfortunately

[Makila2A]

Yep, turbo unfortunately. Reasonably common and well known problem. Is it still under warranty?

ETA Mine was a turbo change, but that was early in the MPS days. It would appear it could also be a crankcase ventilation issue repaired with a modified cam cover.

Here http://www.mpsowners.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=21&...

Edited by Makila2A on Sunday 1st April 04:43

[Gun]

Yeah it's still under warranty thankfully, it's been in the garage for a couple of days but they couldn't replicate the problem despite me telling them exactly what to do. I got it back yesterday and managed to make it smoke again almost instantly so they can't have looked too closely at it, I even videoed it so when I take it back to them I can show them what they're missing!

ETA: Sounds like this cam cover is the way to go, probably along with a new turbo?

Edited by Gun on Sunday 1st April 07:54

[ultraheed]

I've just bought a Mk 1 3 MPS and have been doing some reading on this topic. Think its widely accepted that the cam cover mod is the way to go, as people have had the turbos changed and the problem comes back!

Don't want to copy and past the entire explanation but if you go over here you'll get a pretty comprehensive breakdown along with mazdas explanation.

I'm worried if this happens to me as the cars out of warranty! Thinking it might be worth trying to get the modified cam cover regardless as the only way i'd fork out for a new turbo would be for an uprated Garret and a forged rebuild!

[Gun]

Thought I'd give an update as this is still ongoing. It's currently back with Mazda for the third time having this problem looked at, first time it went in they couldn't replicate the problem so just returned it. Second time it was with them for a week as it took them three days to work out I had a warranty (even though I told them), when they eventually looked at it they removed and inspected the turbo vanes etc but put it back in and replaced the engine ventilation system. Sadly this seems to have made it slightly worse as it now smokes in under a minute of idling after running it for 40 mins or so.

Dropped it off this morning and they idled it from cold for 20 minutes and it smoked, they raise the idle to 1500 rpm, smoke stopped so they just left it. They phoned me up earlier to say it was fixed but when I got there one of the other service guys didn't think they'd looked at it properly so they've still got it, they hadn't even looked at the other problem I took it in with. Can't say I'm overly impressed with them so far.

[Mastodon2]

They sound like a bunch of cowboys!

[Bone Rat]

Just wondering what sort of mileage this occurs at. I've just hit 70K, is this looming?

[Gun]

About time I updated on this because, drumroll please, they've finally fixed the smokey exhaust , sadly I had to tell them exactly how to fix it as they were clueless about the issue (it needed a new turbo in the end, just as I told them back in June!)

Unfortunately that's not the end of the problems though, my MPS also has the hesitation problem as well and they've utterly failed to fix this problem. I've taken the car to them on 7 separate occasions now (8 in total but the first was a different dealer but the same group, they couldn't find anything wrong with it ), this last time they had it for three weeks and it's as bad as ever.

I'm really starting to lose my patience with them now and am reluctant to take it back to the main dealer who's been attempting to fix it so far as they've been nothing short of useless. Would it be worth going direct to Mazda with this as my warranty has also expired? I really do think I was sold a lemon by the main dealer I bought it from

[stacy]

Where are you based?

Deflating story this, and the other forum news, I was quite a fan of the MPS.

S.

[Gun]

I'm in the South East. Got in touch with Mazda UK in the end and it's been booked in again on the 7th Jan (over a months wait for an available slot for some reason), not that I'm expecting them to fix it.

[stacy]

Well, good luck.

I was going to say you need an engineer rather than a fitter, and they are thin on the ground sadly. It's a bit of a trek but if Mazda don't sort it try Dave at WGT in Middlewich - if he's still there.

S.

[ArranS]

How did you get on with this?

I had the turbo changed on mine after I failed last year. My car is a mk2 MPS. But when I say mine was smoking, it filled a car park with blue smoke in seconds and smelt terrible. It went from showing 3/4 on the dip stick to none in minutes. Was extremely bad. I had to get towed back from Wales to Wolverhampton.

The dealer fixed it all under warranty and the car has been ok since, although I do sometimes get a small hesitation. I have found though, that it only happens when the engine isn't warm enough.

If you haven't already, join up over on MPSOC (just google MPSOC). Great forum.

[Gun]

Smoke problem was fix after they fitted a new turbo, they only did it after some research I did for them and showed them what the problem was. The more troublesome hesitation is still there and it's going to a different Mazda garage on Wednesday at the request of Mazda UK, I'm still not convinced they'll fix it though.

[ArranS]

I'll be interested to hear what the outcome is. Mine is over 3 years old now, but I have bought an extended warranty from Mazda. After the turbo was replaced I wasn't going to risk it and at £600 for 2 years including EU breakdown cover, I thought it was worth it.