MX3 GS Burning Oil Really Bad Where Do I Start?

[Tommy]

Well This MX3 has Always smoked really bad. and now it stopped smoking and or smoked very little. so i was like what the hell well i checked the oil and it took 3 quarts to put it back to where it should be and shure enough like i assumed it started smoking horribly bad again.

My Educated Guess is The Rings are cooked...

So where do i go from here Cause i really just want to sell it but nobody wants a smoking car.

[Daveb]

I think I saw someone selling a 1.8 for $200 on the sell forums yesterday, I would start there. If your engine ran that low on oil probably everything is cooked inside.

good luck

[SuperK]

It's very hard to diagnose the rings on the MX-3, in my opinion.

I've noticed a trend with several smoking 4cyl.

and that's the compression rings stay strong and keep doing their job... but the oil rings seem to collapse and freeze. I don't know if this is the problem with the 6cyl.

but I'm noticing the trend with the 4cyl. I would take a gander maybe the oil rings are notoriously weak or prone to failure.

You could remove the spark plugs, shine a light down in the cylinder holes, have someone slowly crank the car, and see if you can spot oil dousing the face of the piston.

If it's not, I would research the head. If you do see physical oil covering the piston faces, than it's definitely your oil rings.

and the worse part is, just one doesn't go bad. ALL of them seem to go bad at once.

[Tommy]

OK well what is the oil rings? and where are they located same thing as the piston rings?

[Daninski]

OK well what is the oil rings? and where are they located same thing as the piston rings?

Oh man you've got a lot to learn and I'm not saying that to be rude. Just post a [WTB] and replace the engine once your post count reaches 30. Where are you located?

[Tommy]

Toledo ohio WTB what? A new Motor? Do i really need a new motor... because its blowing smoke..

[Tommy]

Well I found a KLDE V6 2.5 $375 with Exchange is the KLDE a direct drop in like the ZE?

[Daninski]

KLDE is very nice. Lots more power but you'll need the ECU and KL02 VAF so ask him how much for that as well. The ECU (computer) is set to work with the DE and the VAF is also calibrated to work with the DE. No sweat to swap those out.

[RX8SE3P]

Well I found a KLDE V6 2.5 $375 with Exchange is the KLDE a direct drop in like the ZE?

Yeah thats a good solution right there. For $375 bucks as well! Nice.

[SuperK]

There are three rings on each piston:

Two compression rings
One Oil Ring.


Usually the compression rings don't fail. You can have great compression and still be burning oil.

The oil ring is the last ring on each piston.

I don't think you've cooked your internals; but remember, you have to remove the heads, replace head gaskets connecting rod bearings, and the, of course, rings.

You'd be looking at about 200 in parts if you decide to rebuild your current K8.

If you have the heads off, you might as well replace the valve stem seals... which might run you anywhere from 120 to do at a machine shop, plus valve stem seals cost...
Unless you got the tools to do them yourself.

Of course, you'd have basically a brand new engine by that point.

Just remember, if you buy the KLDE, you're going to want to rebuild it anyhow, new seals, gaskets, rings.

I wouldn't bank on just buying the engine and dropping it in. Think of the long run. It's much easier to rebuild the engine while it's out.

[Daveb]

Lots of people just REFRESH their motor when they do a swap. Just do the gaskets & seals if it has good compession. You can usually get a deal on a complete engine gasket set if your on a budget.

A complete rebuild will cost you some $$$.

GL

[Ryan]

Hehe

Guys, do you ever notice, the main advice we give is, in short:

"If your current engine needs any works, buy a bigger one and work with that"

Haha. Its great. It really puts pressure on people to learn their cars. These really aren't that difficult. Just need to be a little tech oriented and a swap is no problem. After you do a swap, nothing really intimidates you anymore.

[mazdags94]

I've rebuilt my K8 (head gaskets, etc.) and learned a TON. Now I'm looking forward to doing the DE swap because it will be soooo much easier . I also rebuilt the DE (out of the engine) and my knuckles are in great shape. When I rebuilt the K8 it was in the car..... bloody knuckles .

[RX8SE3P]

I've rebuilt my K8 (head gaskets, etc.) and learned a TON. Now I'm looking forward to doing the DE swap because it will be soooo much easier . I also rebuilt the DE (out of the engine) and my knuckles are in great shape. When I rebuilt the K8 it was in the car..... bloody knuckles .

Hey did you go to a shop for most of the stuff or did you do almost all of the rebuild yourself. Because I am considering rebuilding my ZE but dunno if I should get a shop to do my heads and hone the block, then I put it back together?

Howd your rebuilds go - did the engines run real nice afterwards?

[Ryan]

rebuilds run like crap directly after


But if you do it right then go easy a while they run great