Re: Real miles on your Miata

Lanny Chambers <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

>In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Tom Howlin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 
>wrote:
>
>> Surely it's not a "forever" engine.  Is it seals, valve seats, etc. that 
>> eventually wear or is a matter of maintenance.  We do have people here 
>> that are burning oil (ring wear/valve seats) or have locked up their 
>> motors all together so there is some limit to the life of the engine.
>
>We have people here who overheat their Miatas, people who install K&N or 
>foam air filters that pass more dirt, people who use Fram oil filters, 
>people who don't change their oil every 3000 miles, people with forced 
>induction, people who zoom off on a cold engine...those are all abusive, 
>engine-life-shortening conditions.

Maybe life-shortening, but I doubt that many that you mention
are practically relevant or warrant the term "abusive."
Unfortunately, causes of engine wear are very hard to determine.
Unless *you* have any hard data, of course.  :)

Mazda suggests a 8k oil change interval, does not provide
a warning versus aftermarket oil filters, zooming off while
cold, or breaking in the engine.

It seems also doubtful to me that forced induction does anything
much by itself for engine wear unless the boost is very high.
How much of the time are you on significant boost?

I have 112k on my engine, 108k with supercharger, and it is using
oil.  While I have gone 8k or more between oil changes, have used
aftermarket oil filters, have zoomed off cold, have driven with
heavy knock, the only thing I have any solid reason to suspect for
engine wear is the dust the junky JR air filter lets pass.  The
SC was described to me as unrebuildable because the inside was
"sandblasted".   It seems reasonable to assume the same dust can be
blamed for the engine wear.

>There are also people who drive their cars like they stole them and have 
>passed 250-300k miles without incident. I suspect that lugging is a lot 
>worse than revving a Miata engine.

I doubt it.  I have been told the real problem with lugging is
engine fouling, not increased engine stresses.  I would readily
believe it: the engine torque below 2k is not higher than
above 2k.  The reverse, actually.

Leon

-- 
Leon van Dommelen :)    Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .)
  To reply to me, the word Miata must be in the subject.
                  EXIT THE INTERSTATES       (Jamie Jensen)