[Vwdiesel] Mazda diesels

[William J Toensing]

 I have read that Mazda is bringing their 2.2 "Skyactive" diesel into the USA market this fall in the Mazda6. I understand it is  a turbodiesel BUT only has a 14/to one compression ratio & is supposed to get 55 MPG!

Most people don't know that Mazda brought their Mazda 626 diesel to the USA market in 1984 & 1985. I bought a new 626 LX diesel in Oct. 1985 for only $10,000 when Mazda was using them as a loss leader after diesel gained a bad rap thanks to the crapy 350 diesels GM brought to the market. Ford also back then offered that Mazda diesel in their Escort & Tempo models as well as their Mercury clones, the Lynx & Topaz. I drove that 626 diesel about 176,000 miles but not without problems. At 50,000 miles it blew a head gasket but still ran but smoked badly. I got it fixed for free under the Calif. emissions warranty. I was living in LA at the time. Then a year later about 100 miles east of Las Vegas while returning from Minn., the head gasket blew again. Had it towed to Las Vegas & after arguing with Mazda got them to pay 1/2 of the cost of a new short block. Although the temperature gage didn't show it was overheating, just running warm in the 100+ desert heat & A/C on, it got so hot the valve springs lost their temper as did the block but the engine never seized as a I was running Amsoil synthetic. The Mazda engine had those stretch headbolts which you would torque to the factory setting & then turn an additional 45 degrees. I didn't trust that system so after I had driven the Mazda 1000 miles I had the head re-torqued & had no more head gasket problems. At 100,000 miles I went into the Pasadena Mazda dealer & bought all the rubber hoses to replace them as part of preventive maintenance. However they didn't provide me with the thermostat bi-pass hose which was hidden from view. That hose failed at 176,000 miles while driving on I-5 while driving from LA  about 100 miles south of Sacramento. I towed it back to Nevada City & traded it to a local mechanic, with its bad engine for a Peugeot V-6. 

Back then in 1996 & before, we did not have computer discussion groups such as this one.  Also, there was no one I could find at various Mazda dealers or elsewhere, who was knowledgeable about the Mazda diesel engine who could have advised me about that bi-pass hose. If so, I would probably still be driving that Mazda today. I am passing this on in hope that I can help someone else from learning the hard way.

Bill Toensing, Nevada City, CA