A look inside the Mazda Skyactiv engine

[Bladecutter]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
LOL!!!

The next one will be "Enviro Essence" or "Supple Green"


As long as they don't make a car that runs on Soylent Green, I think we'll be okay.

BC.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: Nick R

Well 10,800 miles on my CX-5 and so far zero problems. I've gotten more used to it over time, and for the most part and quite satisfied with it. I still wouldn't mind going back to something smaller and less expensive and better on gas, but it's not driving me crazy or anything. I actually just got my 2nd oil change yesterday, I had the dealer do it because I'm sick and didn't feel like crawling underneath the car on the cold ground. I watched them do it and I did have them take a sample for a UOA and I have the filter. But when I was talking to the service manager he said that they haven't had any come back for anything except oil changes and tire rotations, no problems of any kind.


This has been our experience as well with the new SkyActiv engines. We had one where the relay that controlled the starter went permanently on and nuked a wiring harness, but that was a very very early build model.

The new version of the Miller cycle in the SkyActiv is light years more reliable than the old Miller cycle engine.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
LOL!!!

The next one will be "Enviro Essence" or "Supple Green"



ROTFLMAO! Hilarious.

How about MCGBGMTY for "my car gets better gas mileage than yours"?

 

[MarkM66]

Originally Posted By: Cujet
Originally Posted By: SLCraig
Originally Posted By: MarkM66
Complexity goes up, so will rate of failure.

Seems like a great engine, but will it go 300,000 miles without major repairs?


This is my train of thought as well.
Although the Honda R18 has some pretty neat stuff going on as well and they are plenty durable. Although not DI.


Really? I guess this is prone to daily failure then!

And modern fuel injection engines have complex electronics (maybe that does not count) and tons of connectors, and injector internal parts, and and and. Yet they regularly outlast earlier engines.

It could very well be that direct injection engines outlive conventional engines.

Was it designed to sell under $20k? Come on...

 

[zmelli]

Looks like my dream of a japaneese Diesel coming to shore is almost here.

watch this Mazda Clean Diesel video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK5SQkEUBdo&feature=plcp

 

[friendly_jacek]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal


The new version of the Miller cycle in the SkyActiv is light years more reliable than the old Miller cycle engine.


How is it a Miller cycle?

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal


The new version of the Miller cycle in the SkyActiv is light years more reliable than the old Miller cycle engine.


How is it a Miller cycle?


Technically it's a atkinson cycle engine, in a lot of situations the intake valve stays open partially through the compression stroke.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal


The new version of the Miller cycle in the SkyActiv is light years more reliable than the old Miller cycle engine.


How is it a Miller cycle?


Technically it's a atkinson cycle engine, in a lot of situations the intake valve stays open partially through the compression stroke.


All the computer training we took on the SkyActiv said it was a Miller Cycle engine.

 

[Clevy]

.
Originally Posted By: zmelli
Looks like my dream of a japaneese Diesel coming to shore is almost here.

watch this Mazda Clean Diesel video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK5SQkEUBdo&feature=plcp

That's a pretty neat idea. Lower compression,no insane exhaust requirements. I hope it takes off.

 

[friendly_jacek]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal

All the computer training we took on the SkyActiv said it was a Miller Cycle engine.


Miller cycle is a turbocharged Atkinson cycle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miller_cycle

I was not aware gasoline SkyActiv was turbocharged.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal

All the computer training we took on the SkyActiv said it was a Miller Cycle engine.


Miller cycle is a turbocharged Atkinson cycle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miller_cycle

I was not aware gasoline SkyActiv was turbocharged.



It isn't, they just call it that on their dealer training. Either way the engine has been rock solid reliable so far.

 

[mechtech2]

bdcardinal is trained [and with computer training] on skyactive engines, but does not know they are turbocharged?
And can't read the description[link] in this thread?

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
bdcardinal is trained [and with computer training] on skyactive engines, but does not know they are turbocharged?
And can't read the description[link] in this thread?


Except they aren't. The current ones being sold are N/A. There is no turbo listed for the CX-5 which just comes with a SkyActiv engine and the only turbo listed for the Mazda 3 are for 2.3L DISI models which would be the MazdaSpeed 3.

Also as part of the training we got to see pretty in depth CAD drawings of the 4-2-1 exhaust manifold, no turbo on current production models.

 

[KrisZ]

The Skyactiv diesel is twin turbocharged.

 

[DBMaster]

^Hey, BD, can you tell me where the PCV valve is on this engine? Just curious. Also, I think it's worth repeating that the Mazda 3 Skyactiv does not have the special 4-2-1 manifold due to space constraints under the hood. The CX-5 is a totally Skyactive vehicle while the 3 basically got the new engine/transmission combos shoehorned in. That's why the 3 only has 12:1 compression.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: DBMaster
^Hey, BD, can you tell me where the PCV valve is on this engine? Just curious.


Looks like it is on the flame trap under the intake manifold.

 

[DBMaster]

Is that one of those [censored] situations that requires removal of the manifold to check or replace it, or can you access it by removing the plastic splash guard under the engine?

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: DBMaster
Is that one of those [censored] situations that requires removal of the manifold to check or replace it, or can you access it by removing the plastic splash guard under the engine?


Intake has to come off.

 

[DBMaster]

I am guessing it's not that hard to do and that the PCV valve lasts a really long time. I used to pull the one from my old Honda every 30,000 miles and usually just sprayed some carb cleaner through it. Using synthetic oil kept it really clean.


Thank you for the info, BD.

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal

All the computer training we took on the SkyActiv said it was a Miller Cycle engine.


Miller cycle is a turbocharged Atkinson cycle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miller_cycle

I was not aware gasoline SkyActiv was turbocharged.


Miller cycle engines are not turbocharged, they are supercharged. Turbos wouldn't work.

If you look under the hood of a Mazda Millenia with the Miller cycle engine, you will find a supercharger.