A friend just asked me if I'd heard anything good on GRM about this new engine (released last year?) but I confess I'd not heard anything about it--I was completely unaware it existed. Any feedback/reports, yet?
A friend just asked me if I'd heard anything good on GRM about this new engine (released last year?) but I confess I'd not heard anything about it--I was completely unaware it existed. Any feedback/reports, yet?
We’ve written a little about Mazda’s inline-six as well:
The most powerful Mazda engine ever … and it’s in an SUV
Live thread: One week with a 2024 Mazda CX-90 Turbo S Premium Plus
And how’s the CX-90 selling? Through end of November, Mazda North American Operations reports 48,681 sold year to date.
MNAO sold 42,319 cars and 341,862 trucks during that same period.
In reply to David S. Wallens :
I'm guessing the CX-70 and CX-90 are considered trucks, but what about the CX-5 and CX-50?
Mazda has shown a new electric 6 in China that's RWD. Me wants the inline 6 in that, even if it's a hybrid.
All the numbers.
interesting, so the CX-30 is counted as well
The one thing I know is the new Mazda I6 has the timing chain on the back of the engine. Gives me the willies.
That's something I wish they would have left to BMW.
It looks like the CX-5 is still Mazdas money maker.
In reply to CyberEric :
That's where the bulk of the market is, really.
Took me a minute to realized that "MXR" is the Miata RF.
CyberEric said:The one thing I know is the new Mazda I6 has the timing chain on the back of the engine. Gives me the willies.
That's something I wish they would have left to BMW.
You mean VW/Audi?
Timing chain on the back makes a ton of sense. Chains are noisy and need a lot of mass around them to damp that noise, unless you want the NVH characteristics of a Quad 4. Alternatively you can use a fine pitched "silent tooth" chain with a smooth backside, but these chains don't last very long. Sticking the chain on the back of the engine means that noise mostly gets lost in the bellhousing.
It also packages very nicely, too, as the cam sprockets can be over the transmission. This saves a ton of space.
Note that the VW five cylinder was engineered to fit where the timing belt driven 4 cylinder resided, and the belt-fed 4 was already an extremely short engine.
Pete. (l33t FS) said:You mean VW/Audi?
Realistically, it was only the BHF (the 4.2L V8 in the 2004-2005 B6 S4) on which this was a real problem. People on the Internet also make it out to be a bigger deal than it actually is -- they generally go 100-150K, so you'll most likely only be replacing them once in the life of the vehicle anyway. They also give plenty of warning before failing catastrophically.
Yes, many other longitudinal mount engines since then also have the chains at the back, they just don't have the problem where the guides/etc fail prematurely.
Also, Mazda timing chains can last a long time. We have never changed one in lots of MZR engines in the family, many with over 200k. Regular oil changes are the key.
In reply to codrus (Forum Supporter) :
It's mostly transverse with that setup, though, like the VR6 and VW fives. (Yes, I know the VR6 is also the base Cayenne/Touareg/etc engine)
If you want weird, look at the transverse inline six that Volvo made. Not the first one, the second one, where all of the accessories were over the transmission or under the intake manifold, driven by a jackshaft off of the rear mounted timing chain or something similar. The front of the engine is flat. Not even a harmonic damper sticking out the front. It's WEIRD....
CyberEric said:It looks like the CX-5 is still Mazdas money maker.
I don't need an extra garage, I need a extra warehouse for all the builds I wish I could dabble with
oh, wait, this was supposed to be about the I6. woops.
In reply to CyberEric :
I have heard most new engine designs are going to rear mount timing chains due to EU pedestrian impact regulations. Moving the highest part of the engine to the rear allows more room for deformation at the front of the hood.
Timing chain/guide life does seem to be getting lower on newer engines.
In reply to sleepyhead the buffalo :
Your welcome to swap the I6 when you build that CX5
Thanks for sharing why they did it. I'm sure they had their reasons. It just scares me. I like things that don't require an engine out service. Maybe I'm more worried about it than I ought to be. But when I read even a 100k mile service interval like the BMW B58 (per google so take that with a grain of salt) is going to require the engine to come out? I don't like it one bit.
I like Mazda generally and really hope they have got their timing chain guides well-designed with better materials than some of the Germans. I'd be changing the oil every 3k on the dot if I owned one of these.
CyberEric said:Thanks for sharing why they did it. I'm sure they had their reasons. It just scares me. I like things that don't require an engine out service. Maybe I'm more worried about it than I ought to be. But when I read even a 100k mile service interval like the BMW B58 (per google so take that with a grain of salt) is going to require the engine to come out? I don't like it one bit.
I like Mazda generally and really hope they have got their timing chain guides well-designed with better materials than some of the Germans. I'd be changing the oil every 3k on the dot if I owned one of these.
On most engines, timing chains are intended to be lifetime. And even on the engines that have been found to have durability issues with the chains and/or guides, it's usually still a "do this once in the car's life and don't worry about it again" kind of thing. Even with the problematic guides on BMW M62s, etc. it's extremely rare for someone to manage to wear out or break more than 1 set in the life of the car.
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