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My 5th EGR pipe has broken at the flexible joint like all the others. This one has lasted the longest at about 12 months but I've had enough of Mazda Motorsport's bodgy engineering.

I could take the easy option of plugging up the EGR system which would solve the problem for good but a) I have an environmental concience and would prefer not to pollute the atmosphere more than I need to and b) I dont want to risk getting a fine and a defect notice for tampering with the emission equipment on my car.

I have tracked down the manufacturer of the EGR pipe and talked to them about re-engineering the pipe to allow for more flex hopefully preventing it from cracking. At the moment the price is $200 for the pipe direct from them, supplied only. Mazda charge $260 for the current one. There is a very slim chance that Mazda may get involved in this but I'm not holding my breath.

Is there any interest from any other SP owners for the new improved crack resistant EGR pipe? If there is I will talk to the manufacturer about doing a run of them.

Cheers

Not sure what is going on there Garry, I haven't had an issue... never replaced to my knowledge.

I wonder if your engine mounts have been an issue for longer than you realised, and they could have contributed to this failure?

No, when they replaced the 4th EGR pipe they checked the engine mounts and they were fine then.

I've heard of a few others with broken EGR pipes and cracked exhausts where the EGR pipe attaches so I know I'm not the only one experiencing problems.

Bulant111,

I'm not sure when my first EGR pipe got replaced. I think it was just after the 10k km service. As Dave has said, some people have never had a problem with them while others, like me, have had heaps of problems.

Sounds like you have the pre-modified exhaust. Several people had the hangers crack on their exhaust under warranty and Mazda replaced the exhaust with a new improved version. The new improved version adds an extra supporting piece to each hanger, so that it's supported in two places rather than one. My full exhaust was replaced with the updated version when the first cracked EGR pipe was replaced even though the hangers hadn't started to crack. This was probably more to do with my car having a pre-production exhaust on it that the production EGR pipe wouldn't fit on to than any good will from Mazda.

Are you a definite for an EGR pipe? The guy is going away next week for 3 weeks so wont be doing it till he gets back. And I'm waiting to hear back from Mazda to see if they are going to get involved. So I'll let you know more detail as I know more.

I heard from Mazda this morning. As expected they dont want to know about it so I'll be organising this myself.

My EGR pipe failed like this at about 130,000km with no modification to the exhaust or intake manifold

The SP version is much more convoluted than the regular MX5 one. It comes out of the back of the inlet manifold and snakes it's way down to just in front of the cat where it joins onto the exhaust. It's probably about 750mm long. It has a short stainless mesh flex joint about half way along.

Rumour has it that it was done like that as a test to make sure the theory worked and the production version was supposed to be routed the same as the standard car, ie out of the exhaust manifold, across the back of the head and into the inlet manifold. But there was a bit of a staff upheaval towards the end of the project and several of the bodgy test things made it into the production version. The route of the intercooler pipes was one of those things never supposed to be on the final production cars.

I'm surprised you managed to break a stock one Andrew.

Garry wrote:I'm surprised you managed to break a stock one Andrew.

Yes so was i

Bulant 111,

I ordered your EGR pipe this morning but like I said earlier it will be 3 to 4 weeks before the guy can make it.

Checked mine on Friday - solid as a rock.