13:1 Compression and 40 mpg on 87 Octane fuel? Introducing Mazda’s Skyactiv Technology
By Mike Kojima
Does the idea of a super efficient, reasonably performing, fun to drive car with low operating costs sound appealing to you? If the car is green as well does that seal the deal? Are you one of the few people with a clue that realizes that a hybrid isn’t all that green? Well Mazda has an answer to all of this called Skyactiv technology in all of its clever jinglish. Skyactiv Technology is a fresh holistic look at how cars are engineered.
Skyactiv technology is primarily engine related, but it also incorporates the concepts of weight reduction, improved chassis stiffness and crash resistance, improved transmission function, and improved handling. We will talk about Skyactiv’s compelling gasoline engine technology, known as Skyactiv G today, and will discuss the remaining aspects of Skyactiv technology in future articles.
Mazda’s goals for the Skyactiv G gasoline engine were many faceted. By thinking totally out of the box, Mazda’s engineers have been able to create an engine that can run on cheap unleaded regular gasoline yet still acheive the fuel economy of a diesel and retain Mazda's class leading fun to drive performance. Mazda has created the intelligent alternative to a hybrid with a much lower lifecycle cost, while being more fun to drive and not asking the customer to sacrifice performance during that lifecycle.
 |
| Let's take an inside look at the Mazda Skyactiv engine! |
6 comments
These type of engines are only restricted by the fact most owners want to use 87 octane. Imagine if you could tune these engines for a 91 or higher octane. I imagine in hot weather these high compression engines detune themselves a lot with 87 octane. It is unfortunate that even recommending a higher octane is taboo in America. At least some manufactures are now recommending higher octane fuels and mapping engine management to take advantage of that fuel. Especially with turbo engines that add to the heat issues that many times require a engine to aggressively detune itself to prevent pre combustion.
High octane fuel is taboo in America? Every car in my garage uses high octane fuel. One V8 and a couple I4 turbos.
we are limited to 91-93 octane by the R+M/2 method
I have a newer version of this engine in a 2015 Mazda 6. I will reach 400,000 miles by the end of the year. Still runs and shifts great and getting 32-35 MPG hwy. The only thing I’ve ever done to this car was replace a lower control arm at 300k miles and the belt tensioner at 150k miles.
Yeah, but the direct injection itself has reliability issues…the cylinder heada will need to be removed between 100000-150000 miles due to the valves gumming up. I believe Toyota solved this problem by placing an injector BEFORE the valves to keep them clean. Does THIS motor have this feature?
I have a hundred and seventy five thousand miles on my indie, miata, in five and a half years running, mostly low octane fuel, I have done a few cleanings in an oxygen sensor other than that, she’s running beautifully.I do a lot of highway driving sometimes two hundred miles a day