Hi Everyone,

I was informed by my dealership that you cannot install block heaters in RX8's (or else the engine warrenty will be revoked) ...

So I decided to get a command start that can be set to automatically start the car every two hours ...

However, I need to choose the idle times, and have three options: 4mins, 15mins or 25mins ...

With fuel consumption already horrible, do you think I can get by with the 4mins or idling?

I live in Winnipeg where it gets very cold in winter ... but park in heated underground parking at night ... I would only use this while at work during the day ...

4min would not be enough to warm up the car. 15min might be ok but what a horrible waste of gas.

Do you really think the car won't start during the day?

Originally posted by jimsabo21
Hi Everyone,
I live in Winnipeg where it gets very cold in winter ... but park in heated underground parking at night ... I would only use this while at work during the day ...

With the very light 5w20 oil, you might want to try it without the autostarter. It might work as is. Running 15 minutes every hour would be quite expensive to do every day...

P.S. I have lived in Winnipeg and apreciate how cold it gets.

I probably won't use it everyday unless it gets really cold ...

I'll still get it installed because we tend to get a few -35 days ... I also don't want to "not do something" because my car might not start ...

For example, my parents live out of town ... I always go visit them for a few days at Christmas ... if I can't plug in the car, and it's cold, it's nice insurance to know that I can set the command start to automatically start the vehicle every 2hrs ...

Why every 2 hours? Is that your only option?

If it were me I'd want something like: 15 minutes every 5-6 hours.

Also, your is an auto right? And does it pose any problems to the alarm system?

Nope - mine is a 6spd manual transmition ...

There is only one command start/alarm combo you can buy for manual transmition.

It is the AutoStart AS-6265 SH

It is specially made for manual transmitions with a bunch of safe guards to ensure it won't ever even attempt to start the car if it's left in gear.

To make this work - the AutoStart system ensures your vehicle is in "ready mode". To activate ready mode, you push the command start button while your car is still running and in neutral with the parking break on.

Within 20 seconds, you remove your key (but car will continue to run) - this ensures the car is not in gear. Once you exit your car and activate "lock door/alarm" the car will shut off. The car is then ready for command start or to be programmed for "cold weather starting" (which automatically starts the car every 2hrs for a max of 24hrs) ...

The AutoStart AS 6265 also has a great alarm with a sensitive shock sensor and "chirps" rather than having the horn honk. It also keeps the theft immobolizer system in tact.

On top of all that - still has the keyless entry and trunk release on all same key chain.

This thing is pretty much the cream of the crop when it comes to Command Start/Alarm combo's.

On top of all that - I also bought an LED scanner (about a 4" thin unit that has 5 bright blue lights that move side to side (think of KIT in knight rider). This will be mounted on the back of rear view mirror to let everyone know that the alarm is activated.

I also got an amp and sub woofer installed in trunk.

All this (command start/alarm, scanner, amp, sub) is a day long job for one of the best installers in Winnipeg - ONLY $1,087.00 installed.

Just put in a block heater. The pump type that go in the heater line. That's what Canzoomer is probably going to install. If they refuse warranty, sue them. Total nonsense. I have the block heater from my 3rd gen RX-7. It bolts externally over the spark plug part of the engine. A Mazda part, and kind of "Mickey Mouse".

why is there no block heater in the rx8? or not allowed i mean?

I was just browsing other boards and noticed many things void the warrenty ...

Does anyone know if installing an after-market command start/alarm combo will void my engine warrenty?

Get the block heater.

Mr. Mazdafriend, your RX7 block heater will not fit below the plugs on the '8'. There is an engine mount on the Renesis right there.

There is still no block heater for this car, and now instead of - "We will get right on it" I am hearing "That will void your warranty!"

What a load of crap! Mazda Canada will be getting another earful tomorrow!

S

When I asked Mazda Canada about using a recirculating heater on my RX-8 they said that they feel they should not be used as it would" affect the ECU,, fooling it into not doing warmup correctly"
I personally feel this is a pile of horse puckey, but that is the official line.

I DO know that you can not get a lot of cranking time on this battery, so it is going to be interesting.

I think I will be installing my inline heater pretty soon.
My new engine arrived today!!

Originally posted by canzoomer
I think I will be installing my inline heater pretty soon.
My new engine arrived today!!

New ENGINE?! What happened? (link to other thread?)

The original enginepacked it in 3 weeks ago.
Mazda diagnosed as failed oil injection.

See:
http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13379&highlight=Good+news

One more thing. As far as I know, there are no "frost plugs" on a rotary engine (unless they've done some real mods to the new renesis and added them). The 2nd gen RX-7 13B and 13BT didn't have them and my 3rd gen 13BTT doesn't have them. So, the only way to get a "block heater" is the external one they used on the RX-7s (which will not fit a renesis as correctly posted by StealthTL), or an inline pump style (heater hose usually).

I don't see how they could void your warrenty if you install the pump type, unless it somehow burst a seal, and it doesn't develop enough pressure to do that! So what if it disrupts the warmup. So starting an engine at 20 C will also disrupt warmup???? Sure hope so.