Hey Everyone,

Last time I came on this forum I heard about the rx8 only dynoing at around 190-200hp when its supposed to get around 260? Some people were thinking there is a milage switch? And that the car is running in SAFE MOD, running rich. which could be a reason why the gas milage is low and why the engine floods.

So.. Anyone know?

Long long time ago there were reports of the new RX-8 putting out 280bhp, then it dropped to 250 as it came closer to release and 247 upon release, then Mazda changed the number to 238 after release and offered a buyback or free maintenance and a gift card. Mazda claims the drop to 238 was as a result of an ECU remap at the port, however the dyno numbers still don't make sense and seem to point to the 8 making less HP than 238 and probably closer to 225 at the crank.

There is/was no safe mode, and as far as the car running rich, it seems there may be some truth in that. To my knowledge the car was never supposed to have 260 at the crank let alone 260 at the wheels and whereever you found that info it is very false.

Ike

I read it in one of my many car magazines. it was probubly one of those numbers that were being bounced around from person to person. So ther is no "Milage Switch" for anything?

Originally posted by ViperDude152
I read it in one of my many car magazines. it was probubly one of those numbers that were being bounced around from person to person. So ther is no "Milage Switch" for anything?

Nope

HM. Then I wonder why the car has such low power.

Seems that Mazda just made a booboo.

it doesnt have low power.

Top gear test round their track =

Same time as a BMW M3, same time as the 350z. 0.8 deconds slower than a porche 4wd turbo (but that was in the wet).

And thats our Uk specced 231ps(228bhp) car.

Sooner some people learn to drive their car rather than look at its stats on paper the better.

Originally posted by RobDickinson
Top gear test round their track =

Same time as a BMW M3, same time as the 350z. 0.8 deconds slower than a porche 4wd turbo (but that was in the wet).

And thats our Uk specced 231ps(228bhp) car.

Sooner some people learn to drive their car rather than look at its stats on paper the better.

werd up cuh

or just think about how much the rx-8 would spank the m3 by if it really did have 250hp!

or just think about how much the rx-8 would spank the m3 by if it really did have 250hp!


Exactly, Im not trying to put down the rx8 but with all the numbers I have been hearing, and how the numbers keep going down to near 200! I think I would rather have a 3rd Gen with over 280hp or Design my N/A FC to 230 + hp which woudl cost about $6000 in parts. so.....

I love the looks of the rx8. and the features. Power is a concern tho.

Can anyone Install a Air:Fuel Ratio Guage in their 8 just to see what the ratio is?

Justin

Originally posted by ViperDude152
Hey Everyone,

Last time I came on this forum I heard about the rx8 only dynoing at around 190-200hp when its supposed to get around 260? Some people were thinking there is a milage switch? And that the car is running in SAFE MOD, running rich. which could be a reason why the gas milage is low and why the engine floods.

So.. Anyone know?

There has been no evidence that there has been a mileage switch yet. Check out Canzoomer's posts for the latest developments of his testing.

He did confirm a safe mode due to ABS fault but he believes he defeated it and found that the engine still runs very rich at high rpms during WOT. He did some fuel/air mods to get rwhp of around 205 - 210 (approx 250 engine hp).

Understand that chassis dyno results will generally be approx 15 - 20% lower than the actual engine power due to drivetrain losses so chassis dyno results of 260 hp would actually mean engine hp of 306 - 325. The RX-8 has never been quoted with hp numbers like that.

Gas mileage is very similar to the IS300 but is low compared to other cars. Canzoomer's mod will probably help mileage slightly for people who are at WOT a lot. It may hurt it for others who cruise in the mid rpms a lot and don't often go to WOT. There have been some reports of flooding because the RX-8 runs slightly rich during cold idle (idle is reportedly at stoich when hot) and can flood if the cold start procedures aren't followed.

Check out Syntix's posts for some a/f ratio results.

Brian