I was bitching at my dealer about my gas mileage. I am getting 15-16 Highway 13-14 cities. He called Mazda Technical line he said after 15,000 miles the ECU go into a different mode, and changes the fuel maps for a 10%-15% increase in mpg and performance.

Originally posted by eclps0
I was bitching at my dealer about my gas mileage. I am getting 15-16 Highway 13-14 cities. He called Mazda Technical line he said after 15,000 miles the ECU go into a different mode, and changes the fuel maps for a 10%-15% increase in mpg and performance.


Great. I can look forward to better milage next Oct.

Something sounds fishy. 15K is awefully high for a magic number. Then again... time for another drink.

Give me another two months and I may hit that mark. Just passed 10k miles.
________
Lovely Wendie (http://www.lovelywendie99.com/)

i ll be tehre in a month or two. i only had my car for 3 months and already have 10000. I firve way to much

Originally posted by eclps0
I was bitching at my dealer about my gas mileage. I am getting 15-16 Highway 13-14 cities. He called Mazda Technical line he said after 15,000 miles the ECU go into a different mode, and changes the fuel maps for a 10%-15% increase in mpg and performance.

So why doesn't it have to be run in? If the first 15,000 miles are that critical then you'd think the first 1000 at least would be hyper critical. This sounds like they're trying to fob you off...

I didn't pwn one, but but didn't the FD change mapping at, like, 20k?

And at 200,000 miles you get your 9hp back :p

yeah sounds a bit bogus, sorry :D sounds like they recycled the same story from the hp issue

the fd did have an ecu switch @20k miles. to answer lensman's question about run in- this would mean that the computer is controlling things during the first 15k resulting in less "run-in" that the owner has to be aware of. it's still a bit didgy though the fd switch was in its manual where as the rx-8 manual says nothing about it and this is the first time anyone from Mazda has said it does. eclipso contact MNAO directly and see if you can confirm that what the dealer said is true. ask them to confirm the dealer's statement. email please, so you may post the reply here.

Originally posted by Nubo
And at 200,000 miles you get your 9hp back :p

this is too funny

15000 sounds like BS but we can always hope

i heard something rumored on a different site that said 2K was the magic number. i've been trying to confirm. apparently, there is no ONE explanation that is either generally accepted or genuinely confirmed.

bummer.

lots of members said their mileage jumped at 2k
mine jumped from 12 to 18 at 2k miles

well if it is true that the FD had an ecu change at 20k, it doesn't seem too unlikely....but yeah, it does sound like they're pulling your strings.

Originally posted by mikeb
lots of members said their mileage jumped at 2k
mine jumped from 12 to 18 at 2k miles

that's excellent news then! at just under 1,000 miles, i'm about half way there!

have a great weekend,
BSG

:D

Originally posted by eclps0
I was bitching at my dealer about my gas mileage. I am getting 15-16 Highway 13-14 cities. He called Mazda Technical line he said after 15,000 miles the ECU go into a different mode, and changes the fuel maps for a 10%-15% increase in mpg and performance.

What they meant is they won't be seeing you bitching at their face for a while until 15,000 miles. How about getting that in writing?

I don't know when the maps changed (or if they did), but I do know I get more power than I used to. I can feel a boost above 7k that I didn't have before. It could be cold weather.

If there are significant ECU transitions at certain specified mileages (10-15% differences!) , it would be in everyone's best interest to make those known in the owner's manual. That would result in happier customers and fewer complaints to dealers. Why would they want disgruntled customers not to mention service technicians going on wild goose chases? 15K miles is a long time and some customers could go well over a year or more before hitting that "magic number". If they were dissatisfied with the mileage many would have given up long before then. I would be surpised if this information were true and had been generally kept "secret" until now. What would be the upside to not widely publishing the info?

What kind of effects resulted from the RX-7's 20K change? Were they significantly noticeable to the driver?

thats the biggest crock I've ever heard.

The Pcm doesn't even know how many miles are on the car!!

The PCM CAN tell me how many miles since the last "reflash" or reset. How many warm-ups etc. I have never seen any FFD to support this.

Ask them what TSB/MRI they are using to justify this statement.

Sounds like they were blowing you off until 15k

Originally posted by mikeb
lots of members said their mileage jumped at 2k
mine jumped from 12 to 18 at 2k miles

I have 3500 miles on mine and my city mileage is still around 12mpg.

Originally posted by VelocityRedRX8
I have 3500 miles on mine and my city mileage is still around 12mpg.

i fear this. it really seems that only SOME 8's are getting the crappy MPG. i would really like this issue to get solved in some other way -- i.e., not just waiting until 2K, then 10K, then 15K miles. that just seems unfair (and like a snowjob, in addition).

-BSG

I have 2700 on my UK car, no change at 2k.

Originally posted by markpmm
thats the biggest crock I've ever heard.

Sounds like they were blowing you off until 15k

I'd have to agree...

Originally posted by markpmm
thats the biggest crock I've ever heard.

The Pcm doesn't even know how many miles are on the car!!

The PCM CAN tell me how many miles since the last "reflash" or reset. How many warm-ups etc. I have never seen any FFD to support this.

Ask them what TSB/MRI they are using to justify this statement.

Sounds like they were blowing you off until 15k

Why do you feel the ECU doesn't know how many miles are on the car? It would appear that the majority of the car's electrical components are controlled either directly or latently through the ECU. ABS, DCS, Air Bags, Speedometer, and even the stupid air condition is controlled through the ECU.

I agree, 15k miles and the ECU changes mode is something that I must take with a grain of salt, but as for it being impossible? I wouldn't agree with that either.
.

here we go again, I just wondering why you people believe anything Mazda says anymore, cuz I sure dont take their word for jack shit no more. Yeahhhh the rx8 has 250... oops I mean 249, errr I mean 238... oh yea and it will have a supercharger... yahhhh sureee buddy, ya mazdaspeed will come out next year... sure... ya we sent you the $500... no card in 4 months....

so a word of advice, Mazda is an unreliable source especially now-a-days so I say SKIP on their BS!

but... if you add 10% to 16, you still are under 18 highway. there's more to it than that, I think. I hope.

Hey, has anyone contacted Mazda directly about the mpg issues? If so please post their response.

It soundslike they pulled somethingout of their ass to shut you up

i have about 5,200 miles on the car i didn't get any increase after 2,000 miles.

Originally posted by crosswound
i have about 5,200 miles on the car i didn't get any increase after 2,000 miles.

yea, i think the car would've increased mileage and efficiency by atleast 500 miles if it wasn't going to improve. I'm just hoping someone has an official word from Mazda.

Pssst... I gotta bridge for sale...it's gonna go quick though....

Originally posted by mikeb
lots of members said their mileage jumped at 2k
mine jumped from 12 to 18 at 2k miles
I'm at 1,985 miles. :D

The FC also had a switch. According to the 1989 FSM, there's the following:

"Mileage Sensor
Caution
When replacing the speedometer within 20,000 mile (For U.S.A.), 34,000 km (For Canada), continue to use the same 20,000 mile switch by transferring it to the new speedometer."

Whether this applies to the RX8 is a different question.

Bottom line, if you want best mileage, you'll have to shift when mazda tells you too. The manual says shift from 1 to 2 at 14 mph. Hey, that's 3K rpm, just before the secondary intakes open up. And hey, the next shift (2 -3) is at 3K RPM. Damn, lowest intake potential = least fuel consumption. I know the short shifting is a PITA, but you didn't buy an RX8 for fuel mileage. If you did, please visit the nearest psychiatric facility. The faster you spin the engine, the faster you burn the fuel. Any find it suspicious that 6th gear (ie overdrive) happens to put the engine right at 3K rpm at 55mph, the still suggested max speed limit from NHTSA. Hmmmmmmm. I think I know why my lead foot doesn't get published mileage, ever. On the RX7 forum, we measure HP by how low we manage to get our mpg numbers. I'm one of the unfortunates who still gets double digits mpg in my 2G 7. When I find a way to make enough power in the 8 to force me into single digits mpg I'll be doing cart-wheels (not a pretty sight).

Let's be realistic folks. It's a SPORTS CAR. Granted, there are 2 too many doors, and 2 too many seats, but those are for marketing purposes. The car is made for driving, not hauling around your 2.2 kids on a limited gas budget.

I got 17 MPG last time, I had 100 miles on my car.

When i drove my car from Little Rock to Atlanta i was getting 315 miles to the tank whatever that equates to.

Sounds like you were cruising at around 4K. Most cars are designed to go 350 miles on a single tank of gas when driven on the highway according to the Mfg's recommendations.

350 miles on a tank sounds pretty high to me.. my low-gas light typically comes on between 210 and 220 miles, and I can generally squeeze another 30 miles out of it if I'm not near a gas station. I generally get between 16 and 17 mpg under normal driving conditions.

I went on a mountain run yesterday and spent a majority of the time over 6000 rpms and got just under 15mpg over 150 miles.