I hang around this site a lot but never bothered to sign up or post. I finally gave in. I have learned a lot about the 8 through this site and I thank you guys for all the info. I live in charlotte and drive 400 miles a week and here's how I maintain my 8.
This is just a detailed guide on how I maintain and drive my 8 in hopes of keeping it running for a long time. It may help or hinder my cars longevity or make no difference at all. I am not advising anyone to follow this but just telling you how I do it and it may help you in keeping the car running for a very long time. It’s a little long, pls bear with me and advise me if I am doing anything wrong.
The car has 73,000 miles. 40,000 miles are mine. It’s a 2004 GT. 6 MT, navigation, sun roof, max permissible tint, red exterior, two tone leather interior (red, black), spoiler,
Oil change schedule:
week 1 - after about 400 miles - siphon one quart through dipstick hole - replace with one quart new oil
week 2 - after about 800 miles - siphon one quart through dipstick hole - replace with one quart new oil
week 3 - after about 1200 miles - siphon one quart through dipstick hole - replace with one quart new
week 4 - after about 1600 miles - siphon one quart through dipstick hole - replace with one quart new
week 5 - Do nothing
week 6 - after about 2400 miles - siphon 2 quarts through dipstick hole - replace with 2 quarts new oil
week 7 - do nothing
week 8 - do nothing
week 9 - after about 3600 miles, jack up car, change oil and filter (about 4 quarts)
week 10 - repeat
In addition I top of whenever necessary.
So I run through 10 quarts every 3500 miles at a cost of 24 dollars plus 6 dollars for the filter, using a cocktail of different oil weights, 5w-20, 5w-30 and 10w-30. Mostly 5w-20 during colder months, and 5w-30 during warmer months.
Only used conventional oil, whichever is on sale of the following 5 brands, making sure to never spend more than 14 dollars for 5 quarts. Sometimes 10 $.
Pennzoil conventional
Mobil clean 5000
Quaker stake conventional
valvoline conv
Castrol GTX

I have noticed that the oil turns very dark within 1000 miles. And has the consistency of water. I understand Oil being dark means nothing, but by siphoning out a quart every week I get the peace of mind that I removed a quart of oil that had contaminants, carbon, soot, fuel, water, etc and replaced with clean oil.
I probably use/waste more oil than I should, but considering I do the changes myself and since I use cheaper dino oil, spending no more than taking it to a quick lube place.
My observations:
The oil I siphon out is watery and very dark and smells of gasoline. After leaving in an open jug for a week I noticed it’s not watery anymore. My guess is the fuel has evaporated leaving only the oil. If that’s the case there is too much fuel in the oil, thus reducing the oils performance. And by taking a quart out every week, I also get rid of some of the fuel in the oil.
Also, fuel being lighter and less dense than oil, will tend to float to the surface in the oil pan. I let the car stand overnight and then siphon the next day thus making sure more of the diluted fuel is siphoned out.
After a long run, I pop the hood and open the oil fill cap and leave it open for 10 minutes. I can see fumes come out. When the engine is hot, opening the oil cap will make some of the fuel and water evaporate.
I know I am going overboard with my maintenance and put too much thought and effort into this, but this is like a hobby to me, a cheap one at that. And honestly siphoning out through the dipstick hole using mightyvac only takes 5 minutes every week and maybe an additional minute or two to replace with one quart.
I bought the car two years ago and has been great so far. I have never flooded the car and made sure not to turn it off when the engine is still cold.
I have never redlined the car, and I keep the RPM's low. I know this is not advised for the rotary. Not to offend anyone, but some of you who preach to "drive it like you stole it" and "redline every day" are into your second or third engines. I feel that the rotary is a hit or miss and no one really knows how to prevent engine failures, except maybe Mazda who is obviously not going to tell us of any flaws in the engine that can cause premature engine failures preventable by any particular type of driving/maintenance actions. Imagine the outrage if Mazda comes out and says "hey the rotary in the 8 is going to fail unless you drive in this particular fashion only and you perform this particular maintenance steps, which you wouldn't have to do if you had bought any other car in the market". I am not talking about oil burning or “can’t use synthetic” recommendations.
My opinion is if the engine is destined to fail, it will and no particular driving style or maintenance routine is going to prevent it. So, I am just going to drive it like I always did, mostly easy on the throttle with a little spirited driving once in a while (showing off to my girl friend's friends etc :) ),
This has allowed me to get decent fuel economy. Also, in my opinion engine wear and fuel burning is directly proportional to the RPM's. So lower the RPM's, lower the wear as long as the engine is not lugging (lugging is driving on a higher gear at speeds lower than you should in that gear)
My usual shifting styles (90% of the time)...
0 - 15 mph ( 1st or second gear) : 15 - 25 (3rd gear) : 25 - 35 (4th gear) : 35 - 50 (5th gear) : 50 and above (6th gear)
I love the rx-8's looks, performance, and the engine roar. The car turns heads where ever I go.
I don’t mind the abysmal fuel economy.
Gripes: Top portion of the seat. I noticed that my head does not naturally rest against the seat. This causes some discomfort. I have to forcefully lean my head backwards to rest my head on the seat and it’s not really comfortable and not my natural position. I think you know what I am talking about and you have noticed it too. Placing a tiny pillow to my head and the seat fixes it but I can’t do that cause it will look weird.
Rattles like an economy sub compact
Backing up at night, you can barely see a thing.
Otherwise love the 8 as much you all do, and it’s hard to explain why.
It’s like dating this super hot chick with a very bad attitude, who is very temperamental, runs you broke, and you can't explain to your friends why you hang out with her. In your mind you know why! You are smiling ear to ear every time you ride her, just like when you ride the 8. :)
The rx-8 is unique in several ways. To me the most unique character of the rx is…
There is no other car/make/model sold in the last 10 years that you have to get in, start the car and wonder if it’s going to die on you today!! Your car, which you thought was perfectly fine, with no known issues until yesterday has a great chance dying on you today. Maybe that’s what is exciting about the rx-8. Every mile driven is a bonus.

Looks like you might also benefit from an oil catch can with breather filter.

you need to rev the engine to get the water and gas out
too many stop/start causes it

There is no other car/make/model sold in the last 10 years that you have to get in, start the car and wonder if it’s going to die on you today!! Your car, which you thought was perfectly fine, with no known issues until yesterday has a great chance dying on you today.




Woahhhh, don't say that. Some people like me are debating whether to get this car. That statement I'm sure could scare away ANY potential buyer.

Well, the facts are that the chance off failure is very high. No point in sugar coating it.

Well, the facts are that the chance off failure is very high. No point in sugar coating it.

That's the problem with these forums. Some people say it's a great chance of failure even with proper maintenance and some people say if you maintain it well, then it will last.

You just never know I guess.

Yeah, no one really knows if extra care will "fix" the problem. Extra care will prolong engine life (my second engine lasted 75k with GTX 10W30) IMO. On my third engine, on day one, I added the SOHN, BHR coils, Single 28" Oil Cooler, and I premix every tank and run 5W-40 synthetic but only time will tell if this engine outlasts my previous two. I have always done 3000 mile or less oil changes since day one 108,000 miles ago, so regular maintenance was not a factor in my previous two motors failing.

IMO, I just think people have to realize that this engine is just not a 100,000 mile engine. Sure some people will get 100,000 miles out of them but a large percentage (likely in hotter environments and more enthusiastic drivers) will have engine failures in the 50-75k range.

I also believe the driving style and habits are a big issue because this engine is less forgiving than most piston counterparts. It takes and unusual amount of time for the oil to get up to temp in our cars and since most don't have a proper oil temp gauge they drive hard when the oil is still too cold and then they do not drive long enough for the oil to burn off water and other contaminants. Then when you couple these bad habits with the fact that only about half of the oil is removed during a change then it leads to problems.

On my new engine, I never go over 4,000RPM until oil temp is at least 160F or so and I often change my oil sooner than 3,000 miles and I am contemplating just changing it every 1500 after dropping the oil pan and seeing just how much oil remains in the pan and coolers after and oil change.

On my new engine, I never go over 4,000RPM until oil temp is at least 160F or so and I often change my oil sooner than 3,000 miles and I am contemplating just changing it every 1500 after dropping the oil pan and seeing just how much oil remains in the pan and coolers after and oil change.

Curious if you have some fancy gauges installed to monitor your oil temperature? Or do you just say 5 mins after water temp is up to normal?

Not fancy :)

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=186061&highlight=auber

There is no other car/make/model sold in the last 10 years that you have to get in, start the car and wonder if it’s going to die on you today!! Your car, which you thought was perfectly fine, with no known issues until yesterday has a great chance dying on you today. Maybe that’s what is exciting about the rx-8. Every mile driven is a bonus. :rollingla

Go on www.passatworld.com and read about timing belt failures. All you know is it's gonna pop eventually, maybe after 60,000 miles, maybe after 120,000 miles, or maybe the waterpump will seize and shred it any old time it feels like -- and when the timing belt goes, the valves get smashed and you're forking over $3000 for a new engine. Or maybe it rained yesterday and you didn't notice a leaf behind the battery that was blocking one of the water drains, and now your dashboard electronics are flooded and the car won't start. Or maybe the oil pump will take a shit and the rings and bearings will shred themselves because the turbocharger has been slowly clogging the intake screen on the sump with bits of carbon, because you believed the VW dealer when they said regular oil was fine.

Personally, I'd say that "the oil has the consistency of water" is proof that you SHOULD use synthetic, because it doesn't thin out as fast. And anyway, if you're so deathly afraid of engine wear, take a sample of the oil and send it to a testing company to see what's actually floating in it. You might find out there's nothing special at all; any oil worth using anymore is full of detergents that capture every tiny little fleck of debris, so if your oil doesn't turn dark within a thousand miles then it's not getting circulated.

you also have to remember that most of the forum is about problem and solving them. Thats what most forums are for so you usually see the bad and those who have the problems. I suspect most owners don't have that many problems but it seems like a lot if you visit here.

to my opinon if the engine is gonna fail, I want it fail when I still have warranty

I agree many come to forums for problems but many (like myself) are just part of a generation where forums are part of being an enthusiast. I have been part of Honda forums, Maxima Forums, Impreza Forums, EVO forums, RSX Forums, and MSP forums as far back as 1997. I also know of many 8 owners who have had just as many problems and don't visit forums at all or very, very little. We have a few local 8 owners in our club that fit this mold. They rely on guys like me and others for their RX8 "updates". Hell, some only come around when they need something fixed or installed.

There is no other car/make/model sold in the last 10 years that you have to get in, start the car and wonder if it’s going to die on you today

Never owned an Audi, have you?.

Your comments are mostly fair, but your oil 'observations' are a bit wacky - if there is gas in the oil, the best way to get it out is to heat it and get it moving, leaving the filler cap will do the same thing but it will take five years to evaporate......
Once gas gets into the oil, it will never 'float on top', it has become part of the mixture and will never seperate without a lot of heat or vacuum.

It's sad to think of you living in fear of your car, babying it and dribbling around at low revs to achieve "decent fuel economy" and even then griping about "the abysmal fuel economy" - WTF??!? Why bother? It didn't make you happy, but you continue to do it.....

....and skip the little pillow behind your head - you are supposed to be awake to drive an '8!


S


.

There is no other car/make/model sold in the last 10 years that you have to get in, start the car and wonder if it’s going to die on you today

Never owned an Audi, have you?.

Your comments are mostly fair, but your oil 'observations' are a bit wacky - if there is gas in the oil, the best way to get it out is to heat it and get it moving, leaving the filler cap will do the same thing but it will take five years to evaporate......
Once gas gets into the oil, it will never 'float on top', it has become part of the mixture and will never seperate without a lot of heat or vacuum.

It's sad to think of you living in fear of your car, babying it and dribbling around at low revs to achieve "decent fuel economy" and even then griping about "the abysmal fuel economy" - WTF??!? Why bother? It didn't make you happy, but you continue to do it.....

....and skip the little pillow behind your head - you are supposed to be awake to drive an '8!


S


.
Im ALIVE when I drive my eight, espcially when I hear that beep as the tach getting close to 9200rpm
as for seat position, tilt it a bit upright, you dont drive an eight like you drive a cadi.

Yeah my relationship with this car has been all over the place but I am glad I kept her because I have a way better understanding (in my own mind anyway) of her now and I will ride her until she dies (again) and then I will buy a Mazmart rebuild and ride her again. I will be getting DD fairly soon but for now, not having a car payment is nice when you pay a shit load of child support :)

Besides, if I had a car as reliable as my old Honda's I would bore with them quickly. With my 8 there is always something to do :)

OCD much?

Not fancy :)

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=186061&highlight=auber

Read your thread. Man that looks NICE! Do you have any DYI or some guidelines? Do you have to take the radio unit off?

Thanks, check the thread, I will post some pointers on installation.

Im ALIVE when I drive my eight, espcially when I hear that beep as the tach getting close to 9200rpm
as for seat position, tilt it a bit upright, you dont drive an eight like you drive a cadi.

I do love my 8, to death and cant imagine losing it. Which is why i go through the trouble and try to keep it running as long as possible. Time will tell if the efforts will pay off or not. We just bought a new acadia for the girl friend who wouldn't touch a used car. i cant afford to lose my 8 and get another one for a few years. I don't have any oil receipts for oil changes which i do by myself. Don't have the oil purchase receipts either and no receipts from the previoushttp://www.rx8club.com/images/editor/menupop.gif owner. So Mazda will most likely deny engine replacements if it dies. Anyway the whole point of my article was drive like you want to and don't worry about what what type of driving will keep it going. Its a great car and looks very expensive. Ages very well. People have asked me if its new and if it cost me upwards of 40 grand. I drive 80 miles a day and not necessarily like a grandma. I've never red lined it though. i keep the RPM's low when cruising around and open it when the moment arrives (usually when people are watching :rollingla). I do have a caddy:yelrotflm with adjustable head rests, which is probably why it bothers me in the 8. I got tired of people jokingly ask me if the caddy was my dads car, which it was!! The caddy just sits around in the garage now. None of that stops me from having fun in the 8 and wouldn't have been happier with any other car.

My commute is 90% highway and the car gets a good 80 mile run everyday. Fuel dilution is still a problem, which could be unique to my 8 or just my head playing tricks. I think fuel gets into the oil in my 8 at the same rate at which it evaporates!!

I am not going to worry about the 8 giving up on me, anymore. It had been a great 40K miles, countless dates,trips to the beach with my girl, taking the dogs to the vet, grocery trips, commutes to work, lunch with co-workers,

In the last 2 years i had it, it had never flooded, never been to the shop, never been to the dealer (i did not keep up with recall notices and not sure if there had been any since i got it or if any recalls had been done before i got it) turned on a dime come rain, snow, shine, stopped on a dime, i guess i should just shut up and stop complaining. My earlier post was in no way meant to be a bitchin'. I love doing that oil change schedule and get a high or pleasure out of getting dark oil out and putting amber oil in :smokepoke. The darker the oil, the less dark stuff in the engine :)

There is no other car/make/model sold in the last 10 years that you have to get in, start the car and wonder if it’s going to die on you today!! Your car, which you thought was perfectly fine, with no known issues until yesterday has a great chance dying on you today. Maybe that’s what is exciting about the rx-8. Every mile driven is a bonus.

This would be a great line for Mazda to put into their ads: "Every mile driven in the RX8 is a bonus because you never know when the engine is going to die on you."

Other than that, the OP's initial post with respect to the oil is informative.

I've never red lined it though.

wow. i admire your self-control

Thanks for taking the ribbing so well!

Tip for gas-in-oil is to idle as little as possible, drive off cold rather than warming it up at idle. Rotary idle is a really rich mixture and all the cold surfaces will wash it into the oil.
Cold start enrichment makes the first minute of running 'pig rich'.

Yeah I am getting 1.8% fuel in my oil so I have stopped by normal warm up routine and I now tool around the neighborhood until my oil is up to temp.

Thanks for taking the ribbing so well!

Tip for gas-in-oil is to idle as little as possible, drive off cold rather than warming it up at idle. Rotary idle is a really rich mixture and all the cold surfaces will wash it into the oil.
Cold start enrichment makes the first minute of running 'pig rich'.
this might be true for piston engines, but I dont get why this would happend to a rotary engine since oil pan is sealed
but I wouldnt worry too much with gas in the oil, cuz it doesnt run like a piston engine so its irrelevent.

Yeah I am getting 1.8% fuel in my oil so I have stopped by normal warm up routine and I now tool around the neighborhood until my oil is up to temp.

How long does it take to get oil up to say 170f ?

Thanks, check the thread, I will post some pointers on installation.

That sounds great! Thanks!

There is no other car/make/model sold in the last 10 years that you have to get in, start the car and wonder if it’s going to die on you today

Never owned an Audi, have you?.

Your comments are mostly fair, but your oil 'observations' are a bit wacky - if there is gas in the oil, the best way to get it out is to heat it and get it moving, leaving the filler cap will do the same thing but it will take five years to evaporate......
Once gas gets into the oil, it will never 'float on top', it has become part of the mixture and will never seperate without a lot of heat or vacuum.

It's sad to think of you living in fear of your car, babying it and dribbling around at low revs to achieve "decent fuel economy" and even then griping about "the abysmal fuel economy" - WTF??!? Why bother? It didn't make you happy, but you continue to do it.....

....and skip the little pillow behind your head - you are supposed to be awake to drive an '8!


S


.Seriously. If the car causes you that much stress, trade it in for one that doesn't.

How long does it take to get oil up to say 170f ?Well...how long does it take to get the coolant up to 170F? The middle of the temp gauge is somewhere between 180-200 degrees usually, and since it's a watercooled engine, the temperature of the coolant is the temperature of the block and everything inside it.

Well...how long does it take to get the coolant up to 170F? The middle of the temp gauge is somewhere between 180-200 degrees usually, and since it's a watercooled engine, the temperature of the coolant is the temperature of the block and everything inside it.

sure about that ? I don't have an oil temp guage but those that do have said it takes longer for the oil to come up than the water .......

I suppose differences of a few degrees are possible, but the thermal conductivity of the engine block rules out large differences in temperature, and if the oil filter mount has a coolant block on it (which most cars do, though admittedly I haven't looked at the one on the RX-8 yet) then the oil and water temperatures should be basically locked together.