Well, in Chicago last night it dropped to 5 below last night and when I came out this morning it was just above zero. I started up the RX, which turned over pretty quick despite the cold, but then it got funky. As soon as the car started it jump immediately to 4K and blow a lot of steam and smoke out the back. I tweaked the accelerator and it dropped down to 2k after a several seconds it dropped down to normal cold start operations.

Is this normal for very cold starts?

During cold mornings in Texas, when I start mine it only revs to the normal 2K RPM, then drops back down...I would imagine 4K might be ok in -5 degrees F? Colder engine would have to work more to get things moving I would think.

I might be wrong however =]

^ I had a similar issue this morning in Michigan. Same as with you, the temp around here dropped below zero. My car turned over kind of slow (need to go in for the starter and battery change). Anyhoo....after start-up my car was blowing a lot of smoke out of the exhaust....more than I ever seen before. Engine sounded like ass and wanted to rev at like 2.5K-3K RPMs. After warm-up the car behaved normally. I guess Mazda doesn't build 'em for us yanks in the North.

It was 35 here last night and mine revved to 3k for a few seconds, I also left it outside before I parked in the garage for the night. Usually when it's warm, it doesn't go over 2k. So I think we can conclude the colder the weather, the harder the engine starts up. I've also noticed the steamy smoke, especially in cold mornings, it looks kinda cool :)

Btw, you worry too much man.

I've never seen mine go past 2.5k rpm at startup idle. 4k seems pretty high to me.

I have also noticed, that the colder the car is at start-up, the higher the initial rpms are...so I wouldn't be too concerned.

A little off topic...does anyone in this area (Midwest) know how easy it is to get the battery/starter TSB? My car started OK with the current cold condtitions, but not perfect. Just wondering if it's worth my time to take it to the dealer or will they just start it up and say, "seems fine to us...go home."

tha'ts perfectly normal. every car in extreme cold weather does that.

my accord usually cold starts around 2.5K.. the other night (minnesotan here) it started up at 3.5K

my Rx-8 did the same thing. it started up at around 4K and slowly went down to normal idle. dont sweat it. just dont drive it too soon after a cold start like that.

Yeah, it was -15 when I started my car today and it sounded horrible, like my engine was choking.

It was a growlling, rumbling noise and the RPM's were at 2.5k. Did sound fine after warming up, didn't worry too much about it. Glad I wasn't the only one.

I have also noticed, that the colder the car is at start-up, the higher the initial rpms are...so I wouldn't be too concerned.

A little off topic...does anyone in this area (Midwest) know how easy it is to get the battery/starter TSB? My car started OK with the current cold condtitions, but not perfect. Just wondering if it's worth my time to take it to the dealer or will they just start it up and say, "seems fine to us...go home."
Go by the dealer and mention that the car is having a hard time turning over and starting. If they are customer-oriented, they will do the service without question. If they are not, well, then you either forget it, you find another dealer or you take the complaint up a notch to Mazda North American Operations at the phone number in your owner's manual. Your choice.

If I lived in Wisconsin I wouldn't wait for a no-start event to ask for the service. I grew up in Michigan and I know how the REALLY cold temps affect the starting ability of a car.

Well, in Chicago last night it dropped to 5 below last night and when I came out this morning it was just above zero. I started up the RX, which turned over pretty quick despite the cold, but then it got funky. As soon as the car started it jump immediately to 4K and blow a lot of steam and smoke out the back. I tweaked the accelerator and it dropped down to 2k after a several seconds it dropped down to normal cold start operations.

Is this normal for very cold starts? Same thing happened to me this evening in OH. It was like 10 degrees and she had been sitting outside for nine hours. When she started, the engine immediately went up to 4K. Surprised the sh*t out of me! I blipped the throttle and the RPMs went back to the normal 2-2.5K. I didn't look in my mirror to see what was coming out the tailpipes. This was the coldest it's been when I've started her (she sat in the garage last winter).

I haven't noticed my car starting up that high in rpms (been around freezing temperatures here lately) but I did notice that my engine has a rattle or grumble going after going into gear on a cold start. It goes away after I rev up to 3k and the engine warms up a little. Dunno if you guys run into this, not sure if it's normal.

The 1980s 12a rotary used to inject a small amount of antifreeze into the carbs to assist starting in subzero temps. This was done by depressing the gas pedal down to the foor then half way up and crank it. Maybe the renesis still does this automatically below -5. It worked for the 12a. Mine always started.

Well, in Chicago last night it dropped to 5 below last night and when I came out this morning it was just above zero. I started up the RX, which turned over pretty quick despite the cold, but then it got funky. As soon as the car started it jump immediately to 4K and blow a lot of steam and smoke out the back. I tweaked the accelerator and it dropped down to 2k after a several seconds it dropped down to normal cold start operations.

Is this normal for very cold starts?

Why would you "Tweak the accelerator" just let her do her thing bro. I'm out in Las Vegas NV where its like 30 at 5.am. My 8 will take about 3-5min to warm up around 4k then RPM's will drop to around 1k about norm temp and yea a ton of steam will blow out the back. The back of my 8 faces the wind so I see the steam comeing over my car to the front. Makes my back window all foge'

I think it's normal. My car did the samething this morning. Its 13 here and it fired up to 3.5 rpm and there was a lot of white smoke.

it is completely normal...now if it revs up to 4k, and doesn't come back down, than i would say there is a problem...doesn't sound that way though

Do you have an 2004 or 2005?

Despite the revs and such, here's something that I perhaps I thought all rotary heads know: No matter how warm outside it is, or cold for that matter, let the car warm up for about ten minutes before you take it out. Wait a bit longer if you got a manual. A friend of mine has been working on these engines for well over a decade and that was the first thing out of his mouth.

Same thing happened to me last year... it's normal.

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=50212

let the car warm up for about ten minutes before you take it out. Wait a bit longer if you got a manual.
seems a little excessive

Despite the revs and such, here's something that I perhaps I thought all rotary heads know: No matter how warm outside it is, or cold for that matter, let the car warm up for about ten minutes before you take it out. Wait a bit longer if you got a manual. A friend of mine has been working on these engines for well over a decade and that was the first thing out of his mouth.

The best way to warm up your car is to drive it, but keep it below 4-5K until the car warms up. Letting is sit and warm up for 10 minutes before you drive it, no matter what the temp, is absurd. In old engines (not necessarily rotary) that were carbuerated, you need to warm up for the engine to run properly, but we live in a day with complex ECU's and a fuel injection. There are several rotary experts here and some who race rotaries and I am sure none of them will say you should warm your car up for 10 minutes before you drive it. Imagine waiting for a parking spot for some RX8 driver to let his car warm up for 10 minutes...hahaha

I let mine warm up for about 1 minute tops. In other words, the time it takes me to put my belt on, check my mirrors, and find something decent on the radio.

I go by djsetos philosophy.
The best way to warm up your car is to drive it, but keep it below 4-5K until the car warms up

Well, in Chicago last night it dropped to 5 below last night and when I came out this morning it was just above zero. I started up the RX, which turned over pretty quick despite the cold, but then it got funky. As soon as the car started it jump immediately to 4K and blow a lot of steam and smoke out the back. I tweaked the accelerator and it dropped down to 2k after a several seconds it dropped down to normal cold start operations.

Is this normal for very cold starts?

I parked mine outside on Friday night here in the Chicago area (out in western burbs at a hotel) and it got to 9 BELOW zero out there. Yup, mine jumped to 4500 RPM with lots of tailpipe vapor (in fact you could smell the unburned gas) for about 30 second, then dropped to 2.5K for another minute, then to 1500 .. that's when I drove off.

I think what you saw was totally normal.

I parked mine outside on Friday night here in the Chicago area (out in western burbs at a hotel) and it got to 9 BELOW zero out there. Yup, mine jumped to 4500 RPM with lots of tailpipe vapor (in fact you could smell the unburned gas) for about 30 second, then dropped to 2.5K for another minute, then to 1500 .. that's when I drove off.

I think what you saw was totally normal.
I saw you at that hotel. Who was that strange woman you were with?

Despite the revs and such, here's something that I perhaps I thought all rotary heads know: No matter how warm outside it is, or cold for that matter, let the car warm up for about ten minutes before you take it out. Wait a bit longer if you got a manual. A friend of mine has been working on these engines for well over a decade and that was the first thing out of his mouth.

Why?