itsdidihi

Thanks very much for this DIY. It was very helpful.

Shijin-Kun

iTrader: (1)

i have a tight budget and only afford the ones from my local autoparts store. Are they trust worthy?

Autozone
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/par...1773_192252_0_

Oreily
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...1920&ppt=C0330

Advanced autoparts
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web..._1389842289___

Vyndictive

iTrader: (28)

I would go for a used "real thing"

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/6Sp-S...Q5fAccessories

That would be perfect and would probably sell for less than the buy it now price.

mycarRX8

Thanks for the threat and all the discussions chaps. It helped me a lot to understand my mysterious RX8. Last month I bought a 2005 model RX8 in England. Soon after I drove home with 12 months MOT from previous owner the car wouldn’t start in the morning. Previous owner advised me that car might need new battery as he jump started it (he didn’t use it for few months due to snow, etc.,). So with the help of my mate’s car I managed to jump start the car after 3rd attempt. Drove to the garage and left it for initial check and battery replacement.

The mechanic came out with a big list of things to do – Crank shaft positioning sensor, CAT, Battery, Spark Plug and HT leads. The vehicle has done only 24k miles on clock (verified). I couldn’t afford to do all in one go, as I have recently spent huge money on purchasing the car. Left the car off road for a month

I did CAT, Crank shaft positioning sensor and battery this month. Still sometimes it comes up with sensor light in dashboard and it takes more than 10 seconds to start, some time it just wouldn’t start(Especially if I try to start after a 50 miles drive/ engine is hot). Cranking with fuel fuse off the fuse box helps sometimes (ref - http://www.rx8blog.com/rx8-starting-...looding-issue/) I still love the performance of the car and the looks etc., but this starting problem is making me to hate the car. I just hate it when it embarrasses me in from of friends who can start and drive their little banger in front of my beast.
Planning to do the HT leads and the spark plug end of this month with full service. Hopefully that should resolve the problem.

If not I recon I need a new N3Z1 starter motor as well.
Happy driving all 

omgimazn

iTrader: (6)

sorry for being lazy and not reading the other 4 pages, but is there anything wrong with a reman starter? or is it just as good as an upgraded starter?

Vyndictive

iTrader: (28)

Maybe, maybe not. Depends on which re manufactured starter. If you have a re manufactured updated starter, it's probably good.

A re manufactured non-updated starter is still lacking power and won't get you much.

ASH8

The re-man Starters supplied by MNAO parts to GENUINE Mazda Dealers are fine, nothing wrong with them.

N3H1-18-400-R0A Manual ALL Series 1's

N3H2-18-400-R0B Autos ALL Series 1's

Skywalker

I put in an updated reman from onlinemazdaparts.com (i.e. a Mazda reman) and I have no complaints. Completely did away with the hot start issues.

mycarRX8

Hello,

Could someone advice if any of the below listed started motor is the upgraded N3z1 version:

MFR MI; VOLT 12; ROT CW; TEETH 18; KW 2; DESIGN PMGR

MFR MI; VOLT 12; ROT CCW; TEETH 13; KW 2; DESIGN PMGR

Regards,
Rx8 lover

TQCuong3th

iTrader: (1)

mine need one also and autozone have the best price ?? any suggestion? it good to bbuy from them ????advice???

mycarRX8

I changed Battery, Crank Shaft Positioning Sensor, CAT, Ignition coils and Spark Plugs but still it threw the same error and the car wasn't reliable. I got the stage of frustration and complete embarrassment So I decided to give a last try of replacing the stated and I got to say it changed the whole world up side down. I am very happy as after the starter motor - Model N3z1 replace I did a reset and the CEL disappeared.

The new starter was little expensive but worth every penny. Happy days

Novoken

iTrader: (7)

great DIY. Took me longer to get the tools out and jack the car up than to take it out lol
Question:
once I turned the car on to test the starter I got dsc off light and some other one. Will this go away? or do I have to do a reset?

Huey52

iTrader: (2)

You get that anytime you disconnect the battery. It will self-reset in a few cycles.

Novoken

iTrader: (7)

yep got it, weird it shut off on me and then everything was fine.

Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

The proper way is to switch the key to "ON(not necessarily start the car as I did)", turn-to-lock the steering wheel to the right, turn-to-lock to the left, and turn to neutral. Switch the key off and that completes your DSC reset.

Did my starter yesterday:

Old Starter at warm start-up

New upgraded starter, cold-start and DSC reset.

New upgraded starter, cold-start and 20-pedal-reset.

I had to perform the 20-pedal-reset. Note the low RPM on the second vid at cold-start and the normal-high RPM on the second vid at cold-start. Initally before I did the pedal-reset, I drove the car out last night and the engine would not hold idle after coming to a full stop, seemed as though it had a vacuum leak; until I did the pedal-reset this morning and the idle maintained it's normal range at cold-start-up.

slvrmzdrx8

Looks like ill be doing this before very long.

Juansito

iTrader: (5)

Im gonna get the autozone starter....ill let you guys know.

Juansito

iTrader: (5)

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web..._1389842290___

$104.99 +$50 core

Coupon Code
Applied Promotion: BIG35
$35 Off Orders of $85 or More

Total with next day shipping:
$135.35 -- Take the core to any AAP store with your receipt and get your $50 back.

Total price: $85.35

Just ordered.

Novoken

iTrader: (7)

u have a vid on new starter on warm start?

Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

Warm start-restart.

syedrizwan

my 04 6-speed is not starting when i turn the key, it just does 1 click in the engine side, brand new battery, jump start will not work, i am assuming it could be starter, weird thing is that it starts sometimes and sometimes it doesn't, when it started, i drove for 15 minutes and after turning it off, it didn't start, i tried after about 6-7 hours, it started in one shot.. someone said it could be the solenoid in the starter motor, or should i replace the starter with the upgraded one ?

any suggestions would be helpful.. Thanks

alnielsen

iTrader: (4)

You most likely have a loose electrical connection. Either the connectors on the battery are not solid or there is a loose connection on the starter itself.
I have had to replace the positive connector on my car. The original one would no longer grip the terminal tight enough any more.

corres78

Nice D.I.Y. Thanks!

I changed my starter a month ago. The difference is big, although i allready had the 2 kW starter.

Old 2 kW starter cold start:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNyZL0ja9VY

New 2 kW starter cold start:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9kyRk6xf6I

Old 2 kW starter warm start (turn up the volume, because the sound is a bit quiet):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zM25eIs4JHU

New 2 kW starter warm/hot start:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j0RhLxmvTI

jgv999

First time doing anything like this, finally got the car jacked up and the jack stands (which was an adventure for me).

I have a Gen 1 RX-8 out of warranty, and had the crank shaft sensor replaced, at the dealer. A week later, the problem came back, with hard or no starts, and now I cannot even get it started . Battery is good. Replaced 4 months ago with the Mazda recommended "TSB battery."

With it stuck in my garage, I decided to do the work - figuring, it looked straight forward.

Originally I had started work with one side jacked up with a jack stand, on the rail, as it shows in the opening post. While everything was solid I tried pushing the car around a bit, my gut told me it was unstable (even if it was not), and the Jack Stands said "Always use them together." So I tried to get a better position together.

I put wheel chocks on both of the rear wheels. I pulled the e-break, and left it in first.

I used the Mazda jack to jack up one side of the car enough to get the floor jack under.

I then used the floor jack, on the cross-member in middle front of the car (the dull blank bar crossing spanning the width of the vehicle with the hole in the center, and a rectangular metal embossed "stamp"), just to rear of where the wheels connect to the frame.

Once done, I took my jack stands and placed them where the suspension for the wheel connects to the frame. I put the stands on the grey metal, where the bolt goes through the grey metal to the frame. It looked round and looked like it fit the jack stands well. I lowered the jack to load the jack stands, and then tighten up the floor jack again, just for security. Everything feels pretty stable.

Got one of the bolts off (14MM), got the electrical disconnected (12MM), that took 5 minutes, once I was satisfied with the Jacking. However, I have spent the afternoon trying to get the harder to reach nut off.

First I found out my 14MM socket was not deep enough so I went out and bought a deep socket. I am attacking it from the "nut" side, which seems to be a PITA - nothing seems to be quite the correct size to get some torque on it, and my rachet seems to be fitting on the nut on an angle...I am not getting the tight fit I would expect.
When I use a standard closed wrench I am getting a better "fit" but I don't quite have enough room to turn it because the starter is in the way.

Plus it is pretty rusted up with the Chicago winters, and such. I used some PB Blaster on it, and so far it has not had much of an affect for me, but the nut is looking "cleaner".

Hoping it loosens up overnight. Would suck to have to get it towed after all this...

Any other suggestions anyone has to get this darn thing off?

Also, if it sounds like I did something stupid, wrong, or dangerous, let me know too. Most of the Jack / Jack Stand threads seemed to assume a working experience I certainly did not have. And I watched a lot of YouTube videos for technique before I was comfortable getting it into the air.

Thanks all!

Update: The nut broke loose after about 5 hours, and it is all back together. The DIY was very helpful.

inTEGrate89

I have to ask:

Do I have to replace the starter?

i have an 04 and sometimes it takes 1-3 clicks when it's cold to start but I'm fine with that. If it takes longer, I'll change the starter with one from advanced auto.

I plan on upgrading ignition system to BHR first though and changing plugs.