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I need to change my coolant liquid on my 2009 RX8
I read a DIY thread for Serie I so I got some good information.
However the thread says to drain the liquid not only from the radiator but also from a drain plug on the engine just above the oil pan.
I can't find this drain on my car as the oil pan doesn't look the same on serie II
I am ok to drain from the radiator only (as the manual says), and clean 2 or 3 times with distilled water, but how can I fill up the coolant tank with FL-22 if I can only drain half of the coolant ?
My already mixed coolant will get mixed with remaining distilled water, and lose the 55/45 concentration
It's the same bolt as series 1, just take off the metal plate. I drained both the radiator and block but couldn't get the coolant to circulate even after warming the motor up so about a quart or two of the old coolant was still left in the heater core/lines during my change. Oh well..I ended up using about 8.5 qts.
Anyone have a homebrew mix they use for a Series 2 (or series 1), that isn't what Mazda recommends. I am in Texas so I was wondering if I increased the distilled water if it would help any. (Or a link to a thread)
Last edited by badinfluence; 02-18-2014 at 08:11 AM.
I had a most hilarious time changing my coolant on the 2010 GT (Series II) and wanted to add additional notes to the manual: (1) order the exact crush washer needed to replace the stock CW if you drain your engine block (see link below and Note C) (2) be quick on starting up the engine with the reservoir at F and cap off - you'll need to fill it several times over 2 minutes as the engine warms else you'll have even more air in the lines. (3) get the air out and the heat back by bleeding the coolant lines by step A or B - pick only one - below.
A. bleed the highest point once warmed fully by carefully removing the coolant line from the throttle body
B. rev the engine carefully whilst continuing to fill the reservoir to F. then cap the reservoir and rev to 2500 rpm for min 3 - max 5 minutes then rev to 3000 for 5-10 sec. repeat until heat magically reappears.
C. If you do not replace the malformed one use crush washer you will find you have a very slow drip that will not go away until you're out of coolant or you buy a new crush washer.
Have fun and change that coolant yearly - it's a finicky car that when maintained with coolant and ignition changes will reward you with daily revs and lightning quick maneuvers.
Last edited by wannawankel; 11-06-2016 at 07:00 PM.
Reason: add link
I picked up a new 2010 RX8 GT engine coolant drain bolt crush washer (gasket) from Mazda and did talk to and check the torque in the rotary repair manual (not listed in our online version). The torque specs are 12-15 ft-lbs. The crush washer part number for reference is 9956-41-000 131
It appears that FL-22 (FL22) is only sold in the pre-diluted form in the 1 US gallon bottle at Mazda dealers. Internally they may have bulk but retail parts counter only issue the general public the expensive pre-diluted form. It's that time to perform a coolant change at the end of the season.
sorry, a lot of that is completely unnecessary; the RX8 is not like previous rotary cars
pretty much fill it, crank it up and top off as necessary until it starts getting hot, seal it and run some more until fully hot, let it cool, and then top it off if necessary is all that should ever be necessary.
It’s not a 100% filled system. The surge tank at the front intentionally has air capacity at the top and a substantial reserve volume before being too low. That’s why it has a high and low indication mark on the side of it.
02-01-2014, 02:25 PM
