The replacement battery contains more "grunt", not necessarily extending its life over the original but it has the ability to supply more current on cranking. This is required as the new starter motor is larger and will draw more current whilst running (cranking the engine).

 

Mine's booked in for Thursday week for the upgrade.

 

we just recently had 22below Celsius and I have experienced some very strange problems with my rx-8. It didn't start at all at first. There was no battery problem, but it happend to me during summer too. the electrical engine is very slow and the car always has a very idle start. so the other day i had to call in some friends and push-start the car. it did start and after that i had flames coming out my exhaust for about 20 seconds. i even filmed it. then the rpm was going from 2500 to 4000 then lower and lower for about 10 minutes untill it settled at around 1500. strange stuff... and after that the check engine lamp staied on. i shut down the engine after a while and started it again. lamp still on. today the lamp is still on. do you guys know what might have happend because the guys that do the service in my city are just total idiots and i'd much rather ask anyone else but them.

 

Only time I have heard about flames was when people had flooded. When this happened most people were worried about cat failure. To reset the engine light you can try the 20 sec brake pedal tap thing, but you may not wantto do that as I am not sure what is saved and what isnt. Safest bet is to get it back to bazda and at least get he engine codes, then you have a better chance of people explaining what the car is complaining about.

Andrew

 

Sounds like you have a cooked catalyst (and maybe O2 sensor). When the engine floods and you try to start it unsuccessfully the cat fills with fuel. When you finally get it started that fuel ignites and generates a lot of heat. I've heard of glowing red cats when trying to restart flooded engines, which is not good for the ceramic catalyst.

Take your car back to Mazda and insist on the upgraded starter package (which gives you a bigger battery and a faster starter motor).

You should probably post this in the general issues forum.. you'll get more noticed there.

 

Sco, just for information, if you do the brake ecu reset, what is kept and lost as far as engine light codes?

Andrew

 

The codes and the "Freeze Frame" data are cleared (lost)

 

Wasn't some guy also saying you could get flames by idling at high revs for a period, switching off and then switching on again ( or something like that)? I remember there were a number of guys trying to replicate it because they thought the whole flame thing looked cool.

From memory, the footage of the flames was also shot in snowy conditions?

Coincidence?

Otherwise, what they said. Since getting the upgraded plugs, battery and starter motor I haven't had any problems whatsoever . Mind you, it hasn't hit 22 below in Sydney!

 

Hymee, I dont understand how I was able to do the brake ecu reset when I was at Winton and spun and have the service people tell me what the codes were a few days later?

Cheers

Andrew