Engine management light
08-06-2018, 09:32 AM
#1
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Engine management light
hi guys,new here,
i was away from rx8 for some years unfortunately but
recently bought one,
seems to be a good example, she’s a 2007 231 bhp,
a couple nights back I took her out for a spin and noticed a burnt fuel smell if I recall,didn’t think too much of it,
the car was parked up shortly after for a couple hrs.
i have the car just over a week and noticed a faint strange smell in car but the night this happened was overpowering.
on the way home I was doing about 60 and overtook a car,this is when eml came on,
havnt driven her since,she’s booked into dealer this Friday to sort out a fuel ring recall so they can check out current issue as well,just wondering can anyone shed any light as to what might be wrong?
car has done 45000 Miles
tia
i was away from rx8 for some years unfortunately but
recently bought one,
seems to be a good example, she’s a 2007 231 bhp,
a couple nights back I took her out for a spin and noticed a burnt fuel smell if I recall,didn’t think too much of it,
the car was parked up shortly after for a couple hrs.
i have the car just over a week and noticed a faint strange smell in car but the night this happened was overpowering.
on the way home I was doing about 60 and overtook a car,this is when eml came on,
havnt driven her since,she’s booked into dealer this Friday to sort out a fuel ring recall so they can check out current issue as well,just wondering can anyone shed any light as to what might be wrong?
car has done 45000 Miles
tia
Last edited by Texbella; 08-06-2018 at 09:41 AM. Reason: forgotton some info
08-06-2018, 09:40 AM
#2
You need to know what code is causing the light, which any shop should be able to do (around here they do these scans for free). Could be anything from a loose gas cap to failing catalytic converter to other major issues.
When you bring the car to the dealer, they'll be able to do that also.
Did the CEL (or EML or MIL, it goes by many names) just come on, or flash? Combined with smelling unburnt fuel I'm thinking either the catalytic converter is failing or the ignition coils have failed/are failing, causing incomplete burn or misfires. Flashing CEL indicates misfires.
Once you know what the code is, if it's related to the catalytic converter, ask the dealer to take it down and inspect it. If the code isn't related to the cat, consider replacing all 4 ignition coils, spark plugs and wires. Those things will kill your engine in short order, so it's good you've not driven it. Replacing those parts should really be a preventative maintenance step every 20-25k miles.
If the code indicates something else entirely, post back and we can go from there.
When you bring the car to the dealer, they'll be able to do that also.
Did the CEL (or EML or MIL, it goes by many names) just come on, or flash? Combined with smelling unburnt fuel I'm thinking either the catalytic converter is failing or the ignition coils have failed/are failing, causing incomplete burn or misfires. Flashing CEL indicates misfires.
Once you know what the code is, if it's related to the catalytic converter, ask the dealer to take it down and inspect it. If the code isn't related to the cat, consider replacing all 4 ignition coils, spark plugs and wires. Those things will kill your engine in short order, so it's good you've not driven it. Replacing those parts should really be a preventative maintenance step every 20-25k miles.
If the code indicates something else entirely, post back and we can go from there.
08-06-2018, 01:50 PM
#5
Smoking turbo yay
What kind of strange smell? Is it like raw gas like you smell at a gas station or does it smell burnt?
Also, does the smell come from the vents or from the backseat?
Sounds to me like your fuel pump broke. I have seen threads saying some plastic bits of the fuel pump can crack and you can have fuel leak in your car.
Also, does the smell come from the vents or from the backseat?
Sounds to me like your fuel pump broke. I have seen threads saying some plastic bits of the fuel pump can crack and you can have fuel leak in your car.
08-06-2018, 02:03 PM
#7
Smoking turbo yay
1. Get your CEL code read like others mentioned. AutoZone does it for free.
2. Do you still smell it after the car sits? About the only way to smell raw exhaust(with burnt fuel) in your car is if you have an exhaust leak.
2. Do you still smell it after the car sits? About the only way to smell raw exhaust(with burnt fuel) in your car is if you have an exhaust leak.
08-06-2018, 02:16 PM
#8
You gonna eat that?
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I'm thinking bad cat (P0420) is starting to melt the carpet.
08-07-2018, 04:23 AM
#9
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Po420 came back,it said catalyst system efficiency below threshold(bank 1),
i think that’s a sensor?,
im looking back on recent work done,
looks like the cat was replaced 3 months back
i think that’s a sensor?,
im looking back on recent work done,
looks like the cat was replaced 3 months back
Last edited by Texbella; 08-07-2018 at 04:25 AM.
08-07-2018, 05:40 AM
#10
You gonna eat that?
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If you replaced a bad cat without fixing the problem that made it go bad, then you likely ruined this one.
It doesn't take 3 months.
If you fixed the problem and paid less than $1k for the cat, it's probably not a cat that can hold up on an RX8.
Cheap cats fail under the extreme heat and dirty emissions of the Renesis exhaust.
08-07-2018, 05:44 AM
#11
You gonna eat that?
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08-07-2018, 07:01 AM
#14
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The coils,plugs and leads llook to have been replaced a couple thousand miles back last year,
the cat is generic,
is it an idea to replace the front 02 sensor and take it from there?
the cat is generic,
is it an idea to replace the front 02 sensor and take it from there?
08-07-2018, 07:22 AM
#15
No don't worry about the sensors. The front O2 especially, it's before the cat 
The code says that the gas coming out the back of your catalytic converter is not adequately cleaned by the cat. The ECU has all kinds of tricks for catching bad O2 sensor behavior and it would have thrown a different code for that.
Generic cats don't do well attached to rotaries, so I'd start looking for a real replacement. Either from Mazda (new or known good used) or a very high quality aftermarket one such as HJS. Mazda is usually best unless you race or have special needs around exhaust flow.
The code says that the gas coming out the back of your catalytic converter is not adequately cleaned by the cat. The ECU has all kinds of tricks for catching bad O2 sensor behavior and it would have thrown a different code for that.
Generic cats don't do well attached to rotaries, so I'd start looking for a real replacement. Either from Mazda (new or known good used) or a very high quality aftermarket one such as HJS. Mazda is usually best unless you race or have special needs around exhaust flow.
08-07-2018, 07:36 AM
#16
You gonna eat that?
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Another option (if you are not subject to emissions testing) is to gut it if it's actually bad, or buy a midpipe to eliminate the possibility of a bad cat killing your engine.
Misfires kill cats, bad cats kill engines.
Misfires kill cats, bad cats kill engines.
08-07-2018, 12:06 PM
#17
Smoking turbo yay
If your mid-pipe + cat option is cheaper than OEM brand new, it won't work.
My BHR + HJS combo cost as much as OEM, maybe even a bit more, but I have gone AutoX and it held up, and someone else here goes to the track with it and it also held up. Shaves a bit of weight off the OEM cat as well.
If you have to worry about emission testing, try looking around the forum for a used OEM unit. If you don't, clean out the cat yourself.
My BHR + HJS combo cost as much as OEM, maybe even a bit more, but I have gone AutoX and it held up, and someone else here goes to the track with it and it also held up. Shaves a bit of weight off the OEM cat as well.
If you have to worry about emission testing, try looking around the forum for a used OEM unit. If you don't, clean out the cat yourself.
08-10-2018, 05:46 AM
#18
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Had it with my mechanic yesterday and had a sensor on standby,we plugged it in and no readings whatsoever from front sensor,so we replaced it,
seems to have sorted it....
thanks very much for your input folks
seems to have sorted it....
thanks very much for your input folks
08-10-2018, 09:14 AM
#19
You gonna eat that?
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