2004 RX8 MT - Coils,Plugs,Sparks replaced less than 6 months ago, Monday morning car started fine, drove to work (about 2 miles) revved to 4k shut off. After 2 hours started car to go to next job drove approx 2 miles to stop light. Turned onto bypass, got to 40-55 mph..Extreme drop in power coasted to dead engine. Restarted car and drove a few hundred feet sputtering and backfiring. Car is now parked at work, Next Step? Did an apex seal shatter? Compression Test? This is my daily driver so I'm kinda stuck. Thanks for any help and please no chastising.

 

Revving to 4k before shutdown is useless and a good way to flood, from what I've seen (and experienced).

How do you go about driving? Get in, turn the key, drive off? Did it struggle starting up hot after it died (long startup)? Also, mileage would be helpful.

I'm guessing by the TN you used, you're in Tennessee...what part?

 

Welcome to the club, Tesla.

You need to relax, take a deep breath and diagnose your problem. It takes three things for combustion; air, fuel and spark.

You probably have spark covered. You did use genuine Mazda series C coils when you did your ignition, didn't you?

Check your intake system. Inspect air filter and replace if necessary. Clean your MAF and IAT sensors; wouldn't hurt to clean the throttle body whilst you're in there. Check your SSV for proper operation and clean the ESS as well.

Check for proper fuel pressure. Your problem does sound like it is fuel delivery related.

Other that that, you could have a clogged catalytic converter; but I think that would throw a code.

Keeping the Engine at a Cruise
• Ignition Coils
• Spark Plugs
• Spark Plug Wires
• Engine Compression
• E-Shaft Sensor (ESS)
• Intake Valving
• Throttle Body
• Mass Air Flow Sensor (MAF)
• Fuel Pump
• Fuel Injectors
• Front O2 sensor
• Catalytic Converter (Cat)

 

Well Welcome to the club and sorry to hear of the problems. I would goss your ignition is fine. That would be strange for it to not have other problems first. I'd try cleaning the ESS sensor(this is basically the crank shaft position sensor). You can get to it by removing the clamp on the back of the air filter box. Then pulling up on the back of the box and completely removing it. you might have to remove a wire or 2 and a hose. Just wipe it with a rag and some brake cleaner. Then doing a 20 brake stomp.

If that doesn't solve it I'd guess it's fuel related next.

 

Thanks to all for replying.
Andrew5190:
My car just crossed over 70k. I've always started the car and let it warm up sometimes less than others (few minutes vs. complete warmup) I've never really driven the car hard and mostly travel less than 10 miles a day. I'm located in Giles county (about 10 miles north of AL

Colon Terminus:
I'm looking up guides tonight on checking all suggestions. I know the cat isn't clogged (that happened last year) Another time this site has helped me out

logalinipoo:
That was my next step as I was reading last night. (ESS) I did pull my fuel pump last year when troubleshooting the clogged cat, and when I put the fuel pump back in, kinked the lines but after straightened they appear to still be supplying the correct pressure (but will check with gauge)

To All: Thank you again for giving suggestions. My car is still parked at work (away from working space) I was looking this morning and had my head down looking for the ESS and saw a mouse run through. Any possibility the rodent chewed something? I was hopeful after seeing that. I've been reading on the site since my car suffered Mon. but never saw a post where anyone had a dramatic power loss so suddenly. The post that scared me the most was about a shattered apex seal. So I will be checking on all things advised and keep you posted.
Thanks again for the advice

 

There's a problem. Rotaries want, no demand, to be driven. You need to take your car out and just drive the **** outta it every once in a while. Run it to redline in 1st and 2nd gear. Baby a rotary and it'll turn on you. Take it out on a back road once per week and flog the **** outta it. It'll love it.

 

Sounds like an air or fuel problem. Failing fuel pump, clogged fuel injectors or a vacuum leak or clogged SSV. These issues are not so unusual in an eleven year old RX8 , whether mileage related, or maintenance related.

 

I know this is slow in replying (I'm not a mechanic but I try to get help and do it myself)
My step-dad read the CEL codes and I'm getting P0301 misfire ; P0410 Air system ; P0420 (my cat sensor is toast) ; P0171 system too lean. I've checked and I get spark from leading plugs, as far as I can tell no vacuum lines are broken or cracked. Any suggestions?
gwilliams6: I'm dreading checking/cleaning SSV but it is looking more like it might be necessary

 

You said you know the cat isn't clogged, it happened last year.
Ignition replaced 6 months ago.
P0420 is more often than not a bad cat, not the sensor, unless you gutted the cat and damaged the sensor.
How did you fix the cat?
Did you replace the cat after or before the ignition?
Was the back half intact?
If not, broken pieces could be blocking the exhaust pipe or muffler, sometimes they can be shaken out.
If you got a new cat, and had misfires after, it could be bad, it doesn't take long.

 

Misfire, system lean, and AIR injection system codes... Combine this with your mouse sighting and I would be surprised if you didn't have a harness or vacuum line chewed through. I know you said there's no apparent damage to any hoses, but take some time to dismantle the intake system and make double-sure.

Clean the MAF, and go through your vacuum line connections. Make sure that little bugger didn't make a lunch out of one of your hoses.

 

It's been a while since posting (out of town for work - poor weather, you name it) tested compression finally tonight. Rotor 1 - nothing ; Rotor 2 - poor. suggestions from anyone greatly appreciated. Nearest rebuild shop is 2.5 hours away. My step-dad is helping me with this as I am no mechanic. Right now he is suggesting 1/2 quart ATF in each of the manifold intake tubes (Friday) while cranking to see if that helps. Will post more after that. Have to bee out of town again next week so I won't be able to mess around with it again

 

If you have a cat don't do thst. If you don't then slowly poor it in while cranking. I don't think it will help or hurt.

Don't fluid lock the engine.

Other than that it sounds like time for am engine. Did you do a rotary compression test? If so what are the numbers and rpm?