I'm getting an engine replacement for free through Mazda because my rx8 failed the compression test (rotors 5.2-5.9) and it was still under warranty. I guess I need some reassurance that replacing the motor is the best choice for my car. As I'm sure you know they don't make these motors anymore and they are all rebuilt, so really who knows what kind of care the parts in my new motor will have had? I don't know I'm just freaking out about it.

 

The parts will be better than what is in your engine now.........

 

No need to freak out about it.

The Mazda remans could still fail way too early, but that is getting rarer and rarer, and even if it did, you will have a better engine for that period than you currently have now, which is failing. The most common early failure for the remans is from a coolant seal failure, so make sure you keep your coolings system maintained. If the coolant bottle, thermostat, radiator, and lines are all original and getting old, you might want to consider replacing them soon. You can get everything from Mazmart for about $500-600, and replacing it all can be done in a weekend without much trouble. Or a shop could do it in 4-5 hours of paid labor.

Beyond that, don't panic, just enjoy it.

 

Thanks. They said my current engine is the original and has 85k on it. I asked them about the coolant system but they kinda shrugged it off like I shouldn't worry about it. What DOES worry me is that when I first bought the car the low coolant light kept coming on even though I had coolant and was not overheating. I took it to the dealership I got it from and they said it just needed cleaning, cleaned it and gave it back. I haven't had any more issues with the light but...

I will be replacing plugs/wires/coils when I get the new engine.

 

Yes, replacing your engine under warranty is the best choice. Your compression was not going to get better, and you would have had to pay for a new engine out of pocket if you had waited until the warranty expired.
In the meantime, read up on the new owner stickies and familiarize yourself with the car.
It's possible the previous owner did not care for the car properly, and you don't want to repeat those mistakes.
They really are great cars, and the more you know about them the better off you will be.
Good luck!

 

If you have an Android you may consider buying a Bluetooth dongle and the Torque app to monitor your coolant temps. If you didn't know, the factory gauge is not very trustworthy.

 

I've been reading a lot and I'm trying to learn but I'm a noob to car stuff in general let alone a special car like the rx-8.

 

The low coolant level light can come on when the sensor in the bottle fails, and it is fairly common. Basically the float sensor gets water logged and can't float on the surface any more, so it sinks, giving a false reading.

At 85k with everything original, I wouldn't shrug off the stuff I mentioned with the cooling system. If you can't get to it now, budget for and plan to do it within the next 15,000 miles. The sooner, the better. It isn't worth the risk of a failure there destroying your new reman. Parts get old, and your cooling system is old and getting due for replacement. All it takes is one small hiccup in cooling performance and your engine is done, and old radiators, thermostats, and coolant bottles are very prone to failure.

 

I don't own a cell phone at all, just an ipod. I'll have the guy I take my car to for oil changes look over the coolant system for me if he can. He's usually pretty good about checking things out.

 

You will find the answers to any of your questions here. There are many knowledgeable members here who know these cars well, and will help you if need be.
I would trust many here more than the dealerships.

 

With a new engine going in i'd recommend getting the omp lines/nozzles replaced.
Save a ton on labor with the engine out.
The lines can become clogged and brittle over time.

 

How much does that cost? I don't even know what that is.

 

Everyone will stress you about reading and getting to know your car. And if you ask common questions they will most likely get pretty upset. But I am a fairly new 8 owner and i have learned A LOT from this forum. And i learn more everyday. Whenever you get the time just read through the forums of course starting with the new owners section. It will definitely help you treat the new engine you will be getting the right way. In my opinion, this is the funnest car out there for the price range and in some aspects it beats higher priced cars. So treat it right. They are awesome cars. And read read and read some more. Always more to learn it seems like. And if you are going to change out your coolant reservoir i highly suggest getting a full aluminum radiator. The stock radiator will break when you change the reservoir if it is brittle (mine was). And of course while you have it drained you might as well replace the lines and thermostat. And even though you are new to cars there are plenty of DIY on here. They are extremely helpful. So even for a first timer, the coolant system is pretty easy to work on. Just learn the system and read through the DIY about everything and you will be good to go. I am pretty new to the car scene but after reading through all the info available on here and just getting to know my car. Super easy. Don't bother paying mechanics to work on your car, unless you know them very well and they are familiar with the rotary. It is much more fun working on it yourself anyway. Well sorry for the long reply. Welcome to the club. And have fun with your 8. Feel free to message me if you have any noob questions since i'm pretty new myself all of your questions will most likely be fresh in my mind.

 

jon15805! Nice introduction to the car and forum. Thank you for your humility and insight. YES, this forum can pretty much answer any question one may have about their 8. Happy wrenching, happy driving.

 

Mine does that too and it is a problem with the sensor in the coolant bottle. Mine does it when I am at the higher revs. As long as your coolant level is OK there should be no problem. Dang, how did we ever get along without all these sensors. Oh yeah, we stuck our head under the hood and checked fluids.

 

Replacing good radiator and coolant bottle? Interesting idea!
How about flushing cooling system and watching temp gauge?

 

Well, the coolant gets drained and replaced during the engine replacement. A "flush" at that point would be a forced flush of hoses, radiator, and coolant bottle. If you are replacing all of those anyway, a "flush" doesn't accomplish anything extra.

 

The common belief is that the factory gauge is borderline useless.
Watching the gauge will do little good if it starts to overheat.
If someone's RX8 starts overheating, it can go bad quickly.
The updating of old cooling system components is basically preventive maintenance.