UnknownJinX

A gutted cat is actually a good thing for the car. Not good for the environment, your nose or the inspection, but good for the engine.

An engine that's not working properly can destroy the cat fast, which in turn destroys the engine.

The only potential issue a gutted cat can cause is the permanent P0420 code, which can mask other potential codes. You can block the P0420 code with a tune.

Eric Layne

have you ever tried premixing your rx8? If you did and it worked, how did you?

200.mph

iTrader: (9)

you can get a sohn adapter to inject fresh 2 stroke which is the best option or actual premixing is 8oz (i used idmitsu) in the gas tank with each fill up

Eric Layne

Is there a certain level the fuel needs to be at before premixing?

Eric Layne

What type of oil does 2006 rx8 take?

200.mph

iTrader: (9)

i always topped off at 1/4 tank and added 8oz premix. as for engine oil.......dont ask

UnknownJinX

^Yep. I use Idemitsu as well, although you can use other 2-stroke oil as well.

If I have an S1, I would have done the SOHN mod.

If you just premix the gas, you want to add about 1 oz of premix for every 2 gal of gas. If you fill up with the needle hovering above E, 8 oz is about right.

It's hard to say what premixing really achieves. It should help with lubrication of seals and make the carbon deposits softer, in theory, but no one really knows and no one can present completely unbiased scientific evidence.

UnknownJinX

My opinion is it's climate-dependent.

If you live somewhere cool, 5W-20 should suffice, but if you live somewhere hotter, you might want to aim for 5W-30 or 10W-30.

NotAPreppie

Eric Layne

Does engine restore work to improve compression in an rx8?

200.mph

iTrader: (9)

no but a rebuild does

UnknownJinX

There is no magic fix-it-all in a can.

The Mazda Zoom kit and ATF may give you a tiny bit of compression back, but yeah, you should really look into rebuilding at that point.

NotAPreppie

ftfy

GINJA_NINJA

How long should it take for the check engine light to come on after taking the cat off? I had mine cut off this morning and drove 29 miles to work and it still isn't on.

jakejm79

So I am just starting my search for an 8 and with a limited budget I have a question:
Is it worth paying a premium for a lower mileage car, or to put it another way; how well do these cars wear over time (excluding the engine), i.e. am I looking at having to rebuild the front end/suspension at 100K, how long does a clutch last typically, etc. Cars in my search have spanned 30K-130K do I blow all my budget on the nicest low mileage one I can find or can I feel comfortable accepting a higher mileage assuming the basics are good (no noticeable issues, solid engine, etc) and safe some money.

Obviously every used car is different but any insight would be appreciated.

Loki

iTrader: (1)

If a low mileage RX8 blows your budget, it may not be wise to get any RX8.

If your're still reading, it's no different from any other car. With time and mileage things wear out. Most are cheap and easy to replace on these cars. At 100k expect that you may need a ball joint or two, maybe a shock or 4. Maybe a transmission. Or it might all be fine. Your question has no answer, it will be different for any specific car you find and ESPECIALLY for every previous owner you find.

A higher mileage car with a freshly rebuilt engine from a good rebuilder is usually a good strategy.

jakejm79

It's more that people seem to want a ridiculous number for lower mileage that puts it out of a justifiable range rather than it truly being out of budget, I just wasn't sure if the cars had a reputation for everything failing over a certain mileage that was driving lower mileage to go for a premium or if it was out of touch sellers.

Thank you for the insight, I know it was a hard question to answer, no two cars are the same, but its good to know if all the other things check out (engine compression, maintenance, prior owner quality) that higher mileage isn't an instant dismissal.

gwilliams6

jakejm79 ,below is our RX8club's maintenance sked. You can expect to replace these items depending on mileage if NOT done by previous owner:

-Also there have been recalls on 2004-2011 models that are still available, if not done already
-Most importantly you want a Rotary-specific compression test done on that engine BEFORE PURCHASE. An engine rebuild or replacement would be your biggest cost going forward.

Read this thoroughly, a must: https://www.rx8club.com/new-member-f...t-here-202454/

RX8 Club’s recommended maintenance schedule, more comprehensive and proactive than Mazda’s schedule.
30,000 miles:
- Replace Ignition coils
- Replace Plug wires
- Replace Spark plugs
- Clean MAF (mass air flow sensor)
- Clean ESS (e-shaft sensor)
- Reset ESS profile
- Clean power steering connections
- Clean battery terminals and clamps
- Replace transmission fluid
- Replace coolant (Mazda FL-22 is highly recommended)
- Replace air filter
- Replace brake fluid (fluid in the brake lines AND the clutch line)
~$300 USD in parts if you shop smartly.


every 60,000:
...all 30,000, plus...
- Clean all chassis electrical grounding points
- Replace accessory belts
- Clean OMP lines
- Replace rear differential fluid
- Replace thermostat
- Clean / Straighten AC condenser fins
- Clean / Straighten oil cooler fins
- Inspect catalytic converter
- Clean / Inspect intake valving
- Consider / inspect all points in 90,000+ as well, many items fail early
~$130 USD in parts if you shop smartly.

90,000:
...all 30,000, plus any 60,000 not yet done, plus...
- Replace coolant bottle
- Replace radiator hoses
- Replace radiator
- Replace front O2 sensor
- Replace motor mounts
- Inspect clutch pedal assembly for flex / weld breaks
~$900 USD in parts if you shop smartly.
At 100k, anything original in the cooling system is really suspect and failure prone. It represents the biggest threat to your engine.

jakejm79

Thank you gwilliams6, I had already given that a look over when reading through the new owner thread. I had planned/allowed for new coils, wires and plugs, an SOHN kit, thermostat and full fluid changes (unless the PO has proof anything was done recently). Will also likely remove the cat too.

I know this is difficult to say (and a compression test is the only real answer) but what is the general life span of a well maintained engine, like 30K, 60, 90? Again I know that's a car specific question but just trying to get a general feel, like all other things being equal is a car with only 10K worth that much more than a car with 30K (since the one with 30 is nearing its end of life). Maybe a better way of phrasing it is how many miles can I expect out of the engine assuming its being properly cared for, driven correctly.

Sorry for so many questions, RX8s are sparse in my area so I will likely end up traveling 3-4 hours to find one worth buying, it seems pretty difficult to get an owner to commit to a compression test with just a phone call so I'm trying to narrow my search down to a few specific cars, spend the 6-8 hours round trip and then if the car looks good I can worry about a compression test then.

Lastly what is (again I know there is probably no such thing has typical and this isn't a substitute for a compression test) a 'typical' cranking time before firing up - it should be an easy question for any sellers to answer and easier to prove whether they are lying or not when I turn up there. Well I know this wont guarantee me a good one it should at least allow me to avoid or spot a bad one. I did do some searching but I'm not finding a consensus, some people say 2-3 seconds is normal 'sometimes' and others saying it should fire up within 1 second.

UnknownJinX

One thing about rotary engines is that they are hand assembled, so they are all different. Hard to say what the general lifespan is, sorry. It also depends on how it's driven(these cars like to be revved hard rather than being driven like a Corolla). No one seems to make it past 150k miles with good compression(so even if it runs, it's dying), and definitely not 200k miles.

I mean, do you really want an 8? Have you looked at other options? You seem pretty determined, but I would still leave other options open. I still briefly considered Civic Si and FR-S before I looked at 8s.

As for cranking, 1 second ~ 1.5 second seems to be the norm for me, but that's with okay compression, fairly new battery(AGM battery bought less than a year ago), healthy ignition system and the more powerful S2 starter, so again, compression is not the only thing that affects it.

jakejm79

That's a fair point, I just wasn't sure if 50K was looking like borrowed time or not.
I want something RWD, easy access for 4, MT, quirky/different/unique, handling over power and something I haven't already owned. While a convertible 8 would have been awesome that is not a choice.
I know the reputation these cars have and I'm fine with a high maintenance and attention seeking My current car has a huge reputation for being quirky, high maintenance and riddled with 'interesting' design/engineering decisions - though personally I find it misplaced, you treat a car the way it wants to be driven and it will treat you fine, be that runs to the redline, meticulous maintenance or anything else.

Thank you for the info on cranking time, I understand compression isn't the only factor, but at least I know what is 'normal' and can adjust things accordingly from there.

Loki

iTrader: (1)

It's actually not that high maintenance if you know what you're doing and you're not inheriting 12 years of previous owner's mistakes. Yeah eventually you'll need to change engines, but it's not "down every weekend" type of high maintenance.

jakejm79

That is what I had figured/hoped, sounds like the reputation is slightly blown out of proportion. The hard part is tracking down a car that doesn't have 12 years of prior mistakes. Hoping I can find one soon.

gwilliams6

Jakejm I did all the properly maintenance with my bought-new 2008 40th Anniversary edition. But I had S1 fuel pump failure issues and that may have contributed to the engine testing borderline low compression with one month to go on its 8year warranty. So I had a reman engine from Mazda installed under warranty at 62,000 miles (I had a Mazdaspeed3 GT as a second car, so the RX8 was not my daily driver then) ! Changed out the clutch at the same time, saved labor costs as engine was already out. BTW I swapped in a S2 series fuel pump before the new engine went in.

My 40th Anniversary edition had been a favorite for test drives at my dealership, so even with only 50miles on the odometer when i bought it, who knows if it was driven hard before proper warm up by some lead-footed customers/salespersons before I bought it and gave the engine the proper new engine break-in period.

The point is don't think any used rotary engine is fine without that rotary-specific compression test, even if it seems low mileage. There just is no substitute for that test, not cranking time or anything else. So narrow it down to the best of the used ones you find, and get that test. Maybe offer to split the cost with the owner, or offer to pay for it fully if it passes the test and you buy the car.

Go here and plug in the car's vin number to see if any outstanding recalls still need to be done. Any outstanding recalls are still done free at any Mazda dealer.
https://www.mazdarecallinfo.com/Hile...0aAvyFEALw_wcB

Also with the car's vin number, any Mazda dealer can check on any Mazda dealer service records on the car.

We love our RX8s, even with its quirks and all. We just all want you to be successful in getting a good one.
Cheers

jakejm79

Thank you gwilliams, Ha I may have known some of those salespeople (well not specifically at yours) but I did work at a Mazda dealer during the early years of the RX8.
I will plan on getting a compression test down once I narrow it down to the 'one' before committing cash to it, I was just hoping to get an idea of whats 'normal' so I can whittle the list down a little first.
This has been my process so far (excuse the length of this):

I looked at a 2007 with 70K walked away from that despite the attractive price due mostly what appears to have been a reoccurring over heating issue, the radiator (replacement was aluminum but no idea on brand so don't know if it was an actual upgrade) and hoses had all been replaced, but prior to that the AC system had been stripped out and also the prior hood had some very crudely cut 'vents' (actually big *** holes). While a lengthy test drive didn't reveal any current overheating issues the fact that potential for damage was there in the past meant it was a hard pass regardless of price.

Another 2007 with 80K on original engine that, "doesn't need a compression test because he's takes care of the apex seals." From what I am gathering 80K is probably nearing the end of life of even the most perfectly maintained vehicle or at least close enough to warrant a through testing - so again pass, side note why would any seller think they could charge double book price premium and not have a test done, if I was selling one of these cars it would be the first thing I'd have done.

Also a 2007 with 120K engine was replaced 4 years ago according to Mazda, but based on a VIN history it had about 55K on it at that point - after speaking with the owner and with information gained here that one is off the list too.

This has me down to about 3-4:
A 2004 with under 50K, supposedly meticulously maintained but owner did let slip it takes longer than a piston engine to start (he was under the impression it was somewhat normal), well maybe nothing or maybe something big, with the info from you guys it is something that needs more investigation (compression test, etc) before commitment.

A 2004 with under 30K, information is sparse on this one, but owner is open/willing to get a compression test, waiting for more info about options/color before pursuing.

A 2005 with 120K though supposedly rebuilt at 90K open to getting a compression test done but a boat load of 'performance' aftermarket parts, a poor mistmatch bumper replacement and a younger (no offense to any whippersnappers) recent shortly term owner have me wary.

Lastly a 2004 with again 120K, lacking leather but supposedly the owner does have recent compression test paperwork that I am waiting to receive copies of, no leather but with confirmed engine health and an attractive price and supposedly 'mint' condition I can be flexible.

I just want to say thanks again for everyone's input, it has definitely helped me avoid some potential problem cars and will hopefully make sure I can find the right one shortly.

Also I had been checking the recalls and contacting Mazda about prospective cars if the current owner had no information.