Hi all new to the mazda rx8 and first off I can't fault it what an awsome car. But I'm having trouble and need help anyone clued up want to help a fellow rx8 owner

 

If you ask a specific question about an issue, you may get an answer.

 

Welcome to the club. There are lottsa knowledgeable and helpful people here with tons of experience in just about every area concerning the RX8.


What problems are you having?

 

This is the best thread.

 

Hi guys I dident know whether to post my problem hear or else where. I'm a first time form user so still learning the ropes. Ok so my problem is I have some shaking at idle with what I would assume is a ruff idle. Also I have a fault code bank 1 sensor two thrown up. Car will run fine for first few mins untill it gets to temp and the idle drops to 750-800rpm then I get some vibration andshaking iv been told my fault code wouldent cause this issue and I have no other codes atall. It's almost a miss fire but no fault code for it and my rear plugs are wet and black when ever iv pulled them out
I get some slight hesitations untill around 1200 rpm then clears thro. Car starts hot or cold no problems and power feels very strong and positive. Any help would be great thank u so much for the replys.

 

If you have wet plugs, you have bad coils and/or wires. The coils on these cars wear out as soon as 20K miles. If they have not been changed, you need to do that ASAP. Change the wires and plugs at the same time.

You can buy OEM parts from Mazmart or one of the discount online Mazda parts dealers like Rosenthal. Some people have success with parts from AutoZone and the like. Their wires and plugs (original NGK) are certainly fine. I don't have any experience with their coils, but some owners use them successfully. Another option is to buy a BHR kit. It includes upgraded coils and wires that should theoretically last the lifetime of the car. It obviously costs more up front, but saves you money in the long run. Do NOT buy any ignition parts off eBay.

Installing a new ignition system takes a first timer about an hour and a half if he has the right tools. There are multiple good DIYs on this site.

If the car has had a weak ignition for very long, the catalyst could be damaged. A clogging/clogged cat can kill your engine, so you need to inspect it ASAP. Is there any other text that goes with that bank 1 sensor 2 code? Do you have the actual number?

Take the time to read this thread in its entirety:

https://www.rx8club.com/new-member-f...t-here-202454/

 

Thank u very much for the info. I was worried the engine had gone pop or somthing. I assume I can check spark in the normal way by holding it against the block and getting a friend to crank it. I am a bike mechanic by trade so the work won't be a problem. Just new to thease rotary engines and not clued up on there week points. It has been previously de-catted as I found out the other day wile pulling the spark plugs. The full code is p0037 heater controll low voltage bank 1 sensor 2.

 

OK. That code could be caused by ignition problems.

BTW, the best way to search this site, which contains a wealth of information, is to use Google or Bing and structure your search like this:

site:rx8club.com [search terms]

Example:

site:rx8club.com P0037

You can test your ignition in the usual way, but the best course of action is to just replace all of it. If you shop carefully, you can buy all the parts you need for ~$225. The reason you should replace it all instead of piecemeal is that failing coils can actually pass the spark test, but fail to provide enough spark fast enough to a rotary engine. This car eats coils, and they are considered a wearable item with a 20 to 30K mile service life. It also breaks down wires for the same reasons. And, a rotary engine is very hard on spark plugs. Read this for the reasons why:

https://www.rx8club.com/new-member-f...4/#post4533701

 

Yes I am aware of sparks plugs being blown out by compression as I do see this problem on motorcross bikes alot. Does anyone know what volts I should be getting from my coils. Is there a tolerance in the volts I.e 40-50v is good anything less is bad. Also do the ht leads carry resistances.I'm all for spending money on good quality parts but I do like to be sure that what I spend mine and my customers money on has a good chance of solving the issue at hand. My car has done 67k but belive it had a engine change 2years ago and done very little miles since at my milage it sounds like I'm bang on time for a coil or two to go. Just dont want to thow good money away. Cheers again

 

They do not replace the coils when they replace the engine. Most dealers aren't even aware that coils are a common failure point. In fact, many engines have been replaced under warranty due to missing the fact that bad coils were causing the problems.

The best course of action is to replace them all at once. They tend to fail around the same time, which means if you replace 2, you will probably find yourself replacing the other 2 in a few weeks. Our coils are broken down by heat and by the fact that they fire 2 to 3 times as often as those on an otto engine. The wires break down for the same reason.

Think of coils and wires on this car like an oil filter. You don't worry about wasting money because an oil filter still has 20% of its filtering capacity left. You just toss it.

 

Yes very true iv just been looking through all my service history I got with the car and last year it had just two coils and plugs replaced not all 4 so maybe the other two have gone. Seems to make sence that somone cheered out and now I'm picking up the bill :/ I appreciate all the help lads I'm now going home for the day so gona crack open.the tool box and try a few things will keep u upto date

 

OK so I pulled the plugs and checked for spark. Got spark on all 4 plugs. However after this I took it in turns to unplug one coil at a time. Results were if I unplugged coil 1,2 or 4 the car wouldent start. If I unplugged coil 3 then it started and ran the same as always
So I assume I have one weak coil. Does this sound about rite?

 

Just replace them all. It's much better to have four coils at the same wear level than to have 3 that are older than the newest one.

If you replace them all at once it will be nice and balanced.

 

Yes I do intend to replace all 4 of them will keep everyone posted once I get the new ones in a couple of days. Once again thank you to everyone who has helped. Can't wait to get her back on the road. Iv hardly got to use her so far

 

4 coils orderd roll on Tuesday delivery will keep you all posted.

 

So fitted new coils today and still the same problem. Just to comfirm. It starts hot or cold no probs but idles ruff at around 750-800 rpm some hesatation upto 1000rpm then clean and smooth from there. Any idears.

 

Have you tried cleaning your ESS and MAF sensor?

 

Iv cleaned maf but haven't a clue where ess is.

 

Did you replace all the wires and all the spark plugs along with the coils? Any one ignition element that is bad can cause cascading trouble for your engine. Ignition on these rotary engines is more critical than on any car or motorcycle you have owned or worked on. You can not get away with NOT replacing all at the same time. You are just asking for trouble if you try to skimp on your ignition health with a rotary engine. Not spending the money on relatively inexpensive crucial items now, could result in an engine replacement of many thousands of dollars.

Below, pix of ESS sensor. just clean with rag. It tends to pick up dirt, and any metal fragments, as it contains magnet and is positioned low.

 

i am having the same problem with the idling ruff and stalling. im getting a P0037 and a p0172 code, i have bhr cat and coils and aem intake, i have also deleted my air pump and tower, my engine is a fresh rebuild with 300 miles on it. ive replaced exhaust and intake gaskets and the front o2, the o2 helped but then it fouled out and stopped idling again. what would cause this?

 

I had the same issue after installing a K&N Typhoon with BHR Coils and AP Midpipe installed prior. Really rough idle, very rich. Seems to throw off the stock map a ton, switch to the oem airbox and see if that fixes it.