SQRX8

First I would like to say I very happy to be a owner of my Black 2004 RX8 GT.

Before I bought her I poked around the forum for about 2 weeks. Honestly reading all the info almost scared me away, but I loved the looks of the car and the way she drove even more.

Compression was the one thing the scared me more the anything. Everything else i wasn't worried about very much as I am very mechanically inclined. So maintenance was/is not a worry. SO I BOUGHT HER.

By all rights, mileage is/was high from what i read on here for the RX8. She was sitting at 141,XXX. I had here for about a month and a half now. She had a few small issues at first look, but nothing that pushed me away. IMHO she had good power and run and accelerated very smoothly. Idle was a little rough. Talking with the Used Car lot i bought her from, she was owned by a young lady that flooded her a few times and they had to tow it in and get it start for her. So they took it back and gave here a 05 Honda a Accord.

This Used Car lot is one of my clients. So I deal with them on a day to day bases. So no issue with them.

Now to the good stuff, well I think it good. The very first day I had her I took her down a back road and drove her like a stole her. Got here up to about 117mph. Took her to the house and smoke was coming from everywhere. So for about the next week or so I drover her quite hard. Power was very good and handling WOW just great.

Now first issued I was was take it to have the front tire check out and man Steam was coming for under the hood. Got over to the tire place and pop the hood and coolant was all over the front of the engine and the reservoir. I thought man the Reservoir has crack open of something. Good thing the Temp needle didn't move at all. But seeing the all the steam scared me.

But moving one after removing the reservoir and inspecting it, it was not the reservoir but the little nipple that connects the reservoir to the radiator. It had broken off. luck for it was enough left on it, to get the hose back on and tighten the clamp on it. Needless to say I was a bit upset. So called the car lot and told them what happen. I told them if you buy it I will put it on. They simple said no problem done.

So I order it. By the way I am the Commercial sales Manager at an AutoZone. So it came the very next day. on a Wednesday. So decided to do 90% of the things I read around here. So bought the following things.

Radiator (AutoZone unit)
Spark Plug Wire Set (NGK)
Spark Plugs (NGK Iridium)
Coil packs (AutoZone units)
New belts (Dayco)
Ultra Black Gasket Maker (For Oil Pan)
6 cans of brake cleaner. For cleaning of all sensors and TB. Also the clean off all the oil from the linky oil pan gasket above(AutoZone Brand)
Air Filter (K&N)
5 quarts of 10w30 OIl (GTX)
Oil filter (Mobil1)
Foglight bulbs (Sliver Star Ultra)
Black Rite Dye. For dye of Floor mats.
Burnt Orange touch up paint. For RX8 lettering on floor mats (AutoZone Brand)
**EDIT**. Forgot to add i did the Starter at the same time. 2K unit (AutoZone Brand)

Before all of this was done and I did it all in one Day I was getting between 170 and 190 on tank of gas city driving, depending on how I was driving her. Had not done enough interstate driving yet to give a good quote. Started around 2:30pm after doing my mom's brakes and rotors on her Dodge Journey. Finished around 10:30 pm with try time of the Gasket Maker.

Now after doing all the above. She runs so much smoother, and a noticeable difference in power. Nothing WOW, but a noticeable difference. But IMHO the most notable difference is in gas mileage. It now does between 200-220 on a tank of gas of normal driving City and 190-200 when i drive her like a stole her. One the interstate, I did about about 20% city and 80% interstate I seen 276 on a tank. From what I have beening these numbers are pretty darn good.

Have have been doing a small about of Premix in her with Lucas upper cylinder lube, but I've been reading some issue with the fuel pump strainer with using the Lucas, so I also after about ever 4 times of Lucas useage (and do not do use it at every fill up) I do it every other one. I do Restore Cleaner and Upper Cylinder Lube. Since I have been doing this, she does seems to run a little smoother, but that could be all in my mind or wishful thinking. I think I will just bite the bill and order some Idemitsu.

Now the bad or some what bad.

I have rattle under the car that hard to locate. I was thinking it was the sway bar links, but they look good, but i will be replacing them next weekend when I have time. But listening more to it sounds like it coming for middle of then car. So I am a bit concerned so the Cat has to go. I have no emissions in my county so i am good to go. But it really sounds like something is lose moving around.

Now the one I need help with and the one that is driving me crazy. When I make a sharp left turn with a little speed, I get this sound that sounds like the rim was rubbing the pavement. So I thought the tire was rolling over on itself. So took it to have it checked out.

Now this is where i get a bit PO'ed. Come to find I have have two bent rims. Both on the passenger side. This explains the small of vibration I fell in the steering wheel. So thought we had found the problem so I move both rims to the rear and call the car lot. They agreed to pay 50% of the after market rims I showed them i want for the car cheaper then buying new stock rims. So cool!!!

But,

That did not fix the issue with the sharp left turns with a little speed. Now my thought is it the brakes and the rotor and/or caliper. But again I looking at the Hub assembly. But when I had the front up when I was doing the above work. I tried to move the hub as I was inspecting the tie rod ends and sway bar links, it had now play at all. I have no sound while driving. I heard bad baring many times, so no sound. Another thing l that makes me think it the braking system is I get the vibration/shake when i get on the brakes hard when up to speed. Seen this many times also on cars. My mom's Journey had this same shaking/vibration issue. I was telling him to stop putting the cheap brakes on the car. So I did Durlast CMax brakes and new rotors and BAM it was fixed. Done this quite a for times.

Any thoughts or help on the above when be great. Thanks for all your help in advance.

Near future plans:

Highend sound systems. I am very heavy into Sound Quality competition given the user name SQRX8. It will be light weight, but very power and sound amazing. I been doing high systems since 1995. I also run a high end speaker company.

Rims. 18" with Nitto Neo Gen 245/40/18.

Remove Cat and do a nice exhaust.

light weight flywheel and a nice performance clutch kit.

and new paint job.

Once more it is great to be here, there is a great amount of knowledge here. Just have to make sure you wing through all the miss info. But that is with any public forum.

Sorry for such a long read and it may be a little broken of a read. I didn't have time to proof it much. I will fix it if need after work today.

Also I do need a drivers side sun visor. So if anyone has one for sale, please let me know.

monchie

So much to read, but anyway, welcome! Someone will chime in and answer your questions...good luck.

SQRX8

Thanks for the welcome.

And yes I know it was a lot to read, but I Now how forums can be at times with people not using the search option. I just want to be detailed.

lil_B-Heff20

If your going to remove the cat the raceing beat dual res midpipe helps alot with excess noise both in cabin and out the tail... I personally like the tone when its matched up with the borla exhaust not too loud and has a lower pitched tone
Just my little 2 cents

lil_B-Heff20

Oh and post a pic or two!

tpb7463

iTrader: (1)

Broken sunvisor? Did you try the DIY repair? https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-do-...or-fix-152315/

On more than one occasion I've had the heat-shield above the catalytic converter come loose; could be what you're hearing. Just give it a shake when you take off the cat.

Pics or the car doesn't exist.

SQRX8

Thanks for the replies. I will get some pics of her up later today.

I can't repair the visor. It is not there, lol. I need another one.

SQRX8

That was the unit I was looking at. Not sure if want one or two res. With sound dampen I am about to add the single res should be fine for in car noise. I will have to look into the borla exhaust system.

Thanks for the reply

SQRX8

SQRX8

I also did the breaks and rotors yesterday. No more shanking when braking hard

lil_B-Heff20

Shes sexy! And yea sound det will deff help alot... Good luck on your travels