first time i recorded my RX-8 revving it, noticed some smoke after i let off the throttle, wondering if this is ok/normal. also, some decent flames/fireballs. Runs strong as hell. i redline at least once per drive (8k+), and premix with TCW3 (might switch to idemitsu), always run premium (92 or higher, preferably sunoco 93), and its always had oil changed at 3k with 10w-30 non-synthetic. At idle, on first start-up, it BARELY smokes till it warms up, only when i premix at 8oz/12 gallons. Never smoked before i started premixing that i had noticed.

...also, if you notice, every time it backfired hard and shot flames, my cell phone kinda jumped. last big one it knocked it off the table and onto the ground

my folks' neighbor shoots his damn guns all day long, so today i figure i reciprocate... My car was WAY louder...

pics attached of said fireballs as well as oil smoke for reference. and fun


CLIFF NOTES
RX-8 touring 6MT
Unknown exhaust
Stock header
ORIGINAL ENGINE verified by previous 2 owners and Mazda
VFAD bypassed/deleted
Intake baffles removed
Intake 'horn' removed
Burns half a quart of 4 stroke/engine oil every 1500 miles (seems good/normal)
130k miles
New air filter 5k miles ago
New duralast coil packs 10k miles ago (lifetime replacement warranty)
New spark plugs 10k miles ago
New spark plug wires 40k miles ago
P0420 Catalyst efficiency below threshold CEL (bad cat)
Catalytic converter NOT gutted
fresh oil/filter (slight overfill) Castrol GTX 10w-30
TCW3 2 stroke (about 4 ounces in 8 gallons of 93 premium)

 

...also... apologies for crappy cell video; i film and edit professionally (tv/advertising/corporate and indie stuff); i am embarrassed i didnt have any of my cameras or mics with me (normally i do).

is this normal amounts of smoke under these conditions? this is my first Renesis (had a 12A and 2 13B's before) but never premixed.

 

Please ... don't do that revving thing.
It's really not good for the car IMO.

Don't use TCW3 it will ruin your Catalytic, which is likely why have a P0420.
You've likely blown the Catalytic out the back of the mid pipe, so no worries about gutting the cat and you get huge flame *****.

Oh and I would say the smoke after the fireball is normal ... as normal is it can be when doing something like that, which isn't normal.
Do you realize how hot and how much fuel you are dumping in to the manifold to make that happen?

EDIT:
Here read this on Premix, clicky ----> https://www.rx8club.com/new-member-f...2/#post4533730

You should read that entire thread if you haven't already.