I've had my Rx8 for a year now, used this site since day one and I have read and read and read and learned alot. Obviously I do my research if this is my first post. I have an 04 manual with 65k, AEM CAI is only mod I've done besides bodywork, other than that shes stock. Car is mint condition from what I've seen in a year, no problems other than this surging, and that infamous coolant light. Let me get to the point. On a cold start, my engine revs itself over and over from 1500 to 2100 rpms, or somewhere close to that. This continues until they engine is fully warmed up, needle on dash in normal place. It will slow itself down progressively as the engine warms, but will not stop until its there. This never happened for the first maybe 8 months I owned it, started about halfway through winter. Cant blame it on the weather because it still happens on days that its 60 degrees outside. I realize its still winter, but im in north carolina, 70 degrees yesterday and snow on the ground today. I have searched until my eyes hurt on this subject for weeks now, and I must have read 100 different opinions on what causes this, yet none on how to fix it. The majority of posts say its nothing to worry about, but to me, it is. Can't show off the 8 when the neighbors are looking at me every morning wondering what the hell is wrong with my car. I dont believe its normal like I've read, because as I said it didnt used to do this. I'm sick of reading theories and half a$$ed opinions, just wondering if anyone has any real answers on this. Thanks.

 

What you refer to as surge is your afrs leaning out. You can validate this with an obd2 monitor.

 

Can you elaborate on that? no idea what afrs is.

 

Engine ---> Symptom Troubleshooting

http://foxed.ca/rx7manual/2003mazdar..._S01_0016.html

 

1.I don't know surging...read more
2.coolant reservoir tank
3.neutral switch

 

9krpmrx8, I read everything in that link, no help there about my issue. Shelldude, I just ordered a bluetooth obd2 reader, but still am clueless to what my AFRs "leaning out" means... That they need to be reprogrammed back to normal or what? Tonik, i think i have read every post in relation to this problem on this site, I dont believe it has anything to do with coolant tank or neutral switch because ive researched them both as a cause.

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Hint:

your IAC is built into the throttle body.

 

I had this problem this year and cleaning my MAF with a proper aerosol fixed it, just an idea...

 

Faulty maf will definitely mess up your air fuel ratio.

 

That was my next step, to clean the MAF, Tonik might be onto something with the neutral safety switch though. Thanks fellas.

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Me...waiting for "broken nipple" thread.

 

now that's some funny ****!

 

I deserve that, lol... Obviously I'm not the most mechanicly knowledgable person, but thats why I bought the 8, to learn. Embarassment is apparently part of it too, having the stealership explain to you theres no neutral switch on a manual will do that... Guess 9krpmrx8 does know what hes talking about, as far as IAC goes, though I guess I've got alot more reading in store for me to figure out whats wrong and how to fix it on that note... And to think, as many times as I've seen his name reading these threads, I thought he was just the resident smartass. Kudos to you sir, I was wrong.

 

AFR - Air Fuel Ratio, leaning out means more air, less fuel.

When it is cold the car will run richer and higher rpms to warm the engine and cat up faster, then lean out and lower the rpms.

There are a few reasons your car could be doing this, but I imagine you are on the right track now. I would start with cleaning the MAF as that is an easy fix and probably wouldnt hurt to do it anyway.

 

just cleaned MAF with crc maf cleaner, letting it dry now before I plug it back in. Will have to wait overnight to see if surging is fixed or not.

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No neutral switch? My 05mt has one and when i didnt plug it in right i had a surge. Search for it you can jack the car up and use a ohm meter to test it.

 

I love when a mazda dealership lies to me. Makes me question why I even bother with them if they know no more about the cars they sell than any other mechanic.

 

Yeap

 

"in neutral" is also one of the extended mode OBD PIDs I pulled out of the palmer "mazda advanced pids" module a while back… I can't remember the exact mode # off the top of my head but it's the same mode that you pull the TPMS temperature / pressure values from.

 

I'll look into it when obd2 reader arrives, thanks. Cleaning MAF didnt work, but one less thing on my list.

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That's also the mazda parts guy told me..no neutral switch.
I forgot what the term he use for the switch..sounds like sensor thing.
And he couldn't find the parts too.
He started telling me that its not the switch..blah blah..
I left and come back with the diagram and show him the part that I want.
Much easier..

 

yeah thats what i did today, found the part number, pictures, and even found it for sale on mazdatrix (though they dont give you any pics, description, or part #, so I'm weary) I'm going to change tranny oil this weekend so I'll get in there and take pictures of it on my car, and if I feel like showing my *** I'll go prove he was wrong, if I'm in a better mood theres another dealership 15 minutes from me.

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You know, I don't want to jinx myself, buuuut..... After cleaning MAF yesterday, I started her up, still had same problem, cycling or surging or whatever you want to call it. Waited a few hours, started her again, same thing. Woke up this morning, and yet again, same problem. Though as I was driving to work, I noticed it seemed more "responsive" as I was shifting in to gear, more of a lurching into gear than I was used to. Drove to job site, car sat for 6 hours in 40 degree weather, and when I finished up I was talking to coworker about problem and started her up to show him before I left, and of course, she started up fine. Thought it was just one of those things where you are trying to show the mechanic the problem and of course it chooses that one time not to show itself. So I just got in the car and drove home, again, feeling more responsive. Get home, park for another 6 hours in now 30 degree weather, just got in it to run to store, and again, starts up fine. I suppose the real test will be tomorrow morning, parked outside instead of in garage just to be sure. All I said say is, if I just fixed this with a 7$ bottle of cleaner and ten minutes worth of work (and you guys' help of course), I'm not sure whether to be ecstatic, or cry, stressing myself so much over something so simply fixed. Guess thats what happens when you spend a couple months searching for an answer instead of manning up and asking for help. Then again, thats how these forums work, lol. Either way, if shes fixed, thank you guys, I owe you one.

 

For future readers, cleaning MAF was a fluke, didn't actually fix the problem. However, I changed my transmission and differential oil (using Eneos, which you can buy on amazon.com) this past weekend, and while I had the car jacked I checked the neutral safety switch, it was working fine. However, changing the tranny oil did fix the problem. How or why? I'm clueless, but its fixed. Citys covered in ice for days now yet shes started up fine every time since. The magnetic plug was covered in gunk and bits of metal, I'm at 65k so I was due for the change. Gears shift like I just drove it off the lot brand new, and that hard shift into 2nd on cold start is gone too. Eneos is the way to go.

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Im 100% sure differential/transmission fluid change didn't fix the problem.
And I'm 100% sure it's your neutral switch.
I'll bet u gonna have the same problem next winter.