Hey all,

I've done a fair bit of research online about rotary engines but have never owned one before the one in the RX-8 I just picked up. I've heard tips like:

1) Let your car idle and warm up before driving
2) Allow your car to warm up properly before shutting it down
3) Rev your engine to 2.5-3k RPMs for 10-15 seconds before shutting it down, and shut it down immediately while still holding the accelerator
4) NEVER use synthetic oil, only conventional
5) Check oil levels after every other gas fill-up and top off as necessary as rotary engines consume some oil during normal operation

I was curious... are these tips all accurate, and are there any other highly critical maintenance and general care tips that I'm missing? I bought my RX-8 with 110k miles on it and am hoping to do everything I can to get many more miles out of it.

Thanks in advance!

 

#3 is the recommended procedure to follow ONLY if you've flooded your engine.

Years ownership = 9 1/2
Times flooded = 0
Times I've had to do #3 = 0

 

1- only if it's subfreezing temps like any other car, to let belts & hoses warm up.
You can drive right away, but don't rev it over 4k until it warms up.
2- good idea, but not necessary, imo.
3- only if your ignition is suspected to be weak to avoid flooding, otherwise no.
If your ignition is healthy, flooding is a non-issue.
4- highly debatable, but I use only synthetic, and I premix JSO Certified 2 stroke oil.
More important than type is frequently changing oil due to high heat, high revving rotary engine breaking down oil faster.
Every 3k miles.
5- 100% yes.

 

#3 has been talked about on Brit TV as a way to leave a coating of oil inside the engine before shutoff. Not really necessary to do this.