Nisaja

Some OBD2 adapters are loose. Try a different one. They're $4 on eBay.

Reoze

I have two adapters, two cables hooked up to breadboards, and my accessport. They all exhibit the same behavior. It's definitely the socket itself. I guess I may as well just bite the bullet and repin it.

Maxwell Brisendine

hi I bought an rx8 for my first car in San Diego I had it for a week no engine light everything was cool now it won't start what do I do sounds like it just won't turn over all the way I've posted a link to what it sounds like when I try to start it

RotaryMachineRx

iTrader: (1)

It could be a number of different things but if it is the original starter they are a known weak spot on the 04-08's. From your video it sure doesn't sound like the engine is turning over at the right RPM so that's my best guess.

IamFodi

iTrader: (1)

Had the same thought.

gwilliams6

https://www.walmart.com/ip/OEM-12V-S...0271/186582984

If you need a starter, this is the latest OEM starter (third generation), same as came in series 2 RX8s 2009-2012 ,but no worry, it is a direct fit into any RX8 2004-2012. I bought it and put it into my 2008 RX8 and it is super.

It is made by Mitsubishi for Mazda, and Walmart has it new at a very reasonable price, much less than a dealer would want. Get it new and not a refurbished one. I bought mine online and had it shipped free to my house, (but you could have it shipped to your local Walmart for pickup,at no extra cost). Then I had my dealer install it at same time he was putting in a new front O2 sensor, with no hassles from them at all. About one hours' labor to install.

Any decent car wrench or you could install it.

Starting the Engine
• Starter
• Battery
• Engine Compression
• Grounding Wires
• Ignition Coils
• Spark Plugs
• Spark Plug Wires
• Fuel Pump
• Fuel Injectors

Lilshane Allen

This may be kind of long.

So car was running fine until throw out bearing went out. So i changed all clutch components and battery ended up being done for also then starter and then wasnt getting soark so i did full tune up now getting a crank sensor code i know thats the ess but ive changed it for different times and i still get the code. My leads wont spark unless i do the 20 break stomp reset and clear clode with my scanner but then inky ine strong spark. I have also tried deflooding. I love this car but im at a loss on it right now.

p.s. all thoughts and ideas are welcome.

RotaryMachineRx

iTrader: (1)

What does a full tune up consist of?

Lilshane Allen

new plugs wires coil packs air filter and oil change.

mazdafan1892

So...I curently have remote start installed in my Rx-8and over the last couple of months once every now and then I will accidently shut the car off cold. I KNOW its not good and can lead to flooding. I try my best not to have that happen. But it usually happens at work versus at home. At work it can happen as I am leaving my job which is like 2-3 hours after my lunch break. It happened yesterday and I noticed even though I accidentally shut it off cold, the car still heated up quickly(less than 10 min, more like 5) indicating that it may have been still warm after my lunch break. But I have had the accident of shutting it off cold at home before too. I have had to pay for 2 defloods but that was with my old engine. I just had a new engine( I know not 100% new) installed from the dealer about a year or so ago. How often is that happen to you guys and is it okay at all?

The other thing is I noticed on the highway is, every couple of days I redline the car just to keep it healthy. Recommend by the dealership (drive it like you stole it, right?) 2 Things; First I feel a pull, that acceleration when I hit the gas just right from 3-4000 rpm, and it goes all the way up to 7-8 rpm nicely. Sometimes I hit the gas and it accelerates slowly but not like with the pull. If you know what I mean? But when it does pull and I feel that super speed of acceleration I hear a whistle coming from the car. What the heck could that be? I think its only in motion. I don't think I hear that when the car is redlind when stationary. Also the biggest thing that bugs me, is it natural for me to stop feeling the pull at around 7.5rmps rpms-ish and not after at like at 8-9? The odemeter still goes to redline but the pull is not there as it dies down, even though I floor the gas pedal. Btw its an automatic unfortunately.

Thanks

UnknownJinX

A healthy engine shouldn't flood easily. When were your coils and plugs last replaced? What are the engine compression numbers?

With the acceleration, my guess is the AT shift logic. It depends on your current speed; if the computer thinks it's not good to downshift(your current speed will be close or exceeding the redline with the lower gear), it won't. No point to downshift just to shift again after another ~5 mph. Pretty normal, my Accord would downkick to 1st(redlines at 40 mph) if I floor it below 25 mph, but will stay in 2nd above that.

When does the whining happen? Does it happen when you are going fast? Could be wind noise, could be other things.

Your peak power comes out close to redline(I think about 250-500 RPM before it) and goes down from there. Pretty normal for internal combustion engines, piston or rotary.

I wouldn't go too rough on the AT, btw, unless you have some extra cooling mods for it. Heat degrades auto trans oil and hurts ATs. Just upshift at the 7.5k RPM, definitely upshift when you feel the first fuel cut. You are not making any more power at 8k RPM(which I think is the fuel cut for an AT), you are just cooking your torque converter.

IamFodi

iTrader: (1)

1. Can't speak to how often the car floods (my car is a Series 2 and manual), but I'd think flooding would greatly accelerate wear on everything. All that fuel is going to eat away at the oil films in the engine, and then it'll get dumped into the catalytic converter. Neither of those is good.

2. The instrument that counts RPMs is called a tachometer (a.k.a. "tach"). The odometer counts the number of miles you've driven.

3. Automatics redline at 7.5k. Fuel cut might be a bit higher (I don't know), and the tach might show a bit higher than that (mine is optimistic), but it should never exceed like 8k unless you have an aftermarket tune that raised the redline.

4. Assuming you have a Series 1 car: If you DO have an aftermarket tune with a raised redline, you shouldn't expect much power above 7k, because the fact that it's automatic means it has a 4-port engine. Those won't make much power at higher RPMs.


No idea on the whining sound.

By the way, it's best not to redline the car when it's stationary. It's not fatal, but don't make a habit of it.

mazdafan1892

Thank for the reply, I want to say the coils, wires and plugs are fairly new, either this year or last year. I want to say this year. But I know as a maintenance thing they are some thing to keep an eye on. Before I replaced the engine they would go bad more often than usual. Last time I had the compression checked it was good. They recently did a recall for the fuel pump and replaced the wiring harness too. I also heard this sound since I had the oil ventilation kit put it. It may be that. I will call and check with them.


What you both mentioned makes alot of sense. Somewhere someone mentioned to me its best to Redline before shutting off. The dealership stressed taking it out and beating the crap out of it like at least once a week. I do the best I can. The more I learn about how to properly use it, the more I want to drive like a madman lol. Trying to be safe though and not get a ticket. I will tell you that it handles best on the side roads versus the highway. One more thing about multiple redlines, there was a recall for redlining causing heat and starting an engine fire. Mazda addressed this but I wondering if its still a possibility. For the whistle sound I think it may be coming from the ventilation kit but I think it may also the throttle body. I have not cleaned that in a while. I cleaned the MAF sensor over the last couple of years but the throttle its been a while. Also I never cleaned the throttle sensor. So many things to monitor.


Thanks both for the quick responses. I am sure I will have more dumb questions.

IamFodi

iTrader: (1)

That's a bit extreme.

There's an idea out there that if you give it a quick burst of revs, let it run down, and then shut it off before it gets back to idle, that helps somehow. I'm not sure about that, but either way you don't need to redline it. 4k or 5k should be plenty.


Well yeah. This car is about handling, not going fast in a straight line.

sick_six

So i have a swap question- i have an 05 rx8 and am ready to make the 13b jump-does it have to be a 13b-rew or can i use a series 2?
Also- wanted to know about how to run the front cover on the swap.
Anything and everything to help make this as straight forward of a swap would be highly appreciated thank you

200.mph

iTrader: (9)

theres threads that will answer all these questions.

gwilliams6

Quote:
Originally Posted by mazdafan1892
Somewhere someone mentioned to me its best to Redline before shutting off.

It was somewhat widely thought in the early years of the RX8 that redlining before shutoff would put a thin coat of oil on the internal engine parts before shutdown. Even saw it in a vid by a British Mazda Car dealer about proper RX8 shutdown. .

Never been proven that it helps in engine longevity or means less wear on next startup, so this advice faded into history.

Nisaja

Can a series 2 water pump fit a series 1?

PleaseW84myRX8

I have a couple of questions:

Everything is for the right side of the car, other than the hub question. After changing my brakes, I got a knock. Can't pin point if it is tie rod, end link, or control arm related. Was even told by one mechanic it is my brake pads (Carbotech) as they were "too small." Not sure but I'm going to fix the arms and such first. It is in my budget to replace all three, so I think I'm going to and just ease my mind. Car is dedicated track.

Tie rod; should I be doing the inner, as well as the outer? Since I'm there, should it be done or does the inner last much longer than the outer? The only tie rods for "racing" I see are from Megan Racing. Are these decent? RX7club seems to dislike them, but it is all from drifters, which I don't do. Or should I stick with factory parts? Are they lighter? Stronger? Benefits to using them vs factory?

Control arm; (are these called camber arms, too?) I can't seem to find a front control arm for competition purposes. Do they make them, anymore? I see a rear control arm bracket, but nothing for the front (again, Megan product). The rear doesn't need to be done, but are the Megan Racing ones pretty good? Recommendations on the front?

Hub assembly. On the LEFT side of the car, I noticed the hub is grinding and making quite a bit of noise and is pretty stiff. Looks quite rusted, too, which is weird because the right is in great condition. So I want to replace that, too. Are there any hub parts designed for competition for the rx8? I see some OEM designed parts from Timken and Beck Arnley. Moog and Centric claim to make a premium replacement. I know a lot of RX-8 parts are pretty good already, so wasn't sure what I should be looking at here. Centric tends to charge a mark up on pretty standard parts, though, so I am hesitant to use them. Suggestions on performance upgrades or just stick with OEM and go with one of the 4 above?

wankelbolt

iTrader: (21)

Unfortunately, no.

Need more input on "knock". Consistent with rotation? Only over bumps? Have you nut-n-bolted (torqued) all the nuts and bolts? I've heard of camber bolts coming loose. Maybe you didn't tighten the caliper or caliper mounting bracket bolts. I have a knocking and scraping yesterday, one of my caliper bolts went missing and the caliper was flopping around and machining my wheel. Don't know if I forgot to tighten it or it worked loose.

As for the rest of your questions: Join MAZDASPEED Motorsports if you haven't already and use factory parts. Replace them when they wear out. They are very good and strong and Mazdacomp sells them to enthusiasts for cheap. I have thousands of on-track miles on my car and the only wear-related failure so far is a front hub. Speaking of hubs, use the factory front hubs. I don't think (but I don't know) any of the "premium" aftermarkets are any better, but they are going to be more expensive vs. Mazdacomp.

PleaseW84myRX8

The caliper and the assembly are all tightened pretty good. I torqued them all to 15-25 pending on the bolt. I took it apart 3 or 4 times to try and figure it out on different days with no play in the bolts. Took it to two mechanics, one said it was the brake pad being too small, another mechanic said he had no idea and he couldn't find the problem. Had the car for 3 hours with no luck. Called Carbotech and they said that I shouldn't be getting much brake squeal (I'm getting a ton) and they suspect I should use a brake shim and plate, but otherwise I shouldn't be getting knocking from the brake pad.

I can hear a knock when I go over bumps, big or small. I also get a knock when I turn the wheel quickly. I was actually under the car yesterday for an unrelated matter and did a quick wiggle (I suspect it is the tie rod but I can't recreate the noise without driving it and having the weight of the car on it). Still can't figure it out so I'll just replace a bunch of stuff and have piece of mind.

Thanks for that site. I'll do that right now.

wankelbolt

iTrader: (21)

There are about 34 other nuts/bolts in the front suspension. Have you torqued those? Not getting the knock just from rotation suggests to me it's not the pads. If it was, light brake application should make it go away/prevent it. Can't always trust paid mechanics to be thorough enough to find problems IMHO, no matter how many hours they have it for.

Depending a little on which Carbotech pads you have, they are going to squeal.

PleaseW84myRX8

I only torqued the ones I ended up working on and the ones with the endlinks. I didn't touch the bolt on the tie rod, but I can check next I'm underneath. Not sure why I didn't think to check that. I just wacked the assembly with a rubber mallet and tried shifting it around.

Nisaja

So I’m helping a friend out. The car is a 2003. The battery died from leaving the OBD2 plugged in. After jump starting it, the car won’t accelerate it starts, but it won’t accelerate. We took it to an iffy mechanic and he said it’s the alternator. I don’t trust him. Can a bad battery or a bad alternator cause this?

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

What's the battery voltage when it's running? Shut off?

most likely reason is that it is in limp mode. Did you check codes?