HP+ pads lasted you 3 years? They typically lasted me 3 track days.

They can be obnoxiously loud--especially after being overheated. Mine would sound like a foghorn had an alien love child with a school bus after a trip to the track.

You can quiet them down some by cleaning and regreasing them. Burnishing the friction surface with 60 grit sandpaper helps too.

Do yourself a favor and check out Carbotech pads next time. They last longer, are easier on rotors, are quieter, and are BETTER in every regard. Sure, they cost a little more, but they are well worth it.

 

HP+ pads squeal when they are cold. They are not intended to be driven on the street. Changing front pads takes less than 30 minutes. Rear pads are a little harder but a $40 tool makes them about 30-40 minutes too. Don't get grease anywhere near the pads. I still drive them on the street sometimes because I like to see other driver's reactions.

If they are squealing on the track, they aren't hot enough. You may be braking too early, too lightly (or not going fast enough!). Try braking HARD at your same braking point. You'll have to let off and "coast" to the corner, but that's safe. Gradually move your braking point forward until you can brake HARD and be at just the right speed for corner entry.

Steve Dallas, if you were only getting 3 days from a set of HP+, overheating them, and chewing up rotors, you are either Mario Andretti or doing it wrong. I get closer to a dozen days on a set and have been running the same rotors for the last three sets. I have a half-dozen new rotors languishing in a corner because I thought for-sure I'd be going through them like the Pope goes through holy water.

 

Remember, we're getting information at-best, 3rd Hand. From the dealer tech, to the service manager, to mazdafan1982, to us. Even with a principaled and competent technician working on it, the accuracy of exactly what's going on in reality is still questionable.
He was told one or two pages back (and apparently a few thousand dollars ago) that the goo on his dip-stick and oil fill cap was almost certainly condensation. And IIRC, a change of caps was in order.

 

Hawk markets HP+ as a hybrid pad that can be used for street, autoX, and track. A lot of people actually believe it. I did until I tried it.

I apply a very thin layer Permatex ceramic high temperature brake grease between the shims and pads when I use shims. It greatly helps with the noise, but typically has to be replaced after every track day. Since one should inspect his brakes after every track day for safety concerns, it is no big deal to do this. Just don't apply too much. You don't want it squeezing out and getting on other brake parts.

I have found that once you overheat a set of HP+, they are loud at any temperature no matter your braking technique. They are some of the loudest pads I have ever used. And it is possible to overheat them in the bedding process if you are aggressive with it and don't cool them back down properly.

There was a bit of hyperbole in that statement, but it all depends on the track in question. I was going through them pretty quickly at Eagle's Canyon, but it is basically a series of linked drag strips separated by U turns. No brakes survive very long out there.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ea...4f0208!6m1!1e1

 

Awesome..thanks for the insight!

 

I believe so. I have to double check that they changed the hoses but there were leaks so I will have to check with them but everything else yes.

 

Hey I have a 07 rx8 that has 82000 on it and just recently started misfire the code given was P0301 ethier a lean air fuel ration weak ignitor or vacum leak on one cylinder now the car starts a little rough until it warms up and then runs just fine any idea that could help me narrow this down would be appreciated

 

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-tec...t-here-222280/

 

Steve Dallas and Wankelbolt, thanks for the help. I'll look at Carbotech.

 

Here is a dumb question, if a car isnt in warranty, no warranties and there are recalls on it, is the dealership suppose to fix those recalls anyway for free?

 

recalls yes, TSBs no

 

TSBs?

 

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-tro...letins-183774/

 

Same thing happened to my 06.
It was a short coming from the third brake light. Check to see if yours is still working. In my case there was a break on the wires from opening and closing the trunk in extremely cold weather
(I guess) I really can't see any other possibility. I simply tested the to see where the power stopped. There was power all the way to the brake light plug
By the left rear taillight, but nothing beyond that. I chopped the wires at both ends of the plugs and crimped new ones.
Never happened again. Then I took my right hand placed it over my shoulder and gave myself a pat on the back.😎

Best of luck, let us know how it goes!

 

Technical Service Bulletins.

Sort of in-house "heads-up" paper sent to dealership service departments. As I understand it, they didn't call owners, but if the car came in with any warranty issue or scheduled service, they would check it for any issues related to the bulletins and typically make changes/repairs without charge.

 

Am I the only one whos headlights cook like crazy? My parents have headlights on their car, a different car not Mazda and they barely never have to clean the headlights. What is the outer plastic part I am cleaning every week called and can I get a pair that doesnt turn yellow?

 

I completely sanded mine down trying to get another 10k out of them. They were never taken care of before I got the car and now they have cracks and all that good stuff that warrants a replacement. But I sanded them down and sprayed clear coat on them and wax them with every wash and wax I give the car. The clear coat is slightly funky looking, as though there is a slight layer of "something" on the light, but it is clear and the yellow is gone. I used a clear coat spray with UV resistance, no yellowing, safe for plastic.

 

Idk if this is a stupid question but i am about to install a catch can on my 05 and from reading all the forums i know you disconnect the oil hose from the intake and connect it to the can. With the vacuum hose, do you disconnect from the intake and connect to the can then cap off the intake? I just wasn't certain. Once you disconnect the oil hose from the intake, do u cap off your intake as well? I have the weapon r dragon intake.

 

This. I actually followed the ChrisFix video on headlight restoration to the letter on both the 8 and my Eclipse...both sets look brand new.

Before and after shots from the Eclipse (they were the worst):





Before





After - not totally dry clear

 

remove the hose between the vent and the intake. Install new hose from the vent to catch can (the one that has a hose attached to it (if applicable) ). And the other hole in the can gets connected back to the intake. FI applications may have a slightly different catch can set up. Ive seen some with two nipples and filter and others more elaborate that resemble the under side of a cow, but to each his own. If your 8 is N/A it should still be plugged into the intake VIA the catch can. You will actually lose power by venting it to the atmosphere. Crankcase vacuum is your friend.

 

Thanks! I ended up just attaching the oil breather to the can and kept the vacuum hoses on the intake. It just seemed easier and less to worry about, thanks!

 

Howcome my 2004 rx8 At doesn't run 0-60 in 6ish seconds... its more like 8.4...

 

The 0 to 60 times that are published by any manufacturer are typically obtained in ideal conditions (i.e. temperature, surface, tires etc.) and by a professional driver shifting at the optimum time with a new and perfectly tuned car and using instrumentation chosen to yield the best results. Even then, they're probably fudged a little. A driver may make 10 runs and you can bet they'll take the fastest time, not an average.
Your car is now over a decade old. Even if maintained properly, as with any car it's probably lost a little power over those years.

 

OMG what a nightmare, the fuel pump was a problem, Mazda did a smoke test and its leaking somewhere, it needs to be replaced. Thats just after replacing the radiator and the coolant resivior. Hopefully no more repairs for a while.

 

I have some rattle in my passenger door mirror. Does anyone know how to remove it? I'm looking at the speakers on the inside and thinking I need to remove that first. But I can't seem to pull on it without feeling like something is about to break. Need to get inside the mirror housing to determine what is causing the rattle.


Video walk through by chance?