API Service GL-4 or GL-5 (SAE 75W-90) is what is recommended for the manual trans and API Service GL-5 (SAE 80W-90) for the rear differential. I am not familiar with that brand so I can't say if it is good stuff or not.

 

Thank you! Brand aside, wouldn't this being a single grade oil be an issue?

 

^ Not where you live. An 80W or 90W single grade GL-5 should be fine. Be sure it contains the needed friction modifiers for an LSD if you have one.

 

Make sure you get a filter that can filter small particles. K&Ns cannot without that oil and sometimes not at all. If you have a turbo, it isn't as big a deal, but the oil passages in the RX8 in the rotors are CRITICAL that they stay clean. Mazda really did put some of their soul into that air filter. I would stick with OEM, or what your dealer recommends.

You can be a good customer and buy from them or you can get their recommendations and shop around, but remember, if your loyal you usually get slack with that RAPE!!!!! bill comes that is like 900 bones. (At least with my experience with GOOD dealers)

For good measure I usually take my filter out very carefully and vac the air side not the engine side every once in a blue moon if I am working on the car. It prevents a problem later, but also is a good check for HOLY **** HOW DID I GET A DAMN BIRD IN THIS INTAKE!

 

Ah perfect, thanks a bunch!

 

Yea I meant strut bar but half way through the question i started saying sway

 

Thank you Steve. And for non LSD diffs, it doesn't need to have the friction modifiers?

Thank you so much for the detailed response. Yes I've heard the K&N filter is bad and the stock paper filter is the best. Which is why I went and bought that OEM filter. It looks exactly like the genuine filter, but it's white. The filter in my car is pink

The filter I got is from a company called Vic. Heard of it? It's made in Japan. I've attached a few pics of it. The dealer said this is an OEM replacement made to perform exactly like the genuine filter, so it should be good yeah?

 

Here comes a stupid question I want an rx8 for my dd but I don't have a garage I have a parking spot but not a garage, I have a place that I can fix it but every night and day it will be exposed to the weather I plan on cleaning it as much as possible and keeping good care but I've hear that rust can be bad on mazdas, should I be worried about tht, and could tht effect performance, and what should I maybe change out regularly

 

It doesn't snow in Louisiana much during winter, but it rains and it's humid

 

Where have you heard that Mazda's are bad for rust? Of course you get some bad eggs in a basket, but they're no more susceptible to rust than any other vehicle manufacturer.
Just do a detailed check prior to purchase and clean regularly, like you would any other car.

Also, have you read the new and potential owners sticky?

 

What is the rust stuff you speak of?

 

There are a lot of rust complaints, but those are mostly from the snow belt and DDs.
The salt and brine snow melting compounds used on the roads are very corrosive.
I don't drive mine in the winter if it snows, or if the roads are wet from runoff.
My old 4WD pickup that I've been driving in winter is rusting out terribly.

 

I've heard that mazdas from early 2000s have bad steal so the bottoms rust bad idk maybe I'm thinking about the 90s

 

Bro I just said this will be my daily driver and be exposed to rain should I be worried

 

Key word is SNOW.
Just clean it regularly and check for rust. If you want to put your mind at ease, take it in for professional rust proofing. Google that, as I won't explain it here.

 

Get it professionally rust proofed, and/or look for one with the rust proofing already on it. The original owner of mine got it rust proofed, and it has only a little bit of rust in a few spots after daily driving in new england snow and rain for 5 years, 125,000 miles.

By contrast, my MSM has significantly more rust starting to show up, after only 2 winters of PA snow driving and more like 50,000 miles of DD.

Both 2005s.

Rust proofing works.

 

I thought it was apparent.
I specified corrosive road treatment for snow as an issue.
I suppose I should have specifically said rain is fine.

 

No but you specify that you don't drive it daily and that you put it in a garage, so I was just making sure sorry,... It's been a long day and I'm chilling with friends so idk if I'm even quoting the right person

 

See I wasn't sure as you say rust is from dd so I was confused but it never snows here so thanks yall

 

What is the fluid pan next to the CAT? It is behind the oil pan and I accidentally drained it instead of the oil....new car guy here. I am thinking maybe it's the Trans fluid? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

Likely, what color of the fluid that came out?

 

It was more of a brown but II now know it is the tranny fluid. My set up looks a lot different than the DIYs I have found on here, so think I found the fill plug but haven't gotten it off yet. Just want to make sure I am spending time taking off the bolt I need to so I'm not wasting any more time .

I am pretty sure it is the one on the upper left but not sure.

 

Facing the front of the car, the oil drain plug is on the left side of the oil pan. The one to it's right with the wires is the sensor. The bolt uses a 19mm socket.

 

Trying to help out a friend here guys. So the car's rear keeps hitting the bump stops with 3 or more people in. After doing some reading, it seems that the rear shocks are blown. Digging further in this site, the best OEM replacement shocks seem to be KYB Gas-A-Justs.

Now, what's needed to get these Gas-A-Justs? The stock shocks have a sticker on with the numbers "FE92 28 700". I read on another thread about a guy getting these KYBs, and he said the part number was "551116". Would giving these numbers to the KYB agent enough to get the right shocks? The car came with standard suspension btw. The OEM brand Tokico is said to be noticeably cheaper than KYB here. Anyone know the part numbers for OEM replacement Tokicos or KYBs? Greatly appreciated.

 

Dumb question but I don't know much about suspension. There is a new road close to where I live and I feel every small dip in the road to the point where my front end is constantly bouncing up an down, a small amount at least under 6 inches. The suspension on my car is stock and I don't see anything wrong with the struts or springs all around.

Also this only happens on the new road, there is an older road that connects to it and I get no bouncing on that road so could it just be the road and my car is fine?