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Old 07-17-2022, 02:47 PM
  #7726  
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SmallMonk22:
RX8 Club’s recommended maintenance schedule, more comprehensive and proactive than Mazda’s schedule.

30,000 miles:
- Replace Ignition coils
- Replace Plug wires
- Replace Spark plugs
- Clean MAF (mass air flow sensor)
- Clean ESS (e-shaft sensor)
- Reset ESS profile
- Clean power steering connections
- Clean battery terminals and clamps
- Replace transmission fluid
- Replace coolant (Mazda FL-22 is highly recommended)
- Replace air filter
- Replace brake fluid (fluid in the brake lines AND the clutch line)
~$300 USD in parts if you shop smartly.


every 60,000:
...all 30,000, plus...
- Clean all chassis electrical grounding points
- Replace accessory belts
- Clean OMP lines
- Replace rear differential fluid
- Replace thermostat
- Clean / Straighten AC condenser fins
- Clean / Straighten oil cooler fins
- Inspect catalytic converter
- Clean / Inspect intake valving
- Consider / inspect all points in 90,000+ as well, many items fail early
~$130 USD in parts if you shop smartly.

90,000:
...all 30,000, plus any 60,000 not yet done, plus...
- Replace coolant bottle
- Replace radiator hoses
- Replace radiator
- Replace front O2 sensor
- Replace motor mounts
- Inspect clutch pedal assembly for flex / weld breaks
~$900 USD in parts if you shop smartly.

At 100k, anything original in the cooling system and an original cat is really suspect and failure prone. It represents the biggest threats to your engine.

Last edited by gwilliams6; 07-18-2022 at 01:39 PM.
Old 07-25-2022, 10:37 AM
  #7727  
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Hi, bought an rx8 this feb, with a few mods done to it but im wondering about a few things. Firstly its been said that aftermarket intakes with very few exceptions will cause loss of power and/or problems. This one came with a k&n typhoon and i was wondering what kind of impact that had on the performance if anyone else has had that specific one. Another thing is that the car came with a full turbox catback exhaust, but when i go to the turbox website the exhaust has titanium tips and the one in my car doesnt. Nowhere on their site is there one without the titanium tips, but there are some on other websites. There's a few other things here and there but im mostly curious about these two.
Old 07-25-2022, 01:49 PM
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1. Almost all aftermarket intakes on this car are downgrades from stock
2. The K&N Typhoon is particularly awful

I'd replace the Typhoon with stock ASAP.
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Old 07-25-2022, 02:06 PM
  #7729  
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Was thinking of buying the mazdaspeed one, since it was recommended in the new owner thread.
Old 07-25-2022, 02:26 PM
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Originally Posted by PatchedNoir
Was thinking of buying the mazdaspeed one, since it was recommended in the new owner thread.
Or that.
Old 07-25-2022, 07:44 PM
  #7731  
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Odd compression numbers after rebuild

I just rebuilt my Renesis and it wont run. It can be kept alive after a tow start but it doesn’t feel right doing so. An at home compression test gave me the following results:

Front rotor: 60,60,50
Rear rotor: 60,39,49

my question is why would I be getting low compression on only two faces of the rotor? I reused housings and the rear was gouged a little, but within spec according to FSM. Even so, wouldn’t a bad housing affect all three of the numbers evenly?
Old 07-26-2022, 09:10 AM
  #7732  
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Originally Posted by PatchedNoir
Hi, bought an rx8 this feb, with a few mods done to it but im wondering about a few things. Firstly its been said that aftermarket intakes with very few exceptions will cause loss of power and/or problems. This one came with a k&n typhoon and i was wondering what kind of impact that had on the performance if anyone else has had that specific one. Another thing is that the car came with a full turbox catback exhaust, but when i go to the turbox website the exhaust has titanium tips and the one in my car doesnt. Nowhere on their site is there one without the titanium tips, but there are some on other websites. There's a few other things here and there but im mostly curious about these two.
Ditch the Typhoon, it will lose you power. Only the AEM/Mazdaspeed CAI or Racing Beat CAI are any good and will give a modest boost. I have had the Mazdaspeed CAI on my 2008 40th Anniversary Edition RX8 since 2008. It is exactly the same part as the AEM CAI.

Rotary Performance in Garland, Texas (near Dallas) makes a great performance cat/exhaust that adds power and will pass all emission tests. I have one and it is super. Give them a call about it, as it isn't listed online.
https://rotaryperformance.com/

Cheers

Last edited by gwilliams6; 07-26-2022 at 09:18 AM.
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Old 07-26-2022, 09:11 AM
  #7733  
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Originally Posted by IamFodi
Or that.
Good to see my old Philly buddy IamFodi still in here, cheers
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Old 07-26-2022, 09:34 AM
  #7734  
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Thanks I appreciate the advice, I'll check out the exhaust and see if it's better than what I'm rocking right now
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Old 09-05-2022, 03:49 PM
  #7735  
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Alright everyone feel free to call me a dummy, I myself wasn’t thinking straight. So there was a slight squeak every time I pushed down my clutch, just replaced the pilot bearing, clutch, pressure plate, and throw out bearing but the squeak is still there when I press the pedal and depress. Figured it was the actual pedal so I sprayed WD-40 around the pedal and I believe some have gone into the hole the pedal feeds into(I believe that’s the master clutch cylinder). Anyway now the pedal won’t come back up completely from the floor and I believe it may have something to do with wd-40 down there SMH. Here’s the question: What does I need to replace now? I purchased a slave cylinder but it made little sense to me seeing as I didn’t spray that but could be anything I suppose. Haven’t driven the car since this incident, stayed parked in my garage. Help!
Old 09-05-2022, 07:26 PM
  #7736  
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WD40 can cause rubber to swell, if ingested into the master cylinder, the seal inside of it could fail.
Old 09-06-2022, 05:01 AM
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Did you confirm it wasn’t just a broken clutch pedal bracket? It seems pretty common for the welds to break. Causes it to squeak and sometimes get stuck.

=Scarlet Speedster;4972485]Alright everyone feel free to call me a dummy, I myself wasn’t thinking straight. So there was a slight squeak every time I pushed down my clutch, just replaced the pilot bearing, clutch, pressure plate, and throw out bearing but the squeak is still there when I press the pedal and depress. Figured it was the actual pedal so I sprayed WD-40 around the pedal and I believe some have gone into the hole the pedal feeds into(I believe that’s the master clutch cylinder). Anyway now the pedal won’t come back up completely from the floor and I believe it may have something to do with wd-40 down there SMH. Here’s the question: What does I need to replace now? I purchased a slave cylinder but it made little sense to me seeing as I didn’t spray that but could be anything I suppose. Haven’t driven the car since this incident, stayed parked in my garage. Help![/QUOTE]
Old 10-13-2022, 09:58 PM
  #7738  
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Hi guys, so i am trying to determine if i can swap mounts from the left to right (interchangeable?)

And if there is any difference between auto, manual, 4 speed, 6 speed and year?

my research is a bit inconclusive

https://www.rx8club.com/new-member-f...mounts-271720/

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-tro...geable-260067/

Any suggestions?
Old 10-21-2022, 01:46 PM
  #7739  
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Balanced rotors/shaft

Hello to you people.
I’m approaching the time for a rebuild in the next year. Found an engine rebuild fellow locally with a good reputation.
My question:
is spending the extra money having the rotating assembly balanced worth the extra money and effort?
I daily drive my 8 with a few track days thrown in recently. At the track I’m not going for times, just trying to become smooth and learn something. Typically I shift around 8200 when pushing things. Is rotor wobble an issue at this point? I want a reliable engine and will spend the extra if it makes sense. Not interested in doing this twice in a short time frame.
Old 10-21-2022, 02:51 PM
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Originally Posted by Meat Head
Hello to you people.
I’m approaching the time for a rebuild in the next year. Found an engine rebuild fellow locally with a good reputation.
My question:
is spending the extra money having the rotating assembly balanced worth the extra money and effort?
I daily drive my 8 with a few track days thrown in recently. At the track I’m not going for times, just trying to become smooth and learn something. Typically I shift around 8200 when pushing things. Is rotor wobble an issue at this point? I want a reliable engine and will spend the extra if it makes sense. Not interested in doing this twice in a short time frame.
Why not buy direct from Mazda?

If it were my engine, and if I had to go for an independent rebuild for whatever reason, I'd take every credible balancing add-on they offered. Vibration is an engine killer.
Old 10-21-2022, 05:00 PM
  #7741  
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Originally Posted by IamFodi
Why not buy direct from Mazda?

If it were my engine, and if I had to go for an independent rebuild for whatever reason, I'd take every credible balancing add-on they offered. Vibration is an engine killer.
Mazda direct reman engine is $6600. They didn’t state what parts are new and the reman isn’t one of the new builds from Japan. Local fellow does all the right new parts like housings for about the same price. If I’m to get balanced rotating assembly it needs to be sent away first and supplied to the builder so I have to source these parts prior to starting.
Old 10-24-2022, 06:05 AM
  #7742  
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Balancing the rotating assembly never made sense to me. The rotors aren't spinning around with the shaft like they do when balancing. They are being pushed in and out by the lobe and spinning at like half the speed of the crank.
Old 10-24-2022, 06:19 AM
  #7743  
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Originally Posted by Meat Head
Mazda direct reman engine is $6600. They didn’t state what parts are new and the reman isn’t one of the new builds from Japan. Local fellow does all the right new parts like housings for about the same price. If I’m to get balanced rotating assembly it needs to be sent away first and supplied to the builder so I have to source these parts prior to starting.
I have no knowledge of it, but if you can afford it, why not?
Can't hurt, right?
Old 10-24-2022, 08:42 AM
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Originally Posted by Red line envy
Balancing the rotating assembly never made sense to me. The rotors aren't spinning around with the shaft like they do when balancing. They are being pushed in and out by the lobe and spinning at like half the speed of the crank.
If you're balancing the rotating assembly per se, that'd include the e-shaft, no?
Old 10-24-2022, 09:35 AM
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Originally Posted by IamFodi
If you're balancing the rotating assembly per se, that'd include the e-shaft, no?
If I do this it would be rotors and the e-shaft [edit and counter weight] (unless flywheel/clutch should be included - still learning). The extra cost of sourcing these parts aren’t part of the exchange so the cost is climbing. That’s what I’m trying to assess, is the extra cost worth it? Does a balanced engine run that much better?

Last edited by Meat Head; 10-24-2022 at 10:35 AM.
Old 10-24-2022, 10:49 AM
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Originally Posted by Meat Head
If I do this it would be rotors and the e-shaft [edit and counter weight] (unless flywheel/clutch should be included - still learning).
Ideally everything that rotates should be included. The more, the better.

Originally Posted by Meat Head
The extra cost of sourcing these parts aren’t part of the exchange so the cost is climbing. That’s what I’m trying to assess, is the extra cost worth it? Does a balanced engine run that much better?
The thing with balancing is that you never know how much better it'd be until after the balancing is done. It's necessary because there are random variations in each part. Your engine could have significant variations and thus benefit greatly from balancing – or it might come together with parts that turn out to be perfectly matched and need no extra work. No way to tell until it's spun up and measured.

How much is your vendor charging you to rebuild your engine? And I'm assuming the price you mentioned for a new Mazda engine was in CAD, yeah?
Old 10-24-2022, 11:41 AM
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Originally Posted by IamFodi
Ideally everything that rotates should be included. The more, the better.


The thing with balancing is that you never know how much better it'd be until after the balancing is done. It's necessary because there are random variations in each part. Your engine could have significant variations and thus benefit greatly from balancing – or it might come together with parts that turn out to be perfectly matched and need no extra work. No way to tell until it's spun up and measured.

How much is your vendor charging you to rebuild your engine? And I'm assuming the price you mentioned for a new Mazda engine was in CAD, yeah?
I made bold the root of my question. My answer was there before asking and thanks for your input. It helps me clarify.

The $6600 quoted by the dealer for a replacement engine is CAD. It’s the easy button solution with too many unknown details in the build. I haven’t come to a final quote from the engine builder since details aren’t final due to me researching. Balanced parts would be supplied to him prior to assembly.
Old 11-13-2022, 10:51 AM
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Engine died with fuel low light on but not empty.

My sister borrowed my car this past summer and it died on her. She said the engine died over and over again. I went to pick her up and call a tow truck as well. When I got there, it seemed to be OK even though I only drove about 25mph. Towed my car back home. Next day it drove fine. Then it happened to me a few weeks ago just as she described. Engine died even at low RPMs over and over again.

The only similarities I could remember were that my low fuel light was on (but I'm pretty sure I still had plenty of fuel) and that the engine was warm from driving at least 20 minutes. In both cases, I was able to start the car the next day, get gas, and then everything seemed to be OK.

Any ideas? Thanks.
Old 11-13-2022, 11:59 AM
  #7749  
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Originally Posted by ningja
My sister borrowed my car this past summer and it died on her. She said the engine died over and over again. I went to pick her up and call a tow truck as well. When I got there, it seemed to be OK even though I only drove about 25mph. Towed my car back home. Next day it drove fine. Then it happened to me a few weeks ago just as she described. Engine died even at low RPMs over and over again.

The only similarities I could remember were that my low fuel light was on (but I'm pretty sure I still had plenty of fuel) and that the engine was warm from driving at least 20 minutes. In both cases, I was able to start the car the next day, get gas, and then everything seemed to be OK.

Any ideas? Thanks.
The fuel pump could be failing.
Check to see if the fuel ring
recall was done, if not let the dealer check it out.
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Old 11-15-2022, 03:42 PM
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sounds like the classic symptoms of Series One fuel pump failure. Have the recall done if not done already. When a dying pump gets warm it will shut down, then after it cools off it will work enough for a while. I solved this issue with a change to a Series Two fuel pump, a different pump with different construction and improved performance.

A key is how old is the pump and is it an original OEM series one fuel pump. If it is an original series one fuel pump, it is long past its life expectancy.

Cheers

Last edited by gwilliams6; 11-15-2022 at 03:46 PM.
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