Hi, RX-8 Newbie here, just got mine. I have noticed a few things I wanted to ask about before I did something dumb and damaged the car.

1. I live in Chicago and the weather here is generally awful (cold). I drove it around for a while this morning picking some friends up, but when I got back the coolant needle was about four notches behind the mid-line. I knew I should keep it on to warm it up, but after a few minutes on idle it wasn't moving. I tried revving the engine in neutral a bit, and it jumped a notch but than fell back down. I eventually had to turn it off but I know I shouldn't have. Any suggestions??

2. When I turned it on this morning, without going near the gas pedal it revved to
about 2.5k RPM and slowly fell down. I was in neutral so I didn't go anywhere but I was wondering is this normal or should I have it checked out??

Falken

 

Normal. The engine needs a high idle at cold temps. There is also a (4000?) rev limit for the first minute or so.

S

 

1) if the enegine hasn't reach normal operation temperature, but has reached near it, before you turn the engine off, rev up to like 6k for 1.5 seconds, then like let it die down, you will hear popping sound from exhaust (excessive fuel being burned off) then you should be safe to turn it off.

2) very normal, 2.5k idle for about 10 to 20 seconds, then 1.5k for like a min or 2, once it hit 1.5k idle, u can start driving lightly, don't gun it past 4k rpm till that oil needle start going into the gaugue. and don't gun it WOT(wide open throttle) untill it is normal operation temperature.

 

In very cold temps, mine has jumped as high as 4K at start-up and worked its way down from there.

 

As long as the gauge is reading above the cold mark, you should be alright to turn it off. I make sure it is at least to the 2nd tick mark. As everyone else said the high revs when you first turn it on is normal.

 

It should be in the center of the heat range. You might have a stuck open thermostat.

 

Normal operating temp on my RX8 is 1 notch below center.

And most cars I know are also 1 notch below center generaly.

Are you saying yours is dead center ?

Anyone else with the same thing ?

 

Ok, thank you everyone!

 

1)

That gauge isn't a gauge but an indicator - it shows just short of half way - if you divide the gauge into 10th's, it's at 4/10's all of the time - once the engine is warm. When cold it's pegged left and if the engine exceeds a certain temp it pegs right.

Oil pressure "gauge" is same - isn't a gauge but an indicator - no oil pressure - pegged left. proper oil pressure - about 6/10's on the gauge. Too high and it pegs right.

2) Totally normal. That's the computer software doing its thing to warm the engine for you.

 

Ja, listen to Stewi! I always do......

 

look, his avatar even points at the post he typed, so you know hes right, his avatar is confirming it! hes like, "Hey! You! Read this post! :whips out laser gun: