LionZoo

It seems that everyone has a sound reported to be "marbles in a can" or "marbles in a blender" or "sand in a can." Anyway, since it's pretty obvious that not everyone has the same noise, I'm going to try to categorize the different sounds and its possible causes:

1. Pinging
Identifying Trait: A possible loss of power and possible CEL, stops when you take your foot off the gas
When It Happens: Anytime is possible, but a lot of people have reported that the noise only happens when they use 87 octane or after they've owned the RX-8 for awhile
Possible Causes: Carbon buildup on rotors

2. Heater Core
Identifying Trait: No power loss or any other drivability difference, but when you take your foot off the gas the noise continues; Seems to be coming from the glovebox area
When It Happens: Intermittent, though it only seems to happen above 6000 rpm
Possible Causes: Air bubbles through the heater core, air bubbles through the water pump

3. SDAIS Opening
Identifying Trait: Only happens at around 6250 and 7250 rpm
When It Happens: Everytime the Renesis passes the aforementioned rpm points
Possible Causes: SDAIS Opening

4. Rattling transmission/shielding
Identifying Trait: Unsure
When It Happens: Everytime it's revved up to the range
Possible Causes: Something rattling that is hitting something else

5. Plugs/Wires/Coils dying
Identifying Trait: Car might run a bit rough, possible misfire CEL
When It Happens: When the coils are dying
Possible Causes: Plugs/Wires/Coils dying

Please list more if you know of any!

Freddie

I was curious to see what all the fuss is about, and had never heard any of these sounds in my car, nor could I imagine what they might actually sound like. I even considered for a moment whether I should put some marbles in my blender and at what blender speed, but I decided against doing that. I'm sure it would be VERY loud. If anyone experiencing these sounds can record them, maybe in mp3 format, it might help us to categorize them. I don't know if this site has any provision for sharing files other than images; I could possibly offer some space on my personal website for this purpose.

LionZoo

Mike54 posted clips of his sound in the Tech Garage. We feel that he has the heater core sound. For what it's worth, I personally have never actually heard real marbles being placed in a blender or can before.

aerospacediver

From the day I bought my car (2006 with 0 miles on it) to present my car still makes the marbles sound from 7ish to redline. I am almost convinced that it is sdias EXCEPT not all rx-8s do it.

Raptor2k

^mine too. More specifically, 7250-8000 RPMs

New Yorker

Really? Everyone??? That's funny, 'cause I haven't heard any sounds like that at all! All I hear is a smooth, turbine-like "hmmmmmmmmmm". Maybe it's my 8 that has a problem.

LionZoo

Don't take it literally, but every other noise associated with the RX-8 seems to be "marbles."

army_rx8

hehe tell me about it..when i take a corner fast i hear screeching marbles..those are the worset

New Yorker

Sorry for being so literal, but it's threads like this that so easily lead to an erroneous belief amongst potential RX-8 owners "out there" that the car is plagued with all sorts of problems.

Yes, there are many threads that talk about the "marbles" sound—but that in no way implies that there are many 8 owners who have experienced this problem. Perhaps 97% of threads describing a weird engine noise liken it to "marbles in a can," but maybe 5% of RX-8 owners have ever heard this—or any other—weird sound.

REDBOOT

Hi everyone. I am from Shanghai and this is my first post ever. My engine runs fine 99% of the time, however I have encountered the 'marbles in the can sound' about 3-4 times since buying the car about a year ago. I have realised when it will come out and it occurs during steady long use of mid rpms especially when I go on long distant trips. I would go at about 140km/h which is roughly 85-90mph for and extended period and after a toll booth i would floor it to 9k rpm and that is when the rattling and loss of power occur probably around 7k rpm. I would just let the engine run smoothly for awhile and it will return back to normal with smooth revving all the way to 9k rpm.

Other problems which I am having is a funny rattle when the car is in idle especially is hot and the a/c on. I think the best way to describe the sound would be the rattling sound of a diesel engine. Any ideas on what it is cos the dealers here are useless and clueless as there aren't many rx-8's in China.

Thanks.

Grizzly8

Car idling sound could be engine mounts , common problem amongst RX8 .

Michael

LionZoo

Greetings. Shanghai is my hometown so it's nice to see someone else from there. I'm not sure what ECU tuning Chinese RX-8s have, but it sounds like you have the same symptoms as what the recall in America is addressing. You might want to run premix every fillup though I understand premix would be hard to obtain in China. Anyway, I might be going back this Christmas or New Year's, so if I do I can take a look at your car then.

REDBOOT

[/QUOTE]I would go at about 140km/h which is roughly 85-90mph for and extended period and after a toll booth i would floor it to 9k rpm and that is when the rattling and loss of power occur probably around 7k rpm.[QUOTE]

To be more precise on my previous description. It seems like the revs gets stuck at about 7k rpm and doesn't go any higher, as though you've hit a rev limiter, which creates the 'loss of power' and that's when the 'marbles in the can' grinding noise occurs. It's sounds really scary and its loud and definitely a sound that damaging something inside the engine.

Hi LionZoo, let me know if you ever come here and we can definitely meet up if I'm around as I might not be here during Christmas or New Year's.

Mike54

don't worry you are not the only one - I have seen a guy that had someting like you

I'm the mad owner of "category 2" sound (not to use 'marbles' again)
And I think about it EVERY time I accelerate and rev it above 6-7k rpm

dfc05rx-8

My marbles are verry audible when the door is open and the clutch is out (in neutral). It comes back really loud when the car hits about 6,000 RPM. Not sure where that one falls in, but the dealer said it was "normal" and that all 8's with some mileage on them have it.

BunnyGirl

Mine occasionally makes that parked in neutral marbles sound (much more obvious inside a parking garage). It's normal.

TKE

What are the fixes for #2?

I just reached 2k miles so I have only been pushing her for a few days now. The noise reminds me me of sand hitting thee passenger footwell, but it stops when I lift off the gas. It only happens at around 8k RPM.

What would be the procedure for purging these air bubbles?

Yusik

I experiencing only small pinging sound from motor during 6500 and more, its only audible when radio turn off. No CEL, no power loss, nothing. Try to use different sorts of petrol, use only highest available - 98, - doesnt matter but I try to going on in research. Tried to diminish spark plug gap, - doesn't matter. So, its just annoying sound, but anyway, are there any cure for it? Would it lead to any breakages and destroy seals somehow sooner or later?

nuke0907

iTrader: (2)

i have an 04 with AT. i seem to get a bunch of rattling when i'm at idle in reverse and drive only. i had my dad check under the hood while it was doing that and the whole engine was shaking more than usual and the exhaust was rattling against stuff. i had the PCM reflash which is all the dealer would do when i took it in for that problem and now it is worse. i keep telling them i think its the engine mounts but thay keep saying its not. there's also a CEL on now.

now i've got an intake and exhaust. i put the intake on already. when i took the stock system out there were pools of oil in the tube and oil spots on the filter. i really don't want to put the stock one back on. i don't know if the dealer will still honor my warranty with them on. IDK what to do. anyone have any suggestions?

TKE

::bump::

AdRoCK3217

No, it's not normal.

If you are talking about a "marbles" sound, when sitting with the clutch out, in neutral, this is the pilot bearing. If it makes the sound with the clutch in, in neutral, it is the throw-out bearing.

Mazda claims it is normal because they obviously designed the pilot bearing wrong. I've been told by tons of people that this is "normal" -- so, it's normal for the RX8, but not for any other car? What's so different about the RX8's transmission versus every other car, besides having glass syncros?

Raptor2k

That's not #2.

N10S

I would go at about 140km/h which is roughly 85-90mph for and extended period and after a toll booth i would floor it to 9k rpm and that is when the rattling and loss of power occur probably around 7k rpm.This is the same thing I experienced over the past weekend. I had the marbles sound at around 6-6500 rpm and it seemed like it was not making any power past that point. MY car is a low-miles (1800 mi) 2006 and I had not had the issue previously. Mine occured during a spirited drive at high altitude. The marbles sound immediately took the fun out of the drive thats for sure. After heading back down to lower elevations I haven't heard the sound since... . I don't want to muddy the waters with the altitude thing, but thats simply the driving environment that I experienced the problem in, and its just data thats all.

Other than that, Redboots description of the sound and power loss are very similar to my experience.

LionZoo

Did you get the recall done?

Razz1

Man Lion Zoo just won't leave it alone.

It's normal.

His car would have blown up by now if it was marbles or pinging or what frick you want to call it.

Give it a rest.

Need to put him on my Cry baby list .

Ohh... by the way I got 14mpg the other day. I think I'm gonna start a MPG thread.