"M" vs. "L" flash - which feels faster?
 

My RX-8 is but a few weeks old and was built on 3-19-04. All cars built after 3-12 were suppose to have the M-flash, however according to the TSB, my car just falls into the very tail end of the VINs that do not have the "M". So I assume I maybe at "L" and not "M".

I'm very satisfied with my power, I get a nice kick at around 5K and then again another punch at at around 7.5K rpms. I've read that while "M" gives better response down low and smoothes out the power over the entire RPM range, the kick at high RPMs seems to be gone. I don't care about MPG, not that worried about flooding, I just want POWER!

So, I've been on the fence about even asking the dealer to check if I have the "M" flash. I'd like to hear from people who went from "L" to "M", do you think your car feels faster? slower? about the same?

I think it all depends on where you like the power at. The "L" definetly gives you that kick up high, while the "M" seems to feel stronger down low. My car is in the shop right now. I already had the "M" flash a few months ago so they are giving it and update for the low power in the 6-7 thousand RPM range. They are also checking MPG and cooling issues while idiling. I will report back with the updated "M" flash and see how it helps the power issue.

JimW is right L flash has more power up top M more down low.

But in practical application M flash will let your run the 1/4mile while still in 3rd gear with L you will have to upshift to 4th which looses you about .2sec.

Keep the replies coming, I appreciate the feedback. I don't drag race, but I do care about the "feel" of the car. That's what really gives me driving fun. I like the feel of the kick at 7500 rpm, but I don't get into that range all that often in daily driving. So I suppose a better surge early in the rpms might be a good trade off. As long as the power still builds strongly from 5-9K as well.

I don't see the sports package in you signature. Hope you got it as it would come in handy when trying to outrace LAVA FLOWS. Have you driven up to the valcano? How was the drive? I went on a tour bus to see the sunrise ( NOT ) but the guide was so funny I did not care that it was overcast.

Yup, I've got the sport package and lava hasn't beaten me yet!

Just had the M flash done on my auto. More power in lower rpms, smoother acceleration througout. Lost the big surge use to get at 5000 rpm, but overall, it still feels great.

N is the fastest ;)

And another plus M is vastly easier to make you own maps/tune on then L was.

If your thinking about canzoomer stage 1 or even dyno tunning M is the way to go.

I just got the M-flash too, and I think the surge at 7500 is diminished, though someone (maybe even canzoomer?) pointed out it wasn't a surge at 7500 so much as there was a lag at 6000 or so, which seems like what I had. But after the reflash it pulls very steadily. I used to have a car with VTEC and I now think surges are over-rated. :)

Brandon: You hiy the nail on the head...

The L & M flash have the same power up top, Mazda just opened up the low end (Runs a little leaner now...) and smoothed out the intake transition points; the rest is just psychological (You don't feel the transitions as much anymore...)

Peak horsepower numbers are the same, all this butt dyno talk is not very accurate...

The M flash is allready pretty much a mandatory service item, when you bring it in they are going to upgrade you eventually...

I could feel no difference at all in power. The only difference I noticed was less "bucking" in lower gears.

Thats not true. At right around 6750rpm M flash does a richening to keep the exhaust temps lower.
L Flash simply doesn't have that.
But yest M flash is a lot leaner around 14.7 A/F at 3000rpms.

I'm still on the fence as well... I'm still on L and like the power in the upper rev band and I get pretty damn good gas milage (20 city, 25 highway). I guess I'd get even better milage with M but I'm really enjoying the power up high.

eh, I'll probably just wait for an N flash :o

The 'feel' of the M flash was disappointing to me. With the L, it felt like I was getting a couple of boosts up high. Reminded me of my 2nd gen Turbo at 3800 RPM. To me, the car 'feels' slower, but it isn't. Now it's just one smooth trip to 9K after another :)

yep L had more of a kick or so it seemed. now M gets you there but much more linear.

There is no updated "M" flash. The dealer screwed up and thought there was a newer version, but nooooo.

Hmmm, like they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I don't get any lag at 6000, just a nice strong surge from about 5K to 7.5K, then another sudden punch occurs from there. But in a split second that rev beep chimes in to spoil the fun. I think I'm going to resist doing the "M" flash, unless my dealer just zaps it on during regular maintenance.

I'm also a happy camper with the "M" flash, except the loss of ick at 5 and 7k rpm. You guys say instead of a kick in those rpm's, it's just a smooth, linear acceleration to the beep, but I actually feel a loss of power after 6k rpm. Feels like the revs actually slows down and just slowly drifting toward redline. Is this psychological?

When I got my 8 at the end of May I insisted that they give me the M flash. The service department loaded me with what they said was the most current flash. It looked like the L flash since I could get the 10 brake tap oil pressure meter sweep to happen.

I took the car in for it's first servicing yesterday and they reflashed, saying there was a recall for the PCM software. Duh! This was the flash I wanted in the first place! Oh well. This new flash must be M. There's a nice "boost" of midrange power from 3k to 6k. Really, it's just less of a hole in the mid range torque.

You'll find yourself getting up to speed faster and bogging less. I don't want a peaky power band; I'm coming from a straight six and I am enjoying the flatter power delivery of this new flash. I like the rotary for its smoothness - but ideally I want a flexible power band. I'm not looking to replicate VTEC. Hell, I wish the car a torque curve like a 4 cam V8.

I never launch aggressively - I've never used more than 2500 rpms, so any additional bottom end torque would be nice. Yeah, I know, I need to spend some time acclimatizing myself to higher rpm/harder launches, but I do not street race, drag, or otherwise need to do hard launches. I get my thrills once the car is moving.

With the (M flash) the car still has nice kick up top but now it has more b*lls down low where you need it too, real world, everyday. All in all, a nice improvement. Maybe they will eventually get us up to 250HP. That would be spectacular.

One thing about the power delivery that I love, and I don't hear many other people discuss, is that once you're up around 6k, the throttle response is razor sharp and nearly instantaneous. I'm not sure if this is a Renesis internals attribute, or a function of the car's Rube Goldbergian intake system, or a combination of both.

It's really addictive when you're powering thru a series of tight curves and you can precisely serve up bursts of acceleration from one corner to the next, and, as you power out of an apex you can really pour on the gas and bring the rear end out. More fun than I've ever had in any other car.

Oh yeah, so which flash feels faster? I'll say M cuz it gets you up to speed faster, thru the midrange faster. That's real speed, not the laggy sensation of finally getting some torque up top once you're up in the stratosphere at 7k rpms.

At least you let your car be enjoyed around turns, but dude....

The RENESIS needs to revved, and you are missing out on half the fun our RX-8's provide.

Umm, I never said I don't rev the car! WTF!!!
 

I guess you didn't read my post very well. I run the car up thru the gears constantly. I just don't hard launch. In town, I'm not looking to drag people or get noticed by chirping the tires. That doesn't mean I don't get lots of WOT and occasional redline beeps once the car is moving.

If I'm out in the country on a drive, I'm going to wind the car out and take it up thru the gears. None of that involves hard launches. When I go out on a fun run and once I get moving, there are no complete stops for miles until the road ends. Some times these runs last a half hour til I come to a stop sign or other type of intersection. The whole time during the run I'm running up from 2nd to 5th, from 30mph up to 100mph, connecting corners and straights, constantly winding the car out, enjoying the upper reaches of the power band with its instaneous delivery of power.

If you think I'm missing out on a fun aspect of the car, in your opinion, hard launches, then I'll say you've bought the wrong car if this is so important to you.

Like hard launches? You definitely should have bought a 350Z or a V8 engined Mustang.
Any car that needs three quarters redline for a hard launch, like the RX-8, is not well suited for hard launches and fast off the line times. For that, you need low end torque.

Personally, I'm not impressed when I see some kid in a riced-out Civic do a hard launch with 6000rpm plus. It looks and sounds stupid. Some one in a Stang launching with 2500rpm is way more impressive and appropriate.

I'm simply playing to the RX-8's strengths. That's what I bought it for.

I guess not -- blame it on the good time I had last night, and early this morning;)

rxeightr: It's all good. My response was, errr, maybe a little over done. Seems like we're on the same page now.