Chuck Clifford

I have been driving my winning blue 6MT, GT, RX8 since Monday and trying to adhere to the unwritten breakin of 4500 RPM. I have noticed that this car does not like to transition to the next gear at 4500 RPM. The clutch get clunky, the shift is not as smooth, and I don't think the car likes it. Now 5500 RPM is a completely different thing. The shifter pratically shifts itself into the next gear, the clutch picks up the next gear with great smoothness, and it feels like the stress on the car is far less at 5500 that at 4500. This is just my early observation, and I would like to hear feedback from others trying like mad to break these babies in right.

vudoodoodoo

Maybe your tranny just needs to be broken in.

Wolfer

Bah just let it go. Think all this breaking in thing is just a myth. Even the manual saids no breaking in is required. Just need to take it easy for 600 or so miles. Which I take it means no red line starts or red line period till 600 or so miles.

So just drive like you do as a normal driver and you should be fine.

If driving like a 16 year old doing spin outs or just reving to the red line for the fun of it then thats just crazy anyway.

Wing

Makes sense, what is the RPM drop 1K? So you are shifting into the next gear at 3500 RPM which is just about 3300 rpm were the car just starts to get going. If you shift slow it will drop more than 1K.

If I were you I would take her up to 5500 and shift.

wakeech

maybe that's more about YOU liking the performance at 5500 better

Chuck Clifford

Thanks for all the replies and advice, keep them coming, let me have it. I'll read them all after lunch, I hear my baby calling, Comming blue. I go to lunch, I just don't stop at any restaurant, once I see their crowded parking lots. It my new drive and not eat diet. Been on it since Monday, lost over 5 pounds.

RotorMotor

It almost feels like the gears are geared a little too close together. I mean, if I wind first gear up to 5k RPM, it feels like the car would rather shift straight into 3rd and skip second. Does anybody else feel this? I'm not sure that I've used 5th gear yet at all....

mostron8

Um, if you break the 4k for 600 miles rule, you'll risk losing apex seal pressure. I was fairly unsure of the rule, but stopped by a rotary shop yesterday to discuss with my mechanic friend. He said that the rule was correct. Just FYI.

Wolfer

6th gear is nice. Going about 60 just humming along smooth at 3k rpm.

I think you can just keep the car in 4th and the car won't mind a bit but your gas tank might.

pelucidor

Was your mechanic talking about the RX-8 RENESIS or previous rotary engines? Remember that 4000rpm is 44% of red-line in the RX-8 and almost 60% of red-line in an RX-7...

I thought that all you needed to do for break-in (if explicitly required by the manual) was avoid red-line, avoid heavy braking and more importantly avoid constant vehicle speeds and constant engine rpm. Any other theories out there?

TEH BUTTSECKS

RX-8 is one awesome car, my dad bought two for his business. one already arrived. this is one nice car. the automatic is awesome. It does 0-60 in 7.9 around 8. identical to my accord v-6 power.
we got a auto and a manual.

boowana

Yo are in for a pleasant surprise when you read the section in the owner's manual regarding breakin. If i read it correctly, i think it says to not exceed 7000 RPM. Check it out.:p

RotorMotor

Yup, that's what it says alright... Since I had a chance to ask an "expert" (the Mazda technical trainer that was teaching folks at my dealership) a few questions, I actually asked him about this and the oil specifically. He stated that although the manual says that the break-in period wasn't required it was HIGHLY recommended and said that as long as we were under 7k, and not launching quickly that we'd be fine. He also said that you are only to use 5w-20 non-synthetic oil (and in case you forget the oil cap says so).

Chuck Clifford

Another Rotary myth put to rest, thanks Boowana, I hadn't read that far, too much driving.

pelucidor

I found the quote in the Far East forum (thanks GGreen):

From the US Owner's Manual on page 4-7, there's an adhesive piece of paper that's been stuck onto the page. It says:
"No special break-in is necessary, but a few precautions in the first 1,000 km (600 miles) may add to the performance, economy, and life of your engine.
-Don't race the engine.
-Don't maintain one constant speed for long.
-Don't drive constantly at full-throttle or high engine rpm (over 7,000 rpm) for extended periods of time.
-Avoid unnecessary hard stops.
-Avoid full-throttle starts."

So staying below 7000rpm is strongly recommended but not absolutely required. Same for avoiding hard braking and constant speeds. I will go with the recommendation - I am sure everyone on this forum will do this too. I managed 400 miles in the first weekend when I got my last car, so 600 should only take 3 days.

BillK

Match your shifts to your driving style. I've been driving manual transmission vehicles for almost 20 years now and I very, very rarely use the gears in order. For example, in simple driving around town I almost always shift 1->3->6. When trying to get away quickly from a light I'll sometimes do a 1->4->6 shift. When slowing down for a red light and it turns green I may drop into 2nd and go from there into 4th then 5th.

It's all a matter of knowing which gear at which speed will put you in the rev range your car is happy with...

rx8daniel

I've only driven it about .7 miles from the dealer to my office, but so far, 4500 seems fine. Will know more tomorrow. 4500 comes up FAST...

P00Man

god i love that big growing tach!
________
Hare krishna - iskcon advice

vudoodoodoo

Lots of people say you need to break it in, lots of people say you don't.

vudoodoodoo

People have used synthetic in rotaries without problems. I don't know if Mazda would void your warrenty if something happens and they crack open the engine. Dealers don't rebuild engines anyways.

rx8daniel

Generally speaking, mine is not seeing over 4500RPM for now. I've hit 5000 -5500 a couple times but just for a second.

I also let it idle this morning while I washed it and got ready for work - about 45 minutes.

It's looking like around 16 - 18 MPG on this first tank. Have about 1/2 tank almost used; about 120miles.

beaner

I am no expert about this (any racers out there?), since I have never owned a "true" sports car, but isn't there some deal with "matching revs" etc. with a rear-drive sports car that helps sync the transmission. I believe some BMWs have an electronic device that keeps the revs up during shifts.

Basically the concept is that you know your car so well that you can predict the revolution speed at every shift and maintain it with throttle. This supposedly makes the shifts smoother.

This is similar in concept to "heel and toe", except heel and toe is for downshifting, not upshifting.

Anybody out there know if I am just spouting BS?

vudoodoodoo

You let it idle for 45 minutes? Damn.

rael

I know its not good for a traditional engine to idle for too long, not sure about the rotary.

Also, we have been told that the engine need rev volatility so I would suggest going to 7000 every now and then would be fine.

rael

BillK

It's horrid for the same reason you shouldn't idle a piston engine - heat buildup. If it was really allowed to idle for 45 minutes the exhaust must have been red hot by that time. The original poster may as well beat the snot out of their engine as 45 minutes at idle RPM also means any attempt to follow any type of break-in is out the window...