RX-8 backfire?
 

Hi, newbie here, 6 months with my 8 and about 60 minutes on this forum.. :)

I have noticed that lately my 8 (13,000km) will give a mild backfire while warming up... I thought it was just the bass in the song that was playing, but when I turned around I could see it puffing 'smoke donuts' out the tailpipes every few seconds. It was cold that day, but it does it other days too when its not so cold. Mostly after it has sat for a day or two (or more) and has not run. It goes away once the engine is warm.
Does this sound like something normal? I had the recall done, and it still does it.. I thought perhaps a bad batch of fuel, but I've filled up countless times since it started. I dont really trust the dealer and I am glad I found a place like this where I can ask for opinions... since my knowledge of the rotary is limited to what I have read on the internet!

Thanks for your help!

I read from somewhere on this forum that its normal that it backfires during cold weather during warm up, I think you should worry if the check engine light comes on and stays on, can someone else here confirm this?

Wouldn't worry too much about it mine is the same too. I kind a like the noise it makes when you blip the throttle and it splutters and pops as the revs drop backoff! No smoke rings though but id find that kina cool too!

It's really not a backfire, since the explosion is not happening in your intake manifold....

What you describe is either afterfire or just the normal sound of the engine at idle (it lops)

This morning I was driving to work, and at a stop light a woman got out of her car and knocked on my window. I rolled down the window and she said, "Your car on fire!" then ran back to her car.

I am running without a cat, and am turbocharged, so as I decelerate any unburned fuel hits the exhaust, ignites and blows fire out the back.

No CAT? Guess your not from Ontario Canada, is it legal to have no cat where your from?

Err that doesn't sound too safe...

Yeah glad i wouldnt be pulling behind you at any stoplights! I like my front bumper just the way it is!

I would imagine that if you shift down and accelerate quickly you get the same effect...?

my single outlet exhaust pops loud at almost every shift...sounds like a real rotary now!!

when I had the EMU with a BOV, it would shoot flames at every shift. The system wasn't able to deal with the sudden decrease of air, causing it to have a sudden lack of air and excess fuel (since the EMU is MAF based).

With the int-x, I don't have that problem, so I generally don't get any explosions on shifting, but when I downshift and coast, it will randomly hit a rich point and pop.

Holy hell man, wouldn't that first set up ruin your exhaust system?

still runs great :) It's all stainless steel. Borla catback with B&B midpipe. Nice thick metal, not thin crap.

nice, I'd love to see the flames ;)

When I ran without a cat, and that fully titanium Agency Pulley exhaust, I could easily cause fire through precise shifting, or down gearing abruptly...

The down gearing causes weird flames though... Must be insane with a turbo though...

If I'm not mistaken, didn't the rx7 shoot serious flames with a particular exhaust mod?

How interesting (on the flaming bit).. guess thats a good way to keep people from tailgating! (would keep me a mile away thats for sure).

Rotoradd, just wanted to say the smoke rings really are cool (really interesting to watch them pop out) but they are so FAT (6 inches in diameter at least) they resemble donuts more so than a ring.. odd, but fascinating!

Thanks for all the advice, I wont worry any more and enjoy it as one of the quirks! (and I dont think i posted this in the right spot, sorry bout that)..

Yep ZOOM ZOOM pop pop