RX-8 Issues...
 

Looking for answers or suggestions on why the inside of (at least my car) is hot, near the feet vent. I am having to actually run the AC to keep the inside temperature normal (70 F). Reading through the forum and through this forum it would appear that most of you are not having driving below 3000 RPM, not the case here, even on 6th gear I can not exceed 70 mph or else I will be above 4000 rpm, is that normal? Thanks.

Re: RX-8 Issues...
 

Because the internal combustion is happening about 2 inches away?

what's your question here?

Re: RX-8 Issues...
 

If I'm parsing your question correctly, you're saying that in order to reach 70mph in 6th, you'd be over 4000rpm? No, that's neither normal nor correct: the overall gearing in 6th is almost exactly 20mph per 1000rpm, so 70mph is only 3500 revs. If your instruments are telling you otherwise, then either there's a problem with your speedo or tach, or you have trouble counting to 6 and still have one more gear to go.

the interior gets hot...that's normal =) well, everyone else i talked to at our lil socal meet said so too

It maybe a problem with the heater. The miatas have this problem. The vent doesnt totally switch off the heat so hot air still blows out on your feet.

http://miata.net/garage/heater_cable.html

Engine and catalitic convertor are both very close to the cabin/firewall, You'll get heat from these.

As it scolder more often than warmer here I dont mind that...

Re: RX-8 Issues...
 

6th gear @70mph is 3500 rpm for me. No offense intended, because I have done it myself already, but are you sure you were not in 4th gear? I find that I am shy about pushing the stick to the far, far right and down, because that's where REVERSE is on my RX-7:p

Thanks guys for the many replies...
I guess I should worry too much about the small heating of the cabin when the windows are up.
As for the RPM, I am quiet sure of the fact that the needle goes above 4000 when my speed is at or near 70 mph. I am begin to think that my area of southern Cal. may have more hills than flat areas and this may contribute to the high RPM.

Huh ?

"may have more hills than flat areas and this may contribute to the high RPM."

Huh?

Hills may contribute to more throttle, or lower gear.

EngineRPM/gear/wheel turning is fixed. Hills or no 3500 rpm in 6th will be same speed whatever.

Just to be sure, are you driving an automatic or manual?

This makes me think you're used to automatics which automatically downshift in climbing situations and thus show higher RPMs at the same speed.

Otherwise like others have said, at 70 mph in 6th gear, you should be at 3500 RPM. Anything else, you're not in 6th gear, you're not driving a manual or you've got something wrong with your car.

If the guy said that he was in 6th gear, it means that he has the manual version since the automatic version has only 4 gears :p

Hummm....I'll give it a shot here:

I do notice that slight extra amounts of gas can moderately hike up the RPM needle without significant change to the speedo...so quite possibly you are being a little heavy on the gas and trying to accellarate (while not accellarating because of the hills) and thus the revs are up a bit.

I'm not sure this is the case...I'd check to insure I was in 6th (like others said).

Also, are you using the cruise control? I played with it for a little bit and noticed is seems a bit heavy on the gas to maintain speeds and therefore possbily hiking up your RPMs??

There is no relation to the position of the gas pedal and RPM- mechanically anyway. RPM is a function of road speed, transmission geraring and rear end gearing. There is no way to be at a different RPM at 60mph if the gas pedal is floored or at 1/4 throttle(unless the clutch is in).

Come on this is basic understanding of how a car works

But the speedo is only accurate to the MPH and depending on how it rounds and shit he may be doing 70.9 MPH or fluttering (on the hill) between 70 and 71 or whatever and the speedo isn't catching it.... I doubt this will make 500 RPM worth of difference, but I notice very minute differences at the "same" read out speed on the speedo due to small increments of throttle position. Probably because the digital speedo isn't catching or showing the higher speed that quickly.... So if you flutter the gas it may not catch the increase in speed, but you will catch the analog RPM meter jump.

But yeah, to stay 500 RPM above all the time at 70...either he's not really going 70 or he's not in 6th.

edit: what about tire pressure and such? Just throwing out ideas, but differences in pressure may change speedo accuracy...I dunno.

Bottom line dude,

Go back to the dealer and go on a short 5mile drive with a tech. They can charge MNAO for their time under warranty. They will not mind at all. If he hears something or feels something, they will check it out for you. Make sure you do not have a rare lemon on your hands.

DO IT ASAP.

Better safe then sorry, right?

The only way I can think of to raise RPM's without speed is with wheel spin.


But, the speedo will still show a higher speed. So, the 2 gauges should still jive.

I guess if the clutch is slipping the engine can rev higher.

You riding the clutch by accident? Does the car have a strong burning smell after driving it?