RX8, such a beautiful car, first time owner!
11-27-2008, 01:34 AM
#1
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RX8, such a beautiful car, first time owner!
I'm very excited to finally own my very own RX8, and I'm also kinda excited to make my first post on RX8Club.com. (Been looking alot on here in the last couple months, but felt I'd look like an idiot posting without an RX8 in my driveway)
I just switched from a V6 99 Honda Accord to this Beautiful RX8. On tuesday I went to the dealership and bought a 2004 Black Rx8. I know its an older model, but its all I could afford for my dream car. I've been researching this for months and finally have been able to find one in my price range thats in good condition.
To be honest this site made my decision final. Reading how amazing these cars were to drive just made me want one more and more everyday so I finally bit the bullet and bought one. I want to thank you all for helping me make this decision
But more on the note I wanted to get onto I had some questions.
1) How often should I check the oil and what kind of oil should I use (Brand, and weight?)
2) Flooding the Engine? I heard its pretty easy to do, how can I avoid it?
3) Starting the car 15 minutes before I go and drive to let the igniter warm up?
4) Shutting the car off and starting it again a couple minutes after?
That was pretty much it, and anymore information you could offer to a first time owner would be GREAT. Also its completely stock that I know about so it should be covered by this extended warranty I hope anyways I thank you all in advance for the posts!!
I just switched from a V6 99 Honda Accord to this Beautiful RX8. On tuesday I went to the dealership and bought a 2004 Black Rx8. I know its an older model, but its all I could afford for my dream car. I've been researching this for months and finally have been able to find one in my price range thats in good condition.
To be honest this site made my decision final. Reading how amazing these cars were to drive just made me want one more and more everyday so I finally bit the bullet and bought one. I want to thank you all for helping me make this decision
But more on the note I wanted to get onto I had some questions.1) How often should I check the oil and what kind of oil should I use (Brand, and weight?)
2) Flooding the Engine? I heard its pretty easy to do, how can I avoid it?
3) Starting the car 15 minutes before I go and drive to let the igniter warm up?
4) Shutting the car off and starting it again a couple minutes after?
That was pretty much it, and anymore information you could offer to a first time owner would be GREAT. Also its completely stock that I know about so it should be covered by this extended warranty I hope
anyways I thank you all in advance for the posts!!
11-27-2008, 01:53 AM
#2
Welcome to the club!
1) Every other fillup / Castrol GTX 5W-30 is my choice
2) I have never flooded my engine / never turn off the engine cold
3) start the car, let sit until RPM's have reached 1500, then drive away under 4K RPM until temp. needle is halfway on guage
4) no idea
You got the best and fastest color BTW
1) Every other fillup / Castrol GTX 5W-30 is my choice
2) I have never flooded my engine / never turn off the engine cold
3) start the car, let sit until RPM's have reached 1500, then drive away under 4K RPM until temp. needle is halfway on guage
4) no idea
You got the best and fastest color BTW
Last edited by Ross_Dawg; 11-27-2008 at 10:18 AM.
11-27-2008, 07:01 AM
#3
Rotary Powered Countryboy
Welcome to the addiction....as for your ?'s
1) check it evry other fillup until you see exactly how much it's burning then you don't have to check it so much..I also Use Castrol GTX 5w-30
2) I have never flooded b sure to make sure that your temp guage as moved a couple lines before shutting it off do not,like the owner's manual says, "start it back it out of the garage and then shut it off when you're going to wash it" just make sure it's warmed up......once the car is warm you do not have to worry about shutting it off or starting it just like any other car can move to a diff parking spot and it will b fine...once it's warm everything is fine.....again welcome to the club and Pics or it didn't happen ahah
1) check it evry other fillup until you see exactly how much it's burning then you don't have to check it so much..I also Use Castrol GTX 5w-30
2) I have never flooded b sure to make sure that your temp guage as moved a couple lines before shutting it off do not,like the owner's manual says, "start it back it out of the garage and then shut it off when you're going to wash it" just make sure it's warmed up......once the car is warm you do not have to worry about shutting it off or starting it just like any other car can move to a diff parking spot and it will b fine...once it's warm everything is fine.....again welcome to the club and Pics or it didn't happen ahah
11-27-2008, 01:22 PM
#4
I'm very excited to finally own my very own RX8, and I'm also kinda excited to make my first post on RX8Club.com. (Been looking alot on here in the last couple months, but felt I'd look like an idiot posting without an RX8 in my driveway)
I just switched from a V6 99 Honda Accord to this Beautiful RX8. On tuesday I went to the dealership and bought a 2004 Black Rx8. I know its an older model, but its all I could afford for my dream car. I've been researching this for months and finally have been able to find one in my price range thats in good condition.
To be honest this site made my decision final. Reading how amazing these cars were to drive just made me want one more and more everyday so I finally bit the bullet and bought one. I want to thank you all for helping me make this decision But more on the note I wanted to get onto I had some questions.
1) How often should I check the oil and what kind of oil should I use (Brand, and weight?)
2) Flooding the Engine? I heard its pretty easy to do, how can I avoid it?
3) Starting the car 15 minutes before I go and drive to let the igniter warm up?
4) Shutting the car off and starting it again a couple minutes after?
That was pretty much it, and anymore information you could offer to a first time owner would be GREAT. Also its completely stock that I know about so it should be covered by this extended warranty I hope anyways I thank you all in advance for the posts!!
I just switched from a V6 99 Honda Accord to this Beautiful RX8. On tuesday I went to the dealership and bought a 2004 Black Rx8. I know its an older model, but its all I could afford for my dream car. I've been researching this for months and finally have been able to find one in my price range thats in good condition.
To be honest this site made my decision final. Reading how amazing these cars were to drive just made me want one more and more everyday so I finally bit the bullet and bought one. I want to thank you all for helping me make this decision
But more on the note I wanted to get onto I had some questions.1) How often should I check the oil and what kind of oil should I use (Brand, and weight?)
2) Flooding the Engine? I heard its pretty easy to do, how can I avoid it?
3) Starting the car 15 minutes before I go and drive to let the igniter warm up?
4) Shutting the car off and starting it again a couple minutes after?
That was pretty much it, and anymore information you could offer to a first time owner would be GREAT. Also its completely stock that I know about so it should be covered by this extended warranty I hope
anyways I thank you all in advance for the posts!!1. If you live in the south (or a hot climate) I would use 5W-30 if I were you. And people add oil as often as every fill up, personally I do it every 1000 miles or roughly 3 fill ups. (Yes I get around 300+ miles per tank but I drive mainly highway)
2. Flooding is not easy and can be avoided easily....don't turn your car off cold.
3. Not necessary - just let it idle for 10 seconds and keep it under 3-4k RPM's until you see the needle (temp needle) moving (doesn't need to be in the middle)
4. Again with number 2, all you need to do is bring the tach up to 3k rpms and hold it for 10 seconds there before you turn the car off.
Last edited by Are-Ex-Eight; 11-27-2008 at 03:55 PM.
11-27-2008, 02:32 PM
#7
Momentum Keeps Me Going
Great #1 post Quinchu, you must be proud, and rightly so! Welcome to the addiction, there will be no excuse for your future actions, except to plead rotary insanity! I'll add my humble answers to the mix...(owner of 5/03 '04 model)
1. 10-30 Name brand dino oil. Check regularly, no need to be **** about it, except on track.
2. I've only come close once, after revving to 2000rpm before shutting off. Since, I don't leave car to warm-up sitting, just that I am gentle for the warm-up period driving, as in immediately after startup just go.
3. Purrrphfit ... ridiculous... just use it as an ordinary car.
4. Because of urban legend - I've always tried to minimize this, but my transgressions have always been uneventful. Just luck I guess.
Enjoy the car to its fullest. The car was designed on the track, don't miss that pleasure. Not taking the car to an HPDE event I'd say is akin to an unconsumated marriage.
1. 10-30 Name brand dino oil. Check regularly, no need to be **** about it, except on track.
2. I've only come close once, after revving to 2000rpm before shutting off. Since, I don't leave car to warm-up sitting, just that I am gentle for the warm-up period driving, as in immediately after startup just go.
3. Purrrphfit ... ridiculous... just use it as an ordinary car.
4. Because of urban legend - I've always tried to minimize this, but my transgressions have always been uneventful. Just luck I guess.
Enjoy the car to its fullest. The car was designed on the track, don't miss that pleasure. Not taking the car to an HPDE event I'd say is akin to an unconsumated marriage.
11-27-2008, 02:43 PM
#8
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Awsome, thank you for all the replies so far. I'm going tomorrow to get some 5w-30 castrol gtx oil for my car. I checked the oil today and it seemed fine. I live in Lafayette Louisiana so even when its "cold" here its not actually below freezing, so turning the car off cold.. don't really have to worry about that!
I'll have some pics soon. I forgot my camera at work and happily work is closed for thanksgiving so the pics will be coming probably tomorrow night after I get off work. (Black friday sales + retail = dead after work)
Again, thanks for the comments so far! Also I'd like to meet some fellow Rx8 owners around here if there is anyone on this board from Louisiana, lol.
I'll have some pics soon. I forgot my camera at work and happily work is closed for thanksgiving so the pics will be coming probably tomorrow night after I get off work. (Black friday sales + retail = dead after work)
Again, thanks for the comments so far! Also I'd like to meet some fellow Rx8 owners around here if there is anyone on this board from Louisiana, lol.
11-27-2008, 03:55 PM
#9
Awsome, thank you for all the replies so far. I'm going tomorrow to get some 5w-30 castrol gtx oil for my car. I checked the oil today and it seemed fine. I live in Lafayette Louisiana so even when its "cold" here its not actually below freezing, so turning the car off cold.. don't really have to worry about that!
I'll have some pics soon. I forgot my camera at work and happily work is closed for thanksgiving so the pics will be coming probably tomorrow night after I get off work. (Black friday sales + retail = dead after work)
Again, thanks for the comments so far! Also I'd like to meet some fellow Rx8 owners around here if there is anyone on this board from Louisiana, lol.
I'll have some pics soon. I forgot my camera at work and happily work is closed for thanksgiving so the pics will be coming probably tomorrow night after I get off work. (Black friday sales + retail = dead after work)
Again, thanks for the comments so far! Also I'd like to meet some fellow Rx8 owners around here if there is anyone on this board from Louisiana, lol.
Go with 5W-30, I use 20 as I drive a ton of highway miles and often take long trips in my 8 and so I want the added fuel efficiency (although I may be wrongfully assuming I get better fuel economy but I average 26, 27 on the highway and 22/23 mixed city/hwy)
The oil viscosity battle between 20 and 30 isn't really an issue for the rotary engine though, rotary's don't seize up the same as pistons. A piston will seize almost instantly when it over heats where as a rotary may very well run "normally" for hundreds of miles overheated.
11-27-2008, 04:46 PM
#13
Power!!
Congrats and welcome!
As everyone else has said:
1)Use a thicker oil than recommended by Mazda. 5w-30 or even 5w-40. the e-shaft bearings need a thicker oil or they will wear out prematurely.
2)Make sure you never shut the car off until it is warmed up and you will avoid flooding.
3)Rev it up. If you putter around a low RPMs all the time you will build up carbon in the motor and cause seal wear. Make sure you rev it up to 8K rpm at least once per trip once it's warmed up. It's good for the car!
As everyone else has said:
1)Use a thicker oil than recommended by Mazda. 5w-30 or even 5w-40. the e-shaft bearings need a thicker oil or they will wear out prematurely.
2)Make sure you never shut the car off until it is warmed up and you will avoid flooding.
3)Rev it up. If you putter around a low RPMs all the time you will build up carbon in the motor and cause seal wear. Make sure you rev it up to 8K rpm at least once per trip once it's warmed up. It's good for the car!
11-27-2008, 07:22 PM
#14
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I hate to sound stupid also, but I was looking through the manual and I can't find any information about this. Although I might just be blind.
I checked the oil today and noticed the dipstick didn't have any holes in it for markings to show when its low. It does however have an indentation on it. Mine was like 1/4 of the way down off the dent, so was it ok to drive? or should I put more oil into it to make the oil mark go all the way to the top of that indentation on the dipstick?
Thanks for the quick replies!
I checked the oil today and noticed the dipstick didn't have any holes in it for markings to show when its low. It does however have an indentation on it. Mine was like 1/4 of the way down off the dent, so was it ok to drive? or should I put more oil into it to make the oil mark go all the way to the top of that indentation on the dipstick?
Thanks for the quick replies!
11-28-2008, 10:57 PM
#15
1) Check oil level every other fill-up—or when the low oil level light comes on.
2) Use "Non-Synthetic 5W-20 Oil SL or ILSAC Approvals
3) "Mazda does not recommend using synthetic engine oil."
Last edited by New Yorker; 11-29-2008 at 08:40 AM.
11-29-2008, 01:07 AM
#16
Registered
1 and 2 - what everyone else said.
3 - There's no igniter. It's an Otto cycle spark ignition engine. Don't let it idle too long before driving. Owner's manual says 10 seconds. But drive gently until it fully warms up - as you would with any car.
4. No problem once it's warm.
On the "rev to 3000 before shutting off" - read the quick start guide for exactly what that's about.
Welcome to the rotary world and rx8club. You have escaped from the dark realm of pistons and cams.
Ken
3 - There's no igniter. It's an Otto cycle spark ignition engine. Don't let it idle too long before driving. Owner's manual says 10 seconds. But drive gently until it fully warms up - as you would with any car.
4. No problem once it's warm.
On the "rev to 3000 before shutting off" - read the quick start guide for exactly what that's about.
Welcome to the rotary world and rx8club. You have escaped from the dark realm of pistons and cams.
Ken
11-29-2008, 10:19 AM
#19
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I hate to sound stupid also, but I was looking through the manual and I can't find any information about this. Although I might just be blind.
I checked the oil today and noticed the dipstick didn't have any holes in it for markings to show when its low. It does however have an indentation on it. Mine was like 1/4 of the way down off the dent, so was it ok to drive? or should I put more oil into it to make the oil mark go all the way to the top of that indentation on the dipstick?
Thanks for the quick replies!
I checked the oil today and noticed the dipstick didn't have any holes in it for markings to show when its low. It does however have an indentation on it. Mine was like 1/4 of the way down off the dent, so was it ok to drive? or should I put more oil into it to make the oil mark go all the way to the top of that indentation on the dipstick?
Thanks for the quick replies!
11-29-2008, 03:42 PM
#20
Registered
I'm sure I've answered this before, but one more time won't hurt.
Idling's not good for an engine. Way off design condition. Plugs tend to foul, combustion temperatures are low. If you idle a cold engine, it's going to take a lot longer to warm up than if you drive it. The best way to warm an engine is to drive it moderately.
The evils of cold idling even show up in the RX-8's short trip procedure. In that procedure, you warm the engine by idling but then have to rev it before shutting down. The rev cleans off the crud that idling builds up.
Ken
Idling's not good for an engine. Way off design condition. Plugs tend to foul, combustion temperatures are low. If you idle a cold engine, it's going to take a lot longer to warm up than if you drive it. The best way to warm an engine is to drive it moderately.
The evils of cold idling even show up in the RX-8's short trip procedure. In that procedure, you warm the engine by idling but then have to rev it before shutting down. The rev cleans off the crud that idling builds up.
Ken
11-29-2008, 04:18 PM
#21
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I'm sure I've answered this before, but one more time won't hurt.
Idling's not good for an engine. Way off design condition. Plugs tend to foul, combustion temperatures are low. If you idle a cold engine, it's going to take a lot longer to warm up than if you drive it. The best way to warm an engine is to drive it moderately.
The evils of cold idling even show up in the RX-8's short trip procedure. In that procedure, you warm the engine by idling but then have to rev it before shutting down. The rev cleans off the crud that idling builds up.
Ken
Idling's not good for an engine. Way off design condition. Plugs tend to foul, combustion temperatures are low. If you idle a cold engine, it's going to take a lot longer to warm up than if you drive it. The best way to warm an engine is to drive it moderately.
The evils of cold idling even show up in the RX-8's short trip procedure. In that procedure, you warm the engine by idling but then have to rev it before shutting down. The rev cleans off the crud that idling builds up.
Ken
11-29-2008, 04:24 PM
#22
12-01-2008, 02:43 PM
#24
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Ok, so I've been letting my car sit and idle to warm up (At least 2 ticks) as I was told by a friend of mine. Should I start it up and drive it, or should I let it sit and idle until its warmed up (i.e. 2 ticks on the engine temp)?
I don't wanna mess anything up, that would be bad!
I don't wanna mess anything up, that would be bad!
12-01-2008, 02:54 PM
#25
Zoom Zoom....
Well, after reading all of the above advise...
My 2cents:
Start the car.
Find a good song on the radio (30 seconds)
Sip your coffee (10 seconds)
Pull out of your parking (120 seconds)
Drive gently under 3,000 rpm (until the temp needle starts to move)
Keep it under 5,000 rpm until the temp gauge is in the middle.
Drive it like you stole it (and don't spill your coffee)!
My 2cents:
Start the car.
Find a good song on the radio (30 seconds)
Sip your coffee (10 seconds)
Pull out of your parking (120 seconds)
Drive gently under 3,000 rpm (until the temp needle starts to move)
Keep it under 5,000 rpm until the temp gauge is in the middle.
Drive it like you stole it (and don't spill your coffee)!