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Over the past week I managed to complete a few chores and give the 8 a good look after winter. The usual oil and filter change was followed by the discovery the oil temperature sensor had vibrated loose. Oil consumption wasn’t that high, the sensor had backed out of the oil cooler banjo bolt. A nice steady dribble over a few days. Nice mess of congealed oil and road grit on the underside plastic pan. Got it all clean so tech inspection next weekend doesn’t flag me. I want to thank someone out there for the oil cooler fin straightening tip - use a zip tie. Zip ties are much faster than my previous watch maker flat screw driver method and more gentle as well.
My first brake system flush in decades was done with the help of a handy vacuum pump. Where were these things when I was kid/young guy? I was reminiscing about the “ push, hold, release, arg you let up and sucked air” routine. Far easier with the pump and can flush the lines solo. Made it to and from work with a pristine bumper so evidently there’s no air in the lines.
This weekend should see the installation of the right side tail light. I just bought a pair from someone on the Facebook (olde guy speak). They need a little work since the wiring was modified to install on a series 1. The lenses are good and the price was great.
Nasty looking old brake fluid. I want to say the pedal feels better to validate my efforts.
New to me tail lights. Just need a little love.
I usually do the brake fluid solo without a rig, just a tube and a bottle work fine for me. Nowadays though, I just ask my friend to help me do it the classic two-man way.
I considered a pressure bleeder like Motive but the reviews are not as good as I expected, and the risk of brake fluid exploding all over the car is a big no-no.
What fluid are you using BTW? And which event are you going to?
As for the taillights, they are a pain to seal properly to the body of the car. I recommend a generous amount of RTV on the gasket if you don't want your taillights to become fishbowls. I actually just let a body shop do it since I tried once and I guess I didn't apply enough RTV and there was still condensation in the lamp. If the shop messes up, you can always go back and ask them to do it again for free.
I used DOT3 which may have been a mistake. Probably should have gone DOT4 but, missed a thread on recommendations until just now. The vacuum bleeder is pretty gentle and didn’t seem too great of a risk for hosing down my car with paint removal fluid. I’m going to Mission on the 18th for a newbie track day. Not suitable for you probably. No intention to be fast especially after seeing what space there is for mistakes. Just want to start learning to be smooth. If the brake fluid gets cooked I have another bottle to flush with. Then I’ll get the DOT4 unless there’s something else better. I’m in the wrong tax bracket to consider frequent track days. I have experience already with sealing up fish bowl tail lights.
I used DOT3 which may have been a mistake. Probably should have gone DOT4 but, missed a thread on recommendations until just now. The vacuum bleeder is pretty gentle and didn’t seem too great of a risk for hosing down my car with paint removal fluid. I’m going to Mission on the 18th for a newbie track day. Not suitable for you probably. No intention to be fast especially after seeing what space there is for mistakes. Just want to start learning to be smooth. If the brake fluid gets cooked I have another bottle to flush with. Then I’ll get the DOT4 unless there’s something else better. I’m in the wrong tax bracket to consider frequent track days. I have experience already with sealing up fish bowl tail lights.
DOT standards aren't directly related to the boiling point of brake fluids. They do have a minimum standards, but anything you can get here should meet that easily. That said, most of the good brake fluids are DOT 4.
Usually I see people go with Motul RBF 600, though I think RX-8 might be light enough for you to get away with Motul DOT 5.1 as well. If you don't go to the track often, then Castrol SRF is overkill since it is expensive. SRF does have the highest wet boiling point on the market right now, which is what demands that type of premium.
And I have never been to Mission, so it's new to me. I probably won't be able to get the brake fluid ready before then though. I heard it is less forgiving than VIMC so yeah, definitely be careful.
I personally really enjoyed some of the half-day track days myself when I was at VIMC. Run for 3 sessions in the morning and you are done. It's easier on your wallet and mind, and usually the track gets a bit too toasty in the afternoon for good lap times. Not sure if someone does organize that at Mission.
My first track day ever was an awesome day spent in the rain. It started on Easter Monday at 7:30 and I was DONE by 3:30. A local group (Speedy Goat Motor Sports) hosted a well put together event. The blend of practice sessions on selected course portions with feedback, follow the leader, and best of all several laps with a brave soul in the passenger seat pointing out a better way was a great approach. This car has much more capability than the driver.
The rain was constant and made for an interesting time. I think having a wet track with some pooling water actually kept me safer. It certainly showed up my flaws in braking/down shifting. There were no “offs” or bent body panels at the end of the day so I managed to keep a promise to my wife. The only downside was self inflicted. My bicycle crash injury of the week prior hasn’t healed yet. I’m still using crutches to walk any significant amount. I had to leave the crutches “out of sight “ against the fence or the safety people probably would have frowned on my participation. By the end of the day walking around and repeatedly getting in and out of the car my hip was a wee bit sore.
Thanks for the advice earlier. My daughter and I changed the brake fluid AGAIN to a higher temperature fluid. By the end of pumping it out with a vacuum hand pump Popeye has nothing on me. Forearm muscles had a workout.
Replacement tail light awaits attention before I can install it. Fun day
Sounds like a great day, nice that you got to push the car with people that could give you advice. I should probably do the same. I agree that the wet day may have been a blessing in disguise for you.
Bike crashes suck, no way to come out of them without damage. I try really hard to stay in the saddle, overly cautious at times, really don't want the road rash and bruises. Hope you heal up soon!
Dannobre - I found the turn 2 wall in my over exuberant first laps to be more exciting. Trying to play follow the leader behind another rookie during the harder morning rain was a good display of how much I needed to learn.
10k - you should definitely make an opportunity to attend a track day. Be warned that saying to your wife “ I just want to do one day a year” could make you a liar. I’m now trying to figure out how to get another day in on the cheap. Looks like the club may have got another volunteer.
Turn 2 has the little bump near the apex that makes it feel a bit exciting... if you are unsettled when you hit it you will drift out further and feel the wall... There are different schools of thought on turn 2... its kinda one of those double apex kinda strange corners... I find a bit deeper and then straight over can work... depending on traffic. It can be a real **** show with people trying different things. I like to be pointed at 3 early and it makes the wall a non issue.
worst thing is to be late and trying to turn after you should be on the gas....
Im just making my way home from a very busy day volunteering as time keeper at a local track (Vancouver Island Motor Sports in Duncan). Lots to learn about the system but, I think it went well. At the end of the time trial event no one was holding a rope eyeing up tall trees while surrounding me. They offered me a chance to have track time at the end. My brain was too fried to put out the concentration required for the track. Next time. .
Forgot to add the timing room view.
Last edited by Meat Head; May 1, 2022 at 08:20 PM.
Almost exactly 2 years to the day of purchase of my RX8. I had another fun day volunteering with time keeping at Mission Raceway today. At the tail end of the day was given the opportunity to join group 5 (new timers) to do some unrecorded laps for a few sessions. First time on dry pavement, just a wee bit more grip. Next time I’ll try and get some lead/follow laps with a more knowledgeable club member. I feel like I’m picking better lines each lap but, there’s much room for improvement. A great way to experience the car’s potential without getting arrested. Surprised how many people take a day off to play.
I was over at a buddy’s place last night and played with his compression tester. Sort of surprised at the numbers. Mazda would fail my car yet it hot starts reliably even with a weak battery. Talking to a local rebuilder today about options. Langley Wolfe Mazda quoted about $6,600 for one of theirs. I might get another year out of this engine. All faces are consistent and the values are rather balanced when comparing front and rear housings.
Front 523 564 544
Rear 579 556 519
The fun part is coming when I try to validate reasons to replace the engine on my gas guzzler with my wife. Still cheaper than a new car.
After the arrival of summer heat (finally!) I upgraded my license for VersaTune to the full version. Not running AC in 37° Celsius because the coolant and oil temperature were too high with the AC on in traffic (220° F / 202° F) was crazy. Post fan trigger modification the highest coolant temperature seen is 206° F and the oil temperature is happy. Simple change to make in the software by adjusting sensor voltage. Simple can be scary though. Fortunately there was someone else that posted their adjustment that made sense after looking at tables for a while.
Unfortunately, with the increased fan use my tired battery expired (4+ years old). I was going to purchase/install a trunk remote AGM battery kit but, with everything going up in cost that plan is on hold. Installed a lead acid type cause I read they tolerate the engine bay heat better the AGM.
Once the heat dies back I’ll make the foray into MAF calibration once again.
On the drive home there was a loud crack that I felt in my left foot. It happened about 3 km into my 28 km commute home and yup, it was the clutch pedal bracket. So a rather mundane trip became exciting with half the usual clutch available. At stops if I pressed left to right, full throw was there but, for the rest of the drive there was emphasis on rev matching with only “half” a clutch.
Then the replacement search was on. I’m fortunate to have 2 members of this mob close to my place (thanks Danobre and Dodo23). My initial order from a place in the States was going to take 10 business days to get here. An offer to borrow a pedal was made but, my wife made the suggestion to call the local Mazda dealership (Wolfe Langley is good). I got a new pedal delivered in 2 days for $73 instead of $168 delivered in 2 weeks. Lots of negative about “stealerships” on this forum but, the local one is great.
Back on the road tonight (can I get a Whoo Whoo?).
Nice break eh? My neighbour will have a go with his welder for a critical spare.
I was over at a buddy’s place last night and played with his compression tester. Sort of surprised at the numbers. Mazda would fail my car yet it hot starts reliably even with a weak battery. Talking to a local rebuilder today about options. Langley Wolfe Mazda quoted about $6,600 for one of theirs. I might get another year out of this engine. All faces are consistent and the values are rather balanced when comparing front and rear housings.
Front 523 564 544
Rear 579 556 519
The fun part is coming when I try to validate reasons to replace the engine on my gas guzzler with my wife. Still cheaper than a new car.
My LY lasted about 2 years once I found out it was failing.
In my case the hot start issues started a few months after I found out and got progressively worse to the point where I'd have to wait about a half hour after shutting it off.
I thought I could budget and save for a new engine but life kept getting in the way.
That clutch pedal strikes me as the sort of item that simply should never fail. There's things that go wrong in cars, but you'd expect the simple stuff to be nailed by now. I'll keep an eye on mine.
I'm not as negative about dealers, like you I've had some good experiences.
Mh: Gah, that's not fun but glad you made it home with a little creative clutch work and some rev matching.
Agreed that there's usually a lot of hate towards local dealers but some of them can be quite good. Way back in the day my local dealership and Service Manager was even a vendor on this site and used to do great work on our cars. Once you find a good dealership / mechanic it's a game changer.
BC: they eventually recalled it.
I was hosting a Dyno Day with MazdaManiac and the BHR guys and Charles had a spare welded up clutch pedal in his car, I made him an offer and he swapped it out in the parking lot for me. A few years later the recall came out and I sent Mazda the invoice for reimbursement.
Mh: Gah, that's not fun but glad you made it home with a little creative clutch work and some rev matching.
Agreed that there's usually a lot of hate towards local dealers but some of them can be quite good. Way back in the day my local dealership and Service Manager was even a vendor on this site and used to do great work on our cars. Once you find a good dealership / mechanic it's a game changer.
BC: they eventually recalled it.
I was hosting a Dyno Day with MazdaManiac and the BHR guys and Charles had a spare welded up clutch pedal in his car, I made him an offer and he swapped it out in the parking lot for me. A few years later the recall came out and I sent Mazda the invoice for reimbursement.
I have one from BHR after mine broke.
I don't remember the recall.
I thought I checked my VIN and all recalls were fixed.
(?)
I didn’t think there was an official recall for the pedal, just an agreement some dealerships replaced them when they expired. Given how the clutch pedal felt last night the old one must have failed slightly a year or more back. Then it got progressively worse until it snapped completely.
I have fallen prey to the miracle that is promised by ATF fluid soaking in the combustion chambers. Showed up an hour early at work yesterday and injected the fluid through the spark plug holes in the morning. This morning I spun the engine with the plugs back out until the spray stopped.
Surprised the smoke show wasn’t too thick. Fortunate this was the case since my car was outside the DFO building (Department of Fisheries and Oceans). They yelled at us once for washing a boat at the dock with a garden hose (drinking water pollutes the river?!?).
Changed the oil and plugs after the smoke ended. No noticeable difference but, the intent is to delay my rebuild as long as possible not get some perceived HP gain/recovery. I have an extremely busy month coming up and my buddy is working flat out. Hope to redo the compression test in October and see if the numbers changed.
Last night I decided to clean the MAF once again cause there were indications it was fouled once more. What is it with me and that little o-ring gasket? Once again it’s MIA and who knows when or where? Of course there’s no replacement handy and nothing in my plumbing bin of stuff. So… 3 little rubber bands twisted together are working well for now until I can buy a replacement. I seem to kill that little o-ring frequently.
On the engine replacement front I need to pace this. Wife is on a leave to look after her mom on the final stages of Alzheimer’s so 1 income will make things interesting. I’m going to start buying the housings and other parts over the next year or as long as I can nurse this engine along.
Well the expected happened and the car threw a code - P0171. The only surprise was how long it took to complain about the rubber band gasket. Installed the proper MAF gasket once it arrived in the dealership ($19.00 each and I bought 2). Also installed 2 more exhaust hangers and was pleasantly surprised to hear less vibration from the cat back. Sometimes I wonder about my thinking. Just went with 2 short on the exhaust hanger count for a year.
