RX-8 died on autocross course
 

I took my new 2005 RX-8T out for its first autox. Had 6 runs on about 50oF day. I had a co-driver so 12 runs in all. My car has 710s, RB front bar, D-spec shocks, mazdaspeed exhaust. The car also has 2600miles on the clock. I ran with a full tank of gas.

The funny thing that happened is on the 2nd run I went into a tight right turn then to a tight left turn in 1st gear when the car dies. Did not stall but power was gone, a puff of black smoke came out of the tail pipes, engine check light came on, and she ran rough for 20 to 30 seconds after that. Then the engine check light went off. I parked it turned it off and she ran fine for the rest of the day. I hit that turn in 2nd gear after that. The next day I had the codes in memory check and the code was P0300 random multiple misfire. I don't thing I hit 9000 rpm in that turn when in 1st.

My co-driver had no problem, but she always used 2nd gear on that corner. A dead stock 05 RX8T with 1200miles on it was also racing and he also had his car die and engine check light come on for one of his runs. He also used 1st gear in that turn.

So any one run into this at all on the autox course?
Can you fuel starve a RX-8?

I have read of issue resulting in fuel starve but it was at a lower mark of fuel where there is a 1/4 tank of fuel left or lower.

Hope this helps-

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https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...uel+starvation post #24

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we run ours down to the fuel light for autox without issue ....

it was probably just a glitch, a few of us had the random misfire code when fairly new, seems to resolve itself in time, it will take a scanner to clear it though, none of us on the national level have had this happen (just die) that I'm aware of

I've never had fuel starvation on an autox course. I'm sure that's not the problem since you were running a full tank. I've had it happen once at a track day, but I had less than 1/4 tank.

Were you running premium fuel (91 or 92 octane)? Maybe you got a bad batch?

I was running 83 octane but had just topped off from a Texaco station a 1/4 tank.


<Were you running premium fuel (91 or 92 octane)? Maybe you got a bad batch?>

Sorry thats 93 octane not 83

Edit never mind saw your correction...... :D:

83 octane, i was about to say...

Where was the event? I'm familiar with some of the venues in the area. Some (like Bristol CT) are pretty violent and will cause fuel starvation because of the bumps/hills mid-turn. Bristol CT will break cars. Some non-street cars can't even compete there due to bottoming out.

--kC

I've had starvation happen at the track with a little less than 1/2 tank, but that was only in high-speed sweepers. Very possible it could happen at autox, also maybe you over-rev'ed the engine when you down-shifted?

The event was at Waterbury, CT FCSCC on March 26th. FCSCC had a autox school the day before. I helped out at the school and didn't drive.

I got fuel starve for the first time last weekend. was a fast run at the top of 2nd gear into a on camber left hand turn, almost a 180 sweeper, that ended down hill near the top of 2nd gear. On corner exit I got just a tiny hick-up of fuel starve. Happen on my last run and I was below a 1/4 tank but no low fuel light.
What you have does not sound like fuel starve, sounds more like an over rev issue due to 1st gear. It is possible to go past the rev limiter in 1st gear because the car revs so quick you will blast past it and the computer kind of freaks on you until it catches up.

I'm the one with the other car that had the same problem at the autoX. I experienced the problem on one run during the same turn as SoloSeven. Completely stock car on oem tires, 1/4 tank fuel 94 octane, DSC totally off. I was in first gear for the duration of the course during that run and the problem occured after a hard right, almost 180 deg. The car bogged down, would not rev over 6K and the check engine lamp flashed. The lamp went out after about 4 seconds or so and the car did not run rough. Spectators mentioned it had the same smoke puff. I took the same turn in 1st gear on a few more runs, but had DSC on the first level of off, didn't push quite as hard there and did not experience the problem again. Later runs in 2nd gear with DSC totally off were successful as well. I have not had a chance to scan for codes.

Yep got fuel starvation @ watkins glen last summer, that was with just over 1/4 tank in the esses though (sustained high-G corners). The car would just die for almost 3 seconds.. then it would be ok for the rest of the lap, It did it two laps in a row.. then I filled up and didnt have another problem for the rest of the day.
Ive done more than 20 auto-xs with the car and never had it happen, even with virtually no fuel.
My guess (not that I would know anything) is overrev, especially since your codriver never had it happen..

I've never had problems like that on a auto-x, but I did see another 8 on the course and his car just died. He got it started though and didn't seem to have any further problems.