B-Nez

I have a small driver-handle for my smaller sockets that I was able to use. You just have to get your hand in there with the twisting tool of your choice (be it an extension bar or a driver handle) and a 10mm (I think) socket, and give it a good twist.

BRx8

thanks for the help guys, i will try it again once i get home from work...can someone verify that what i need is a 10mm socket?

eccles

Yes, I believe that bolt was a 10.

BRx8

thanks again! i'll post my results tonight

BRx8

thanks for the tips guys...i really REALLY appreciate it...since i took it off a few days ago and knew the whole procedure, this second time around was a snap...the entire dissection took about 30 minutes and then a good 10 minutes to put it back...

the 10mm bolt was very easy once i got that extension...just break it loose (it was very loose on my already) then turn by hand...

the hardest part was indeed getting those connectors off...i didn't have to cut any tape at all, i just took the bottom 2 off, the left one you can depress the latch and the right one you'll need your key or a flat head to push in the latch...then you can basically, but carefully, pull the unit out to expose the upper 2 which are both very easy to remove, granted you have skinny hands and wrists like me...

once done, plugging it back in takes less than half the time

Steve T

First, thanks to all for the pics and tips on the MP3 player install.

I tried to install mine this weekend and got stuck almost before I started. Once I had the center console /shifter cover up, I removed the two screws holding the ashtray assembly in but I could not remove it! Is there a trick to this? It would move but it would not come out. Just don't want to force it out and break something...

B-Nez

Yeah, there is a lip that extends up under the stereo faceplate. You have to kind of rotate the bottom edge towards you as you pull the ashtray down. I found that opening the ashtray (most of the way) was helpful with removal and installation.

Steve T

Thanks for the help, I will try it again tonight.

XK4

Just installed my MP3 player this afternoon. Piece of cake, thanks to all those who posted photos and tips. You guys made it much easier. It only took me a little under an hour. The connectors were a PITA, but manageable. The only real problem was that it was 102F in my garage at 4pm.

Dave

pcorsaro

I installed my CD/MP3-CD unit in last night.
Followed everyone's helpful advice and the Mazda installation instructions I found on a dealer site.

All seemed to work all connectors snapped in and played with that XXXXXX hidden bolt until I finally got it in.

Everything works except the MP3 player.
I noticed on the directions that it would take 12cm or 8cm (3") disks.
So I put all my MP3s on a 12cm disk with no sub-directories.

I put the 12cm disk in and it sucked it in.
I waited a real long time, thinking that it needed time to load all the songs.

Now the eject button and any controls for the MP3 player will not respond. It acts like there is no disk in the player. All AM & FM function work fine.

I am lost what to do now, any suggestions?

Anyone know how to get the CD out?

Has anyone used a MP3 12cm CD in the MP3 player with the disk filled with MP3 on the root directory?

Additional information gained this morning: The air conditioner and fan does not work. So I will try again tonight. Maybe a connector was not plugged in all the way or came off. Still like to see info on 12cm CD and how to get a CD out manually.

Yes, All my mistake. had the air Conditioner plug not pluged in (had it in an empty receptical next to the antenna plug)

NOW ALL WORKS GREAT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Trussville Mazda great people and great price.
http://www.trussvillemazda.com


Paul

eccles

Yes, my wife's iTunes burns CD's that way, and I've had no problem with them. What you're describing sounds like a mechanical problem rather than a logic problem. When you inserted the disk, did the display show "reading disk" (or words to that effect)?

Short of removing it all again and looking for a manual eject latch somewhere, my only other suggestion would be to disconnect the battery for thirty seconds or so then reconnect, to see if the drive has a power-on reset function.

Unfortunately, it seems that these drives are not totally bulletproof - while I've not experienced the problem you're having, I'm still waiting on a replacement for mine which steadfastly refuses to recognise any ID3 tags or directory names.

foodiedave

Woo hoo!

Thanks to all the fidgeting and frustration of those who have gone before, I just finished installing the MP3 player in me very own 8.

That bolt! Argh! Thanks to eccles for the picture and the tip on removing the metal panel behind the lower panel to get better access to the bolt. I'd never have found it.

Those connectors! What a PITA!!

But the blue tape, that's the worst. I wonder if the guy whose job it is to tie back that wiring with the evil blue tape has any idea what pain he has caused would-be MP3-playing Rx-8 owners.

FWIW, my MP3 CD collection, encoded by LAME, which writes ID3v1 tags plus ID3v2 tags for those fields not defined by ID3v1, gets all supported fields displayed without problems.

pcorsaro

I was the guy that installed the MP3 and the MP3 player would not work and the CD would not eject.

All is OK now I removed it again and found that the AC control connector was almost plugged into the (should be empty) connector next to the antenna cable.

All works great now.


Paul


Blue RX8 GT Package 8/4/03
Past 1st Gen RX7

zojas

can the mp3 player handle variable bit rate mp3s? thanks.

eccles

Yes.

RotorMotor

Eccles, what position were you in when you took this photo? I still can't find this freakin' bolt!!!

I did the following:

• Removed the panel around the gear shift
• Removed the two screws that secured the astray
• Removed the ashtray
• Removed a total of 4 screws that were behind the ashtray
• Looked for an hour for that damn bolt!!!!!

The tape deck came factory installed. Could that be obscuring the bolt? The only things I see up there are attachments for the air conditioning controls. Should I be looking up from on the driver's side floor behind the dash or looking up from infront of the console through the hole left by removing the ashtray???

brothervoodoo

Roto,

Beneath the steering wheel, remove the plastic cover, what is left is a metal "frame" it is easier to get to the bolt if you remove this frame piece as well.

Now for the angle of the picture:
You are looking in the wrong place (ashtray area). Your perspective should be from the "foot well area"

From outside the car (drivers side), knell down and look into the space you created by removing the plastic and metal cover, you should be able to see the bolt now. You may beed a rachet extender to get to the bolt but from a few people's experience it's NOT torqued down too tight. good luck

RotorMotor

Thank you voodoo. One last question if you don't mind so I can be sure that I have it all straight when I get home this afternoon:
Is the plastic cover benenath the steering wheel that I'm supposed to remove just to the right of my where right knee would be when driving or is it a panel directly under the steering column? Thanks again!

brothervoodoo

Let me try to explain it clearly so you don't end up disassembling the whole car! :D

Check out Superfan's scanned instuctions here:
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...5&pagenumber=2

Go to the picture entitled "Install Manual Page 4". The very first section entitled "Lower Panel Removal", that's the plastic cover you want to remove and in my estimation is what you are referring to as "right under the steering wheel".

But to clealry see and get to the bolt, I would also recommend removing the metal frame "bracket" underneath the plastic panel. This is not mentioned in the directions but as soon as I removed the metal frame the bolt was staring me in the face. Good luck.

p.s. Do not attempt to remove the panel "next to your knee", no reason for that.

RX8by

I finally got the nerve to put mine in. Wasn't too bad. I found it much easier to unonstall the metal plate under the steering column. It has only 4 screws and comes right off. Then you can see an access the hidden screw much easier. I couldn't find it until I took it off. After I got it all together I noticed the display was not lighting up. I had to take it apart again 10 min this time. The upper plug was not in quite right. Of course I forgot to take the CD out of the old changer. Anybody know how to get it out?

brothervoodoo

Reconnect the old CD Player... welp..

oosik

I'm not much into car mp3 players or CD/MP3 players so forgive my ignorance........this is just a standard size CD with MPs burned to it, yes? I've encoded to MP3 before so i understand that part of it, just a matter of putting it on a standard CD properly.

Someone mentioned LAME, which I have seen but never used, to encode and record............

I'm not much of an audiophile but may consider this MP3 player over my single-cd player, thanks.

brothervoodoo

In my opinion the MP3 player is head and shoulders above the single tray (or 6-disc) changer. You can hold well over a hundred songs on a single MP3 disc, so you have a lot more music at your disposal over the traditional CD player. You "burn" mp3's just like you would regular "data" onto a CD-Rom. Then all you do is pop-it into the MP3 player and off you go.

Those with computers, the songs and a burner, it's a no-brainer to get the mp3 player. Understandably, for others the lack of familiarity and/or the initial costs to gear yourself up to burn songs unto discs maybe to much of a leap to be worth it.

The MP3 Player still plays regular music CD's too. There are some finer points around MP3's and audio quality, lower quality smaller file size, better quality bigger size, hence less songs on a single CD. My quote of 100 songs on a single disk is assuming very good audio quality. You could fit 150 songs sampled at 128kbits and that is still pretty good quality.

oosik

looks like something else to add to my wish list......

eccles

Hey Mods, can we make this thread sticky please? I keep referring folks to it all the time.