I'm running a 6M with M flash and no mods aside from the CZ stage 1, which I installed today (latest batch). After the Install I did the following:

1. Took the car out for a short drive (CZ on).
2. Did the brake thing to clear the memory and took the car out for another short drive.
4. Turned off the CZ and took yet another drive.
5. Turned on the CZ, did the brake thing and took the car out for a 100 mile road trip.

The results were the same each time the CZ was on, even after 100 miles. The car runs normal with the unit off. The first thing I noticed was the exhaust note, which is definitely different. It sounds a little deeper and if I rev it in neutral and quickly lift off the gas I can hear the car make a popping sound like the one noticeable with the after market exhausts. Overall, I like the way it sounds. I didn't really notice the rough idle others had described. As far as performance is concerned, below 5000 RPMs the car has a dangerous loss of power. I made a left turn across traffic and thought it was going to cut off. The same thing was repeated when I had to stop at a traffic light while going up a slight hill. It feels like you're taking off in 2nd gear with low RPMs, much weaker than stock. If, while maintaining speed below 4000 RPMs in 2nd, 3rd or 4th gear, I suddenly depress the accelerator, the car will hesitate for about a second then jerk forward and slowly start to gain speed. It makes kind of a pitiful, sloppy sound as well when doing that, like a car that's on its last legs. At around 41 MPH in 4th gear the car took over 3 secs to gain 1 MPH when I floor it. It reminded me of my Civic Si actually, back when I had damaged one of the wires for the knock sensor and the ECU retarded the timing. Sluggish and bogged down. The only way around it is to raise the RPMs a couple of grand higher before letting off the clutch, but even then it's not that great until you hit 5000. On the positive side, somewhere around 5000 RPMs I feel a sudden and powerful burst of energy, even when not at WOT. It's like the car has two personalities: lively-and-enjoyable-above-5000 sports car persona and the-freakin-anticipation-is-killing-me-below-5000 beater persona.

Anyway, I'm not ready to give up on this thing, especially after all the great stuff I've heard. Any ideas?

 

check your coils. from other explanations i have read here you may have burned 2 of them.

for more info read this

 

But going back to stock and the car runs fine and no dip or sluggish power how would you explain that? Another words if the car acts strangely with it on and normal with it off wouldnt burnt coils be the same whether it was on or off?

 

Genom posted this in the thread you referenced:

"Basically for me, the process is: I smell a burnt electronics smell in the cabin. After that, the car has no low end power at all. I mean, you have to rev the car to 3000RPM at least to be able to get off a complete stop without stalling it. Power is also very jerky under 4000RPM overall and there is what feels like a power boost at about 5000RPM."

That sounds exactly like what I'm experiencing, but I only experience the problem with the unit on. (And the boost at 5000 is one hell of a boost!) Regardless, tomorrow morning I'll do a run once more with the unit off as well as check the coils.

Thanks.

 

how much to replace the coils??

 

Seen it referenced at 130.00 for the pair. Not 100% sure on that price but that is what I remember. Dr Evil not sure I understand you fully, do you experience that now all the time with the unit off and on or just on?

 

Or you could replace them with something better, like what's being discussed in this thread.

 

If the coils were bad shouldn't I experience the same problems when the unit is turned off? I double-checked and the car runs normal with the CZ unit turned off. The car also seems to be running a little better today with the unit turned on; however, the problem is still there, just not as pronounced. First and second gear seem to only have so much power below 4000--way less than stock--whether I give it partial throttle or wide open. In third and fourth gear the car isn't hesitating *quite* as much, but it still feels really jerky when accelerating. At least it's not taking a full 3 secs to climb 1 mph like yesterday.

 

Sure enough, one of the coils is bad--the front-most coil. I was going to buy an exhaust next, but now I'm wondering if the AEM C2DI ignition and DIS coils mentioned in the other thread would be a worthwhile upgrade. (I'll post questions about those in the other thread.)

So yeah, the CZ makes the burnt coil more noticeable.

By the way, thanks for the help! Here's a pic.

 

Holy obese picture, batman!

Glad you actually found an issue. Sucks about the coil tho

 

never knew you were in to abstract art my friend... anybody have clearer pics of the burnt coils?

 

It said the original file was too large; so I changed the attributes and somehow screwed up the size without realizing it. If this doesn't work just do a "save as" to your computer. I'll try posting it again. Notice the melted, bubbled out part:

 

go try and fck the dealer on the warranty, if not talk to Maurice before you shell out the cash on your own....it is only like $120 for a set, which really isnt that much.

 

This is the point of the evidence of damage, right? That "triangular" bulge should not be there, it should be flat, right?

Seems like a warranty deal to me too, why wouldn't it be?

 

Yes, it should be flat. I'm just going to have Mazda replace it.

 

First time I had the dealer do it udner warranty. They will prolly have to order the coils as most dont stock it. This time I went ahead and shelled out the money for them since I dont have time for the dealer to do things at their pace.

But will definitely upgrade to a better solution sometime soon. Jeff's setup is pretty easy to do if you've ever done any kind of soldering and not very expensive at all. Probably just do the leading coils at first and eventually all 4.

 

While you have it out, I would put those Capacitors that RX8 Friend talked about. Up until the time I took my Canzoomer out to sell it my car ran fine with the Canzoomer. And I am like you the exhaust note got deeper and I could feel the difference in power going back to stock. If it does not sell, it is going back in. I wanted to save up and get a bodykit but I am not going to give this thing away because it is a good mod. I really do think that those caps worked because I just checked my coils and they are fine. No burnt smell and the coils look fine. I just do not get to drive this car like it needs to be that is why I want cosmetic pieces instead. I always have my little one with me and the wife so NO playing for me. I once again would suggest replacing those resistors with caps.

 

explain jeff's setup to me...i have a feeling im on the 'doomed for burnt coils' side of the performance spectrum

 

Jeff explained the basic wiring in the post referenced above where I taslk about my coils again. If ya have more Q's we can go from there, but that covers it mostly.

 

Ok, I'm still waiting for my CZ unit but I have a question for you folks that have had a burnt coil. I seem to be smelling electrical burns in my car whenever I blip 9000 rpms going in a freeway. This happened once before, but now it seems to be happening everytime I do it. I thought it was the vehicle I was following or the place I am driving, but this is getting more common for me everywhere.

My car runs fine afterwards though and no other problems at all. It just smells so bad everytime I rev it high. Sometimes it smells like the engine is about to explode or something. Freaks me out when that burning smell comes around.

Any help is appreciated

 

its your coils..theyre on their last leg

 

Great I'll have to call the Dealership now. Thanks ep.

 

can someone possibly post a picture of where exactly the coils are with respect to something I could find under the hood? I think mine might be burnt, and I want to check... thanks!

 

pmacwill - check out this thread -

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...hreadid=27580.

I believe I have the same problem, but haven't got around to checking it out yet. All the telltale signs are there - no power under 4000rpms, electric smell, etc. I do have a service appointment scheduled for next week, and I told them I thought I may have burnt coils, but odds are they aren't going to have any coils in stock (although I hope I'm wrong).