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Series I AT-Specific Performance Mods Discuss engine and transmission modifications for your AT equipped RX-8

Attention! - AT Owners Must Rev Their Engines to at Least 6,000RPM Every Other Day

Old Aug 31, 2008 | 02:00 PM
  #101  
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I redline the hell out of it... but its gonna have to wait since the new engine
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Old Aug 31, 2008 | 02:05 PM
  #102  
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No really, break it in like you plan to drive it...
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Old Aug 31, 2008 | 02:16 PM
  #103  
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And whys that, isnt there a usual break-in period on new engines??? call me crazy but im pretty sure there is lol...
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Old Aug 31, 2008 | 02:20 PM
  #104  
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Do some searching across the net and elsewhere then decide on your own. There's no way I could cover it all here lol.

It's a concept that started with bikes (at least with me) and has been carried over to other types of engines. Very high level, subjective, and controversial, the thought is you want to get everything nice and sealed under the same conditions in which you plan to drive normally. It's even been suggested that you'll get a power bump from it, but like I said, I don't want to start a reglious debate.

Search, research, and decide on your own
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Old Aug 31, 2008 | 02:30 PM
  #105  
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haha well ill give it some every once in awhile... ill go easy first 100 miles after that though its going to be hard not to reach that redline... :D
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Old Aug 31, 2008 | 02:40 PM
  #106  
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Actually, they say the first 100 are the most important lol
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Old Aug 31, 2008 | 02:42 PM
  #107  
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lol, sigh so what? rev the hell outta it??? heh something seems wrong here... idk if im confortable with doing that to a brand new engine... anyone other than shell wanta put in their 2 cents?
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Old Sep 2, 2008 | 12:16 AM
  #108  
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From what I've read thus far, rotary engines are a bit different than regular piston engines -- they're designed to run at high RPMs. My car is at ~600 miles so far and I intend to go a bit gentle on it until 1,000 miles. I do redline it every few days
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Old Sep 2, 2008 | 08:55 PM
  #109  
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yeah i know their designed but as for all engines... meh... idk what do to...i still believe in breaking in a car...
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Old Sep 26, 2008 | 01:04 PM
  #110  
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The AT trannie with manumatic is awesome, whay would anyone hate on it?
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Old Sep 26, 2008 | 01:06 PM
  #111  
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Hey. Im a noobie here. Ive been reading and I think its fine to rev high in the RX8 even with a new engine. Reving high is not going to put a huge amount of stress on it. Now if your flooring it to redline, well then thats a little different and your asking for trouble with a new engine.

I just bought my 8 a little over a week ago, still waiting for the title from the bank . However, I had the guys plates for a few days and I was driving it HARD! Is it good to hit 48mph in first if not oops lol. Fun to drive and even better to look at, or see people looking anyway.
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Old Sep 29, 2008 | 05:59 PM
  #112  
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Ok. So, like I said, I'm a noobie . After searching online for some parts for the RX8 I stumbled across the break in procedure. Here it is, follow it if you want.

http://www.racingbeat.com/FRmazda4.htm
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Old Oct 31, 2008 | 05:33 PM
  #113  
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7500 everyday
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Old Nov 7, 2008 | 04:14 PM
  #114  
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I did a redline today to release any carbon build up..........................street race story deleted......S.......and it was dead even.

OMG, I just got htis car about 2 weeks ago and this thing is sloowwwww. I have an 06 AT. I didn't know rx8 AT ran 17s 1/4mile.
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Old Nov 8, 2008 | 06:49 PM
  #115  
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16's, and we didnt buy this thing to go fast, its for corners... research before you buy...
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Old Nov 9, 2008 | 05:18 AM
  #116  
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Ι do not agree with this topic at all.

We have checked the compressions of several RX-8 that do not rev so much and do not stress the engine a lot and found out the their compression compared to other RX-8s (that constantly revving and red lining ) and found out the the RX-8s that do not push their engines to the limits actually had a lot better compression at the same millage.

So people yes you should rev the engine BUT stressing and revving a lot will finally result in decreased compression. I know that many people do not agree with this statement but we have tested this to a lot of cars.
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Old Nov 9, 2008 | 12:04 PM
  #117  
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How dare you, sir?! How dare you disagree with conventional wisdom!?! (just kidding)

I do know that the only engine my local dealer has replaced is an AT of someone that didn't rev it much at all. It was full of carbon, and the owner didn't know that it was ok to rev a rotary.

That said, what do you mean by stressing the engine a lot? I wonder if the people with the problems you are referring to adequately warm up there engines before driving them hard? The different materials in the engine (iron and aluminum) heat up at different rates. From what I understand, if you rev the engine hard and put high loads on it before it is really warmed up, it is a good way to eventually get coolant in the combustion chamber because of the different expansion rates of iron and aluminum.

Also, people should know that just because the coolant gage shows that it is warmed up, DO NOT ASSUME THAT YOUR ENGINE IS ACTUALLY WARMED UP! I have an oil temp gauge in my car, and the oil temp gauge doesn't even start to move above the minimum (120 degrees F) until the coolant gauge has been at "normal" for 5 or 10 minutes.

Before running with the IntX, I would often keep an eye on the "load" indicator on the scangauge. It was interesting to note that I often saw higher load numbers cruising in 4th gear than in 3rd gear. Depending on the speed, of course.

Pretty much the way I drive is usually redlining once or twice a day, and driving in manumatic mode most of the time. I usually don't upshift to 4th until I get to 50 mph or above. The car seems to feel better and less stressed driving it like that as opposed to leaving it in automatic mode.
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Old Nov 9, 2008 | 12:06 PM
  #118  
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I should also say that I do run it pretty hard at the occasional track day. I redline in second in every straightaway, and at the tracks I've been going to (ones with shorter straights), I usually hit 90 to 95 in 3rd gear before getting on the brakes. I downshift to 2nd once I'm at the end of the braking zone, then hard on the gas coming out of the turn in second.
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Old Dec 12, 2008 | 01:21 AM
  #119  
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every shift on my car is a redline =]
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Old Dec 16, 2008 | 01:14 PM
  #120  
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Originally Posted by brillo
I wanted this to have a little move visibility since the engine failure thread my not get everyones attention.

It appears that the AT cars are having engines carbon lock due to some owners not driving the cars hard enough, such as people who spend most of their time cruising at low RPM's such as highway driving.

All AT owners need to rev to at least 6,000RPM once every other day, you don't need to drive it like you stole it, just switch over to manumatic mode and hold second gear into the upper rev range. This is very important for engine maintenance.

As we learn more about the issue we will post it here. Good news is the fix is rather simple and fun.




This is my first car I have ever owned (its a 2005 AT) and I bought it with 30k miles on it and then a week later found out about the engine recall and got all that fixed and it's running great I'm about to take it to get the oil changed, basically what I'm trying to find out is:


Before I bought I I have no idea if the owner ever redlined or reved it, should I start now or just ride my baby out until the wheels fall off?
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Old Dec 16, 2008 | 02:03 PM
  #121  
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Welcome to the AT club - yours doesn't happen to be silver, does it? If it does, you are part of an even more elite club - The Bastard Stepchildren of RX8Club Club.

I would say go ahead and redline it. High revs don't hurt a rotary like a piston engine - there is no reciprocating motion in a rotary. And you might even blow out some of the carbon the previous owner didn't get to.

Since your car is used, I would get a compression test done before you do any mods to the engine. You've got a long warranty on the engine now, and you want to make sure it is in good shape before you start messing with it.
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Old Dec 16, 2008 | 02:04 PM
  #122  
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P.S. - where are you located? We might be able to give you some advice on places to go for work on your car, places to avoid, etc, etc.
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Old Dec 17, 2008 | 12:48 PM
  #123  
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Originally Posted by mdw1000
P.S. - where are you located? We might be able to give you some advice on places to go for work on your car, places to avoid, etc, etc.



It just so happens to be silver, one of many things I plan to change, Right now and for awhile I'm staying in Austin, TX if you know of any great places please tell, right now my warrenty is good till 100,000. I'm getting a free oil change this week from the dealership.
Basically the only thing I'm really working on is physical mods to the car I.E rims body kit etc.(at least until I get savvy enough with the engine) if you know of any place let me know
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Old Dec 17, 2008 | 01:09 PM
  #124  
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You don't want to change from silver - that is the best color! The only other way to get into the "club" is to have an FI'ed AT.

I know Rotary Performance in the Dallas area is supposed to be very good. They were very helpful to me when buying one of their used Supercats.

I would check the regional section and see if there are other 8 owners here from the Austin area.

Definitely take your time learning and modding your car. I tend to do one mod at a time. Spread out the fun, and the dollars
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Old Sep 27, 2009 | 02:06 PM
  #125  
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I do this everyday on my way home from work. sometimes more than once. 45 minute commute and I do it towards the end so I know it's warmed up and ready. So much fun and the manumatic is wonderfully fun.

Now if I had the money from a different exhaust or midpipe or whatever so I could get a nice growl from it.
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