MyLadyDeb

Hi there...question on using the triptronic .... been using it awhile now- loving it. Noticed tho when I'm in 2nd that if I rev it past 5000 or 5500 that it starts to sputter and clack. Someone told me that it loves being redlined in all gears - I'm wondering if that's true and if I should be shifting sooner. Since I'm new at this I don't want to do something to hurt the car. BTW - got my first speeding ticket since 1977 yesterday on I-75 heading up to Gainesville, FL from Palm Beach County. First long trip and it handled great - too great I guess - lol - thanks for some input.

therm8

Hmm, that's not normal. Mine goes smoothly to redline in 1,2,3. What octane gas are you using? You should have that checked out.

mikeb

mine does it also sometimes

Rick

If I use less than 89 octane and run WOT my 8 A/T will knock and lose power around 5k RPM.

derwankel

Same here .... been running 93 this week for the first time and what a difference ... smoother and quicker pull at WOT and zips to 7500rpm without a second thought ... moved to 93 octane to see if I get better fuel economy ... not going to be a very fair/valid test I'm afraid :-)

MyLadyDeb

hi you guys - thanks for the input. I've always used high test - from day one. Guess I'll just keep trying it - good be just a bad batch of gas. I never pushed it to the redline before so I have nothing to base the comparison on and when that happened I immediately backed off and was afraid to try again. Guess it'll be one more thing I ask the service department about. Need to get in for an oil change - almost at 5K miles. Want them to do the air bag recall too. thanks again.

ashmason

Ahh, thats your problem, not redlining it!

Seriously, my wife grannies hr Auto RX-8 around and also spends a lot of time sitting on the 405 parking lot every day here in So Cal.

The one time she floored it, she got the clacking and the hesitation.

So I went out and tried. i got it once.... then not again at all no matter what I tried.

This leads me to believe that the car loves to be "Driven" you have to grab it by the scruff of the neck and show it who's boss. Whenever I drive it, I make a point of running it up to redline at least once in one or more gears using the auto paddle shift.

And for the record, she has experienced this once in a while no matter what the grade of gas has been used and she has been experimenting with lower grades due to the price at the pump right now.

So bottom line, the 8 loves to go, so make sure you use every opportunity you get to really drive it. Heck for me it's the perfect excuse... driving too fast? No, just cleaning out the pipes!

Remember, you bought a Sports car, not a sporty car. Every true sports car I ever owned seems to get temperamental if you spend any length of time babying it beyond the break in period.

Just my observations, not based on any scientific information.

MyLadyDeb

"Just cleaning out the pipes" - wow I wish I could've used that one with the FHP the other day....lol....I hear you loud and clear - as I got tougher on my RX-8 it's performed better and better. I'll be testing it out again soon to see how often it happens. It's always in 2nd - if I redline in 3rd I'm going way too fast for these streets in South Florida.

MyLadyDeb

well I put in a new tank of gas and redlined it tonight twice and nothing happened. I think that's a good thing. I'll try it again tomorrow. A friend called it premature detonation - no laughing please - and I'm hoping it never happens again - lol

JeRKy 8 Owner

Wow maybe a new tankof gas could cure the premature detonation I have too.

weepul

EXACTLY what the CSR and rotary tech at the dealer told me. DON'T baby the car. They said there's virtually no break in period for the engine, so when you drive it, really DRIVE it! Hell enjoy the 9k redline =) It also says on the mazda site that it recommends premium gas...that might help solve your sputtering issue.

mikeb

well
I baby the car alot because I'm trying to get better gas mileage and I dont want any cops pulling me over

09Factor

I had the sputter as well. After getting over the new car smell and run it to the line, it Runs well and HAULS A$$ !
BTW I have the opportunity to dive to work @ 85mph.

weepul

I have that opportunity as well....except mine isn't legal :D

14s4doorNA

Racing Beat recommends breaking in the car on their site. Do you think it is broken in by the factory? I feel super guilty because I redlined it 7-8 times with less than 100 miles on it. But before that it was babied and it will be also for the next several thousand miles. By the way I have the auto. I shifted at the buzzer.

grifster

Just Redline it. If it sputters again, look at the Tach. You maybe hitting the limiter(?). I also have the AT (I am a gamer, Got to love the shift handles), run high octane, Shift at 6,000 to 7,000 RPMs. and have never had the sputtering effect. I just installed my K&N intake today, so I cannot wait to get on the road.

MyLadyDeb

all seems well .... I guess it was just the gas in the tank tho I always use hi-test. Redlined it 2 and 3 times in 2nd - no missing. Even got to hear my "beep" for the FIRST TIME - yippee.