hey how you guys doing. well, i am a proud new owner of x8 and i am loving it. a bit different coming from a turbo car but loving it. well, i have a few questions and a some sounds i was wondering if you all could ease my mind on. i had just bought the car car for a few weeks now and every sound scares the crap out of me... first is when i turn on the a/c i hear a "sssssssssssssssssssssssssssss" sound almost like air is being let in or out of something. it only happens occasionally. another thing is the coolent temperture gauge. do you'lls need rest in the middle or about two notches off. and my oil pressure need sit about 2 or 3 notches above center. my car as 1k in miles now and haven't had a break in oil change yet. any help would be great. thanks alot.

 

Needle in coolant gauge usually parks a couple of ticks to the left of center. The oil pressure gauge is a glorified idiot light, so if the oil pressure is deemed by the PCM to be within the acceptible range, the needle in the gauge parks a couple of ticks to the right of center and it will not vary.

If you continue to get the A/C sound, have it checked out at your dealer. I don't have an answer for you other than that. Maybe someone else on the forum can diagnose from your description. Drive the car and enjoy it and don't get too **** about noises.

 

Talking about sounds, let me ask you guys if these are normal or not. This is my first manual car so be patient.
1) when I'm driving next to a wall or parkedcars where I can hear my car a lot better, it seems like theres something metallic rattling or almost loose when I go over some uneven/bumpy road. Is this normal? I'm not hearing this sound during normal driving, only when I'm driving near other structures where I can hear the sound bounce back at me
2) Shifting though the gears, I'm hearing very obvious engagement/disengagement noises. I can hear these too when the car is parked and off and clutch is in and I shift through the gears (just testing). Are these sounds normal?
3) Lastly, not really a sound issue, more of a feel issue. When driving, with the clutch in all the way, as I shift, there's slight, but definite resistance going from gear->neutral->gear. Is this normal in all manual cars or should it be a buttery soft transition?
Side point, any tips on smooth transition from 1st to 2nd gear without jerkiness...is it all about letting the clutch out slowly, shifting quickly (to counter the quick drops in rpm at the lower gears) or something else??

Sorry for the long post but I really need some knowledgable feedback which you guys always seem to give...Thanks

 

I know that's normal...I actually like hearing that noise.

 

hey thanx alot you'll for the quick replies. that a/c sound or atleat what i think it is is really really faint just fyi. thanx for the help.

 

I've got a noise that comes from my engine that I can't put my finger on. It sounds like someone sharpening a knife on a stone wheel. I only hear it if much clutch is out. If I press the clutch, the fades away in 1-1.5 seconds. It's not loud at all, but sitting at idle by yourself you can hear it.

I did a search on this and I don't think this has ever come up. I took it to a dealer and he said he didn't hear anything (HE ALSO SAID RX-8 BRAKES NATURALY SQUEEL!!! TSB IGNORING @#@%#$%@#!!!!!!!!!!!!).

Anyway, anyone else hear this sound ever? I think it's in the tranny, but don't know what it could be.

 

I've had that sound too since day one on my '05 RX-8. Must be normal.
My 8 also makes a thud sound sometimes when I put it into first gear. Feels like the rear (or something) shutters. Anyone else?

 

I have the same rattle when I go over small bumps at slow speed with the window open on side streets where I can hear the echo of the rattle. I haven't looked under the car yet nor talked to the dealer. Did anyone else have this underbody rattle and had any luck fixing it?

 

Sorry...my first shot at this thread thing. I have the same rattle as RX8rider's first question.

 

Rx8Rider ... I had the same noise you had , the dealer ( after 3 days mind you ) found that the trans vibration dapner shield was loose , they tightened the mount bolts and the noise is all gone . Been 2 weeks now and no problems , have them check that . The dealership was close to having a Mazda Tech come out to find it .

 

Thanks DrRocker....will do.

 

yes it has. ther is anotehr thread currently talking about it also. it is gear rollover. not a problem.

 

I hear the same sssssssssss sound when my AC is turned on. I think it's normal, because most of my previous cars made similar sounds. I think maybe it's refrigerant squirting through a small pipe.

 

I always hear a thud when I start moving foward. According to the manual, this is the ABS brake system performing at self-test.

 

I hear the thud too. I believe this is normal.