Ok, so I'm having little issues starting the car, especially when warm. I brought my car in to Elite Mazda last week and asked them to check the plugs. They told me the plugs would need to be replaced (which I expected since the car has 85k on it). I had them replaced and they also cleaned the coilovers, etc.

Problem is still not fixed. It will crank for a bit when its cold, but when its warm, its worst. It will take about 5 secs for the car to start. Im no expert in rotary engines, but I know its not supposed to happen. When I had just bought the car, it took alot less time. It was pretty much instantanious (sp?).

Anything I could do to fix this?

 

Seems to be a problem plaguing a LOT of people lately.........

 

I have been noticing the issue with difficult starts when my car is warm as well as of late. Mine has ~49k on it, and I have never changed coils or checked plugs though, so I may need to look into that.

 

Replace your starter.

 

Someone did mention it could be the starter, but before I go blow another $300 - $400 (spark plugs were not cheap), I want to try alternatives

 

I am wondering why the starter would struggle when the engine is warm, but not when it is cold... I have not had any cold start issues at all so far

 

Don't know for sure but one person who had the problem with warm starts thought it was due to him not getting continuity from a terminal to the body on the starter switch.

He replaced his switch with mine, which was giving continuity, and I believe his car went back to starting good again on warm starts.

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...er#post2908557

If you know what you're doing like he did you can test the parts of your starter that might be causing problems and replace the individual parts (there's a link down from that linked post to OnlineMazdaParts starter part sales). Or just shell out the dough for an upgraded starter and love not worrying about your car chugging everytime you try to start it.

Anyway for OP he probably got hosed from the stealership who should know better then to blame the coils and plugs for a starting issue (unless its related to flooding). You may have needed coils and plugs anyway but that almost certainly wasn't your problem.

Fluid Motorsports has the upgraded starter now for under $300 and anyone with a jack, a wrench, and some jack stands can do the swap.

 

Ill check into it, thanks