My Rx-8 is making strange sounds from the engine bay.
 

Best way to do this would be to record the sound and post it up, but... I'll do my best with hopes that someone here with greater knowledge of my own can point me in the right direction.

The car has been to the dealer and back, they claimed the problem was lack of oil, I swore it was the first thing I checked before taking it in, and...it was fine. Since the noise from the engine bay ceased when I picked the car up, I took their word for it and figured it was my mistake.

But alas, a few weeks later, with no lack of oil in the engine, the sound is back. The sound can't be heard unless you have the window down while the car is next to a wall, or your head is inside the engine bay, it resembles a sucking noise, or like a twig scraping against plastic at high rpms (I know that may sounf wierd) it increases with the rpms.

Other new issue, is when I rev the engine up and take my foot off the gas, it's almost as if it fumbles on the way down, like there's a problem with airflow somewhere and it's choking for a second. It's never made this noise or acted this way before. It also made a noise as I reved the engine up that resembled a backfire ... ?

Anyone else experience something like this? I've lost all faith in the dealership, I've visited them many times before on other issues they just couldn't seem to grasp exactly what the problem was. Is there a rotary specialist shop somewhere in southern California ? Guys that like, know what their doing?

We have the same problem here in the UK with Mazda dealers, very unhelpfull. I admit im a rotary newb but did you check and top up the oil after the engine has been fully warmed then let it cool for 2-3 minutes. this way you get a true reading of oil in the engine.... prob totally wrong but worth a try?

2 words: Engine mount.

Try to check it first. Since there is a recall of engine mount in Asia but not the rest of the world.

I know what you're talking about, I'm having exactly the same problem. I'm also in southern california and interested in finding a dealer who will acknowledge the problem. Please post if you have any success.