No Secondary Air Module(Pump,etc..)
 

I have been having trouble starting my 8 in hot temperatures especially after filling up. I took it into mazda and they ran the code and came to the discovery that when the previous owner installed the AEM cold air intake he also removed the whole secondary air unit.

I was quoted at $1800 for parts and installation with the recomendation that it really isnt necessary as doing so they believe I would lose some power and that the problem will not get any worse.

My question is what are the pros and cons of not getting the parts put in. Is it worth the 1800?

The air pump has exactly 1 purpose: To accelerate how fast the cat gets up to temperature when starting cold. That's it. If you start and the cat is already hot, it never activates. If you start cold then it runs for the ~20-30 seconds needed to warm up the cat, then shuts off and never starts again.


It DOES improve cat life and reduce emissions during that startup period, so it's part of the emissions system, and can fail you for emissions if you are tested that way. If you don't have a cat and don't have emissions checks, then removing it is generally recommended. If you have a cat and no emissions checks, then putting one in can extend the life a bit, may or may not be worth it. If you have a cat and have emissions checks, then you might want it, or at least a way around the failure point.

It has no impact on hot starts. Hot start trouble with no cold start trouble is the number 1 tell-tale sign of failing engine compression. The dealer needs to do a compression test on your engine. The air pump has NO impact on engine life or engine compression, since all it's doing is injecting fresh air into the exhaust manifold.

rofl. I like how dealership always pull random bullshit JUST to see if they can rape another poor customer off.

if u must get it, u can find a used air pump at junk yard for maybe 50 bux, with the pipe probably 100 bux and you're out the door.

install? jack the passenger side up, get a few hand tools and u can install it in less than 30 minutes, maybe an hour if it's your first time.

previous owner removed it huh, I hate idiots who remove random stuff and never put them back before they sell the car out.

Thanks for the replies. I do realize that it could possibly be a sign of low compression and when I brought it up with the mechanic he nearly ruled it out completely and said he didnt wany to waste my time and money doing a test. Yes the dealership wants a lot but they also suggested just leaving it as is. The problem is only present when it is about 20 degrees celsius. anything less and she starts fine.

Should I take it back to the dealership and insist on a compression test? and how much does one cost?

I'd have to refer you to the Canadian members for pricing. USD it's usually between $90 and $180, but if the engine fails and it's covered under warranty, then the test is free.


It's more likely that the mechanic didn't want YOU wasting HIS time. Not the other way around.

Would my 04 still be under warranty though?

No, but you didn't note the year before, so I included it because of the IF :)

Thanks for all of the info. I thought I had mentioned the year in the first post but it looks like I didnt. I am hoping that it is not low compression but I will for sure be getting that test done at my dealership or another if need be. I really didn't realize when I bought an 8 as my first car that it would be so expensive, but I really can't see myself drivng anything but an 8 now.

not trying to mock you but, this is exactly the reason why before buying an used car, you should do your homework. especially true when you are buying the first year model.

well, it's not the end of the world now. too bad you are in Canada ... my compression tester here is screaming for "I want to test some engines" here ... :)

I did do quite a bit of research and test drove as well as got inspections done on quite a few different rx-8 before finally finding this one. Now im just waiting for the fall to hopefully upgrade to a newer year.

Hey NY i would love to know my comp numbers if your ever around tupelo MS :)

Unfortunately no research beyond the New Owners Thread is worth a damn. :sad:

The thread was started almost 2 years ago, the new owner's thread was a lot slimmer then. Niteshade just bumped it for no real reason.

Was showing new post on my end didn't look at the date.