kittychester

I was discussing the rx 8 with my mechanic--he told me to check for oil leaks because of the problems with the rx 7. Any informtion on what Mazda did to correct the problem or is this something i need to worry about.

Farsyde

oil leaks?????? That seems kinda odd. Rotaries drink oil like its goin outta style. Maybe your mechanic thought it was a leak cuz the level was so low or he wasn't familiar with rotaries.

There's no reason any engine nowadays should be leaking oil unless a seal is busted.

kittychester

actually it was the seals at the point of the engine. According to my mechanic, it was the problem that killed the RX 7.

Sputnik

I don't remember oil leaks being a common issue with any of the rotaries.

Is your mechanic maybe confusing oil consumption with oil leaks?

---jps

kittychester

that could be it-getting an oil change every 3,000 miles appears to be the key to keeping the car going. I hope I am up to it.

wakeech

no, i've heard of oil leakage in aged FD's... i mean, nothing seriously out of hand, and it's certainly not because of some fundamental flaw, but it just happens in older, beat up engines... that's like saying carbon buildup, or belt slippage, or varnishing on bearing, or anything else like that is a "cause" or "fault" in an engine... it just happens, like old age.

jonalan

Up to it?

An oil change isn't something new in the automotive world. If you've ever owned a car, you (hopefully) have changed the oil on a regular basis. The 3,000 mile mark is an industry standard.

Sorry, I'm just a bit confused by your response.

kittychester

What I meant is that for piston engines, if you go 3,500 miles the car does not have a melt down.

kwolfman

My first gen (1981) developed a small oil leak at the top of the engine between the first rotor housing and the front plate. I discussed it with my great RX7 shop (they raced them on the weekends). They said it was a 2 cent circular O-ring that has cracked with age (about 15 years at that time). In particular they said if you let the car sit too long without using it, the seals at the top of the engine have a tendency to dry out (as in any car engine). Repeated dis-use could cause the seal swell and contract leading to a crack. In my case, during the winter I would not drive the RX-7 much (it didn't like the cold).

In short, they said the only way to fix it was to pull the engine, take it apart, and replace all the seals (while you're at it). So, a $1000+ to fix a 2 cent piece. They said, forget it, as long as the leak is small don't worry about it. It just meant I had a few spots of oil on my driveway every few days. It was not a problem.

As for oil consumption, I added 1Qt every 1000 miles or so. It was like this for the entire 21 years I owned the car, including during oil leak time. Again, not a big deal. The RENESIS is suppost to require even less added oil due to less stress on the apex seals. It is of no concern.

kittychester

Did not like the cold? This is going to be my only car--I was planning to drive it all year round-thru rain and snow. Both my husband's miata and my chrysler were out and about two days after the big snow. I am counting on this car to do the same.

kwolfman

When I said my first gen didn't like the cold, it was really more my preference. The first gen was an entirely different beast than the RX8, which I plan to use as my all-the-time vehicle too. The RX7, after 15 years or so got to be a bit cranky in cold weather. The ride stiffened up and it had a few moans and groans. The RX7 already had a stiff suspension and cold tended to accentuate the bunn-bangs. ABS breaks were years in the future, too. So, I tended to use my newer Acura legend during the winter months.

In cold weather, the manual choke would often slip or disengage causing the RPMs to drop to slow idle. Remember, this was also a carborated engine and quite primative by today's standards.

During the winter in Maryland, I also worried about the crappy drivers who have no clue how to drive in snow. So, rather than be out in my RX7 thereby making it a potential target, I drove the Acura.

None of this should be a problem with the 8. It is a much better all-year around car, although the crappy drivers are still out there.

kittychester

tell me about them-unfortunately they drive SUV's. Thanks for the info

wakeech

that is a car 22 years old now, and EVERYTHING was mechanical... the fuel system and throttle (carb), ignition (disributor, rotor ,+ other bits), you name it. ALL old cars don't like variable conditions, 'cause when you set these things up (especially the carb) they tend to be set up for one environment (like the summer...). this is true for any car such as a first gen RX-7... they just don't run so well in the winter, because of the very cold starts (unless you've got a block heater, but in -40 C it still doesn't mean your engine is warm) and cold battery, and cold fuel, coolant, everything. for this reason you'll still hear some people turning the motor over with a starter for minutes those cold November through February mornings... it's not like this is a rotary specific problem, it's just an issue most older cars have.

with all the newfangled bits, the engine's brain (ECU) can really compensate for a lot of this and make it much easier to start in the winter, and adjust all kinds of things i'm not smart enough to think of to keep it running well in the deep cold...

if you mean to think that this car will be hard to drive in the winter, the sophisticated TCS and stability control (whatever it's called, i can't remember the acronym... it's lunch and i'm hungry) will really keep you reigned in on the ice and snow, provided you are prudent with the right foot

Farsyde

that may be true for the rotary but modern cars are generally recommended to 5000 mile change. Don't misunderstand me, changing the oil every 3000 miles is fantastic, but no longer necesary.

lurcher

That may be a thing of the past with the Renesis. The C&D comparo (scanned version here:

http://www.rx8forum.com/showthread.php?threadid=2942

) quotes a figure of 1 quart per 10,000 miles. If you're looking after the car properly you'll have changed the oil twice or more over that distance...

Sputnik

You see, the "3000" mile thing was something that the auto industry came up with. They did tests, considered the worse quality oil available, and because the car companies were basing their warranties on this they built in a significant "fudge factor" into how long oil would "last". The minimal quality of oil has increased significantly over the years, and due to all of the oil having to be disposed of, the EPA finally stepped in and said something. Around '99/'00, the same cars that for warranty reasons had specified 3k per oil change, now specified some 5k per oil change. And that's for dino oil, synthetic will last some 7500 mi plus.

Remember, it's not a matter of the oil breaking down in that time frame (it will take much longer for it to break down), it's a matter of the oil being able to clean out deposits and crud. That's why synthetics "last" longer.

---jps

Farsyde

Word. Something i just read too. Turns out oil (unless it is boiled) never really breaks down. The only reason we have to change it is because the detergents and additives in the oil that help clean the engine break down and limit the oil's ability to lubricate. I guess that's why oil has been recycled for years.

So I guess 1+1=2!!!

MaRX8

Also don't be mis-led by Jiffy Lube or any other oil change place. Of course they want you to change your oil every 3000 or 3 months. Because it's money in the bank. 3000 miles was standard for the 70's mid 80's. But with fuel injection, and more efficent motors. 5000 to 8000 is more in tune. The wife's Honda states 7500 miles between oil changes. But if we take it to local shop oil change place they still put up that 3 months / 3000 miles sticker up in the window. Because it all about the $$$.

DreamWarrior

I'm betting that the Renesis's consumption of 1 qt. of oil per 10k miles is the sole reason that they have put approximately 7 quarts (from other threads) of oil capacity in the car. This way it'll have enough oil left for those that don't change it often enough. However it does slightly irritate me that I'll have to pay for 7 quarts every time I change the oil .

wakeech

the engine probably will be happy on regular 10W-30 for regular driving, so it's not a big deal... something like $20/change...