CEL Under WOT in 4th Gear with Passenger
 

Car Spec and Modifications
2006 RX8 Automatic 6spd - bought December
Roughly 6000 miles
Racing Beat Exhaust - installed December
Agency Underdrive Pulley - installed December
Racing Beat REVi intake with ram air duct - installed last month
Thottle Body bypass mod

Ok this is what happened shortly after installing the Racing Beat REVi intake with ram air duct and again today. When carrying two passengers and accelerating under wide open throttle in 4th gear approaching the redline the CEL turned on.

The first time it blinked a few times, I ran out of road and came to a stop and the CEL turned off. This was couple of weeks ago.

Today it occurred again, this time it was on the same portion of the freeway but going in the opposite direction. However this time I kept driving but backed off on the throttle. The CEL blinked a few times then stayed on.

Both time I experienced no lost of power, heard no pinging, or other abnormalities. The car ran great except for the CEL on.

Oddly enough when I accelerate hard when driving alone this does not occur and I driven faster and harder alone than with two friends in the car. My two friends weigh roughly 170 lbs -180 lbs each.

After I got home I disconnected/reconnected the battery and the CEL didnt return. I'm kind of at a lost as what is causing this,

sounds like a misfire. Did you get a code?

No sorry no code. It being Sunday I the dealer is closed. I just found it wierd it doesnt happen when I'm driving alone.

Octane, octane, good old iso-octane.....
 

What grade of gas you burnin?

Flashing CEL is mostly detonation, codes say misfire because there is no detonation code?

S

91 is the highest we can find out here in Los Angeles at the pump and I always runned 91. When it occurred today it was 79 degrees outside.

Well I didnt hear any pinging noises but I'll take your word for it Stealth. The radiator fan remained active after I parked too so it seems logical. But I'm curious why on both occasion it happened in 4th gear and while I was hauling two passengers. I redline my car regularly but mostly in lower gears, and havent had issues.

Because in 4th gear with two passengers is more load than 4th gear by yourself.
You added 11% to the mass of the car. That is pretty significant and the motor was working harder to pull it. More work, more heat. More heat, more ping.

Thanks for the info :)

Well, don't want to be the "no street racing" guy here, but isn't 4th gear redline somewhere in teh 120mph neighborhood?

ha, I missed that part. I don't know what redline in 4th is in an auto but in the manual it's around 138

I had the exact thing happen to me. A couple weeks ago, when I floored it the CEL would flash, yesterday the CEL just stayed on? No passengers in the car. I use minimum 92octane, live in Vancouver (so it's not hot here), and I haven't done anything new to the car for a while. Also when the car is warming up the tach needle bounces all over until it's warm. Instead of staying steady at 2K and progressively getting lower, it jumps from 2K to 1K, 800rpm, 1.5K etc, feels like someone is tapping on the accelerator. Can't remember when this started but it's been at least a month.

I'm gonna take it in to the mechanic this coming week to have it checked out, let you guys know the results.

FYI, after installing new mods on an RX-8 you should always:

a) reset the eccentric shaft profile

b) reset the ECU

my car is throwing misfire CEL too (P0301)

Im not going to take it in yet. I Want to find out what is the root cause.

How do you reset the ESP?

Press the button, if you have not disabled traction, if so. restart the car