Hello All! I've been on the board for a long time and I don't post often. Anyways, my issue...


It is hard to explain cause the dealership keeps trying to say it might me hesitation and they even replaced my coils and wires for me but the issue persists. I keep describing the issue to them as NOT HESITATION...I KNOW WHAT IT FEELS like. The issue I am dealing more so feels like a loosness in the drive train.

Basically, I turn on the car...Sounds GREAT. I make sure that it warms up at least past the first two slash marks on the temp gauge and I am off. Keep in mind this issue happens ALL the time so temperature does not matter...Just giving as much details as possible. I start in the parking lot with slight preasure on the gas pedal and its almost like the feeling of having a throtle cable that is loose...I press the gas pedal slightly and it goes but it rocks/jerks a little. When I am about to come to a stop and remove my foot from the gas pedal the same happens. So stop N go traffic is a fuggin nightmare unless I play with the clutch a little and I can actually prevent it. Typically what I do is on start up I ride the clutch for a split second and it keeps it smooth.

Keep this in mind...It's not the whole car that rocks. This is so hard to explain. It feels like something is loose. Imagine a drive shaft that was slightly loose or gears with missing teeth. Maybe that will explain what I am experiencing.

Another thought. The clutch does not seem bad at all I have 43,000 miles and I can launch the car from a stand still and it grabs GREAT! The issue is the transition between acceloration and decceloration or shifting between gears. I can mash the gas and there is no hesitation. In fact the engine is running like new.

ARGE!!! I hate not knowing...I don't mind that their is an issue as long as I know how to fix it so if any of you have an idea please let me know. I still have 7k miles left in my bumper to bumper warrentee and my powertrain is 60K.

Anyways, thanks to reading!

 

Clutch switch.

 

well there goes my answer darn that MM and his earlier time zone

 

I just got back in your time zone again, so let the games begin!

 

OK, I've been thinking about this since you posted it, and I can't figure out how a clutch switch causes these symptoms. As far as I know the switch only acts as a cut out for the starter motor and a cut out for the cruise control, and typically in the other cars that I have had, when they go bad the cruise control and starter just stop working. Are you saying that if the switch is bad in the RX8 that it will cause imperfect ignition, and if so how does that work? Does the switch also control an ignition cut off? Just curious.

 

It causes the PCM to go in and out of stop-idle mode.

 

Thanks. That is very interesting. I would guess that this would be to protect the engine if the car were pulled out of gear while the cruise control was engaged.

 

If the above does not work, inspect your motor mounts.

 

Yeah, definitely.
When the motor starts rockin', the knock sensor starts rockin'.

 

Here is the halarity of the whole thing...My original self diagnosis was motor mounts cause that is exactly what it felt like. I talked to the dealership and they said the motor mounts were fine (I did have them replaced a few months before hand). So I guess the Clutch switch is my next step then.

MM, as always I appreciate the input. I am leaving my car with Mazda next week for them to look into this with the recommendation that the Clutch switch may be bad. Does anyone know the "actual" name for it in the shop manual? In case they ask.

Thanks again!

 

Does the ecu use the same switch as the interlock or a differant one? Is there an easy field test? I have similar symptoms but replacing the motor mounts didn't fix it. I've stopped complaining because after the motor mount replacement I decided that I was the only one sensitive enough to feel it.

 

I know I have not posted in a while but life has changed for me a bit and kept me off the forum..

Anyways, Mazda pretty much gave me the shaft and even gave me a test drive in a car with 20K miles and it did the same thing. Needles to say that I told them the issue started around 15k but they don't care. So the issue was never resolved by Mazda.

Well, the Rx8 now has 57k on the dile and believe it or not she is running better as far as the rocking is concerned. I can't put my finger on it. I don't know what happened. The only change made on the car was a set of Brand new Yokahama S. Drives...245/40zr18's (Previous tires Kumho MX's same size).

After the installation of the tires it almost seemed like night and day. So I am chalking this up to...Drum Roll...I am NUTS!

The only other option I can think of is maybe my wheels were not torqued to spec or could it be that the side wall flex on the Kum Hoe's is really noticable? I heard they were soft...I have no idea. Don't get me wrong though some of the rock is still there but the engadgement of the gas peddle and release is so much more fluid then before.

All I am saying is this issue is dead for me. I got other things to tackle like the ignition system (plugs, coils), trans/dif oil change, etc. So I wish you all good luck with this issue. I am spent...

 

check your motor mounts and other mounts, could be an easy fix for a clank loose feeling in the drivetrain

 

I think you're about 3 years and a month too late to help him.
Plus, he already did the motor mounts before, and was still feeling it.

Seems like it stopped after he changed tires, according to his last post, which I guess you never read.

BC.

 

I have 102,000 miles and a new engine now!