(he is referring to 40-45MPH speeds)

there is your problem

I can easily drive in 6th at 30MPH but when I'm being economical I use 5th at 30MPH

otherwise I drive it like I stole it and get miserable gas mileage but I don't care :D it is worth it

I'm guessing either you haven't driven a stick before OR you have but only a 5 speed OR only an older car with a stick where the engine can die even if the car is moving at high speeds and you don't give it gas (very difficult in new cars)

also are you down shifting all the time for slowing down and only using your brakes to do a full stop? just curious (unrelated question really)

 

zoom44 - Thank you very much for clarifying, I got it now. BTW, I did read your other posts as well. With all the WDS part mumber mumbo jumbo, I had a hard time following, but thanks for the details.

 

So is this basically an N flash??

 

Sorry I had to do that, totally joking

 

cool

 

BASTID!! :D i knew someone would do that go port your damn engine or something :p :D

 

Can I assume that the terms ECU and PCM as used on the forum are referring to the same component and, therefore, interchangable? What does Mazda call it/them? Thanks

 

M flash, New M flash, fixed M flash. Hello? Mazda, the next letter is “N” maybe if you used it your service departments would know what the F**K was going on. Can anybody explain what the latest flash is and if it fixes the recall in plain English? I know it is probably contained somewhere in some post on this subject but every body is running an “M” flash and they seem to have been around for months maybe even a year.

The reason I am asking. I bought a brand new, 65 miles on it, barely driven wonderful, fun RX-8 Nov, 30, 2003. I have been reading these posts since I decided to buy one and had enough knowledge to ask if the latest flash had been done. Of course the salesman said he would check and got back to me and said yes, it was done last week. I drove off the lot and in 5 miles I got the CEL so I drove it back and left it for them to check out. They said that they needed to update the update and it was all set. That was Dec 1. After reading more posts I thought, good. Everything is fixed. 100 more miles and the CEL came on again.

When it comes on it stays on through ignition cycles and over time. I had an appointment to get it checked out but since it will pass almost anything but a gas station I had to put some in. The CEL was off when I started the car after adding just enough fuel to get it back to the dealership. (I didn’t want to put in too much because I ‘m so pissed that I’ll let them fill the tank.) The light went off instantly with the change in the gauge position. The car wasn’t running long enough to recognize a change in gas quality or octane or anything else.

Any thoughts, please? BTW, Thanks for RX8club.com. It’s great to have a resource like this for a car as quirky as this. I’m not ready to sell it for 50 bucks and a box of hohos but I would like to be able to drive for maybe a few days without problems.

 

Established issue (for years since the inception of OBD-II). Loose gas cap. Use the search button.

 

yes the new flash fixes the bug in the one that came out a few weeks ago that caused people's CEL to light. but more than likely its what MazdaManiac said. if the light stays off then your good. if it comes on again make an appointment and have them pull the code. if it's related to the buggy flash they'll know. it could be completly unrelated.

a lit cel is a condition you take care of when you have time to make an appointment. a FLASHING cel means take it in right away there is a serious problem.

let us know the code they pull if you get another cel.

 

yes they are one in the same. Mazda calls it a PCM. Power Control Module.

 

merging two threads. sorry for any confusion it may cause.

 

Thanks for the quick advice but that is the first thing the dealer said and that is the first thing I tried so I don't think that is it. I can hope. I made sure the cap was tight the first time it happened with no results. The dealer did top it off for me when he returned it and I didn't check it again so I guess it is possible.

It is good advice based on what I said. After the first time I just assumed it was related. Thanks for the info on the flashing CEL. I will read the manual if I can keep the car for a few days straight.

I still think "N" would be a good idea but I know I am preaching to the choir.

Thanks.

 

I had my M flash performed in september. I never had a problem with the flooding or anything else really, just the pore fuel mileage, and high oil comsumption.

After the M flash, I had no change in mgp or oil consumption...it did appear as though the midrange power was improved, but high rpm shifts would bog heavily. Almost as if I took my foot off the gas. In many threads it was mentioned that perhaps it was the DSC/TCS....that was reall hot or miss. Sometimes disablin the TCS/DSC would yeild smoother shifting, and other instances it was the same bogged down shift.

I am not sure what flash revision I had prior to the reflash.

 

I was on K before the M-Flash

 

well I have been losing horsepower since about 2k miles....now i have 5500....everytime they flash it .....the power comes back then about few hunderd miles later it's gone again..........maybe this re-flash will....finally fix my horsepower lost above 6k rpms.......if not.......i am going to complain.....if mazda can't fix it........getting rid of this car.........and getting a 2005 g35 with 300hp.......with 6spd and navi.

 

how do you know you're losing horsepower? are you dynoing your car? or are you going by the ever-painful "butt dyno" claims?

It seems like you need more torque, as you are already showing the car you intend to replace your RX8 with. I'm not sure Mazda is going to be able to do anything, since your car is probably working the way it was intended.

 

you dont need a damn dyno to know a car is performing under power.............

 

both of the rotary techs at the dealer agree with me........car is not performing as it should........not even close. if it performed like this...........i would have never bought it........so the lack of horsepower has been verified by the techs......so that's all i really need to get mazda to do something.....once the tech line......have no more options...............other than replacing the car......not a torque issue..............it's about reability and build quality of this car, thus far.........this is the only problem i have had.......car has been great other than it keeps losing power above 6k. they flash it........the power comes back then it goes away again.......

 

alrighty then.

 

Which are you - the pot or the kettle? :p

 

The light's back on and the gas cap is tight. I'll post what they find. Supposedly I'm on the latest flash.

 

Well, I haven’t got my car back yet but I have got the story. Supposedly the catalytic converter wasn’t performing up to snuff and that was causing the CEL. They are putting a new one on and I should have it back today. My guess is that the thing is on the hairy edge of working but I guess time will tell.

 

I got the M flash a few mos. ago. Last week out riding I lost power at 8000 rpms. The The engine light came on and then the oil light. I Regained engine power but the car stumbled over 6k rpm. When I got it home I topped off the oil by 1/2 quart. took it out and it ran fine. Cels were gone. Took it to dealer and he told me it needed a reflash, oilpan and plugs. The car runs alot better now with the new reflash. Anyone know if this is the so called N or rehashed M flash?

 

there is no N flash.