badboysean86

2004 Rx-8, 57K miles, owned for 7 months

This past weekend my car died on me 2 days after the "Check engine" light came on. I was stuck downtown with no life and had to get it towed to my house...and then to the dealership this past Monday.

Mazda ran a diagnostics test and said i needed a new engine and that the under 100,000 miles engine warranty applied to my car. So brand new engine is being shipped now, yes!

Just so this wont happen again, could i get some quick tips on how i should maintain my new rotatory engine? I used unleaded, got oil change every 6K miles, i dont cut off the car when the engine is cold, and when i start my car i wait 30 sec to let the engine warm up before i drive off.

Any more tips you guys can give me to keep my new engine strong? Thanks guys

jsjjr

iTrader: (1)

Most will say 'premix' , redline everyday (often) and change your oil more often than 6k miles..some will add to use 5w30 oil and others will add to use synthetics over dino.. Just read the threads, be informed and form your own opinions..

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

Houston?

use 20w50. and Premix.

Change it Every 3-4 K miles.

Use a "real" Synthetic (search for more info)

Use Quality gas, not some no name ****.

try to keep it 89+ octane.

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Fixed.

Oh wait, and maybe the SOHN adapter for good measure.

badboysean86

thanks for the tips guys. got my 8 back yesturday and it runs smooth. The dealer also told me to drive it at high RPMs....basically drive the hell out of it!

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

... !!!!

DIE !

You might want to stay "easy" on your Reman engine for a while ... at least wait couple hundred miles before you beat the crap outa it.

Spin9k

**** happens...rotaries die regularly... you're far from the 1st....so it almost impossible to be something you did or didn't do as you've had it so short time. I'd change the oil a little more often (3K), maybe use a good synth (Redline or Idemitsu) if your **** about these things, but premix and sohn... not necessary...it's a DD not a race car....use it and enjoy it. Would take it a bit easy for 1st 1K miles to make sure the engine is run in smoothly though, regardless of what the dealer says ... it can't hurt and may help.

Just check the oil, keep it full, spin-2-9k often, and remember you've still got an engine warranty to fall back on! Good luck!

bhop

I've used 91/93 unleaded, 5w20 castrol or penzoil every 2500-3500 miles ( depends on how I feel, I know my car so far), change coolant if it looks low (depending on the level/mark)..... Changed coils/spark plugs when needed. Oh yea, unlike some others, I'm paranoid, so I would go to the dealership randomly just to have them check my car out (Diagnostic test), to see if there were any issues just to make sure everything was in order. (You obviously don't need to do that, which ever makes you feel comfortable about your cars health lol).

Once I found this Forum, I was in heaven (LMAO).
95,000+ miles and have had no issues other than a small dent which I caused myself from dropping something.

I know a few people well over 100k in their RX8's. Sometimes **** happens but if you do the basics, you should be fine.

Good luck
-Brandon

InnerDragon103

Sorry, have a newb question, but what do you all mean by premixing???

Old Rotor

Adding a small amount of oil to gas tank. Do you have a rotary?

alnielsen

iTrader: (4)

Premixing is the act of adding oil into the gas tank. While the rotary engine injects oil on it's own (and has since almost the beginning), many feel that it doesn't inject enough or the injected oil doesn't get to all the right places. 2 cycle oil is used because it is meant to be burned and it mixes better in gasoline.
Premixing isn't recommended by Mazda. And it is more of an art than an exact science.
I premix 3-4 oz. of 2 cycle oil/fill up.

Shane82

iTrader: (1)

Change the oil to 5W30 as soon as you can and also premix. I use AMSOIL Sabre 2 cycle Synthetic. 1/2oz per gallon. Premixing will help keep the center of your rotor housing lubricated and injectors clean.

InnerDragon103

Thanks for the info all. Yes, I now own an '05 WWP rx8, 6 speed. I've done lots of research on the rotary engine (frickin fascinating! being a mechanical engineer, i love the whole concept of it).

Shane82, why do you recommend putting 5w30 into it? I figure the car may be 'older' but the mileage indicates its still quite young, and i'm rather confident it wasnt run hard by the single owner before me (it was a lady who drove to curves to go exercise LOL, found out because she left a membership card in the glove compartment). And as we know, 5w30 performs like a 30 weight once heated up, as opposed to the 5w20 which increases to 20 of course, so do you think the engine really needs that thicker 'acting' oil once its heated up?

Given that I live in FL, I would prefer to stick to Mazda's recommendations of 5w20, though we are heading into 'winter' season... Hmm i dont know. Sorry to threadjack, didn't mean to. I don't think I'll premix until I do more research on it.

To kind of get the thread back on topic, is it very difficult to transfer engine warranty to my name now? Since I bought it used and its still under 100K miles, I'd very much like to have the warranty honored if I were to encounter problems...

InnerDragon103

Oh another recommendation I'd like to contribute is to allow the engine to warm before setting off! Apparently from what i've researched, its quite detrimental to start driving cold, and with the winter season coming, its more important now more than ever. I usually wait until the needle hits at least the first tick mark above the C, then gently drive it until it passes those first two large tick marks. Car really seems to appreciate that 1-2 minutes of waiting before driving.

StealthTL

iTrader: (1)

I agree mostly with the previous posters.....

Some would say use 20w50, I prefer to use a good synthetic, I use 0w40 full PAO.

Some say to redline the revs everyday, I maintain the need to run at wide-open-throttle, once per trip. Redline revs by themselves do nothing, it's the high gas flow and temperatures that will clean the gunk out.

On startup, I wait until I hear the secondary airpump stop before I move off, I don't want to risk a stall while the ECU is gushing that extra warm-up fuel in there.

Good luck with the rebuild,

S

Shane82

iTrader: (1)

5W20 breaks down and burns off to easy and its almost doesn't protect your engine at all because its like water. 5W30 is actually recommended everywhere else but the USA because it holds up to heat better. The reason Mazda recommends 5W20 is to for emmisions. If you do some searching alot of people go with 5W30 or higher and since you are in FL I would definatley switch to the 30 weight.

I8U

iTrader: (1)

10w30 Syntec or 10w40 RP during the "winter" months for me in NC and 50WT Redline in the summer. And ofcourse 6-10 oz of Redline racing 2 stroke per tank, depending on the type of driving I will be doing.

StealthTL

iTrader: (1)

10w30 Syntec......

Just don't confuse Syntec with real synthetic.

S

I8U

iTrader: (1)

I don't, but it's cheap here. I can get it under 5 bucks a qt.

InnerDragon103

Tomorrow i'll try to listen out for that air pump sound you've mentioned; about what time do you hear it from when you start the car?

Good information on the oil guys, I think i'll use 5w30 at the next oil change. BTW, is Redline brand fluids sold at autoparts stores or do you have to get it online?

I8U

iTrader: (1)

I still say 5w30 is too thin for any rotary but everyone is different. And you can hear the air pump kick on just after the ignition sequence...it's kinda high pitched.

badboysean86

That was the exact same question i had when i took it to the dealer. Supposedly that warranty comes with all the 8's. Its a standard manufacturer warranty that comes wit the rotary engine. So u good homie

badboysean86

Man im glad to see the thread grow like this. Im definitely gonna warm my engine up 1-2 min before i take offf. Preciate that. And yea i use 5w-20 oil also.

Now a few cats said to use premium, i know thats obvious. But do you guys notice which gas runs better for the 8? chevron, shell, exxon? and i heard citgo is considered a non-brand gasoline

Bigbacon

iTrader: (4)

just drive the car, if it's gonna die, it's gonna die. Enough people had engines die that followed all the speculative pre-mix/oil weights etc etc......

zoned

I cant speak for anyone other than myself, but my 8 runs better on Shell 93 than anything else i've ever tried. I make sure to stay away from any run down looking gas stations and off brand gas.