Failed RX8
 

So here's my dilemma. I was driving home at 1:00 AM in the morning from work. Kinda cold outside, and some rain. I was driving to work and it was all fine. The whole day there was nothing wrong..

All of a sudden when starting to drive home (couple hours later) it wouldn't let me pass 3k RPM. If i accelerate slightly it would go but then shoot down and have a hard time going up. Even if I was driving slow and pressed the accelerator down it would just slow the car down like if I over revved it or something.

Earlier in the day i was redlining it like I usually do, but everyone does that. Now Is searched around and found a few possibilities.

Here is my list
- Ignition Coils
- Spark Plugs
- Fuel Pump

or possibly new engine. But it would start up but have a hard such a rough idle. I shut it off before it warmed up so it'll probably get flooded... Can't be the engine since it starts.

I ordered the BHR Ignition Kit as well as the plugs. Going to install them myself. Now I know that since I'm letting it sit there my battery might get drained and might need a starter.

If all else fails, I guess I have to bring it to a dealership....

And for those of you that are going to ask yes the check engine light was coming on and NO I don't have the computer to check whats wrong. None of my friends have one, but until I find one this is all I got. Any help would be appreciated.

Yea, I got a laptop. No internet tho. And I guess I'd have to buy the computer scanner.

I understand that its a great kit and all and not going to magically solve it, but it just sounds like the car is misfiring. So I just did research, if it's not that then I will just have to keep troubleshooting.

Hmmm how are your tires? I had something similar cutting power at 3k when my tread was very low. Replaced the tires and the problem disappeared. Does the traction control light flash when it happens? The car may be sensing that you are losing traction.

Tires aren't that low, but I'm replacing them. One's I ordered are on back order so they should be coming in a couple of weeks.

But, would tires really make the car stall and not start again? Then the next day when it starts it just idles really bad? :scratchhe

First off, wth was my reply which was the first one to this thread deleted?

Anyhow....again stating what I did on my first post

OP: Do you have any mods done to your car? I would also look into cleaning the MAF sensor. Maybe resetting the fuel trim.

I'm not sure why or how tires with low tread would do anything related with what the problem the OP is having.

I explained how I was having the exact same problem. maybe he could have my problem and bad coils

Right, I'm just theoretically thinking how the heck low tread on a tire does anything in regards to causing erratic running problems and not going above 3k rpm. Not that I'm dismissing what you said worked for you Rev, just stumps me. :scratchhe

Sorry Vlaze, I noticed I was an idiot and put my problem in the wrong section. So I deleted it and moved it here.

But yea, I've searched everywhere and it just seems like I have bad coils or possibly plugs. I was going to upgrade anyway so if this solves it then great. If not less stuff I have to worry about.

But I'm trying to avoid the dealership.

The only mod is the B&B Exhaust but I doubt thats the issue thats causing my car not to go. As for the MAF Sensor i'll take a look at it.

If I am correct, the BHR kit will ask you to diagnose a few things on the car before installing them, to ensure that it is your coils and not the engine that is bad? Because if the engine is bad, and you install the BHR kit, it's not going to fix anything. I'm not so sure, but I remember seeing someone mention that.

CAT going bad.

Tell-tale signs of catalytic converter (cat) failure.

Jack up the car...take off the cat and inspect. Guessing it is fubar'd.

Good luck.

I guess I will look it over and see with the computer. I got a couple weeks before I get the Coils and Plugs.

Just got to remember to disconnect battery. But it's still going to be dead anyway if it just sits there I believe right...:scratchhe

It will show up when I get the computer to scan the CEL.

iv left my car for months and its started fine. no the cat wont always show up as a cel

Guess I gotta find the link? Can't tell whether the CAT is bad. But I called the dealership and they said it would show up on the computer if it was failing because I called about a month ago and the symptoms of a almost failing CAT was showing in my car. Asked the Tech and he said the CEL would come on if it was failing.. So I guess we will see once I find someone with the computer since I can't drive to Advanced or Autozone.

Anyone know where I can "borrow" one or someone in RI or near RI can let me borrow one?

My cat was started to fail with no CEL and they said it was due to "bad gas". I only used premium for the next month and the problem (hesitation above 7k rpm) remained.

I kept driving it until the hesitation got lower and lower in the rpm band. Once it hit 3.5-4k rpm and the CEL finally came on, the car became un-drivable. I dropped the car off and told them to figure it out.

It wasn't until the CEL came on that they would do anything to fix the problem. After about 2 weeks in the shop, they figured it out and said that the cat was "destroyed". I didn't get to see it, but with that type of description, I'm guessing you could see it.

Cheers

I had the same problem a while back, it ended up being a sensor on the accelerator pedal had came unplugged a bit. Its right on top of the pedal assembly. It might be worth a try to check it.

Oh and I had code P2127-TPS/Pedal Position sensor show up. You can go to autozone and rent the code reader, it's like a $160 deposit but you get it all back once you return it.

I'll give the CAT a check and see what's up. Checked before to see if there was something wrong but I'll check again.

If this sensor came off would it make the car idle really rough and just not start? I know you said you had the same issue, but you also had starting problems and it started stalling when you pressed the gas a little more than slightly down?

I'll give it a check just in case tomorrow.

I love how this could all be solved with a simple code reader

to be honest u might of sucked in water if u have CAI or something like that

How did you / are you going to check the cat?

Is the check engine light flashing?

And if you're really worried about your battery, take it with you to autozone when you rent the code reader and they'll speed charge it for you... just in case.

I have the stock intake. And I went through puddles but like slow so it wouldnt splash so I don't think its that.

Alright, so I got the OBD2 Sensor the other day and tried linking it to my car. To my luck it wouldn't link. So now I had to bring my car to the dealership today and check whats wrong with it. Stupid fee... I thought that Scanner would work.

So since it's at the dealership now what do you think I should be asking for when their "Tests" are done. Do I ask if they did a compression test?

Anyone know what type of stuff they should HAVE looked at and what stuff I should be asking when they give me the results?

what scanner did you get?

just wait for them to tell you the code(s) and what they think they should do and then tell us allof that info.

we'll wait........

It's one of those Generic ones from Advanced Auto Parts that my friend owned. I'm guessing it's one of those cheap Actron ones that are orange. I just don't know which one.

sounds like some sensor problem..

it's out of your hand now, but for future reference,

to see is problem is from fuel pump, fill up a full tank of gas, and see if the problem goes away.

If it doesn't go away with full tank of gas, it's most likely not fuel pump problem.

My tank was almost full. I filled it up that day and it wasn't even a quarter dropped...

Dealer said that it had an O2 Sensor problem. Didn't even think of that. lol


Okay, so now the dealership got back to me and I have some answers. So the FINAL PRICE is $1,050.

Okay, so let's see. They told me what was wrong. These are their prices.
1.) Starter - $348
2.) Coils - $55 Each x4
3.) 02 Sensor $160

Now the parts they are covering is the CAT which "fried" because of the Starter and "Cylinder 2 Misfiring". <--- What the Mazda Guy said...(WHAT CYLINDER?!? ITS A ROTARY!!!)

1.) CAT - $1,270
2.) Gaskets - $55 and 15

They said they weren't going to cover the CAT because the Starter+Misfiring+02 Sensor was bad. But they will make an "exception" for me and cover it if I pay to get the other stuff fixed which comes out the amount of somewhere around $1,050.


Now, from my point of view the first thing I thought of why the hell is the starter so much money? And then I thought, I already have coils. I could save money by buying a Racing Beat Dual Resonated Midpipe and replacing my failed CAT as well as buying an O2 Sensor and Starter and doing the work myself.

But then I thought I need a STOCK CAT since I don't want to get pulled over by some lame cop for my exhaust being to "loud".

Save money (about $500) and bring the car back and go aftermarket? Or let the dealership just do the work and, the hell, its only $500-$600.

What do you guys think?

ok, since nobody gave any input I just told the dealership to fix the issue...

The price for the starter they gave you is pretty cheap compared to $400+ i see here.....coils are 35 each from vendors here....could of done that yourself....but i guess its too late

$400 for a starter? Advanced Auto Parts or Autozone starters are lik $100...

And yea, I could have done all the work myself.. Just wondering what people thought, like going out and buying my own Midpipe or High Flow CAT and doing Starter, Coils, and O2 Sensor myself. Not that hard... But oh well, too late.

Ok, so I got my car back from the dealership yesterday.

Works fine and great now. Starts up without a problem. Let's see how long it lasts until it starts giving me problems again. 75k Miles btw. :)