I just got in from driving my RX-8 home, and in second gear I was running it up around 40 mph at about 6000 rpm. I wanted to rev it up to the tach tone at 8500, but at 6000 the car lurched (like a rough downshift) and the power dropped off, and it wouldn't go above about 6200.

The engine was still relatively cold, having sat outside, and about two weeks ago I had a high-rpm misfire and the check engine light is still on from that. Anyone know whats going on, and whether or not I have a serious problem?

 

To dealership, could be many differant things.
olddragger

 

If you have had a CEL, you need to get it checked out. No reason to just let it go since you must be under warranty?

Also, make sure to warm up your engine before you start venturing into the upper levels of RPMs... it might help you from experiencing trouble in the future. Probably not the source of your problem, but just good practice.

When you find out what's wrong, let us all know... good luck.

 

if you have a CEL on why would you drive like that? Take it to the dealership.

 

cold engine artificial red line. its designed into the PCM so you dont over rev your cold engine. you hit a fuel cut. get to the dealer about the cel

 

I had no idea this happened.... Very informative....

 

Does this symptom happen all the time now? Or is it intermittent?

 

I called the dealer about the CEL when it happened, they said just let it go for a while and see if it goes away. Since it hasn't I'm taking it over as soon as I have time.

Thanks for the info about the PCM cut-off. That's probably what it is, since when the engine warmed up the problem went away.