Hey Rotary fans! I am an 2006 RX8 owner from Tallinn, Estonia. Own my beauty for about a year and till last week had no issues with it.

Last week I hear some rattling from the bottom of the car - it was the heat-shield over the catalyst, that was broken (burned). I really don't know why it happened.

But the most strange thing was that when I with the heat-shield rattling came to my mechanic, my car stalled and I could not igite it again. We removed the spark plugs to see whether they were flooded (the engine was hot, but just in case).

Spark plugs were burned as if they are many years old. Mazda dealer changed my engine in last July, the spark plugs should have been changed.

And now the question - 1. Can the spark plug failure be connected to the heat-shield problem?
2. Can I drive without the heat-shield?
3. Can new spark plugs just die in a year or my Mazda dealer cheated on me?

Thank you so much!!!!

Dan

 

Spark plugs will begin to show wear within a few hundred miles that's pretty normal. spark plugs go out around 30k. you can test them with a multimeter.

Also did Mazda replace your coil pack's and wires, or did they put the used ones back on?

The heat shield is not connected to your spark plug's in any way I do not know how they be related.

I know you can drive without the heat shield I just don't know how much damage will be done to the wires near it.

 

Thanks! Some more opinions? My dealer should have replaced everything, but now I am starting to think that he cheated on me - "new" spark plugs went just 10 000 km. What can be the reason of their death? Any more opinions?

 

are you sure they went bad? just becuase they have buildup on them doesn't mean they went bad.

How many miles were on the engine before they replaced it?

 

The engine was driven about 40 000 km before the oil pressure problem appeared, and the engine was changed. Right before the change of the engine my dealer was supposed to change the spark plugs (and all that comes together).

 

Help me please! I should deside smth by the end of the week - and I dont wanna spend my money in the Stealership! Do I need the heat shield? What spark plugs are good for RX (only one model of NGK??)

 

Is it the heat shield over the cat or the one surrounding it that is rattling?
Either way... keep it on and deal with the rattle until you get it fixed.
No reason to take it off.
And no... this is not related to the spark plugs...

Was your mechanic the one who stalled the car?
If so, I'd be willing to bet he flooded the engine and attempted many times to start it.
Once he couldn't, he pulled the plugs and saw they were saturated with gas (from his many failed attempts to start the car).
So now he wants to blame the spark plugs.
This kind of stuff happens a lot when people let "mechanics" work on an engine they don't understand.

And to answer another one of your questions... stick with the NGK plugs.
You don't have to buy them from the dealer... many stores and forum vendors sell them for $80US

 

The heat shield surrounding the cat just fell off, it is burned heavily, the rattling is over cause the is no more shield. The car stalled just before I got to the garage, the engine was hot (i doubt the flooding). Now, when I turn the key in the ignition the car makes a sound (the starter is working ok), but just can't catch.

Can you tell me the exact model of the spark plugs?
And is anybody in here driving without the heat-shield? The temp in the catalyst should be about the same as in the exhaust tail, so why it need this heat-shield? To protect the transmission? Or just in case of smth?

 

Spark plugs:
NGK RE7C-L x2
NGK RE9B-T x2

You're still under warrant for the cat.
Even though this isn't an "emission issue", its possible they might still cover it.
I would ask and see what they say... you could get a free one out of this.