on restart--major loss of power, flashing CEL, stall
 

Well I didn't want this to be my reason for finally posting after too long...

Have an '04 GT manual w/ 56k thats been running great, yesterday for example drove it about 90 miles w/ multiple stops and no problems.

Leave home today and drive it about 5 miles to my first stop, ran fine but the brutal 35 speed limit didnt work it or reallly warm it up. Get back in my rx8 less then 2 minutes later and when starting up it cranks longer then normal, starts up weak but not noisy (def not marble in a can noisy), give it a bit of gas but its got almost no power, at lower then norm RPMs and rough idle, then CEL starts flashing and 5 seconds later it dies. All in less then 30 seconds.

Give it another try, same longer cranks before startup, then I'm reving it higher as flooding isnt the problem and hoping to revive it or clear the cat or whatever problem, put it in gear as its not dying or flashing CEL yet, but I've still got no power, barely moving forward and after 10 feet I get another quick flashing CEL and it dies again.

Restarted 30 minutes later when my ride showed up and no change.

I'll get it towed tomorrow (if no change) to the dealer as I was planning on biting the bullet there in 2 weeks for new plugs & coils etc, and a compression test -- as my engine core extension expires in August. Also the emissions 4206f is the only recall not done and that was on the list as well.

So do you guys think its just plugs (or am I lucky this didnt happen in September!)? Had to post because reading other threads I'm pretty sure I'm not misfiring (too quiet for that?). Again its been running good so I think O2 and MAF sensors are okay. Plugs havent been replaced in 20k miles but oil changed and topped off at normal intervals.

Thanks in advanced, and ask if any details needed.

$500 says your engine has low compression. don't waste your money on plugs and coils just get the compression test done.

New engine already ordered. Took just 3 hrs after towed in for Mazda to approve it.
I'll now join the appropriate club (thread)

I just started having very similar issues today:

04, manual. almost 70k miles(which seems to be a deadly mileage number for any renny)
- I had just driven the car with out issue this past weekend, mostly highway speeds, for about 600 miles.

- oil change every 2000 miles(5w-20), always top off when needed.

- The plugs, coils, and wires were replaced about 5k miles ago and starts up in 4-5 cranks

- on cold start the rpms will seem normal, then get to idle and stall soon after.

- CEL light also flashes.

- It can't be the cat as I'm running an RB midpipe. The midpipe could be making my AFR run rich maybe, and causing the spark plugs to fail(??)

- I did notice a loss of power when I redlined it.

- I temporarily installed the stock cobb map to check my AFR(this is the only tuned I have had the chance to run) and it showed 13.8 at idle.

- The battery volt reads about 14.1 so that shouldn't be an issue.

- The fuel pump also seems ok but needs to be checked to confirm this.

- I also considered a dirty e-shaft so I will check it tommorow and do a reset on that.

Hopefully I can get to run long enough to drive 200 miles to a decent mazda dealer because the one here is awful. Anyways, all input would be greatly appreciated in troubleshooting the issue. Also do all 8's still have a warranty till this August on the engine core?

start premixing, and use 10w30.

you are out of warranty and the premix will bandaid your problem for about 5k. start saving for a rebuild.

"till this august" ?

Is that they Mayan end of the world or something? My warranties have never had anything to do with August. In fact, I suspect that 91.66% of RX-8's warranties have nothing to do with "August"

Sounds like you need a "Rebuilt Motor". Lots of people are having great luck with 5W-30. That's what the Japenses recommend. Rebuild will be better than a new motor, depending on who does it.

The weight of his oil has NOTHING to do with the clearance of his internal seals (side and apex). Nothing. Zero. Zip. Zilch. And the seal clearances are what determines the compression of the engine, which is what determines the health.

The only possible way that engine oil weight can affect the health of the engine is if you run too thin, and over time the bearing becomes overly worn and the rotors start to spin off balance, wearing some seals excessively and creating gaps in others. And if this is happening, changing the oil weight will do NOTHING to improve it.




Please know what you are talking about before making suggestions.

Was just curious if what the OP said about the warranties were true hehe.

So the consensus is to rebuild the motor I suppose. Still open to more opinions.

Would be nice if I had more moneyz so I could haz rebuilt motor and forced induction.

You can check all the usual suspects, ignition, e-shaft sensor, O2 sensors, fuel trims, MAF, vacuum leaks, etc...

But what you post suggests compression loss. Call MNAO to see if your engine core warranty is still valid. As you have a 2004, the answer is probably going to be a "no", but it's always possible. Always recommended that everyone knows exactly when their's expires. For example, my 2005 would have it through Sept 2014 (yes, 9 years), if I wasn't going to hit the 100k mile limit sometime in the next month or so. As a 2005, it wasn't first sold until Sept 2006, and that is the date that matters for when the timer starts.

Yep what RIWWP said.
I didn't mean to imply that August applies to anyones but my 8. MNAO or a service rep at the dealer can tell you the exact date your engine core warranty expires(d).
When I called MNAO last year they told me my 8 left the dealership on Aug 18th 2004, thus the expiration date.

Even if yours is expired, get the compression test as I agree your engine does seem similar to mine, maybe a slower death, maybe not. My only precursor to what happened in my OP was 3 weeks ago on a normal cold start in normal cold mid 30's, it started fine but then rough idling after driving it 20 feet and waiting to pull out of my street, followed by brief flashing CEL (first time ever) after I pulled out, but went back to normal before I even had time to pull over. If I got a compression test that day I'm sure it would have been low, but I don't think I'd have gotten a new engine approved as fast as Mazda did today. Then again I'm a minion compared to the expertise of others here dealing with engine replacements :)

Didn't say the oil had anything to do with the internal seals. Someone mentioned using 5W-20. The oil goes onto your rotor housing. Anyway, see about getting a rebuild instead of a new motor.