2005 RX8 6 speed manual trans about 35,000 miles on it. I've never had any issues with it until today and now it has become the day from hell. Took the car out today, put gas in it and hit the highway. I had the engine light come on and then a tire blow out. Had the car towed and a new tire put on. On way home from tire place, engine light is on again, engine wants to die at idle, very poor acceleration and white smoke starts coming into the car from center console and engine compartment. How screwed am I?

 

was the check engine light flashing?

 

Most the time it was flashing though a couple of times it seemed as if it stayed on for a bit before flashing again.

 

I forgot to mention that when this all started I also went through almost a quarter tank of gas. If felt like you could almost watch the needle go down even though I didn't smell fuel and didn't see any leaks after parking the car.

 

have the codes read...sound like youre having misfires, you coils and spark plugs could be gone...but im not understanding why you get white smoke into the cabin, could be that your cat is gone too...if your cat is gone, mazda should replace it for free, coils and plugs you can do yourself cus the stealership is gonna charge you an arm and a leg, + you can find em alot cheaper online...

 

Thanks for the help. I have someone coming by with a code reader later this evening. I'll post back on once I get the codes read.

 

 

Here are the codes I got right away

P0300
P0302
P2097

 

i think the first two are misfires ... dont quote me but pretty sure

and i thing the last one is the 02 sensor but again not 100 percent sure

 

i correct myself

first one is random misfire
second one is rear rotor misfire
third one is air to fuel too rich

 

Could these symptoms happen from crappy gas? I was on empty and put some gas in from a place I had never been before shortly before this all started....just thinking...

 

um its possible not sure im not an expert but seeing how the af is messed up that could be the case

 

Could be bad gas. But maybe the misfires are creating the bad air to fuel ratio?

 

There is some sort of plug or sensor that runs into the side of the Cat...should it be glowing bright orange after driving the car for a bit?

 

^cats gone, i assume i was right all along, you need new coils,wires, and spark plugs (for your misfires)....your cat is clogged and gone thats the reason its glowing, your cat is covered by mazda so it should be free...other stuff is just regular maintenance

 

dozer to the rescue

 

Major Thanks!!!

 

Oh, one last thing... Do the plugs and coils myself and then take to Mazda for cat or does the cat get done first and then I do the other stuff?
Thanks again!

 

plugs and coils first otherwise they'll try to do it for you and bill you

 

^ yup theres a reason they call them stealerships

 

The same thing happened to me. my cat got clogged from misfires. I brought it in and ended getting a new motor and new cat under warranty.

 

^these guys speak the truth