mazdaftw

hey, we own a 2003 rx8 that has done 100,000kms, we purchased it last week and got the oil changed by a proper rotary workshop a week ago. It was full 2 days ago and we have only done 100-200kms and now there is no oil.
When we got the car it did have a hard start and the oil change did help with it. But now the car floods every morning and doesnt start anymore when cold.
The car doesnt have any leaks, any idea why it might be using so much oil as the oil light is back on?

Arca_ex

iTrader: (10)

Should probably go get a compression test...

could be that an oil seal blew inside the engine, sounds like the motor might be toast as well, especially if it is much harder to start after the engine is warmed up.

Search through the forums there is LOTS of information on this subject that is available already.

mazdaftw

Would it smoke tho? cause our car only smokes due to flooding.
It starts fine once its warmed up, its just the cold starts

Arca_ex

iTrader: (10)

I don't think it's flooding I think you're either leaking coolant or oil into the combustion chambers while it's sitting and making it very hard to start... either way you wouldn't know for sure until you actually had the engine out of the car and torn apart. It's hard to guess exactly what it is especially through just text on a forum.

mazdaftw

Yeah it would be hard to explain over text forum. When the car has started and warmed up it drives perfectly fine, but yeah still unsure where the oil is going so must be an oil seal, thank you for that

Bladecutter

First question should be:

Since you just bought the car recently, how old are the ignition coils, plugs, and wires on the car? You have ~60k miles on the car, and if they are original 2003 parts, its time to replace all of them, as they do fail quite often around that time/mileage frame. That might help considerably with your hard starting/flooding troubles.

Another common issue for that age RX-8 is a weak starter.
Get a rebuilt one, and order one from a 2006 or newer car, and its built even stronger. The stronger starter spins the engine faster while cranking, which helps get around a weaker compression engine. That will also help decrease hard starting and low compression.

Finally, regarding the missing oil.

Easy way to figure out where the oil is going to is drive the car normally, then park the car until it cools off fully, in a place you can work on it. After its cooled off, remove the spark plugs. If oil comes pouring out of the spark plug holes, then you have a major issue.

You can even turn the engine over by hand to see if you can get any oil on the bottom of the rotor housing up to the spark plug holes using the rotors and their apex seals. If there's a lot of oil, you have a major issue with internal seals, and its pretty much new engine time.

BC.

RX8 pearl red

My oil is there on two trailing plugs ( a little wet when i touch it) . Also there is oil on one trailing plug hole but its not like its pouring out like crazy.. what your diagnosis?

MikeTyson8MyKids

iTrader: (1)

To clarify....is the oil coming out from the plug holes or dripping down from above?

RX8 pearl red

oil coming out from just one trailing Plug Hole, Not from above and not from other three plug holes

MikeTyson8MyKids

iTrader: (1)

Gotcha. Ok, so you've at least got a loose plug...if there's nothing wrong with the housing.

But, you shouldn't be getting oil like that at all, and with it disappearing from the sump, you've probably got oil control ring issues..and possibly side seals as well.

New motor time I bet, but confirm it with a comp test to be sure.

Loki

iTrader: (1)

If it were filling in from the seals, I'd sort of expect it to be in the leading hole as well. He says its on both trailing (top) plugs. I think we might need a picture of the situation to conclude something. Note that pearl red is not the original poster.

RX8 pearl red

lols, No new motor available here in my country. its either rebuild or to swap another engine. and yes Loki is right. its only on trailing plugs and also oil in one trailing plug hole.

If i intend to drive like this, how many miles i got?

MikeTyson8MyKids

iTrader: (1)

Loose plug/wrong plug/housing issue will cause that. You shouldn't have anything leaking from a plug hole with plugs in it at all.

Oil is getting into the chambers somehow...it's either directly in from the sump, or into the sump via pcv...either way, it's the same problem unfortunately.

RX8 pearl red

Actually its not leaking from plug hole with plug in it.. when i remove the trailing plug, only then i can see oil in the hole, otherwise its not leaking with plug in the hole.

Only trailing plugs have oil deposits and feel wet when touched. Should i use another set of trailing plugs?

MikeTyson8MyKids

iTrader: (1)

Ah ok. This makes more sense now.

Is there any way you can have a compression test done?

RX8 pearl red

yeah i'll do the test next week and will let you know the results, but im sure that rotaries here in my country don't have compression above 95psi as they are used imported vehicles

RX8 pearl red

Update : i changed the oil brand and my car electrician also gapped the trailing plugs. after that i drove it for a 60 miles. Rechecked the plugs, now no oil on plugs or Plug hole. Can changing oil brand fixed this or gapping trailing plugs did the trick?