hi i just bought my Rx8 today and i don't know why it is taking time to start up like the engine goes for like 10 seconds before it finally start. Do i need to change anything? the oil level is just above half should i add more? and what is the best type of oil to put and what grade of gas should i put. thank you

 

1) Read this https://www.rx8club.com/new-member-f...t-here-202454/
2) Return the car if you can, it's not happy.
3) If you can't return it, start troubleshooting. Is the problem worse when the car is warm? How old are the ignition coils? Was a compression test performed recently?

Oil: sure but don't overfill it.
Use whatever oil is in there now.
Gas: premium

 

You should add oil until it's full.
Your should change your ignition coils, wires, and plugs.
You should use fairly thick oil (the manufacturer recommended 5w20 is very thin).
You should probably put premium gas in it.
You should not have bought this car.
You should read this thread five times https://www.rx8club.com/new-member-f...t-here-202454/

Welcome aboard! Texas has a pretty good Rx8 community so maybe you can get some help from them.

 

yeah, the reading assignments above are good ones. The congrats thread below has DIY's for a few easy things to fix (clean ESS, clean MAF, clean grounds). Then ignition. But, the big worry on a car without pedigree, or a compression test, is engine health. A compression test would have been advised if you had asked us before purchase, it is advised now.

 

What year and how many miles?

Items below should be dealt with depending on your mileage and what any service records indicate was done or not done by previous owner.

30,000 miles:
- Replace Ignition coils
- Replace Plug wires
- Replace Spark plugs
- Clean MAF (mass air flow sensor)
- Clean ESS (e-shaft sensor)
- Reset ESS profile
- Clean power steering connections
- Clean battery terminals and clamps
- Replace transmission fluid
- Replace coolant (Mazda FL-22 is highly recommended)
- Replace air filter
- Replace brake fluid (fluid in the brake lines AND the clutch line)
~$300 USD in parts if you shop smartly.


every 60,000:
...all 30,000, plus...
- Clean all chassis electrical grounding points
- Replace accessory belts
- Clean OMP lines
- Replace rear differential fluid
- Replace thermostat
- Clean / Straighten AC condenser fins
- Clean / Straighten oil cooler fins
- Inspect catalytic converter
- Clean / Inspect intake valving
- Consider / inspect all points in 90,000+ as well, many items fail early
~$130 USD in parts if you shop smartly.

90,000:
...all 30,000, plus any 60,000 not yet done, plus...
- Replace coolant bottle
- Replace radiator hoses
- Replace radiator
- Replace front O2 sensor
- Replace motor mounts
- Inspect clutch pedal assembly for flex / weld breaks
~$900 USD in parts if you shop smartly.

 

I'm in San Antonio; I use 10w-30 for my '05.

 

Hi again everyone i posted earlier about my rx 8 having start up problems. i changed all the coils and plugs and had the car serviced but i still have the same problem. had to tow it to the repair shop for $80. i thought the problem was the starter but my repair guy said it might be the battery because my starter is ok. the battery i have has a 610 cold cranking amp and i tested the battery and auto zone said it was good. is there any better battery for a reasonable price i can buy? i checked auto zone and they said the optima 35 red top battery will not fit the car.
*update
Apparently my repair man went to a mazda dealership to get a diagnostic for the car and there was a gas leak in my engine to my cylinder which made it hard to start i contacted the dealer i bought it from and he said he wouldn't take the car back even though he sold it to me with the engine problem. the whole repairs cost more than what i bought the car for. is there anywhere i can rebuild the engine?

 

before you shell out $230 bucks on the redtop make sure that the problem isn't engine specific

you said you just bought the car? you also said you had it towed. did it ever start? cold? what about when hot?

maybe it's flooded?

 

Optima batteries suck. That is all.

 

what would you recommend? especially in a place with winter

 

Not sure what is available up there, but I have been very happy with my Odyssey PC925. But my battery is relocated to the trunk, I don't see cold weather, and it is not a daily driver. So you would probably want the larger capacity options from Odyssey. I went thru two red tops in two years. My dad went thru two yellow tops in three years. Then I did some research and found out optima was sold, an apparently are not made the same now, hence the decrease in quality.

There are other AGM battery options though as well. Here, Sears Die Hard makes an AGM and my dad is very happy with it offroading in his Jeep. It is expensive, though, around $200.00.

 

Yeah it flooded because my battery couldn't crank it up once my repair guy jump started it it started at a go instead of cranking for about 10-15 seconds before starting as it usually does

 

2004 87xxx miles