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No, I'm saying that your compression could be fine and the problem is something else OR your compression is not fine AND there is something else wrong, OR your compression is not fine, but in such a way that it runs as you described. Need some testing and data to determine what's up.
Hey guys,
new to the forum...
I'm looking at an RX8 with 80k on it, in GREAT shape BUT it won't start at all. Supposedly he drove it in November, parked it until January and now it won't start. He took it to his "RX8" mechanic and he said that the engine needs to be replaced. NO compression test was done.. this was from his "great knowledge of RX7s"
The car is only $1200 should I give it a whirl? (worst case is I pull the motor, best case is it was flooded or some other reason and I can fix it easy..)
I'm sure it's a HUGE undertaking to replace the motor but is it worth the possibility?
It's a 6spd for sure.. no autotragic for me
Are there other things I can do to verify the issue? Can you tell low/no compression without a test?
Plugs/wires/coils were just done (has receipt). Any other reason it would crank but not start? Fuel pump?
The only way to verify compression is to have it compression tested.
Dealer can do it, you can buy your own from site vendor RotaryCompressionTester.com or you can hope to find somebody in your area who has a compression tester to loan you.
Thanks for the info... I guess I'll buy it and see what happens.
Hopefully it is flooded and the guy is an idiot.. (or something else simple)
its a 1 owner with all options so i guess its worth it
I'll be hitting you guys up with all kinds of questions next week!
How did it run before he parked it? If it was fine, there's a good chance the problem is not compression, there would have been warning signs. But that doesn't mean the engine is in good health anyway. If you're comfortable investing in a new engine down the line, go for it.
supposedly it ran fine... I've seen the 1/2" thick book of receipts for repairs on the car (guys is the original owner) so I doubt he would have let something go so.. I tend to believe him..
I asked about the "warm engine" hard start and he claimed no issue..
Also no CEL.. is it normal that the compression is too low but there is no CEL?
I'll just buy it.. it is a project for me and my son.. I'm not depending on it to get me anywhere so if it takes me 3 months to get it running right it doesn't really matter..
Well....
I did it, car gets towed here this Saturday... Went and saw it.. Physical condition is immaculate other than a bubble or two on the passenger fender.. interior is mint
I gave it a crank while i was there and it sounded like it wanted to start so we will see what the actual issue is soon...
Nice, congrats. There is no CEL for compression, that's not a thing the computer can know.
Pull the spark plugs, see what's going on in there. I imagine they are at least flooded from the multiple start attempts, but you might find other clues when examine them.
But with a loss of compression wouldn't it detect a ton of knock and misfires? Maybe I'm thinking too much about piston engines.. when my Viggen lost compression in cylinder 3 it gave me a TON of codes..
But with a loss of compression wouldn't it detect a ton of knock and misfires? Maybe I'm thinking too much about piston engines.. when my Viggen lost compression in cylinder 3 it gave me a TON of codes..
The thing is, rotary engines get more compression the faster they spin, so you can have a low compression engine that still "runs well", but don't be surprised if a Civic is passing you.
That's why during rotary compression tests, the cranking RPM is given.
A proper compression test is the only way to properly measure the compression. It's hard to draw conclusions without any numbers.
Last edited by UnknownJinX; Mar 13, 2018 at 07:15 PM.
mine is lighter silver with the nav, spolier, sunroof.
my problem is wont start than when it does . hot it stalls and other days it will run till i shut it off. drives great too. but i hear what others are saying.do tests
tests
I recently bought a 2005 rx8 Series one and I bought it not running. The previous owner did not know anything about taking care of an rx8. He thought wow I can drive this car and nothing else has to be done besides regular maintenance. Wrong. Well I bought the car and of course it was flooded. I replaced the spark plugs, wires and coil packs. Engine started right up. Well the essentric shaft sensor was dirty cause it it to die so I cleaned that. Had to clean the SSV valve as well. Then it ran great. However the hot start issue was really bad. I have not done a compression test yet. I went ahead and ditched the series one starter and threw a 2kw starter on and it starts in half a second when cold and hot.
After parking my rx8 for about a month it was not trying to start. (I did make sure not to turn off the engine cold to prevent it from flooding.) So I replaced all my plugs, wires (everything is put on correctly, all trailing and leading plugs as well as the wires) and even the crank sensor but there is still no spark to the plugs. The crank sounds kind of weak, all I can hear is the starting motor spinnin but not the actual engine cranking. Tried jump starting it with another car but still nothing, battery terminals are also clean. Any ideas?
Did you test for spark after installing the new ignition? Also did you make sure the L and T wires are in the right spot? Also how many miles or Km
Yes the plugs were put according to the marks on the engine (T on top and L on the bottom.) I also took the plug out and connected the wire to it and had someone crank it so I can see if there was spark but there was none. The car has 122k miles, I had the compression test done and it has good compression. I’m honestly at a loss of ideas :/
