As new owner of a used RX8 (2003, 13,000km, 6 speed manual), I have been alarmed and embarrased about my smoky exhaust. I finally got around to checking out the airbox yesterday and of course, it there was oil in there - and this probably explains my blue smoke. On searching this site, I see there has been a fair bit of dicussion about the oil in the airbox issue but nothing recent. So my questions are:-
1 Is it the general consensus that oil in the airbox a normal RX8 phenomenon?
2 What can be done to stop it?
I want to get to the bottom of this because its ruining my filter element and I don't want to have keep cleaning oil off the MAF sensor.

 

1, No it is not normal
2, Find the cause of it.

The cause of my oil in the box issue is in this thread, since it was fixed the box has been dry.
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-trouble-shooting-95/leak-oil-cooler-line-58015/

 

When my 8 was new it had oil in the air box & accordion tube too. I don't have any proof but I believe the oil got in there from the vent tube that connects to the oil filler neck. Anyway, I cleaned it out and it never came back.

 

1. Clean it out
2. It happens, yes...the solution....drive it harder. I seriously am not kidding. Mine did this. In fact, mine was so bad, we didn't realize it until I was leaving puddles of oil under the car.

I questioned the Mazda techs solution (drive it) when he said, however, I gave him the benefit of the doubt with something like 40 years RX series experience....and...it worked.

So, clean it out, and go drive it hard. I mean getting it up above 6k on the freeway and forcing it to suck a lot of air.

When cleaning it, you may/should also empty the canister that is on the side of the rubber accordian tube. Its a plastic rectangularish box that connects to the side of the rubber accordian tube. Remove it being careful, cause it will likely be full of oil, and empty it, than put it back on. Don't worry, all will be fine!

 

Wow, did I get a surprise the day I went to install a K&N airfilter in my '05 RX-8 back in April. Of course, the first thing I saw was oil in the stock filter, but when I took it out along with the box itself I couldn't believe what I saw. There was a lot, at least a quart of oil in the box, and in the tray that rests under the airbox. I didn't know what the cause was at first, but I got to thinking about it and finally realized it was because the oil had been overfilled. The idiot lube tech at the dealership where I bought it obviously didn't know what the heck he was doing and probably pumped 5 qts. of oil without checking the level as he filled it! I called and told the service manager about it but that didn't change my decision to clean it myself. No way am I going to let them do it (even if they were willing) because they would just make a bigger mess and end up breaking something in the process.
So, to all you who were not aware of this problem you know now. Be careful where you take your car to have the oil changed (if you don't do it yourself) and don't be afraid to mention to the guys doing it to be precise when filling your car. They may scoff at you, but who cares, it's your car, and your headache if they mess up. Take it from me, I know what a pain it is to clean up. Hope this thread saves some of you new owners from the same grief.