When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
A little history about myself. I am new to the RX8 but had and rebuilt an 84' RX7 about a decade ago so I understand a little bit about the rotary and the kind of attention it needs.
I am starting this thread as a log of the work I am doing to the vehicle as I go through it.
Oil change to full synthetic 5w-30 per BHR recommendations
3.7q
Wash car and clean interior of stuff left behind
Fill washer fluid (non-operational turns out)
Unplug coolant reservoir sensor while waiting for new one
Good start so far it seems. Make sure to read and reread the sticky threads in the new owner section
Other than what you already have planned I will suggest:
Swap to new silicone coolant hoses. Autobahn88 sells on amazon, kinda annoying but they sell 3 different kits that you need. Reason being is the heater core hose on the drivers side can tend to burst and explode 80-120k miles.
Upgraded starter ~80$ on amazon
When you replace the coolant resevoir, try to route a new hose for the overflow drain as currently it has a little tube that aims down at your power steering connectors. (this is the bung that sticks out near the cap)
I find buying idemitsu in bulk can save alot of money..... just bought 24 qts.
Simple VERY important FREE mod is to straighten out your oil cooler fins. Use two toothpicks, stick them into the same fin and go away from each other to pull the fin back straight.
Ordered Idemitsu pre-mix 1qt
- plan to mix at 4:1 ratio as the OMP is still active
Ordered stock OE coolant reservoir after hearing nothing good about rx8performance or bennetbuilt reservoirs reliability
Checked Engine air filter
Checked and cleaned cabin air filter
Nice car!
4:1? Typical premix is 100 or 200:1 for street driving if the OMP is working.
Be ready to need a new radiator if you mess around with the coolant bottle, it's very VERY easy to break the plastic nipple that leads from rad to overflow bottle.
Why are you replacing the bottle?
While Idemitsu has the pedigree, there are cheaper alternatives.. Amsoil Saber Pro, Lucas Semi Synth 2 stroke.
Good start so far it seems. Make sure to read and reread the sticky threads in the new owner section
Other than what you already have planned I will suggest:
Swap to new silicone coolant hoses. Autobahn88 sells on amazon, kinda annoying but they sell 3 different kits that you need. Reason being is the heater core hose on the drivers side can tend to burst and explode 80-120k miles.
Upgraded starter ~80$ on amazon
When you replace the coolant resevoir, try to route a new hose for the overflow drain as currently it has a little tube that aims down at your power steering connectors. (this is the bung that sticks out near the cap)
I find buying idemitsu in bulk can save alot of money..... just bought 24 qts.
Simple VERY important FREE mod is to straighten out your oil cooler fins. Use two toothpicks, stick them into the same fin and go away from each other to pull the fin back straight.
Thank you for the suggestions, I will do my due diligence and research the starter and the silicon hoses that you recommended.
Eventually I will buy larger quantities of the Idemitsu but for now while I get everything squared away I figured I would get me by for quite a few miles.
I found out this morning the heating/cooling dial is not happily working so it was little chilly on the first drive to my work lol.
4:1? Typical premix is 100 or 200:1 for street driving if the OMP is working.
Be ready to need a new radiator if you mess around with the coolant bottle, it's very VERY easy to break the plastic nipple that leads from rad to overflow bottle.
Why are you replacing the bottle?
While Idemitsu has the pedigree, there are cheaper alternatives.. Amsoil Saber Pro, Lucas Semi Synth 2 stroke.
Honestly with the pre-mix number I was just going with doubling the recommended because I had not looked into it.
(I now realize you are talking parts and I was talking gallons to oz) So per tank that would be what? like 1/4 oz per gallon to 1/2 oz per gallon?
However this lets me know to look further into it to confirm. Thanks
The coolant bottle is browned and sensor has stopped working. I figure better to replace before it fails on the plastic side from old age now that it will be driven far more regularly.
When I looked into getting Amsoil the timeframe to get was the same and cost was within 10% so I figured why not.
Last edited by Blade_117; Sep 3, 2024 at 10:36 PM.
Reason: I had a brain fart!
When you replace the coolant bottle cut the hose to the radiator lengthways at the radiator nipple in a couple places. Gently pry the hose off the nipple and you might be lucky.
When you replace the coolant bottle cut the hose to the radiator lengthways at the radiator nipple in a couple places. Gently pry the hose off the nipple and you might be lucky.
or just replace the crappy plastic oem rad while its drained
Put 4 gallons of premium 92 in with 2oz Idemitsu premix for remaining fuel in my tank.(estimated 4 at quarter tank)
Mixing at .25oz per gallon or 7.5ml per gallon
According to research this puts it at 120ml per tank of 16 gallons
There's something weird here. Maybe. The log is mostly not useful since it's partial throttle, regular around town driving, but for the short section where you go full throttle your AFR is in the 10s, which is way too rich, your measured airflow is barely increasing between 5300 and 6300rpm, and it looks like the car isn't really going anywhere despite full throttle.
Is the car... OK?
If you want more useful logs, I'd suggest logging first a warm idle, then a steady state cruise at a fixed rpm, then a full throttle run.
There's something weird here. Maybe. The log is mostly not useful since it's partial throttle, regular around town driving, but for the short section where you go full throttle your AFR is in the 10s, which is way too rich, your measured airflow is barely increasing between 5300 and 6300rpm, and it looks like the car isn't really going anywhere despite full throttle.
Is the car... OK?
If you want more useful logs, I'd suggest logging first a warm idle, then a steady state cruise at a fixed rpm, then a full throttle run.
Car is driving ok but has sudden drops in power at certain rpms.
I did pull some error codes that may point to AFR problems.
I have provided the screenshot of the 3 recurring error codes
Oh, yes. Your intake valve solenoids are not working or not getting power so that explains the log.
From what I read on the other guides this can be a poor ground connection. or low voltage from the alternator. I am preparing to fix grounds this weekend. Hoping that helps to resolve the issue.
Would running a 6ga wire to the solenoid help to resolve the issue?
From what I read on the other guides this can be a poor ground connection. or low voltage from the alternator. I am preparing to fix grounds this weekend. Hoping that helps to resolve the issue.
Would running a 6ga wire to the solenoid help to resolve the issue?
It's also just a common failure point. The solenoids don't draw a lot of current, and they're switched by the ECU so thicker wire doesn't make a lot of sense.
It's also just a common failure point. The solenoids don't draw a lot of current, and they're switched by the ECU so thicker wire doesn't make a lot of sense.
09/13/2024
Copy that. Last night ran a new ground to chassis and cleaned up other grounds.
2ohm resistance prior
<.5ohm after
Went after and ran some full throttle AFR tests
Also noticed after that went pedal throttle is less that 5% AFR goes crazy
Reran codes after
Code p0562 is the only one currently
