Ibland ramlar det in lite nya i RX-8 världen och frågorna är ju detsamma, börjar bli läge för en FAQ som
sticky här?
Hjälp till med lite vanliga svar
på frågor.
1. RX-8an har en wankelmotor, nyheten är 3 avgasportar och 3 insugsportar på Renesismotorn och de är lokaliserade i
sidan av huset.
Den är utan överladdning (dvs ingen turbo eller kompressor) och de svensksålda RX-8orna kallas för High Power och har 231Hk och varvar drygt 9000rpm. Det finns Low
Power versioner
(dock ej svensksålda) på 192hk och varstopp vid 7500rpm. Följande länk är väldigt informativ:
olja, RX-8an ligger på ungefär 1,2-1,3 Liter per mil i förbrukning (högre vid hårdkörning och stadskörning) detta går att få ner några
deciliter med
mappning som tex Interceptor X, Unichip eller liknande. Se den faktiska förbrukningen i tråden: Rx-8
Bränsleförbrukning
Det är meningen att motorn skall förbruka olja för att smörja, kolla oljan var 2-3 tank och fyll på vid behov. Mellan lägsta och
högsta markeringen på stickan skiljer
det 1,7 Liter ungefär. Vilken olja som skall användas finns det många åsikter om. Mazdas egen olja heter iaf Delexia
Ultra 5w30 och är en delsyntet.
3. Service, Mazda kräver service
var 2000mil och kostnaden skiljer från ställe till ställe men snittpriset ligger
på 2500:- för en service, ring alltid och jämnför olika verkstäder. Dock rekommenderas det att byta olja oftare
gärna vid 500mil intervall, lukta på din olja
och känn ifall den luktar bensin och hur den ser ut. Olja+Oljefilter är inte dyrt och är den bästa försäkringen för att motorn skall hålla många mil.
4. Hållbarhet, Nej en wankel är inte känsligare än en ottomotor om du sköter din service rätt (se ovan), den håller minst lika bra eller tom bättre på grund av
mindre rörliga delar.
För att öka livslängden på motorn (speciellt S1 motorn som saknar den mittersta oljeinjektorn) är det lämpligt att Premixa bensinen med
tvåtaktsolja av känd kvalite för Wanklar. Rekommenderat är
Motul 2T 710, Idemitsu eller Protek som alla brinner rent. 0,5% för vanlig gatkörning till 1% för
trimmade motorer eller bankörning är rekommenderat.
5. Prestanda, RX-8an är ingen
dragster och om du tänkt ligga på motorvägen och dra trimmade
turbobilar och liknande är detta fel bil för dig. RX-8an är en välbalanserad bil som kommer till sin rätt på kurviga vägar där den
lämnar betydligt dyrare
bilar bakom sig.
6. Trimning, Det finns massor av trim till RX-8an dock är den inte lättrimmad och de flesta add on ger 5hk till som bäst 10hk. Det som
vinns
mest är ljud och körbarhet. Renesismotorn kan överladdas och rekommenderat är att välja kompressor för mindre slitage på motorn, ca 300Hk på hjulen är
fullt möjligt.
7. Flooding, om
motorn stängs av när den fortfarande är helt kall finns det en viss risk för att motorn kan floodas av bensin och
inte starta av sig själv. Dock är detta problem väldigt litet på RX-8an med de
senaste versionerna av ECU Flashen (kolla med din verkstad så alla recalls och
flashar har gjorts).
För att förebygga risken för flooding bör motorn inte stängas av när den är kall, om du ändå
gör det så låt motorn ligga stadigt på
3000rpm i 5-10 sekunder innan du stänger av motorn.
Om du drabbas av flooding följ denna procedur: Håll gasen i botten vrid starta, låt startmotorn gå till
du hör att varvtalet ändras, C:a +30 sek, stäng av. Låt vila +90 sek. Gör om proceduren från början till slut. Efter +90 sek andra gången, starta utan att röra
gasen. Om den inte startar nu, kör
hela programmet en gång till.
Ett annat sätt är också att bogsera igång bilen på andra växeln i ca 20km/h.
8.
Bensin, RX-8an går att köra på 95 Oktan men rekommenderat är 98 eller
allra helst V Power för att få ut så mycket effekt som möjligt.
9.
Nollställning av minnen Ibland kan man behöva nollställa minnet på RX-8an av olika anledningar, RX-8an har två olika
Det är jävligt svårt att skriva så att det tolkas rätt. Vi skriver för att
sprida ljus för de, om wankel okunniga, och då måste man tänka på ett visst sätt så att de förstår.
Jag ser det som ett dilemma, tyvärr. Å andra sidan är det
bra att skrivs och läses.
Lennart Pettersson
Stockholm
"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win."
- Mahatma Gandhi
So you just bought your first RX8 or you are looking for one to buy. Now
what?
So you just bought your first RX8, or you bought a used one, and you have a rotary engine you not familiar with. First off, relax, its really
not that different, but here are the little
things you’ll want to do / know to make sure you enjoy the car and it lives a long and happy life.
The
following is a brief summary of the many forums collective wisdom after nearly
95,000 threads and 1.7 million posts. It is not totally comprehensive, but will
cover most of the major issues for first time rotary RX8 owners. Most of the recall issues only apply to cars built
before the 2006 model year, but double
check you car just in case.
1. Occasional Aggressive driving is good – First off its fun, second, it helps prevent carbon buildup in the engine and
intake system. Make sure you rev to at least 7500rpm to make sure all the intake valves open. You don’t need to redline every start, but once a day is fun and good
for the car.
Oh, and
please don’t attempt the 7000rpm clutch dump launches the magazines did to get their 0-60mph numbers. This is not the
aggressive driving that is mentioned above. Its suicide for your clutch and
transmission.
2. Make sure your car has the latest PCM flash and recalls
– Below are the major recalls that seem to have affected most people. Most are simple and can be done by the
dealer in a day.
a) PCM (Powertrain Control
Module) Flash – The RX8 has a very complex computer driving the engine that has gone through several firmware upgrades. Make sure your on the
latest PCM flash
from the dealer. In the summer of 2006, a major emissions related recall was conducted on 2004-2006 RX8’s related to catalytic converter, and in some cases
engine
failures. For most people, the recall simply involved a PCM update, some owners had faulty catalytic converters replaced, and some owners had engines
replaced. If you own a used vehicle, make sure
recall 4206F was performed.
c) Ignition Coils – older cars had coils that overheated and would misfire,
its easily to tell by flipping a coil over and looking for a burn spot on the back
side of the coils. Mazda redesigned the coils in 2006.
d) Starter and
Battery – the original 04/05 RX8’s had a weak starter and battery that could contribute to flooding. Hard starts are the
main symptoms, and the dealer can
install an upgraded starter battery package to fix the issues.
e) Upgraded Spark plugs – along with the starter, the leading spark plugs went through a
redesign in the 2005 to help with flooding issues. These improved plugs should be the only leading plugs you buy. (part #NGK RE7C-L)
f) Rough Idle – the
Engine mounts and mount brackets were
redesigned in 2005 to alleviate rough idle issues. Heat from the exhaust manifold can also damage the passenger side
engine mount. Check with you dealer about an upgrade if this is an issue.
3. Use only OEM spark plugs – The RX8 and RX7 use special unique NGK plugs
designed for rotary engines. The plugs should be replaced about every 25,000 miles, which is sooner than most piston
engines. Additionally the coils do not
last very much longer than the plugs and should be replaced every 30 to 35K miles.
4. Whats the deal with flooding? - Flooding is the term for the
engine not starting due to excess fuel into the combustion chamber from a cold start and shutdown. Rotary’s, and most other cars, run rich at warm-up and then
gradually lean out as the engine warms
to operating temp. Starting a cold engine and immediately shutting it down before its warmed up can lead to excess fuel
being left in the combustion chamber which makes the engine struggle to light
off. The simple solution to not flooding is to properly warm the car up (coolant
temp needle to the half way point) before shutting the engine off. Flooding tends to happen when people move their
car to wash, repair or service something
then immediately shut the engine down. The stronger starter and resigned plugs listed above have helped to alleviate this issue, but just make a practice of
warming the car up before shutting it off.
5. Check the oil level every other fillup or twice a month – The rotary engine injects oil to lubricate the
apex seals in the engine, so it
naturally burns oil, especially the harder you drive. Most owners keep a quart of oil in the car at all times and check the oil
twice a month.
6. Hitting the track? Toss in a little
premix – If you going to drive the car especially hard for extended periods of time, it is
wise to add 4/6oz of two stroke oil to the fuel for extra seal lubrication. Its not required, but it’s a
good safety measure to protect the engine.
7. 8 YR / 100,000 MI extended warranty - Mazda has extended the warranty coverage on Rotary Engine Core Components on all 2004, 2005, 2006,
2007 and 2008 model
year RX-8 vehicles. The warranty coverage for the Rotary Engine Core Components is extended to 8 years (96 months) from the original warranty start date, with a
100,000 mileage
limitation. See attachment below for details.
8. Check to be sure that all the TSB's are done before you buy (if possible) -
They are available here.Clicky
9. Try to get a
compression test done. Most dealerships will not know how to do this properly for rotary engine so
you may have to find someone locally who has some degree of rotary specific knowlege. The test is
fairly easy and shouldn't cost too much, but the results
are worthless unless the test is performed correctly.
10. I have heard that I have to use 5W-20 non-synthetic oil only, is
that true? Due to the way
the your rotary engine uses oil this is a very touchy subject with a ton of different opinions. For a healthy NA rotary that is being operated in mild temps 5W-20
should
be okay, but 5-30 would work as well. Many of the guys/gals that are running FI (Turbo and Supercharged) cars have swithced to heavier (larger numbers
10W-40 or 10W-50) oil due in part to their
superior protection when higher temps are reached. As far as the dino vs. syn discussion, either should be fine. The
main advantage of synthetic oil is that it will last longer and you can then go
longer between oil changes. This is not really an advantage since you really
need to change your oil every 3000 mi when you are operating a rotary engine. Bottom line, if you are going to deviate
from the oil recomended in the owners
manual you should do some researchand come to your own decision before you switch.
Ingemar Olsson
Rätt sida av Sverige
Västra Götaland
Uddevalla
RX-8 Racecar med S54b32 motor, Sellholm MPG Låda
VW Passat
Rotary engine can make a lot of power if it's modified in the right way. There are plenty of
people getting 350-400 rwhp out of a 1.3 liter rotary. But if it's
modified the wrong way, you are running into the risk of blowing engines.
The
rotary engine is extra sensitive to detonation which can destroy the whole motor very quickly (think
fractions of a second). If you blow one apex seal, your
engine is gone!
Mild upgrade such as intake or cat-back exhaust will be ok but any mods that will require you to modify the fuel
map and timing map
will need extra attention. Anything that will affect the air and exhaust flow drastically needs extra attention. There are mods that you have to do together to run the
engine
safely. Here are some gerenal suggestions.
Note: you have to do your own research at this point as different products provide drastically diferet
tuning highly recommended) [$500-1200]
stage four: forced induction (turbo or supercharger) need to
upgrade the fuel system with larger injectors, high
flow fuel pump, ignition system and ecu tuning, possible radiator upgrade (higher power engine produces more heat) [$5000-?????]
Note:
I estimated
the cost of buying parts new. If you were to be patient and look for items on sale and/or buy used it could be a lot cheaper.
Engine tuning is the most
important part as you
can see it's a requirement in every stage except the stage one. When it comes to ECU tuning, you have to let people who have
extensive knowledge of both rotary engine tuning and knowledge of
MAF based tuning to modify the ecu for you. The required a/f ratio and ignition timing is
totally different from piston engine.
Note: If the company has no experience on tuning rotary
engine, run away immediately.
If you are
thinking about going turbo/supercharged you will need to do a ton of research. There are a lot of diferent options out there each with its own
pros and cons.
THIS CAN NOT BE DONE CHEAPLY OR QUICKLY. I would recomend getting in touch with someone who has already done this upgrade (ideally soemone who did their own work, not
someone who
contracted a shop to do it).
I did not include any information regarding underdriven/lightweight pulleys for a few reasons. I have not
seen an evidance anywhere that they increase power,
and I think they are likely cause trouble. They are either lightweight or underdriven. A pulley that
identical to OEM but made of a lighter materiel would be okay provided the install was good and
the item was designed/manufactured properly, but would not be
likely to net very much. On the other hand an underdrive pulley provide less power to both the water pump and the electrical system.
Both systems are critical
and can be prone to failure in the 8.
Please be smart and mod your car carefully and wisely. Choose the people and companies that have extensive knowledge
on
rotary engine.
Good luck modifying your rx8 and happy rotoring!
Ingemar Olsson
Rätt sida av Sverige
Västra Götaland
Uddevalla
RX-8 Racecar med S54b32 motor, Sellholm MPG Låda
VW Passat
get my car to handle better? This really depends on how much you are willing to
spend. Your options range from really cheap (alignment), to mildly expensive (springs/shocks with sways) to really
expensive (premium milti-adjustable
coilovers).
First things first. Wheels (lightweight) and tires will have more impact than anything else. A good set of lightweight rims with an
aggressive set of tires on it will transform the capabilities of your car. Once you have the wheels and tires you may find that you need to address some other
areas.
2. I like the ride
of my car, but I want less body roll, what can I do? Stiffer sway bars are one way that you can decrease body roll without
increasing ride harshness significantly. However, there is no magic answer
and anything you do to the suspension will be a compromise of sorts. The suspension
of this car was pretty well designed to be a good balance of handling and comfort.
mm ?mm ?%
* stock bushings will work
** bigger bushings included
*** bigger bushings required
3. Now that my 8 is handling a little better (see Q 1) I want to drop
my 8 a bit, what are my options? Here is a list of some of the aftermarket
springs that are available. All numbers taken either from the manufacturer, or from other posts on this or other forums.
Some we can verify, and a few we
can't. Just keep that in mind. Additionally, the amount of drop you get varies based on the weight of your particular car, fuel load, and other factors.
Stock 'Sport' Suspension RX-8: 156/113 (F/R)
Mazdaspeed: 280/190 - Drop = 0.8"/0.8" ***** Not Confirmed - Actual rates have tested
much lower (180/100)
Tein S-
Tech: 207/145 - Drop = 1.4"/0.7"
Tein H-Tech: 179/129 - Drop = 1.0"/0.3"
Tanabe GF:
179/146 - Drop = 1.4"/1.2"
Tanabe NF: 162/112 - Drop =
1.4"/1.2"
Racing Beat: 187/136 - Drop = 0.5"/0.5" ***** Not
Confirmed
Eibach: 180/130 (progressive) - Drop = 1.2"/0.8" ***** Not Confirmed
H&R: 195/141 (progressive) - Drop =
1.0"/1.0" *****Not Confirmed
Espelir: 210/150 – Drop = 1.2”/1.2” *****Not Confirmed
Swift: 207/90-129 (progressive rears) – Drop
0.8”/0.8”
Vogland: 120/100 – Drop 1”/1”
B&G: 185/142 – Drop 1.3”/0.9”
4. Can I run the springs I just bought by themselves, or do I need
Shocks? You can only run
springs, but you will do two things. You will significantly decrease the life of you stock shocks and you will not get the full
benefit that springs + shocks offer. Here is a basic list of
have another question. Springs + Shocks are almost as expensive as an entry level set of coilovers, should what are the pro’s and cons of
going that route?
There is a big difference between entry level coilovers and even the mid priced units. Lots of research will be required if you are really looking to improve the
performance at
the track.
The main feature of entry level coilovers is height adjustability. If you are looking for that Slammed look and don’t take
you car to the track, then these should be just
fine, since they give the same look as their more expensive counterparts.
Entry level [less than
$1200]
BC
Megan
Tien Basic
For a little more money you
can get coilovers that offer some level of reliable adjustability. These
will be good for someone who plans on taking hie/her car to the track and wants to be able to “tune” the suspension
somewhat.
Mid range [$1200-
2000]
Tien Flex
Stance
Tanabe
Eibach
For the more serious and competitive weekend racer there are some options that
offer greater levels of precession and adjustability. Getting the maximum out of these take a significant amount of skill and knowledge (ie, more that I have) so I
will not try to explain any
further.
High end [$2000+]
Olin
JIC-Magic FLT-TAR
KW variant 3
Morton
Blisten PSS9
6. I already have a set of sways, but what about
endlinks. Do I need them? Good question, conventional wisdom seems to be that the answer is
no…..unless you have lowered the suspension significantly. In that case, upgraded swaybar endlinks may be
a good idea. At least they are not that expensive.
7. What about my Alignment, Isn’t that important too? Absolutely. This is the cheapest, and most underused way that you can affect
your cars
handling characteristics. It will not completely change your driving experience the way some of the other options discussed here can, but for the cost (should be less
than $100) it is
hard to beat. Finding the right settings will take some research and experimentation since this will vary based on your driving
experience/style. Try to find a shop local to you that has some
experience with doing alignments for customers who take their cars to the track. That way they
can help you, and they will be more likely to tweak the set up for little to no additional cost.
Hope you enjoyed the information, and
understand that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Happy rotoring.
Ingemar Olsson
Rätt sida av Sverige
Västra Götaland
Uddevalla
RX-8 Racecar med S54b32 motor, Sellholm MPG Låda
VW Passat
Brakes general description
The RX8 comes with either of 2 OEM brake systems. All models have ventilated
front and rear disc brakes with ABS. The base AT
model has 11.9 in. (303 mm) diameter front discs while the AT with sport suspension and all MT have larger
12.7 in. (323 mm) diameter front discs. Both models have the same 11.9 in. (302 mm)
diameter ventilated rear discs and floating calipers. The larger front
brakes have a different front caliper, master cylinder, and rear proportioning valve than the base AT model. Both models use
single piston, cast iron, floating
calipers front and rear.
The braking system is designed to stop the wheels of the car. Both the base AT model and the MT braking systems are fully
capable of stopping the wheels of the car in excess of 60 mph multiple times in sequence. This is an important point, because the brakes are fully capable of
stopping the wheels at speeds likely to
be encountered on the street, the limiting factor in how quickly you can stop your car is dependent primarily on your
tires and road conditions (i.e. wet or dirt). If you truly want to stop your
car in a shorter distance, buy stickier tires. This can be accomplished by buying
tires with stickier rubber (generally lower treadwear rating), better construction, or wider footprints (most
common). That said there are several areas where
the OEM brakes can be modified to fit specific conditions and these are discussed below.
-ABS-
The Anti-lock Braking System is
designed to
prevent locking up of the wheels during hard or panic braking. A locked-up sliding wheel has a lower coefficient of friction with the road that a rolling wheel, so
braking distances are
shortened if the wheels can be slowed quickly without locking up. Furthermore, you can’t steer a locked-up sliding wheel, so ABS has the
added benefit of allowing directional control during panic
braking. The ABS system consists of wheel sensors that monitor wheel rotation, a computer that
decides when the braking system should be modulated, and a hydraulic pump that actuates the brakes
during ABS operation. All of this happens multiple times a
second. If you set off the ABS on a wet or sandy road you will feel a vibrating "bbrrrrppp" in the brake pedal.
-
Brake fluid-
The
RX8 comes with a DOT3 recommended brake fluid like just about every car currently available. DOT3, DOT4, and DOT5.1 brake fluids are glycol ether based hydraulic
fluids that
by their chemical nature are hydroscopic, meaning they will absorb water. DOT5 is a silicon based brake fluid and is not compatible with the other
fluids, once you use it you cannot return to the
other fluids and should not be used. Water dissolved in the brake fluid does 2 things, both of them bad. It
accelerates rust and corrosion of the internal parts in the master cylinder and caliper
pistons. Worse, the boiling point of fresh brake fluid is significantly
lowered by small concentrations of dissolved water in the fluid. For this reason, when comparing boiling points of brake
fluid for a daily driver, the wet
boiling point is probably the most important.
People who regularly stress their brakes due to carrying heavy loads (not usual with an RX8) or braking at
high speeds (more common in an RX8) should, at the very least, replace their brake fluid annually with fresh fluid to keep their brake fluid boiling points near
the dry point. If you are going to
track your car either on an autocross track, or more importantly on a road course, the first modification you should make is
to put fresh brake fluid in your RX8. Many people will at this point
select a racing brake fluid with a higher wet and dry boiling point such as ATE Super Blue
or Motul 600 racing brake fluid among others.
NOTE: The ATE Super Blue also comes in gold which is
the same stuff without the dye, useful if you
alternate colors so you know when the flushing is done.
-Brake Pads-
As mentioned above, the OEM brake pads are fully capable of setting off the ABS at high speeds, even with
R-compound tires.
They will do this multiple times, however, they won’t do it indefinitely. After 5 or 6 panic stops from 60mph they will begin to fade from overheating. Frequent hard
braking with
OEM pads may lead to pad deposits on the rotor which gives a pulsating pedal. For those who have encountered pad deposits (more on this later) or
those who regularly autocross or track their car on
road courses, an upgraded performance pad may increase the operating temperature range and prevent pad
deposits and pad fade.
Brake pads generally fall in 3 categories – OEM, street
performance, or track only. If all you ever do is drive to work, hit
the interstate, and occasionally goose it at the traffic light, all you need are OEM pads. If you live in a mountainous area and
like to drive fast, or you are
continually exploring the limits of ABS on the off ramp, or you compete in autocrosses, you may benefit from a street performance brake pad. If you are tracking your
car on road courses more than once (beyond the novice category), even a street performance pad may put pad deposits on your rotors and may fade. For
experienced drivers on road courses, dedicated
track pads will provide the best performance. Why not use track pads on the street, you may ask? Because, 1.
They are expensive; 2. Some track pads need to be warmed up before they grab (although
some modern formulas work relatively well when cold); 3. They are hard
on the rotors; 4. They are very dusty; 5. The pad dust can be corrosive to wheels and body paint; 6. They tend to be noisy as
well.
Some popular
street performance pads for the RX8 include but are not limited to:
Axxis Ultimates
Hawk HP plus
Brembo Sport
Ferodo DS2500
Carbotech Bobcat
Cobalt GT Sport
Some popular dedicated track pads for the RX8 include but are not limited to:
Hawk HT10, DTC60
Carbotech XP10/XP8
Cobalt
XR2/XR5
Track pad manufacturers often recommend using a slightly less aggressive compound in the rear such as
Carbotech XP8 or Cobalt XR5.
Performance street pads and track
pads generally have higher coefficients of friction (mu) as compared to OEM in
addition to higher operating temperature ranges. This may give a better feel to the brake pedal but will not
measurably shorten stopping distances. The
benefits of performance street and track pads are in resistance to brake fade, which is incurred due to multiple hard stops such as encountered on road
courses. The OEM brakes on the RX8 are superb and many people successfully track and race the RX8 with only a fluid and pad upgrade.
-Brake Rotors-
The rotors that come stock
on your RX-8 are very capable. Many people misunderstand some basic things associated with brake rotors, what follows should
clear up most of those misconceptions.
When to replace you
rotors - The only reason to replace the rotors is if they are below the minimum thickness
(22mm front 16mm rear) which takes a lot of miles or badly scored (which is unlikely unless you track the
car on road courses with racing pads). You will need
to remove the rotor to actually measure the thickness accurately with a micrometer. Some shops will insist on selling you new rotors because A.
they make money
and B. they know the pads are starting on a fresh surface so they don't need to worry about previous pad deposits causing pulsations and taking the time to explain
the pad
bedding process. Really, when was the last time you had a brake job that came with a discussion of pad bedding, uneven pad deposits, pad thermal
ranges, and adherent versus abrasive friction
coefficients?
The Myth of Warped Rotors - Many people comment that they need to replace their entire
brake setup because their rotors are "warped". While it may be possible
(usually in an alternate universe) to warp a rotor it is exceedingly rare.
Rotors may wear thin, they may crack, they may rust, but they rarely if ever warp. People think their rotors are warped
for several reasons.
1. The
pedal pulses and it “feels” like the rotor is “warped”.
2. Their mechanic told them its warped.
3. Their machinist told them its warped.
4.
Their beer buddy, who knows all, told them its warped.
5. Their dad told them its warped.
The myth is perpetuated for several reasons. It sounds
plausible, you can measure it, and
the cure for a warped rotor fixes the problem that led to the belief that the rotor was warped, therefore it must have been
warped. Not so, what is really happening was alluded to above in the
brake pad discussion.
Brake pads rely on 2 types of friction, abrasive friction
and adherent friction. Abrasive friction is just what it sounds like. Modern brake pads, particularly
performance and track pads, rely heavily on a thing
called adherent friction to fully develop their coefficient of friction. Adherent friction is more like the friction of sticky glue to something,
a molecular
bond that forms and breaks causing friction. Modern brake pads lay down a even layer of pad material on the rotor face during bedding and normal use. This layer of pad
material on the
rotor sticks to the pad material on the pad and voila increased friction. If the brake temperature exceeds the pads operating range this nice
even layer starts to melt and becomes an uneven
splotchy layer of material. This now variable thickness of glue stuck to the rotor causes the pulsations in the
pedal as the pad follows the uneven pad deposits around the rotor face.
There are basically 2 ways to get rid of pad deposits. One is to machine
them off. This is why the machinist and the mechanic (and for that matter, probably your dad and beer buddy) think the rotor
is warped. The machinist measures
the rotor as being warped when really he is measuring glue stuck to the rotor face. Machining the face of the rotor removes the glue and incorrectly confirms what
he thought was the cause. The other way is to rebed the brakes, preferably with new pads of a higher temp range and coefficient of friction. Bedding (or
rebedding because it can be repeated) brake
pads is the controlled process of laying down an even layer of new pad material. If the new pads have a higher
temperature range, you can melt off the old while you are laying on the new. This
generally involves 5 or 6 hard braking events from 70 to 20 mph without
stopping in rapid succession. Sometimes it may need to be repeated for another 5 events after cooling without stopping. I
once had pad deposits after a track
event on performance street pads that were so bad I stopped the car twice on the highway to check for broken suspension and brake parts. I cured the pad deposits
with a new set of pads and a double bedding procedure.
Rotors are made of cast iron for a reason. It is tough stuff and is the best alloy in terms of
heat resistance, ductility,
strength, and hardness. All rotors, even the inexpensive ones, are made of similar cast iron alloys as the expensive racing rotors
with the exception of carbon rotors found only on the highest end
racing cars such as Formula 1 and a few others.
For further information on this
subject see Carroll Smith
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp...rakedisk.shtml
Slotted
and drilled rotors - Many people while trying to
replace what they think are warped rotors, or while trying to make their car stop better, inquire about which is better, drilled or slotted rotors.
The answer
is neither. Neither holes nor slots will stop your car any quicker. Once you've gotten past green fade in the first heat cycle of new pads described above,
outgassing is no longer a
significant issue and holes and slots won't stop you any better. Holes and slot don't cool the rotors any better either.
Furthermore, drilled rotors are generally to be avoided as the holes
act as stress risers increasing the likelihood of cracking. Slots won't hurt anything
but your wallet but they won't help anything either except looks. If all you want is bling get the
slots.
One structural aspect that will
improve a rotors heat dissipation is curved internal vanes. The OEM rotor and most aftermarket rotors are straight vaned rotors. Curved vanes pump
more air
like a water pump. Another structural aspect that improves rotor design is 2-piece floating hat rotors. These rotors have a separate center hat, usually of aluminum
alloy, that bolts to a
cast iron ventilated rotor ring. These rotors have superior ventilation and the aluminum hat wicks away some of the heat, and they have
less unsprung and rotational weight. Many aftermarket Big
Brake Kits come with 2-piece floating hat rotors. Most competitive racing cars have 2-piece floating
hat ventilated rotors.
-Big Brake Kits-
Many people, in an effort to
improve their cars decide to purchase an aftermarket brake system
commonly referred to as a Big Brake Kit or BBK. As the term suggests the brakes are “bigger” than OEM. The implication is that
bigger is better. Like much in
life it is more complex than that. As mentioned above, the OEM brakes of both the AT model and the MT are fully capable of setting off the ABS under multiple panic
stops. So if a brake system is already capable of locking up the wheel (even under racing conditions) how will a bigger braking system stop the car any shorter.
The short answer is it won’t. BBKs
don’t stop the car shorter or quicker. The advantage of a BBK is in the B as in bigger. A bigger rotor dissipates heat
faster and better. So a well designed BBK will dump heat better. This is only
an advantage if your brakes are overheating. Many of us race and track
successfully without fade with OEM brakes with just better pads. If you are tracking the car with dedicated track pads and you
are operating at the upper limit
of your pads operating range you may benefit from a BBK. Better BBKs also utilize a 2-piece rotor which also has less unsprung and rotational weight.
Some people want a BBK for looks which is OK but buyer beware. Braking systems are all about balance, balance between the front and the rear. If a BBK is not well
designed, and is just something
available off the shelf that happens to fit, the front to rear brake bias or balance will be upset and the stopping distance
with your very cool looking BBK will be longer, not shorter than your
girlfriend with the stock OEM AT model on cheap tires.
The RX8 has a nearly
50/50 front/rear weight bias. Despite the RX8s excellent balance, the front brakes do more of the work than
the rears due to weight shift under deceleration.
Mazda engineers spent a lot of time matching piston diameters of the front and rear calipers and the master cylinder to get a balanced front/rear
brake bias.
Additionally, most cars including the RX8, have a proportioning valve between the front and rear which limits or modifies the maximum hydraulic pressure to the rear
under heavy braking.
This is necessary because of the forward weight shift under heavy braking. The proportioning valve prevents the rear wheels from
prematurely activating the ABS and disrupting maximum braking
efficiency.
Premature activation of the front or rear ABS is an important point to
consider when making brake system modifications, such as adding a BBK. If the front caliper in the BBK
you select is too big the front will activate the ABS
prematurely. Since the front does most of the work you just turned off most of your brakes. If the front caliper is too small, it will allow
the rear to
activate prematurely. In either case once one end of the ABS goes off, further pedal pressure won't help and your stopping distances will increase instead of
decrease. Bigger is not
better if it upsets the balance of the braking system.
-Brake Fade-
There are 3 types of brake fade commonly
encountered, and they renge from scary to terifying.
Green fade. This type of fade only happens with brand new unbedded pads. Pad compounds with
organic binders will offgass as the binders volatilize when they are heated for the first time. These
gasses produce a thin boundary layer on the pad surface
which prevents or interferes with the proper friction of the pad on the rotor. Once the pads have been thoroughly heated the gasses are no
longer produced and
the problem goes away. As a result, your first braking application on brand new pads should not be a panic stop from 90 mph. All brake pads should be bedded in, more
on that
later.
Pad fade - Every pad compound, street or track has a range of operating temperature. Above that range the coefficient of friction
will drop and the ability of the pad to stop the
rotor will diminish. Multiple stops from high speed such as on a road course, or a fast descent down a twisty
mountain road can over heat the brakes and exceed the operating range of the pads and
the brakes will start to fade. The pedal will still feel hard and firm
but the car doesn’t slow down like it used to. The cure is let the brakes cool off, and if the pads haven’t been incinerated
they will resume working when
temperatures cool down.
Fluid fade - This is the MacDaddy of fade and should be avoided (see wet and dry boiling points of brake fluid above). If the brakes
get hot enough, the fluid in the caliper can exceed the boiling point of the fluid, especially if the fluid has absorbed water. Hydraulic systems depend on the
physical principal of the
incompressibility of fluids. When the fluid boils, bubbles of gas enter the hydraulic system, and unlike fluids, gasses are
compressible. When you push on the brake pedal, all you are doing is
squishing bubbles, not moving pistons. As a result, the brake pedal goes to the floor, the
car goes where you don’t want it, and small wimpering sounds emanate from the driver as he/she looks for
something soft to hit. The cure requires bleeding the
brakes as the bubbles will not completely resorb on their own. Most people who track their car bleed their brakes before an event to have dry
fluid and
sometimes after an event to remove any bubbles.
-Pad Bedding In-
Most companies will include proper bedding technique in the instructions, and
they more or less
follow a similar procedure. As soon as the brake pads are installed, proceed to do some low speed braking, typically from 40mph to a slow
roll to bring the brakes up to normal operating
temperatures. Find yourself a place where you can do uninterrupted sequential hard braking events. Do a set of
4 to 5, 70mph to 20mph, hard braking events followed by a 10-15 minute rolling cool
down period. All of this is done without coming to a complete stop. Braking
should be hard but not hard enough to lock the wheels or set off the ABS. The brakes should be brought up to the upper
thermal range of the pads. Bedding in
the pads correctly does a few things: 1. Gets rid of green fade caused by outgassing of organic binders in the pad; 2. The primary purpose of bedding pads is
to lay down an even layer of pad material on the rotor face to facilitate adherent friction. Everybody should find a place where there is a stretch of road with
little or no traffic that they can
safely get up to at least 60mph and do the above procedures including a 10 minute cool down period afterwards WITHOUT COMING
TO A COMPLETE STOP.
Ingemar Olsson
Rätt sida av Sverige
Västra Götaland
Uddevalla
RX-8 Racecar med S54b32 motor, Sellholm MPG Låda
VW Passat
Is it easier to Flood my RX-8 during cold weather? Because of the design of the Renesis it is possible to flood them when
moving short distances when the
engine is cold. Remember that warming your car up is the best way to avoid this. Instead of just moving the car cold from the garage to the driveway and shutting it
off, take a turn around the block. Gives you a few minutes seat time and you will thank yourself later when the car starts.
2. Why does my car
experience a Loss of power when it is cold?
Talking about warming up the car brings up another topic. High Revs on a cold engine is a bad thing. To help keep
your engine safe the RX-8s PCM can and will lower the effective redline until the
engine is properly warmed up. So when you feel a loss of power at @ 6000rpm
just after you started driving that’s the PCM pulling timing to save the engine. Drive casually a little longer.
Update- For 2009 Mazda has added a
a "moving redline" to the Tachometer so you can actually see what the limit is and how it raises as the car comes to proper operating temps
3. Whats up with this Frothy Oil Dipstick? When checking your oil you may notice a frothy, milky, yellowy substance on the dipstick. This is condensation and is
quite normal. Especially this time
of year as the dipstick tube can be very cold, giving the condensation a perfect place to form. If it disturbs you there is
a redesigned and insulated dipstick tube available from Mazda.
See attachment below for details
3. Why does my TPMS go off more often in
the colder months? The more the temperature drops the less pressure is in your tires. The TPMS light on the
dash- looks like this (!)- will light to tell you
the tires need to be inflated. Some folks will post to us that the light was on in their dash but they drove to the place with the air filling
station and
checked their tires only to find the pressures were fine. They surmise then that it must be a sensor/light malfunction.
That is incorrect.
That
driving heated up
the tires and the air inside thereby increasing the pressures and giving false gauge readings. Check your tires BEFORE driving. Note the
amount of air needed for each tire, and then ADD that amount
when you get to the place with the air filling station.
And please folks don’t pay for
air! Remember you can always use that inflation kit in your trunk that came in the car.
4. Can I use my OME tires for winter driving? The OEM RE040
tires are NOT WINTER TIRES. They dont have the tread for snow and they turn into bricks when it gets cold. If you expect to travel much
this winter on snowy
roads or in consistently below 35F temps your downfall will be the RE040s. Please, please, please get a set of steel wheels with some dedicated snow tires. They will
save you
allot of hassle and us allot of “the rx-8 sucks in the snow” threads. Really the rx-8 drives fine. Just remember it’s a RWD car, which many of you
might not be familiar with, and get those snows
on!
5. Do I need to do anything to get my Radiator ready for the winter? Fall is a good time to
check that your coolant/antifreeze is the right mixture. You can get the appropriate gauge
at any automotive store. Make sure you have the right mix for the
winter temperatures you will normally face in your area. If you haven't done one on your car and it’s a couple of years old
it’s also a good time to do a
radiator drain and refill.
Remember folks- if you see the Lincoln Memorial start to shine on your dash, that’s the low coolant sign. Put a little 50/50
coolant /water mix into the coolant reservoir to top it off.
Important Note - Before adding any coolant you need to determine if your car came filled
with FL22 type coolant. To do so
look at the coolant cap- If you have FL22 it will be printed there. Most '06 and newer Mazda's come with the FL22-
type. If yours is one of them don't use/mix any other type coolant with
the FL-22.
6. If you're in Snow prone or Ice prone areas its a good
time to check that you have a ice scraper/ brush in your car. Also top off your Washer fluid and keep the extra in
your car for those snowy days.
Ingemar Olsson
Rätt sida av Sverige
Västra Götaland
Uddevalla
RX-8 Racecar med S54b32 motor, Sellholm MPG Låda
VW Passat
P0030 Front HO2S heater control circuit problem ON 2 HO2S heater (See DTC P0030 )
P0031 Front HO2S heater control circuit low ON 2
HO2S heater (See DTC P0031 )
P0032 Front HO2S heater
control circuit high ON 2 HO2S heater (See DTC P0032)
P0037 Rear HO2S heater control circuit
low ON 2 HO2S heater (See DTC P0037 )
P0038 Rear HO2S heater control circuit high ON 2
HO2S heater (See DTC P0038 )
P0076 VDI solenoid valve
control circuit low OFF 2 CCM (See DTC P0076 )
P0077 VDI solenoid valve control circuit high OFF 2 CCM (See DTC P0077 )
P0101 MAF sensor circuit
range/performance problem ON 2 CCM (See DTC P0101 )
P0102 MAF sensor circuit low input ON 1 CCM (See DTC P0102 )
P0103 MAF sensor circuit high input ON 1
CCM
(See DTC P0103 )
P0107 BARO sensor circuit low input ON 1 CCM (See DTC P0107 )
P0108 BARO sensor circuit high input ON 1 CCM (See DTC P0108
)
P0111 IAT sensor circuit
range/performance problem ON 2 CCM (See DTC P0111 )
P0112 IAT sensor circuit low input ON 1 CCM (See DTC P0112 )
P0113 IAT sensor circuit high input ON 1 CCM (See DTC P0113 )
P0117 ECT sensor circuit low input ON 1 CCM (See DTC P0117 )
P0118 ECT sensor
circuit high input ON 1 CCM (See DTC P0118 )
P0122 TP sensor No.1 circuit low input ON 1 CCM (See DTC
P0122)
P0123 TP sensor No.1 circuit high
input ON 1 CCM (See DTC P0123 )
P0125 Insufficient coolant temperature for closed loop fuel control ON 2 CCM (See DTC P0125 )
P0126
Insufficient
coolant temperature for stable operation ON 2 Thermostat (See DTC P0126, 0128 )
P0128 Coolant thermostat problem ON 2 Thermostat
P0130 Front HO2S circuit
problem ON 2
HO2S (See DTC P0130 )
P0131 Front HO2S circuit low voltage ON 2 HO2S (See DTC P0131)
P0132 Front HO2S circuit high voltage ON 2 HO2S
(See DTC P0132 )
P0133 Front HO2S circuit
slow response ON 2 HO2S (See DTC P0133 )
P0138 Rear HO2S circuit high voltage ON 2 HO2S (See DTC P0138
)
P0139 Rear HO2S circuit slow response ON 2 HO2S (See DTC P0139)
P0171
System too lean ON 2 Fuel system (See DTC P0171 )
P0172 System too
rich ON 2 Fuel system (See DTC P0172 )
P0222 TP sensor No.2 circuit low input ON 1 CCM (See DTC P0222)
P0223
TP sensor No.2 circuit high input ON
1 CCM (See DTC P0223 )
P0300 Random misfire detected Flash/ON 1 or 2 Misfire (See DTC P0300 )
P0301 Front rotor misfire detected Flash/ON 1 or 2
Misfire (See DTC P0301, P0302 )
P0302 Rear rotor misfire detected Flash/ON 1 or 2 Misfire P0327 KS circuit low input ON 1 CCM (See DTC P0327 )
P0328 KS
circuit high input ON 1 CCM
(See DTC P0328 )
P0335 Eccentric shaft position sensor circuit problem ON 1 CCM (See DTC P0335 )
P0336 Eccentric
shaft position sensor circuit range/performance problem ON 1 CCM (See
DTC P0336 )
P0410 AIR system problem ON 2 AIR system (See DTC P0410 )
P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold ON 2 Catalyst (See DTC P0420 )
P0441 EVAP system
incorrect purge flow ON 2 EVAP system (See DTC P0441 )
P0442 EVAP system leak detected (small leak) ON 2 EVAP system (See DTC P0442 )
P0443 Purge solenoid valve circuit problem ON 2
CCM (See DTC P0443 )
P0446 EVAP system vent control circuit problem ON 2 EVAP system (See DTC P0446 )
P0455 EVAP system leak detected (large leak) ON 2 EVAP system (See DTC P0455
)
P0456 EVAP system leak detected (very small leak) ON 2 EVAP system (See DTC P0456 )
P0461 Fuel gauge sender unit circuit range/performance
problem ON 2 CCM (See DTC P0461 )
P0462 Fuel gauge sender unit circuit low input ON 2 CCM (See DTC P0462 )
P0463 Fuel gauge sender unit circuit
high input ON 2 CCM ´ (See DTC P0463 )
P0480 Cooling fan No.1 control
circuit problem OFF 2 Other (See DTC P0480 )
P0481 Cooling fan No.2 control
circuit problem OFF 2 Other (See DTC P0481 )
P0500 VSS circuit problem ON 2 CCM (See DTC P0500 )
P0505 Idle air control system problem OFF ¾ ¾ ¾
(See DTC P0505 )
P0506 Idle air control system RPM lower than expected ON 2 CCM (See DTC P0506 )
P0507 Idle air control system RPM
higher than
expected ON 2 CCM (See DTC P0507 )
P0562 System voltage low (KAM) ON 1 CCM (See DTC P0562 )
P0564 Cruise control switch input circuit problem OFF 1 Other
(See DTC P0564
)
P0571 Brake switch input circuit problem OFF 1 Other (See DTC P0571 )
P0601 PCM memory check sum error ON 1 CCM (See DTC P0601
)
P0602 PCM programming error ON 1 CCM (See DTC
P0602 )
P0604 PCM random access memory error ON 1 CCM (See DTC P0604 )
P0610 PCM vehicle
options error ON 1 CCM (See DTC P0610 )
P0638 Throttle actuator control circuit
range/performance problem ON 1 CCM ´ (See DTC P0638 )
P0661 SSV
solenoid valve control circuit low ON 2 CCM (See DTC P0661 )
P0662 SSV solenoid valve control circuit high ON 2 CCM
(See DTC P0662 )
P0703 Brake
switch No.1 input circuit problem ON 2 CCM (See DTC P0703 )
P0704 Clutch switch input circuit problem ON 2 CCM (See DTC P0704 )
P0850 Neutral
switch input circuit problem ON 2 CCM (See DTC P0850 )
P1260 Immobilizer system problem OFF 1 Other ¾ (See DTC P1260 )
P1574 TP sensor output
incongruent ON 1 CCM (See DTC P1574 )
P1577 APP sensor output incongruent ON 1 CCM (See DTC P1577 )
P1686 Metering oil pump control circuit low
flow side problem ON 1 Other (See DTC P1686 )
P1687 Metering oil pump
control circuit high flow side problem ON 1 Other (See DTC P1687 )
P1688
Metering oil pump control circuit initial check problem ON 1 Other (See DTC P1688 )
P2004 APV stuck open ON 2
CCM (See DTC P2004 )
P2006 APV
motor control circuit IC problem ON 2 CCM (See DTC P2006 )
P2008 APV motor control circuit/open ON 2 CCM (See DTC P2008 )
P2017 APV position
sensor circuit problem ON 2 CCM (See DTC P2017 )
P2070 SSV stuck open ON 2 CCM (See DTC P2070 )
P2096 Target A/F feedback system too lean ON 2 Fuel
system (See DTC P2096 )
P2097 Target A/F feedback system too rich ON 2 Fuel system (See DTC P2097 )
P2101 Drive-by-wire relay control circuit
problem ON 1 CCM (See DTC P2101 )
P2106 Throttle actuator control
system-forced limited power ON 1 CCM (See DTC P2106 )
P2107 Throttle actuator
control module processor error ON 1 CCM (See DTC P2107 )
P2108 Throttle actuator control module
performance error ON 1 CCM (See DTC P2108 )
P2109
TP sensor minimum stop range/performance problem ON 1 CCM (See DTC P2109 )
P2112 Throttle actuator control system range/performance
problem ON 1 CCM
(See DTC P2112 )
P2119 Throttle actuator control throttle body range/performance problem
ON 2 CCM (See DTC P2119 )
P2122 APP sensor No.1 circuit
low input ON 1
CCM (See DTC P2122 )
P2123 APP sensor No.1 circuit high input ON 1 CCM (See DTC P2123 )
P2127 APP sensor No.2 circuit low input ON
1 CCM (See DTC P2127 )
P2128 APP sensor No.2
circuit high input ON 1 CCM (See DTC P2128 )
P2135 TP sensor No.1/No.2 voltage correlation problem
ON 1 CCM (See DTC P2135 )
P2136 TP sensor No.1/No.3 voltage correlation problem ON 1
CCM (See DTC P2136 )
P2138 APP sensor No.1/No.2 voltage
correlation problem ON 1 CCM (See DTC P2138 )
P2195 Front HO2S signal stuck lean ON 2 HO2S (See DTC P2195 )
P2196 Front
HO2S signal stuck rich ON
2 HO2S (See DTC P2196 )
P2257 AIR pump relay control circuit low ON 2 CCM (See DTC P2257 )
P2258 AIR pump relay control circuit high ON 2 CCM (See DTC
P2258
)
P2259 AIR solenoid valve control circuit low ON 2 CCM (See DTC P2259 )
P2260 AIR solenoid valve control circuit high ON 2 CCM (See DTC
P2260 )
P2270 Rear HO2S signal stuck
lean ON 2 HO2S (See DTC P2270 )
P2271 Rear HO2S signal stuck rich ON 2 HO2S (See DTC P2271 )
P2401
EVAP system leak detection pump control circuit low ON 2 EVAP system (See DTC P2401
)
P2402 EVAP system leak detection pump control circuit high ON 2
EVAP system (See DTC P2402 )
P2404 EVAP system leak detection pump sense circuit range/performance problem ON 2 EVAP
system (See DTC 2404 )
P2405
EVAP system leak detection pump sense circuit low ON 2 EVAP system (See DTC P2405 )
P2406 EVAP system leak detection pump sense circuit high ON 2 EVAP
system (See DTC P2406 )
P2407 EVAP system leak detection pump sense circuit intermittent/erratic problem ON 2 EVAP system (See DTC P2407 )
P2502
Charging system voltage problem OFF 1
Other (See DTC P2502 )
P2503 Charging system voltage low OFF 1 Other (See DTC P2503 )
P2504 Charging system
voltage high OFF 1 Other (See DTC P2504)
U0073 CAN system
communication error (See DTC TABLE [MULTIPLEX COMMUNICATION SYSTEM] )
U0101
Communication error to TCM
U0121 Communication error to ABS HU/CM
U0155 Communication error to
instrument cluster
U0167 Communication
error to keyless control module
Here is the complete engine diagnostics and troubleshooting steps to take for each. Clich Here
More
information on OBDII Codes is available HERE.
Ingemar Olsson
Rätt sida av Sverige
Västra Götaland
Uddevalla
RX-8 Racecar med S54b32 motor, Sellholm MPG Låda
VW Passat
following information & recommendations are gathered here for a reason; At Pettit Racing we know that having a performance vehicle that is
both fast and reliable can be Challenging, Frustrating
and sometimes Costly.
To avoid the C F & C it usually requires that the driver has some
knowledge of the vehicle and is able to perform routine maintenance or at a minimum be able to
verify that these procedures are performed correctly. This is
basic knowledge, but knowing it can enable you to spot a small detail that could have caused a major problem. As most of us know, this
can happen with any car,
anytime, anywhere; therefore this knowledge will be beneficial for life and can be applied to countless mechanical devices.
Q: Can I modify my car and save
money?
A: There is no doubt, it can be expensive to properly modify your car, but the alternative can be more costly. Topping the 'costly list' is
adding an upgrade to correct a problem,
or using unproven upgrades based on hear-say and/or web posts. Another popular mistake is paying your tech less than a
job is worth. It takes passion and always more than book time to properly
install upgrades, so paying less usually results in poor “passionless” quality. This
applies to servicing too. A cheap service deal may mean just changing the filter and oil, and not checking your
car over totally, spotting any potential
problems for you. Offering your tech a bonus for excellence always helps. Many beneficial upgrades are easy to do but can be time consuming, doing it
yourself
means money saved and satisfaction credits earned.
Q: What can you suggest to help me with my rotary?
A: These suggestions are intended to help you
enjoy a fun to drive
RX8 with consistent performance and exceptional longevity for years to come.
1. Always keep up with routine maintenance schedules,
that way when you begin adding modifications, it will be to
a vehicle that is mechanically 100% (i.e. fresh, clean fluids and filters, everything working
properly, brakes and suspension operational, etc). Obviously, if your vehicle is not running properly,
upgrading could cause more harm. From our experience, we
have found that many premature engine failures are caused by simple oversights like a loose hose clamps or mixed plug wires. Poor fuel
quality also
contributes; it can cause detonation that can damage the engine. Make sure to run quality national brand fuel. For racing and forced induction, hi octane should be
used, and for race
applications, race grade fuel can be added.
2. Allowing the engine to properly warm-up will greatly extend engine life. This is best
accomplished by driving SLOW UNDER 4000RPM, (light
acceleration), for at least 10 minutes. Never allow the rotary engine to overheat; it can be ruined in less
than five minutes with out coolant. Even when your temp gauge has moved up, the engine is
still NOT at full operating temperature for another few minutes.
3. Oil and filter change every 3000 miles or less. For hard driving like our test cars, we change every 2000 miles or less if
it appears dirty, smells like
fuel, when racing or if you drive like you’re in a race. For highway driving the oil seems to stay clean past 3000 mi. (Fuel smell is most common with boosted
applications where the crankcase is pounded with hydrocarbons)
4. Use fuel lubricant with every tank of fuel, this is proven to extend rotary engine life by
30% or more. We recommend 4oz of
Protek R with every fill up, (More info HERE )
5. Never let anyone drive your car! Over the years, many customers have
come to regret this decision.
6. If detonation occurs, back off
the throttle immediately. Avoid that operating range until better fuel is obtained or
the problem is corrected. When detonation occurs it is usually under moderate to heavy load, so if you have to
drive, drive easy with a light foot!
7.
Inspect the spark plugs! It is also very important to be sure they are properly torqued, we have seen several cases of improperly torqued plugs,
(evidenced by
a partially crushed, crush washer) this can allow carbon to get on the threads and cause difficulty removing them. Carbon on the threads and/or plugs that are just
plain loose can
reduce heat transfer and cause the plugs to run hotter and fail sooner, another problem this can cause is damage to the housing threads and
that is definitely not good, not to mention expensive. On
cars with forced induction we recommend .028-.030” gap.
8. The RX8 Ignition coils are prone to
fail (even without boost), so it’s probably a good idea to change them, especially coils with
25,000 miles or more, or if random detonation occurs. You can
also check the epoxy fill on the bottom for burn spots and /or surface flaws. It is usually smart to replace them and start fresh.
Relocating the coils to
improve cooling is another option that should improve life expectancy.
9. Now, if you are sure your car is 100% you are ready to upgrade. If you are not sure,
it is
cheap insurance to have a full maintenance service performed.
Q: I want to upgrade my RX8. What should I do?
A: The whole concept
behind upgrading is to have fun and to enjoy this
one-of-a-kind vehicle. When you rush things, or do too much at one time, it is much more likely to create
problems. Take some time and do research, It will pay off in the long run.
Q: What problems have Pettit seen that may affect me?
A: We
routinely receive Renesis engines that failed: some of the causes are listed below by order of popularity:
1. Turbo charged
w/high backpressure ratio.
2. Poor maintenance
3. Overheated
4. Hi mileage/excessive seal wear; regular use of Protek-R will greatly reduce the likelihood of this
occurring.
5. Bearing failure, the oil recommendation 5W30 seems to be inadequate, most Renesis engines opened have excessive bearing wear, we therefore
recommend a quality 10W40 or 20W50 oil the latter
for racing and spirited driving
Ingemar Olsson
Rätt sida av Sverige
Västra Götaland
Uddevalla
RX-8 Racecar med S54b32 motor, Sellholm MPG Låda
VW Passat
. hjälp uppskattas. 
In the summer of 2006, a major emissions related recall was conducted on 2004-2006 RX8’s related to catalytic converter, and in some cases 
