Are people having spark plugs replaced at 56,000 kms? The maintenance schedule seems to indicate that but the dealership didn't do it at my last servicing. I'm now experiencing some hard starts for the first time ever (I'm at about 58,000 km) and have a feeling it might be something to do with the spark plugs. The battery still seems quite strong. It's just not catching now for some reason. I have had all of the flashes done.

Thanks.

 

By the way, it's an '04 MT.

 

Your spark plugs must have been changed once already because of the hard-start/flooding TSB? Unless you've never had that TSB done.

 

i had a hard start issue, replaced plugs didnt fix it. drove it to the dealer low compression, new engine is being installed as we speak.

 

mine were done (in both senses) at about 47km.

 

Had to change mine at 40,000km

 

I was told they were supposed to have been changed when I received the car (new). They werent.
Just had em done, 30000km. What do I win..?

They were not nice, I asked to see them after they were changed..

 

LOL
You win a poke in the eye with a sharp stick and a kick to the *****.
Just wait until you have to change your coils!
Mouhahahah

 

ive been running rx-7 plugs, and changing them at 10k intervals. the stock plugs seemed pooched for me at about 15k. I don't drive the car hardly enough to ever bring them up to cleaning temp though, usually keeping the car around 3k rpm.

 

I have no ***** lady driver here.. but if you must kick, so be it..
I hope the coils go under warranty..

 

did you know that when they change your engine they put the old spark plugs back in...not new ones.

 

Thanks for the responses.

Climacus: I never had the hard start / flooding TSB b/c I never had any hard starts in the 3.5 years I've had the car.

And I'm pretty sure they didn't replace at the 56K servicing since, when I went in with the hard start issue a couple of weeks ago, they told me the spark plugs don't really have to be replaced in the RX-8 unless there's a problem. Hmmm. I generally have really good service at this dealership. They even phoned a couple of days later to see if I was still experiencing the hard starts.

Nate340: That's not what I wanna hear. Good luck.

 

makes sense, i did tell them to do it anyways since the plugs in my orginal engine had less than 200km on them.

 

I have an 05, the plugs were changed at 56K, I am now at 91K and putting in a second set of plugs. I am also putting in my 3rd set of coils. I track the car regularily though so I am pretty hard on it.

 

Just came back from the dealer. Their computer doesn't show plugs needing to be replaced on the Rx-8 at all. So I had to pull out my manual and show them. They're going to call Mazda Canada to see what's up. I didn't get it done since they'd need to order them in and I couldn't wait that long. They're going to cost in the neighbourhood of $350 installed. Seems a little hefty, doesn't it?? I really hope it solves the hard start problem but it seems like it's time they're replaced anyway (whether or not it impacts the starting issue).

 

Don't go to the stealership. The plugs are easy to change yourself if you take off the drivers side wheel and reach through to the motor. I get my replacement plugs from www.sparkplugs.com they are exact OEM plugs but the Cost is $101US with taxes and shipping. Here in Canada $300+ is common for the plugs.

Also if you need coils go to the states. I order from www.onlinemazdaparts.com and pay $120 with taxes adn shipping for 4 coils. Mazda here in Canada charges $400 for all 4 coils.

 

Scarboro Mazda fixed my hard start problem. It had gotten such that it was sometimes taking a full 10 secs (yikes!!) for the car to start up, then I'd have the dreaded CEL for a day or so. It was throwing a P0336 (Crank Shaft Position Seal). All they did was clean it up a bit and now the car starts right up every time (well at least for the first dozen or so times that I've tried it). Soooo, I haven't replaced the spark plugs yet but think I should be doing so anyway. Scarboro didn't want to do it yet to save me the $...very nice of them.

 

Mine weren't done so I changed the plugs myself. You can get all 4 from the US for $80+tax and shipping. Much cheaper.

 

I had my wheels off yesterday to change over to my winters. I took a look at the location of the sparkplugs. They do not look easy to get to. Is there a preferred method for reaching into them?? I'm not sure I'd trust myself to jack the car properly to get underneath. I suppose I could always buy the plugs online then have someone else install them for me.

 

My hard start problem was not fixed as I had believed. For the first dozen or so starts, it started up right away. Then it started taking its time again. Yesterday, I had a 9 second start....that's right, I counted it out. 9 seconds is a long, long time. What is the order to try things? Spark plugs first? Then what? Starter? Coils? The battery seems strong.

The other odd thing is that it now seems to start worse when the engine is cold. Before the crank shaft position seal fix, it seemed to start worse when the engine was already warm.