nick9995

Hello all,

I just bought my first RX-8. It had the check engine light on when I bought it so I read the codes. Evap problem, O2 sensor problem, and two misfire codes. The car also gets very poor mileage and exhaust smells of un-burnt fuel. I pulled the spark plugs and they looked fine (I put them back in the right order trailing-leading). I then checked the ignition coils and found one had no continuity on the primary winding so I replaced it. I then checked the fuel injectors to see if any leaked under pressure. None did. I also cleaned the crank position sensor. I put everything back together and when I restarted the car it reved to 4krpm and then refused to fall to idle. It keeps jumping between 1000-1400rpm and backfires a lot. There is also a metallic sound in the exhaust, I banged on the second cat and it rattled so maybe broken. Kind of sounds like an internal piece is broken in the muffler too. No check engine light comes on. Higher RPM sound good. I did not run longer than 15 seconds. I could have gotten the fuel injector connections reversed too. Any ideas? thanks.

Legot

iTrader: (1)

Please help me understand, why did you buy this car? All RX8 specific things aside why would you buy any car that has so many extremely obvious issues (CELs and poor millage and such)?

You seem to have at least read a bit in your issues which is good, but it gets a little bit more complicated. First off, if you haven't already read the New and Potential owners thread.

We only have one CAT, the second smaller cat looking thing is just a resonator. You're right, is probably shattered to some extent and you should gut it immediately to stop it from clogging the catback (when mine blew out there were pea sized chunks of melted catalyst in it). Cat failure usually comes from a failing ignition, your coil test was essentially useless and each of your coils, plugs, and wires need to be replaced to ensure that it's burning fuel correctly.

It would be good to clean out your intake too, excess oil tends to get dumped there over time, and it can coat the MAF, and throttle body in nastieness, which could mess with your idle.

I've personally never had injector wiring issues, but apparently it's common to plug then in incorrectly so double checking couldn't hurt.

04Green

iTrader: (1)

My guide on ignition is that if I have not personally changed it in the least year, it is likely due for replacement. I would change the remaining 3 coils asap. You are running way rich if you are smelling gas out the rear and still have a Cat.

Like he said ^^, clean the MAF too. And, make sure the injectors are plugged in right.

Then pull and check the CAT (front 3 bolts, is pretty easy, used jack stands. If it has not come apart, and you have a fuel smell out the back, it is hosed. Consider gutting it.

The high idle is usually part of the "learn" process if the battery is disconnected. It will go down in a few minutes. I suggest the coils, check the CAT, 20 brake stomp and then see what you have. Let the idle come down on its own. If you touch the gas, the car figures you want to drive and will stop the learn process. You really want it to finish this process.

nick9995

Just an update, progress has been slow due to overtime at work. Finally dropped the mid pipe and discovered the CAT has already been gutted. Also two very small chunks of CAT fell out so I am thinking that was the rattle in the exhaust I was hearing.

MAF is clean, thin film of grease around throttle body which I cleaned. Am going to check my connection of the injectors next.