Left4Dead

Hows it going everyone , new to the forum , new to Mazda and new to Rotaries of course
I have been a motorcycle track guy for the last 10 years or so and looking to make the transition to having a track car. I was able to get out a few days this year in a 2008 BMW 335xi with a bunch of bolt ons had it somewhere around 450HP. It was fun and I was able to get signed off as a driver at my local track but didn't take me long to realize HP only gets you so far and the 3750lbs of that fat bitch were just too much.

So I have a friend who has an Rx8 with the Keisler automation LFX swap and loves it he runs that car at the same local track and does very well in it.
So I was thinking of doing the same swap or something similiar.
So the car I found was as my name suggest "left for dead"
It has 178 000kms or whats that just under 120 000 miles. It is a 2006 6 speed manual GT
I was told it had low compression and needs new apex seals and had not started for over a year.

Then I got reading about rotaries and then I got listening to them, well I have changed my mind at least for the time being and want to rebuild the Renesis and run it atleast one season to see how much I like it before making any engine choices.
So I have ordered a rotary compression tester but still waiting for it to arrive. So in the meantime I decided I would try everything I could do make sure its actually a non running motor.
So for the last month I was squirting Marvel Mystery Oil into the rotor housings via spark plug holes and manually cranking the motor every night.
Then I put in a new battery, 2amp starter and some new plugs changed the fluids and Did the deflood procedure and it started !!
Wow is it ever loud, I have since learned it it completely straight piped and is LOUD ! It does run a little rough and has a misfire code.

I have since caused myself a small headache that i will post in mecahnical for help but just wanted to introduce the car first
I have a few youtube shorts on it running here

Left4Dead

Loki

iTrader: (1)

"Apex seals" is what people who don't know rotaries say about rotaries. Not saying it's all fine, but you wouldn't be the first to get a supposedly dead RX8 back on its feet with a bit of work. The key thing to watch is your ignition coils. Read more at rx8help.com

Left4Dead

Hey thanks for the advice I have ordered a new set of coils

I guess I cannot actually post in the tech section yet so I'll put my self created headache here
I swapped out the iginition wires today and then afterwards the car now wont start doesnt click or try to do anything and immobilozer light is flashing , also odb port wont connect ( connected fine yesterday )
so as far as I can read I have fried the main 120a fuse , sound about right ?

I am eager for my compression tester to get here and give me a better indication of health

Left4Dead

Cant help but wonder smashing my hands around in there to get the coils and wires free is there a ground I could have disturbed I dont see anything obvious

Loki

iTrader: (1)

Nothing really sensitive in that area... I don't see how working on that stuff could've fried the 120amp main. 120 amps is a LOT.

Did you reverse the battery polarity while reconnecting stuff?

Left4Dead

Definetely not , after reviewing the list of things that will shut down your immobilizer I see- coilpack malfuction , there is a very good chance I broke I coilpack when pulling the wires off.
1 of the coils seperated I thought I was able to get it back together enough but I bet that its. New ones already on the way will know for sure in a few days.
But then does a coilpack shutting down immo also shut down the odb port ? cant see that but neither work now

Apprecaite the replies though thanks

wesselk_013

Hey can anybody help me? I bought a rx 8 last week and was wondering. Is 40 000 kms on a rx8 engine high? And what is the compresion around those kms normaly?

200.mph

iTrader: (9)

the mileage isnt high at all however you need a rotary specific compression test (you will get a reading for each rotor face and one for rpms, 7 #s total)

Loki

iTrader: (1)

I'd assume that whatever you knocked out also knocked out the ECU, so the OBD port has nothing to do. Did you check all the fuses?

Loki

iTrader: (1)

kms and compression are unrelated. Could be 9's, could be 6's. I'd be expect a new engine in a new car to be fine but if we're talking about a replacement engine in an older car then who knows. Get it tested.

Left4Dead

Yeah those arent going to work !

Right side ac , whats the left ?

Secondary air pump delete ?

Left4Dead

Took coilpacks out 2 are clearly broken I thought by simply piecing them back together they may work but this is likely why Im getting the immobolizer light and no click starts since changing the wires

Also is that a block off plate for the secondary air pump delete ?

AC pulley clearly has no belt but what pulley is to the left of AC that is also not connected ?

200.mph

iTrader: (9)

if you are getting a click/no start check the battery terminals. ive had coils come apart like that and they do go back together but before replacing them i would a comp test. that looks pretty rusty so check the oil cooler lines, they are known to leak. no belt on the ac pump means its probably seized up, either the belt shredded or was taken off. not a big deal it happened to me. the pully is the tensioner for the ac compressor and yes thats a block off plate due the the air pump delete

Left4Dead

I was starting just fine until I swapped ignition wires , but will admit I did not disconnect battery when doing so , so now I have No click no nothing on start which is why I thought originally I likely fried the 120 fuse so maybe I am back in that direction and not just coils

Loki

iTrader: (1)

Have you checked all the other fuses? Under the hood and in the foot well?

Left4Dead

Swapped out the main 120a fuse and both acc fuses under hood and in footwell no more flashing immobilzer light.

However when swapping the 120 fuse the retaining nut in the back side fell into itslf and now the screw does not hold the fuse in place , there is no openening behind to fix this surely this has happened before ? Search is not returning anything for me

Left4Dead

Well I still have a no click start even though immobilizer light is gone now after swapping fuses.

Battery ia full verified with multimeter
Starter is brand new and verified connections
All fuses are good

This is getting anonying now it started fine before I swapped coils and wires.

What else could I have done to cause this any ideas ?

Left4Dead

I spoke too soon just tried to scan the car no power to thr obd port at all , before swappong fuses and when I had immobilizer light flashing I had odb power but would not connect now no power to it all , what fuse or relay feeds the obd port ?