I used to own two rx7s years ago(an 86 GXL and 87Tii), and always wanted an FD, but time passed and now I got the next best thing.




Hope these pics work. A 2004 GT, loaded except nav I believe with the black/tan leather inside. It's awesome so far so look forward to browsing some more on here for some ideas on what I should do to it in the future.

 

Welcome,

The rx8 has some things in common with the rx7 but not as much as some think.

Read through the links in my SIG. It'll help get your rx8 feet wet.

What kind of MODS are you looking to do?

Travis

 

I've spent most of my money already so no serious mods for now haha. I'm looking at maybe getting that racing beat gauge cluster. It will just be a summer car and mainly highway miles. Just going to make sure I have a somewhat reliable rx8 for now. The previous owner said he just changed the plugs, coils and battery. Seems to run fine and in great shape. I don't want to start doing a bunch of mods to affect reliability at this stage. Thanks for the reply

 

Well, for reliability sake, I would suggest the sohn adapter. Simply put, it's better to inject clean 2 stroke than dirty conventional.

Gauge clusters/ gauges go up for sale regularly on here so keep an eye out. When it comes time to replace the coils and such again I personally would suggest the BHR ignition kit.

You can also remove the baffles in the bottom of the airbox to increase airflow a bit.

Again welcome to the forum and happy reading.

Travis

 

Welcome.

Williard already pointed to the threads in my sig. I would also suggest an ultra-gauge while waiting on the gauge pod. It will give you a lot of data (temp is most important) as well as let you set alarms for conditions and give you a trip computer.

Car looks grand.

 

Thanks for the compliment. Just a quick question, is the flooding issue just from cold start and shut off? I was just driving home and stopped to get gas, and my house is like 1 minute away from the gas station. So am I ok to do a quick shutoff(fully warmed)/fill/on to drive 1 minute/off?

 

Also thanks for the ultra gauge suggestion. I was looking into something like the edge cs but the price is a lot better on the ultra. I'll pick one up for sure

 

Welcome! You didnt state the mileage of your used RX8. Here is our RX8 club's maintenance schedule, more proactive and comprehensive than Mazda's schedule. Have you done a rotary engine compression test on your 2004 RX8? You need that to know the true health of your engine. Rotary engine health is the cornerstone of proper care for your RX8. You can read up on it in the New Owner's Thread.

RX8 Club’s recommended maintenance schedule, more comprehensive and proactive than Mazda’s schedule.
30,000 miles:
- Replace Ignition coils
- Replace Plug wires
- Replace Spark plugs
- Clean MAF (mass air flow sensor)
- Clean ESS (e-shaft sensor)
- Reset ESS profile
- Clean power steering connections
- Clean battery terminals and clamps
- Replace transmission fluid
- Replace coolant (Mazda FL-22 is highly recommended)
- Replace air filter
- Replace brake fluid (fluid in the brake lines AND the clutch line)
~$300 USD in parts if you shop smartly.


every 60,000:
...all 30,000, plus...
- Clean all chassis electrical grounding points
- Replace accessory belts
- Clean OMP lines
- Replace rear differential fluid
- Replace thermostat
- Clean / Straighten AC condenser fins
- Clean / Straighten oil cooler fins
- Inspect catalytic converter
- Clean / Inspect intake valving
- Consider / inspect all points in 90,000+ as well, many items fail early
~$130 USD in parts if you shop smartly.

90,000:
...all 30,000, plus any 60,000 not yet done, plus...
- Replace coolant bottle
- Replace radiator hoses
- Replace radiator
- Replace front O2 sensor
- Replace motor mounts
- Inspect clutch pedal assembly for flex / weld breaks
~$900 USD in parts if you shop smartly.
At 100k, anything original in the cooling system is really suspect and failure prone. It represents the biggest threat to your engine.
__________________

 

Welcome.
Flooding issues are usually a result of poor ignition health.
If your coils, plugs, & wires are in good shape, then you shouldn't have to worry about flooding it, and drive like any other car
It would be a good idea to get the OBD scanned for stored codes, and if you have a cat, get it checked also.

 

There are 90k Kms on the car, so around 55k miles I guess. Looks like I'm gonna have my hands full with a tune up in the near future. I know these cars demand a little extra so that's fine. I've breifly read through some of the new user posts on the forum and I'll check them out in depth when I get some days off. Thanks.

 

Many of these items can be done yourself if you are handy with cars. There are DIY threads and such to guide you on maintenance items you can do yourself. Don't be bashful to ask how to do something. Someone here will guide you to the proper thread or tell how it can be done. Also I am sure the Canada folks' regional forum would be a good place to check in from time to time, as there are particular issues you folks above the border deal with more than we do in the lower states.

As far as the compression test, that is really the most important thing to have done. Better to have it done before you buy a used rotary car, but many folks don't know that beforehand, so don't beat yourself up about that. Just get that done first, for truly your engine is the heart of this car and its health and past maintenance history, especially with an 11-yr old car, is crucial to know going forward. To be done properly it has to be done by a Mazda dealer or someone with rotary compression test equipment. It can't be done properly with regular piston engine compression gear. If I was you, I would check in with the Canada regional folks on this forum, and see if there is someone in your BC area that does this properly.

 

I tried doing some searching but didn't find anything. My manual says 5w20 but are there any specific brand of oil and filter you guys recommend?

 

It doesn't matter.



No ... seriously. Fresh oil trumps any brand, weight, or type. Those 3 can only affect e-shaft bearings, which an e-shaft bearing failure is absurdly rare. Dirty oil can clog your OMP lines though, so keep the oil clean. Replace 2,500 miles or less with dino, longer is fine with synthetic. Look through the https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-tec...m-here-184241/ thread if you want to see how the different oils actually compare in real world Renesis driving.

All of the arguing about carbon buildup vs oil selection is missing the point that GASOLINE is what builds up the carbon. Oil is actually preventing it if you look at where the oil injectors squirt on an engine teardown. Those spots are the more free of carbon on the rotors.

 

I am stuck in newbie land for a few more posts I think so just posting a pic of my freshly washed and waxed car here instead of show and shine.

 

looking good !