Abudge

Hi All,

I used to have a 1989 FC3S when I was in high school and have been considering another rotary.

Looking at a 2004 RX-8 with 145,000 KMs. I took one out for a drive today and was really impressed.

A couple of things I noticed about the car was that whether cold or hot that it would take about 5 seconds to start. Once it started it ran fine and pulled really well...a lot better than my RX-7 did. Is this something common with the coil packs? Could this have anything to do with engine compression?

Also, there is no paperwork on the car as it is at a used dealership. But I noticed all the plastic engine covers had a 10 digit or so code carved into them. Could this mean that the engine has been replaced? Anyone else see these codes carved on there plastic coverings after an engine replacement?

Finally, the car comes with a 3 year third party power train warranty (separate from dealer). This is what really caught my eye, knowing that used rotaries could have problems. Anyone have any experience with third party powertrain warranties covering rotary breakdown?

Thanks for the answers. Hoping to joining back to the rotary community after 14 years!

gwilliams6

https://www.rx8club.com/new-member-f...t-here-202454/

Please read through new and potential owners thread till you reach starting issues: I could just post what it says, but that gets folks here pissy. Yes engine compression issues could affect starting, but there are other components also that affect starting, including coils, wires,plugs. All is covered in the new owners' thread.

You need to have a rotary engine-specific compression test done before you buy, so you truly know the health of that engine, and so you don't get stuck with a failing engine that could cost a lot to replace or rebuild. It happens too often to new owners who get caught up in the thrill of the car and don't do their homework beforehand.

Be sure any third party power train warranty has specific language that applies to rotaries. Example: if the warranty covers pistons, valves, etc; there are none in a rotary engine. It needs to cover rotors,housings,seals, eccentric shafts and other rotary engine parts.

With the Vin number you can check with Mazda and see if the engine was ever replaced under Mazda warranty.

It would be great to know the service record and look after these maintenance items before you buy.


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.
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