zaxter

I think it's the converter which is over heating but I'm not sure. Today I drove my car and it got so hot in one area it melted away the interior carpet! Please help! I think I might have bottomed it out and that it's touching something but not sure any ideas? This is a pic of the damage. IMG_1487.JPG

Williard

iTrader: (18)

First off, breath. Second off the pic didn't show up. Third, Year model smells? where is the carpet melted.

zaxter

Idk how to submit a pic but its melted to the right of the e brake where the passenger seat is bolted in

zaxter

It's a 2006 rx8

BigCajun

iTrader: (1)

Look underneath and be sure your heatshield is still in place. Cats on 8s are very hot normally but if you bottomed out it's possible it got knocked off, unlikely, but possible.
Have you had any CELs? If it's misfiring it could get hot enough to melt carpet & possibly start a fire.

Williard

iTrader: (18)

Ok well i figured it was an rx8. 6MT? Either way. Any other symptoms with the car? because it's already sounding like your CAT is shot and it's glowing. Easiest way to tell is drive the car at night. park and look at your CAT. If it's glowing it's BAD. But thats also bad for the engine. So hold that thought. How many miles are on your 8? Has it had a new engine? More than likely it has SO when the engine was replaced. Did they replace the CAT? More than likely not SO, smell your exhaust. If it smells like rotten eggs. Your CAT is done Either gut it or put a midpipe. If your CAT IS dead then your also going to need to do your Ignition system as well. It may not fail now but running with a clogged CAT will reduce the life of your entire ignition system substantially.

Rudolph

Same symptoms, same incident........?

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-tec...s-ebay-247265/

EuroTech

i just bought my 8 and found the same burn mark on my carpet. no cel, no rotten egg smell either

i just did a full tune up and found 3 or 4 coils shorting so maybe this was the issue prior and not happening anymore?

Williard

iTrader: (18)

The CAT will fail. It's not a question. How old were the coils you just replaced?

BigCajun

iTrader: (1)

If you did have coils misfiring and you still have a cat, you should inspect it, as misfires kill cats quickly.
Misfires dump unburned fuel into the exhaust that causes the cats to melt or clog, causing the glowing associated with bad cats.

EuroTech

Couldn't tell you how old the coils were but the prior owner said he never replaced them. He had the car for 35k miles.

I had the car for a week or so with his tune up before i changed everything and it felt fine with no misfires so i assume one time or another it was running bad which is why the carpet melted.

I can get a walker replacement converter for pretty cheap so maybe ill change it to be safe.

BigCajun

iTrader: (1)

The common belief here is they don't last, but I can't speak firsthand on it.
I have a new one just to put on when my inspection is due, then I will re-install my BHR midpipe.
You won't know if your cat is good unless you inspect it. A new OEM is around $1400, so it might be a good idea to check it out.
Unless you are opposed to running catless from an environmental standpoint, I would recommend a midpipe.

Williard

iTrader: (18)

I would say flat out just gut it or get a mid pipe.

EuroTech

The walker converter will cost me under $200

BigCajun

iTrader: (1)

If it you plan on leaving it on long term and it fails you'll be throwing away $200 you could have used toward a midpipe or new OEM converter.
That's why I plan on using mine temporarily.
I was offering an alternative, but if you proceed, please keep us informed of your results.
Good luck.

Williard

iTrader: (18)

Big Cajun how are you just going to let him do this and not say anything? lol, EuroTech Nothing for this car is cheap. NOTHING, if you are, you might honestly want to consider selling it. Dont do the walker.. Thats Strictly IMO, it is a bad idea. Either gut or go with the mid pipe. Dont waste your money. If you really have 200 bucks to just throw away. I'll send you my address.

EuroTech

i cant gut it as i need it to pass emissions out here and gutting it will be louder than id like which is why i havent sprung for a midpipe.

What have you heard wrong with a Walker replacement?

BigCajun

iTrader: (1)

What I have read is that the Walkers don't hold up under the extreme heat of the 8's exhaust.
The rotary is very inefficient, no matter how well the ignition works, it will still dump some unburned fuel into the exhaust.
It's probably the main reason they're not made anymore.
They were banned in Europe for poor emissions, so it didn't make sense for Mazda to keep making them with that market unavailable.
The Walker is also not California compliant, so that tells us they're not that good. I'm assuming I can pass with it in Missouri, but I'm not 100% sure.
Like I said before, it's a temporary fix for me.
Just be sure the one you have now is bad before you buy another one. If you haven't had a CEL (PO420 code, catalyst efficiency below threshold), it may still be good.
The BHR midpipe is only slightly louder than it is with a cat.

EuroTech

never had a code and the car runs great

BigCajun

iTrader: (1)

When you said you had 3 or 4 coils "shorting", did you test them?
Could you be mistaken and the coils were in fact still good?
If they were bad it would likely have thrown a CEL for misfires, unless the previous owner cleared the codes before you bought it.
If you have no CELs, and the car is running good, then no worries.
If it ain't broke don't fix it.

EuroTech

After reading a tsb, the 3 out of 4 coils i found with white spots on the bottom were not shorting as i read on here white spots meant they were bad which is doesn't.

I changed them out b/c of time and mileage and noticed the white on the bottom. i put a few thousand miles on the car and no codes. I guess at one time it ran like crap since the carpet is burnt.

BigCajun

iTrader: (1)

Also, you said the previous owner had the car for 35k miles, was he the original owner?
If not, it's possible the burn mark was from a previously bad cat that had been replaced already.

EuroTech

he was the 2nd owner so you might be onto something as im sure if the converter was bad now, id be having issues which im not.

BigCajun

iTrader: (1)

There you go.
I don't think you have to worry about it then.
I believe you can call MNAO with your VIN # and they may be able to tell you if the cat had been replaced under warranty.
Have fun!

EuroTech

ok, thanks