Christopher Baughman

Ok. This is my first post so I'll ask as I think this is my issue.

First this car has been nothing but issues, but I love it......

I'm tired of taking it to the dealer as I feel they don't even have a clue honestly as to whats wrong with my car most of the time.

Last few weeks I've been having start up issues. Where I turn the key and engine tries to start. It never fails to start, just takes a while. It will sometimes start after 1-2sec, but sometimes it's going all the way to 3-4seconds. When it does start up I hear a slight squeak, maybes even a squeal. Sounds like a belt, but I'm not mechanic. Now it has been colder than normal lately also. I'm in Houston and it's been 30-50 degrees. Not our normal by far. The thing is, I don't recall it doing this last winter. It might have, but I don't recall.

Also about a year and half ago my buddy changed my plugs, coils, and igniters. Can they already be bad again? And my car has almost seemed like it's had a bad smell to it lately after I run it. Only I smell it though, so it might be in my head. Lastly I noticed the "foamy oil" when I checked my oil level today. Again it was really cold out, so not sure thats an issue. The oil was last changed a month ago at the dealer.

Please and thank you for any help/advise.

rx82015

iTrader: (2)

You've got low compression. Plus probably an older starter, I'll assume its an '04-'05? My car is the same way. I've always wondered what that squeak was, can never figure it out. Mine squeaks like once right when it actually starts up. I'd say either store up some funds to get a reman when your engine dies or sell it now so you don't have to deal with paying around $3-4k for a reman.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

"a year and a half" doesn't tell us anything, as you might have put 2,000 miles on the car in that time (plenty of people only drive their 8s on the weekends in warm weather), or 35,000 (in the last year i put 31,000 on my MSM)



The foamy oil is normal for cold weather, just drive it a bit harder periodically to cook the condensation out.


It generally sounds like your battery is weak, though it could be a weak starter or weak compression too. Try hooking up the 8 to another running car with jumper cables for a bit, then starting. If it starts up fine, it's a weakening battery and/or battery connections. Otherwise, getting a compression test will tell you the health of your starter and your compression. I'm guessing it's not a compression problem though, since you didn't mention that it's harder to start when warm.

I might suggest coils, plugs, and wires again, depending on how much mileage you have put on them. The smell might be from a failing cat, which could happen from sensor problems, failing ignition, or failing compression


Yeah, a lot of parts produce the same results when they fail, so it takes some digging to identify what is actually wrong.

Christopher Baughman

Ok, well thanks for the replies. Let me start answering some things you both asked. The plugs and coil and igniters have about 10000 miles on them, max. I did just change the spark plugs again today myself. So far the slow start seems about the same, maybe a little faster. Then again that could be in my head.

The battery is brand new. Had that changed right when this problem started. I do know one of my battery posts were really loose. I think I was able to tighten it back on properly though. It was the post furthest away from you when standing infront of the car. After the place changed my battery I drove home. Then the next morning it wouldn't start. The connection had jumped off. I re hooked it though, so not sure that could be an issue.

It isn't harder to start warm or cold. It seems to
Have this same problem either way. It just started doing this as it has gotten cooler, might be a coincidence though. Like I said, it never fails to start, just kind of chugs for a second or two, then starts.

Since I did the plugs and that didn't change much, I planed to try and change my igniters Monday now. So I can see if that is the problem.

The car is an 04 automatic. RX82015, Why do you say the engine is dying and to sell it now? Did yours die on you? Also how are you so sure it's low compression? The squeak is exactly that in mine also. Right when the engine starts, it's a quick squeak them I never hear it again.

rx82015

iTrader: (2)

I have an '04 auto as well. I'm not positive its low compression, I guess I just misread and you said you were having hot start issues. Chances are you just need an updated/upgraded starter. The original '04 ones are super weak, mine is the same way. If you have a friend with a newer starter, have him start his engine for you. Youll see how much faster start up is with newer starter. You can get them on eBay used for like $50, just make sure it's an auto.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

The 2 things that now jump to the front of my mind are:
- Weakening starter
- Fuel pump starting to fail, taking longer to prime.


The next time you go to start the car, turn the key to ON, and leave it there for 4-5 seconds. THEN start. If it fires up noticeably faster than you might be having a fuel pump problem. Either a pressure leak or the pump is struggling to prime. The extra starting time is just that it's not getting enough fuel.

If that doesn't seem to affect it, then I'd recommend ordering a new starter.

Christopher Baughman

That's pretty awesome. Any idea which part I should be looking for? I read the starters are pretty easy to change also. (Atleast it reads like they are)

Christopher Baughman

I am at work till 3 (central), I will try that when I leave though. Thank you all so much for the help. No one around me can ever help, they treat my car like an alien.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Yes, starters are a piece of cake to change. Disconnect the battery, then jack up the driver's side of the car, slide under there and it is sitting in plain sight and unobstructed next to the transmission bellhousing. Undo a 12mm bolt that holds the power cable on, unclip the ground wire, then it's just 2 14mm bolts (the long one has a nut ont he other end you might have to hold).

Replace in reverse order. I could do it in about 10 minutes, including jacking up the car.

I'd recommend ordering from Mazmart: MAZMART - Serving The Mazda Community Since 1980. RX8 Starter NEW OEM N3Z1-18-400

Christopher Baughman

I have heard good things about them. Problem is I have an automatic 04, and that link is for the manual. Plus I did a quick search and I couldn't find the automatic one.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Send him a PM or email. Username here is "Mazmart", email is paul@Mazmart.com.

He will make sure of the right one. The manual is probably just more commonly purchased. He can get anything OEM, but only puts the common stuff on the website.

My instructions for the starter replacement are probably still the same for automatic, but you might want to dig into that a bit to verify. Google "site:rx8club.com automatic starter DIY" to see if there is a DIY on it.

Christopher Baughman

Ok tried the key to on thing. Didn't seem to change anything. I'm going to write and ask about a starter.

rx82015

iTrader: (2)

Id bet anything that its a weak starter, since you already changed the battery. If it doesnt, id get the alternator checked. Really simple swap, i didnt notice any differences between the manual diy and the way i did it.

acovey09

I'm having a similar problem with mine. Have an 04 with 33000 on it (it had 28000 when I got it). I have trouble getting it to start in cold weather, I'm in Tyler, TX so I'm not far from the guy that originated the post. Sometimes it starts on first crank, sometimes it takes 3-4 cranks, usually the check engine light comes on, but it never dies afterwards.

This may be an unrelated issue, but in the summer time if I've driven it for a while (2 hours or so) in the heat and pull up to a stop light or something it will die and take a few minutes to restart. My initial thought was vapor lock, but the dealership assures me this cant be the problem. It has a new battery, new plugs and coils, has been compression tested and (according to the dealership) is fine. It also gives me random garble on the cd player/radio display screen in temperature extremes and the heat/ac is hit and miss in temperature extremes. I'm thinking it is some kind of electrical grimlin (nothing on the computer reads as wrong) but I'm really not sure and 2 different mazda dealerships have had no idea. Any help would be great. Thanks

niteshade247

To the original poster I didn't see eney one respond to the fact you said you smell a funny smell that could be a clogging cat wich could be because of failing coils. To the last poster if your really had a compression test and it past the next thing I could think of might be fuel pump?

acovey09

well the dealership claimed to have done a compression test and i was charged for one, so i hope they did. I'm not sure how the fuel pump would affect my electrical issues though?

niteshade247

It wouldn't I was just referring to you stall issue but it could all be tied in fuel pump not getting enough volts. Have you alternator checked perhaps the votige regulato isn't working right I have a 95 olds that everything would go wacky once the alternator go hot it ended up being the voltage regulator.

And next time get a print out of your compression numbers to verify bouth it was done and it had good numbers.

acovey09

i already pulled the alternator and had it checked. its fine

acovey09

the only thing i can figure is maybe theres some short in a wire bundle or something somewhere, but i could be wrong. i just dont know what else to look for