Dont feel bad. I put on some new 19s, a used drop spring/strut combo, and a set of underdrive pullies. I am rewarded with the CEL going crazy and the rear tires rubbing significantly while accelerating, turning, or going over dips in the road. Modifying a car can be a bitch sometimes, but having a stock car sucks even worse most of the time.

 

Damn Kevin. Pics!

I guess I will see it at DGRR??

Anyway, I contacted Metra about the Axxess issue, they are working on a solution. Hopefully they come through. Maybe I will pick up a Metra kit, just don't want to get into the whole Bose amp bypass BS. I already went through that with my FC.

 

I have the metra kit in my 8 with the bose. I currently have an aftermarket amp replacing the bose amp, BUT I ran the bose stock system until this last week. It is easy to run an aftermarket head unit into the bose amp without disturbing any of the stock wiring, amps, or speakers.

When you get the metra kit, it comes with a plug and play harness adaptor into the dash harness. IF you hook your aftermarket deck's line level speaker outputs up to this adapter as instructed, it will overdrive the bose amp inputs and result in distortion, significant noise, and an artificially high speaker volume at low volume levels on the deck.

To prevent this, use the deck's RCA outputs, which are the same as what the bose amp expects to see as inputs. I just took a spare set of RCA cables and cut them in half. This left me with 4 RCA ends, and 4 bare wires. The RCA ends go to your deck front and rear output. The 4 bare wire ends go to your harness adapter's speaker connections, front left/right, rear left/right. Now the system works as intended with no other modification needed, and proper sound is obtained.

 

Alright, ran a scan on the 8 this morning. Code P2259 Secondary Air Solenoid.

Could this be causing my horrible MPG? I cleared it to see if it will come back or not, I will check the connectors and clean everything to see if it helps.

I have gone 70 miles on half a tank. Ouch. I know my plug wires are bad, but jeebus.

 

This car will not get the mileage that a decent FC does, just in case you are using that for comparison.

Also, the tank is small, so it seems to artificially use a ton of gas, when in reality it is not that bad, it just seems like it due to the tiny tank. I normally get 13 gallons in the damn thing even when my "low fuel" light has been on for 15 minutes. Oh, and it is IMPOSSIBLE to even attempt to "top off" this car without making a horrible mess of you, the car, and everything within 5 feet of the filler, so don't even try.

 

Here ya go. Went from externally stock wheels/suspension, to axis 19s with eibach/bilstein suspension that I had to shim up with those rubber spring blocks to keep the rear fenders off the tires. Also put in a custom fit box and 2 kicker 10s, and a directed 5ch amp for the mids and subs (already had a 2din avicd3 dvd/nav unit and 2 rear seat tv's).

 

Looking good Kevin.

I fixed the stereo issue!!! The faceplate is held to the stereo chassis with 4 screws, into plastic.

The lower left screw (facing the stereo) was pulled out, the plastic had cracked when I pulled out the stereo I guess. I pushed it back in, a little dab of liquid nails, and voila! All good! The iPod kit works like it should, and all is fine.

Also, I jiggled the harness for the Air solenoid, made sure the connections were good, and cleaned them well. Reset the light this morning, and it has not come back on....yet.

It idles better and better everyday. I have not had a chance to retest the hot start, but it was not as bad last time. The Racing Beat wires should be here this week, hopefully.

Time for tint, and a good cleaning, polish.

 

So...what does cracked plastic trim, have to do with the ipod adapter working or not?

 

You put the damn eshaft plate on wrong

 

I think I know a little better than that.

Actually I didnt disturb it whatsoever, it was left on the hub/shaft. Just removed the front 2 stock pullies and put on the new one.

 

Damn that's a pretty clean car!
But that's not the stock SS rx8 colour is it?
Reminds me of the colour of my 98' Civic lol

 

nah, mazda's stock silver blows goats. Its dull as all get out, with almost no metallic. This car is painted with honda satin silver metallic, which is pretty much the most metallic silver in the paint book I could find.

 

I read a few articles about this iPod kit. It plugs into the MD/Tape plug under the upper stereo unit. Some were claiming that the plug doesn't seat properly and can fry the stereo.

Luckily it was just that the faceplate wasn't seated.

 

Yeah that was the colour of my Civic
It was nice.

 

Got my RB wires today.

The PDR guy was supposed to come by, but the weather didn't cooperate.

 

Here comes the BAD.

Now that the ignition is all new, I have developed a new, more serious issue.

Upon startup after sitting overnight, it chugs still for about 20-30 seconds. This morning, I smelled coolant.

Still runs fine after that, no smoke when driving or hard acceleration. Guess it is time for a new engine.

The problem is, DGRR is in less than a month. If there is a temporary solution, I would love to hear it. I would rather not tear up the Dragon in the heavy Volvo!

 

^ any pics of the tvs in the back i wanna see!

 

Awesome rim choice! My fave.
Car looks very good. Nice colour.

 

You losing any coolant? IF it's undetectable, or if it is a small amount, you'll probably be fine. Besides, there is this guy nearby who knows a little about them, should the need arise. :D

 

 

Kevin, it really doesn't lose any coolant, and there isn't anything in the oil other than the usual milky foam. It only does this when it has been sitting for say 4 hours or more. The reservoir was maybe just under the fill line today, but I have never checked it since I got it.

Once it is warm, it runs fine. I can drive 16 miles home from work, and when I get out to check the exhaust it is clean and has no funny odor.

So, for now I am going to drive the snot out of it until it starts to smoke all the time I guess. Then it is engine time.

Kevin, stop thread jacking you *****!

 

I'm just responding to questions man!

 

looking awesome, I'd say some things I once tried in an old 7 but I feel like I'd be tar and feathered lol. Needless to say my gamble payed off that time and I was able to run the engine till I had the new one ready. MMMmm I wanna run the Dragon so bad, but it's quite the drive from NH, for now I just do the roads around the notches in the White Mountains here.

 

If you are referring to certain 'additives' that will 'stop' a coolant 'leak' than I know what you mean.

I have done it before on NA FC's with great success as well (lasted the 3 years until I sold the car).

I am just concerned that it would cause too much blockage on a 'sensitive' RX-8.

 

Do it then. There's no significant difference in the block coolant passages etc. Bypass the heater core first. Plan on replacing the radiator after this engine finally dies, which you'd probably have done anyway considering the mileage on the stock rad, and your propensity for modifications.