Hello guys,

I have some questions that need to be clarified. I am getting a new engine and its being replaced by tomorrow. I have been getting alot of tips from my rx8 buddies and my fellow rx8 owners here on the club. That I wasn't sure about before. B/c the car that I'm driving was actually my older bro's car that my parent's bought for him and I recently started driving the 8 a year and half ago after I got my license. I wasn't there at the dealer when my parent's went to buy the car for my bro ( so not entirely knowledgeable about the car). Is it true that I need to run the car with ease for the first 500 miles on the new engine (without redlining)? Heating up the engine 7-10mins (before driving, no matter where I live and the weather). Any other tips that can be suggested about taking well care of my car/engine will be appreciated. Thanks

 

Everything I read when I bought my car said that you did not need to break in a rotary engine nor did you need to do an oil change after the first 1000 miles like most cars. However...I did it anyway because while hundreds of thousands of people didn't have a problem...it couldn't hurt to do them anyway.

 

I was told oil changes every 500 miles until 2k then one at 3k then go to 3k in between changes. I was also told no special driving was necessary to break it in but the oil changes were the important part.

 

okay according to the Owners manual on page 4-7 it says:
no special break in is necessary, but a few precautions in the first 1,000 km (600 miles) may add to the performance, economy and life of your Mazda.

Don't race the engine. Don't maintain one constant speed, either slow or fast, for a long period of time. Don't drive constantly at full-throttle or hight engine rpm (over 7,000 rpm) for extened periods of time. Avoid unnecessary hard stops. Avoid full-throttle starts.

on the Mazda Rx-8 Quick tip guide it also states that you should not use special "break-in"oils.

cheers

 

You can start up the car and drive. No need to let the car warm up before driving just do not rev the engine high until it is warm. Letting the car warm up by idling will produce carbon build up. Also I would look into premix.

RX-8 Break-In

Mazda's Guidelines

The Mazda RX-8 Owners Manual lists the following information for the break-in period of a new vehicle:

"No special break-in is necessary, but a few precautions in the first 1000 KM (600 miles) may add to the performance, economy, and life of your Mazda.

- Don’t race the engine.
- Don’t maintain one constant speed for long.
- Don’t drive constantly at full-throttle or high engine RPM for extended periods of time.
- Avoid unnecessary hard stops.
- Avoid full-throttle starts."

A review of the Mazda RX-8 Service Manual Highlights revealed the following information regarding break-in:

"A fluorocarbon resin coating has been added to the trochoid surface (rotor housing) for improved initial break-in."

Racing Beat's Guidelines

The Mazda guidelines are reasonable and prudent. If you have any questions or uncertainly regarding the break-in period, we suggest you follow these official recommendations.

We receive many requests for our recommended break-in procedures. The following are Racing Beat's recommendations:

- For the first 1000 miles do not accelerate under full throttle.
- During the first 1000 miles do not exceed 4000 RPM.
- For miles 1000-2000, expand the RPM upwards - but do not accelerate at full throttle.
- Over 2000 miles, full throttle and high RPM is acceptable.

In summary, our guidelines offer a progessive method to increase the working loads placed on the engine.

Oil Change

The Mazda RX-8 Owners Manual indicates that the engine oil and oil filter be changed every six (6) months or every 7500 miles, whichever comes first. Racing Beat supports this recommendation. Every 3 months or every 3000 miles. the only thing i would change.


Mazda recommends the use of SAE 5W/20 with a quality designation of ILSAC or SL.



Source:
2004 RX-8 Owners Manual - pages 4-7 & 8-4.
2004 RX-8 Service Highlights - page 01-10-4

 

"Don’t maintain one constant speed for long."

This only means for the first 600-1000 miles right? - Just making sure.

 

yeah if i remember correctly thats for the first 1000miles

 

Correct - just while it's breaking in.

Invasion08 gave you exactly the correct answer. I'd just add one more thing for emphasis: don't listen to anyone who says "You have to break it in the way you're going to drive it," then tries to talk you into running it hard in the first few hundred miles.

Ken

 

From racing beat's website.

http://www.racingbeat.com/FRmazda4.htm

click on the "How to Break in the RX8" link

 

Thanks for the tips. It is well appreciated.

 

Follow the above guidelines and you should be good for many miles to come.

 

The way I broke in, I consistently moved the rpm levels. Never stayed in one level for so long. Then again, my 05 is Manual. My car still runs like new and still runs strong.

and You DON'T have to warm up ur car for more than 1 min.
Even in the COLD weather, 1-2 min warm up is fine. 7-10 min is just complete waste of gas and bogus

 

I thought the real point was when cold just don't push it over 3k until it warms up? Thats what I do anyway. I just turn it on and go real easy on it for 5 minutes or so before I'll go crazy.

 

^.........Yeah, a warm up of 10-15 seconds is just fine. The real point is not to push it past 3k until it's warmed up.

 

There's 3 schools of thoughts when it comes to breaking in an engine on a new vehicle, and one would imagine it could be applied to a "reman" engine.

1) Most engines in production today have already been "broken in" prior to placing it in the vehicle, so as soon as you drive it off the lot, you can drive it like you would normally drive it on a everyday basis.

2) You are supposed to drive it as hard as possible for the first thousand miles or so, in order to let the piston ring to sit in, therefore, not sure if this applies to rotary.

3) Conservatively, no redline, but no constant level of rpm, i.e. no highway cruises for a long extended period of time.


I've always taken the 1st approach, simply because I would think the automakers are smart enough to realize that most people have no knowledge of how to break in the engine, nor do they care, so in order to ensure the engine doesn't fall apart within their manufacturer's warranty time frame, they make sure the engine is ready to go the moment it hits the show room. Just my theory, feel free to choose any of the 3 options that's comfortable for you.

 

1 = no
2 = no
3 = yes

Take the experienced advice from above by those that have had and worked on rotaries for a long, long time.

 

The last time I broke in a set of rings (which was quite some time ago) the instructions from Perfect Circle were:

- Warm the car gently
- Put it in third (high) at about 20 mph
- Accelerate at full throttle to 50 mph
- Release the throttle and let it slow back to 20 mph on compression
- Repeat accel/coast-down for ten cycles

The full throttle part beds the rings, and the coast-down breathes the engine, cooling it and sucking oil up past the rings.

I've always thought that the varying speed part of general break-in instructions was to ensure that you'd have some breathing time, which with pistons does suck oil up into the rings. Not sure how that would work on a rotary.

I always take it easy for the first two or three thousand miles on a new car, gradually raising the max rpm as I progress. Probably a bit O-C, but it gives me something to do.

Ken

 

About this oil change do I have to fill it up full? (4 quarts) for the every (500miles) oil change. Until 2k miles?

 

Just curious - who told you about the frequent oil changes? Dealer? Rotary mechanic? Friend?

I change new car oil at 1000 miles, then settle into the usual 3000 mile changes. When I mentioned the first change in my 8 to a friend, he looked shocked and asked if I was sure I was supposed to do that. It turns out that some cars come with special break in additives in the factory oil, and it's supposed to stay in until the first scheduled change. Fortunately, the 8 isn't one of those.

I always thought the first change at 500 to 1000 miles was to get the initial wear-in debris, and maybe factory dirt, out of the engine.

Ken

 

I've just got my car today from the dealer with a new engine. Man... I cant believe for the first time since I got my license (yr and a half ago) have I started following or going below the speed limit today lol. Trying to keep my rpm's below 4k rpms and my speed below 50mph was hard as heck! "especially when you have an heavy foot" such as myself :P (I've heard from an rx8 buddy that I shouldn't go above 50mph until and after 1k miles on my engine.) idk how far thats true... any objections? if so are there facts to prove it wrong?

 

Maybe he said go above 5k rpm for 1k miles. But just take it easy and gradually go at higher rpm after 1000miles until 2000 miles. After that, do whatever you want

 

Holy Neons Batman!!!

 

So after 1000 miles I can rev to the max right?

 

^yeah its a break in period

 

ok, cool. So what is the top speed I can go up to? Without putting stress on the rotors? Is there a "mph zone" that I stay in or shouldn't go over? I'm at 331.5 miles right now. First 300 miles I was staying at below 4k rpms below 50mph (as a friend recommended to stay below 50mph) but right now I'm increasing to 55mph.