Okay, I'm currently sitting in Ohio...it's really cold outside. My car was sitting outside (i just drove it last night)...just now tried to start it, engine won't even turn over. Upon inspecting the engine to see what's wrong, I found that my oil and engine coolant have chunks of ice in it. The stupid thing froze! We had to push it into the garage, shut the doors, and suspend a space heater above it so i can drive it home tonight to get to work tomorrow!! Has this happened to anyone else with their RX8 in the cold? I've never heard of such a thing happening...EVER! Also, during the cold (i had this car last winter) my car misfires so many times upon starting, and my check engine light is on consistently throughout pretty much the entire winter. I am in love with my RX8 in the summer, and wanting to beat it with my foot in the winter...such polar opposite feelings for my car!! I think i'll be getting rid of it...it's been in the shop so many times since purchasing it...and only in the cold (if i lived in warmer climates, this car would be a dream!). Anyone else having these problems? And also, if anyone else has had their car "freeze" can someone help me out?

Thanks so much.

Lindsey

 

that didn't happen to me. i live in indiana and yesterday the temperature was about 9F. The only thing that's freezing is the emergency brake, which manual said that the emergency brake isn't supposed to be used during winter.

 

Time to move to some warmer place

 

I worried about tomorrow myself, temp is going to be 14degrees with 30 mph winds! Thinking I'll hitch a ride to work!

 

Any ideas anyone? This sucks...i'd love to move to a warmer place, but i have a nice job here...guess i'll be getting rid of the 8 soon...

 

I don't believe your coolant froze, I've been in -25F temps and the coolant is still liquid

Unless...

you put too much water in the mixture, wayyyy too much water

 

How is it you know your oil has chunks of ice in it? Is ice forming on your dip-stick? I don't think oil shouldn't freeze..

 

I didn't put too much water in the coolant...

Oil isn't COMPLETELY frozen, however, the dipstick WAS frozen shut (had to finagle it out of there)...and the oil is very thick (oil change on schedule, correct oil added, etc.).

I know, it makes no sense whatsoever...i've never seen this before either...i have done nothing different to cause it to do this.

 

I don't think it is your fault, coolant has to be added rarely, my guess is the dealership mixed to much water in when they were putting in coolant

do you have an Auto or a Stick because you could seriously f-bomb your engine if you are reving it to 9K on the manual car and you are only using water as coolant since it evaporates way to quickly

 

thanks magellen...

it's a coolant/battery problem..it sounds horrible. I just don't think a year old car should have as many problems as mine has had. I've been debating getting rid of the 8 as soon as winter hit and my check engine light once again came on to stay with me for the winter (been back to the dealer SEVERAL times to try and figure out what's wrong and to no avail). Tonight just kinda sealed the deal on my decision to rid myself of this car...which sucks, because it runs beautifully in the summer months for me, just not in the winter!

 

sorry to hear you have problems with THAT PARTICULAR CAR

best of luck in your future car search

 

I've driven this car for over a year and a half and only minor problems

definitely bring it in to a Mazda dealership you trust

I've taken it through a winter that reached -25F (yes that is minus ) and right now it is 8F and the car is driving fine infact I find it drives better with the cold air it is getting

something is up with your car...those CEL (red lights) may have to do with the incorrect coolant, or otherthings, just get a competent service person and you're car will drive through the winter great

you do have snow tires right?

 

frozen oil????(ummmm) chunks of ice in your coolant tank???(ummmm) your car is misfiring??after all these "misfires" and the car still run well (when it runs)? its a coolent/battery problem? you joined the site just right now to post this problem?
wow is all I can come up with

 

thats because rx8's suck ***... its all bout the FC's and FD's... i dont care wut u guys do to those granny cars... u will always be humbled by their predisesors... wut an insult to the name rotory... get a FD, tune it right and come back next rear junior...

 

Um, oil really doesn't freeze. The coldest pour point for regular oil is like -30C/-22F. It really won't pour below that.

You probably have a cracked block. Just my guess. Can you tell me how cold it actually was? Typical coolants freeze around -25F to -30F. It's possible that your coolant froze in the engine and it cracked your block. Then fluid leaked into your oil. The frozen coolant in the oil pan is what your seeing.

It's also possible that water was leaking previously into the engine oil due to another malfunction.

However, based on what you've said about it running fine till the winter came I would have to say you froze the coolant first.

I just checked the min temp in Ohio and it says -39F for 12/06/05. I hate to say it, but it sounds like operator error. Your responsible for taking care of your equipment in extreme conditions.

 

Can someone delete this guy?

Spammer

 

I didn't know total dipshits stayed up this late..

 

Was any of that even English?
Huh, I thought people that could afford to buy a car at least passed middle school. Maybe not.

Sorry about the car Lindsey .

 

Then, what are you doing on our web site? Shouldn't you be on www.rx7club.com or licking a fire hydrant or something?

 

I drove a car to Ohio on business. It didn't start up when it got cold, but it was the battery. Cold weather killed it. Are you sure about everything being "frozen"? Especially the liquids with the extremely low freezing point?

BTW. I thought most people up north had a beater car to drive in the winter.

 

If the coolant was a 50/50 mixture or better as recommended, there is no way it would freeze in the temps seen in that region recently. I suspect the mixture, perhaps just in the overflow bottle, was not 50/50.

Moisture condenses out of the air in the dipstick tube and will obviously freeze there in very cold temps making it difficult to remove the dipstick. Has nothing to do with the oil freezing. See the sticky thread on the white gooey stuff on the dipstick.

The OEM battery in the US version of the RX-8, at least the early years, is notoriously weak. (The Canadian versions get a more capable battery--go figure.) If you complain about the car not starting because of a weak or dead battery, the dealer should replace it with a more capable unit with more cold cranking amps. There are a couple of service bulletins about this problem.

Of course, since you've apparently already made up your mind to get rid of the car, my comments are aimed primarily at those who might misunderstand your situation and the comments in this thread. Good luck with your next vehicle!

 

Last year's winter I didn't have a problem.

Other than the stock potenzas getting hard and being a pita in cold weather (about -10) and the coolant needle being way to the left, it ran just fine.

 

Perhaps have those CELs checked by your local dealer. They may identify the reason your car car is not performing properly.

Or just sell it, and let someone else maintain the car correctly.

 

Since I live in Puerto Rico the coolest day is about 78 F, so I don't that kind of problem. One problem that I did have was a beer can hitting my air condensator. It cost me $700.00 and the wait for the part to arraive. Imagine 99 F, black leather interior, no wind, traffic, and no AC. It sucks big time.

 

Is it possible ot put a warmer in the car like the disel guys do?