von

I'm just wondering if an Rx8 can withstand the heat of Kuwait? The temperature here gets up to 130+ during the peak of summer June and July, maybe August.

Mazda does not sell these cars here I'm guessing for this reason but some are imported by private buyers. Imported cars here are a rip off but was considering an 8 regardless of the issues that I'm fully aware of. I just needed to know if I can drive the car to work and back in those temperatures. It would help to hear from someone who has stress tested the car in extreme heat.

Thanks

Flashwing

Hey Von. Here in Phoenix Arizona in the US we see temperatures as high at 114 degrees during the summer months. I've daily driven my RX8 for 3 years and it's survived every one of our hot summers.

That being said, 130 degrees would certainly be a hazardous environment for the RX8. A lot of it is going to depend on whether or not you spend a lot of time sitting in traffic or if you're able to drive without a lot of starts and stops.

I've found that, at least here in the US, normal highway driving is fine even with extreme temperatures.

Even so, I'd look into aftermarket cooling upgrades right away to ensure that you're able to keep the motor heat under control. Driving with excessive coolant temperatures on a constant basis will ensure your motor doesn't last very long.

There are a few things to consider.

1. A radiator upgrade. While radiators don't mean your temperatures will be lower than with the stock radiator, the ability to cool the motor off after a hot condition will increase.

2. An upgraded water pump. Mazmart has a great pump upgrade which helps to keep coolant flowing without cavitation. The stock pump might not be up to the task. We've ran these pumps in Phoenix on both the street and on the track with great success.

3. Change your coolant right away. Mazda sends these cars with a coolant mixture that won't help you with extreme heat. I would switch to distilled water with about a 10% to 15% coolant mixture to help with lubrication and prevent rust. Redline and Royal Purple make products that are supposed to help with hot spots and what not. The jury is still out if these products make a huge difference.

4. Get an accessport. I cannot stress enough the importance of being able to have your RX8 custom tuned. The AP can help increase your power output and fuel mileage to a small degree, but the ability to switch on your fans sooner and increase the amount of oil injection will be of great importance. Early on the RX8 suffered from lack of oil injection and that problem was made worse in places where heat was an issue. Las vegas, Phoenix and Houston were all places that saw a ton of engine recalls.

Mazmart also makes an aftermarket thermostat which helps cooling the motor a bit as well. I've not used it myself but two of the BHR guys are running it and have great things to say about it.

I do believe your RX8 can survive the hot summer months and with a little help you'll be able to use the car without any major issues. Running the AC with the car in hot climates tests the limits of the cooling system.

I hope this is the information you're looking for!

von

Yes sounds like I will have to go that route thanks for the info. I wonder if aftermarket electric fans are better and if they have one for the oil coolers?

I guess the next best question is whether or not the 2004's for sale here with 50-70k miles on them suffered those 2004 issues or not. No rotary compression tester in this country lol.

SayNoToPistons

iTrader: (8)

Don't forget premix premix premix.

Flashwing

One of the BHR guys has experimented with other electrical fan setups and found it didn't make any difference regarding cooling. The OEM fans actually are capable of moving quite a lot of air. The key is to have a radiator that can flow well.

Fans on the oil coolers has been an idea that has held my interest for a long time. Mainly because of the large temperature swings we have in Phoenix. I'd like to have extra cooling when the temperatures are hot or I'm on the track but I wouldn't need it when it cools down.

The primary issue is the coolers would require you mount the fans behind them and there simply isn't clearance unless you totally redesign the brackets. You'd be better off upgrading the coolers themselves.

As for the used RX8's, it's tough to say. Best thing would be to educate yourself with the issues the car has and use your best judgement. Read the various sticky threads as they contain a lot of information.

bse50

While the clearance behing the oil coolers is not enough to place a couple of vents you might slightly cut the cooler vents in the wheel well to increase the air flow there.
You should consider importing a car yourself from another country, with the possibility of having a compression test before buying it.
I don't know about the laws ther regarding pollution but removing the catalyzer will help too!

von

Good point. I don't think there is a smog law in Kuwait. Why would they have oil refinaries everywere pumping out black smoke 24/7

I can ship a test pipe to replace the precat and a presilencer for the main (if it's anything like the 2nd gen. I just hope it doesn't get ricey loud..

von

Well I guess Turbo is out of the question

bse50

i believe that BHR sells a midpipe that's not too loud. you might want to check youtube.com for a sound comparison!
Have a look @ autoscout24 too for european rx8s in case you want to import it!

CarAndDriver

Check out Redline Water Wetter as well.

Razz1

I wouldn't even bother with an 8

CarAndDriver

Yes, it would be easier unless you really wanted to have in one in that boiling climate.

rodjonathan

iTrader: (6)

i had one in riyadh saudi arabia when i was there a coupla years back and though you would need to mod it its worth it coz noone has one and its ultra rare!

von

Exactly, and I can fit 3 women inside. Another guy is sellng a 3rd gen but it's all riced out and is charging 30 grand for it.

Anyways thanks for the tips I will be making offers.

ivory8

https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-multimedia-photo-gallery-6/summer-here-177574/

this is what im experiencing now atm, and my car is fine. just make sure to get the right weight oil for proper temperatures.