I just recently bought my 04 gt 6spd. I have since put on around 1k miles to make it a total of 9k miles. I have noticed that when I am around 3k rpms there is a high pitch whistling noise if you start to depress the gas. I only notice it just over 3k rpms and most prominently in 4th gear. By the way it is not the brake squealing noise.

Also I notice when down shifting there is a weird derevving noise the transmission makes.

Again as I am a new owner to the Rx-8, I am not sure if these are common sounds or if there is something wrong.

Thank you for the help any information is helpful.

 

Well the rotary makes all kinds of interesting sounds. My sister even asked me if the car has a turbo! You should hear the transmission with a short sifter and a Voodoo ****. Just enjoy the symphony. Hint: It's better with the windows down!

 

Thank you for the info? Any other input as well would be appreciated.

 

When stopped, put the car in neutral and rev the engine a little bit. The rotary should whistle a little bit (probably up to and around 3500 rpms). If that is the same sound you are talking about then you car is fine.

 

sounds like intake whistle to me

 

I occasionally hear a (metallic?) whistle at WOT @ 4500-5000rpm in gears 2-4. It can be a bit loud... at first I thought it was some kind of shift buzzer.

Is that what you are talking about? Does this happen to anyone else? Dealer at one point said it was "the intake opening up or changing positions". Is not the intake always at the same position?? weird...

 

The manual transmission RX-8 has a 3rd intake that opens up around that RPM range to give it the extra power over the automatic.