mazdaverx7

iTrader: (6)

I agree with having the best battery possible. I picked up a new battery the other day for the car. It will be great to get it in and see how it works with the new starter. I've never had starting issues hot or cold but I knew my old starter wasn't the greatest as it was original. Just figured I'd stay on top of things.

Jazer

What battery did you get?

Im really really happy with my new one. I've noticed the parasitic draw in this car is worse than other cars, and this new battery doesn't seem to bat an eye at it.. and starts stronger after sitting for a couple weeks than I've experienced in the past (if I don't disconnect it, which I do if I intend to let it sit longer). It's an Odyssey Performance battery.

mazdaverx7

iTrader: (6)

I bought a Die Hard silver series battery rated at 650CCA. The price was right and I was in the market so I bought it.

My car also has a parasitic draw and will drain a battery pretty low in about two weeks if the car is not started and driven. I don't care to dig into the issue personally. If the car ever sits, I just disconnect the battery and it seems to be ok. Since we've had a mild winter I've been driving the car to work here and there. I told my son the other night when we were out in the car that I can't ever remember being able to drive my 8 in January. Usually snow covered salty roads. And the car won't leave the driveway if there's snow on the ground or salt on the roads.

gwilliams6

RX8s with no extra parasitic draw can drain a battery in two weeks if not started or driven. The security system and other stand alone systems are always drawing current. And of course the battery's reserve power gets worse in cold weather . I use a battery tender with my 2008 40th Anniversary Edition. Once you disconnect the battery you will lose the ECU trims and your RX8 will need to be driven for many many miles to learn those trims back. I do not recommend you disconnect the battery. Cheers

mazdaverx7

iTrader: (6)

I appreciate the advice, thank you!! When I store the car I do put it on a battery tender. I do notice these cars do draw down a battery faster than a lot of other cars I've had.

mazdaverx7

iTrader: (6)

I made a weird discovery the other night. I found that my car is missing the VFAD and has an open vacuum line.. Not sure how I ever missed it not being there as I've pulled the bumper twice and replaced the engine as well. I have a couple spares in the basement and I brought one up to install which I may do today. Not sure how I ever missed it not being there.

mazdaverx7

iTrader: (6)

Yesterday on my way to work the car finally hit 100k miles. I was almost dreading it to a point. It was never a low miles car and now that it's over 100k miles, I'm totally good with it. It still runs and drives near like a new car. Its been my favorite driver for some time now. I'll definitely enjoy this car for many years to come!

gwilliams6

Congrats . Is that the original engine ? As you well know, anything original on that cooling system at 100,000 miles is suspect and the greatest threat to your engine, as well as any original cat with that many miles. Cheers

mazdaverx7

iTrader: (6)

Thr car is on its second engine. I put an engine in st 94k miles. The cooling system gets a drain and fill every other year and I use only Mazda FL22. I have a Mishimoto radiator and a BHR coil set as reliability modifications. The catalytic converter was replaced by Mazda under warranty shortly before I bought the car in 2015. A new expansion tank will go in very soon as I have the new tank in the garage waiting to go on thr car!

MANIACman

My Dad grew up in the Great Depression era and in those days it wasn't that odd that your dad would belt you (With his belt) Unlike Uncles who did pretty much the same thing my Dad chose to not do this sort of thing but instead would tell you how disapointed he was and that he must have done something wrong raising you and my brother sister and I all would be in tears. One time (Each) we got paddled. For all of us it was something we did that would injure someone else (I let Kenny shoot my friend Bob in the Butt.) so we all got this one time spanking and if we REALLY were out of line he would remind us that there was a line we must never cross or ëlse" but as I said this was just so you knew it was possible. His trick worked on all three of us. Ha... One of my Uncles asked if Dad really didn't use the Belt on us? I said "nope" and he pondered how it was we turned out so good. Although he did question how it was my brother and I were the only members of our Family that didn't hunt or fish. I told him 'We never went hungry unlike him and his siblings so shooting a squirrel to bake wasn't the only way to have food" He totally got that and was really an important part of my growing up because my dad died when I was 8 or 9 (some genetic thing I figured out and beat) With me he went with my Dad's no belt rule and taught me how work was its own reward and taught me to drive the ranch truck (On the roads and into town and everything) when I was 13. "Work was doing cool stuff like using a tractor to auger out holes for the fences and working with Horses, Dogs and cats and wow... Could my Aunt cook. Best summers ever. So long long answer to your question which was he made me feel so bad for not being good which was his fault that I probably cried my eyes out. Ford Falcon from the early 1960s. I think its the only car ever that my family bought new and it was probably days old when I broke off the turn signal. Sheesh whats a rotten kid I was. Actually just stupid and little. p.s. My buddy Bob's family was from the south and we got into trouble and Bob said "Oh NO! When my dad finds out we are going to get a whipping. My eyes must have gotten huge until I asked him was this with a REAL Whip? No - of course not but woooo I sure toed the line around his parents. Course this was the era that any "mom" or "Dad"f rom the neighborhood had a pretty much equal lawing down of the Law and you better be calling them Mr or Mrs. I had a terrible time with my Daughter not calling her friend "Tim" when she was little.

mazdaverx7

iTrader: (6)

I really enjoyed reading that, thank you for sharing that! I think all kids make mistakes and do things to upset their parents. I have 8 kids and none of them are perfect. I just do the best job I can to correct them and guide them on the right path. It sounds to me as if your father was a good man.

MANIACman

I've got to figure out if this is the same reason my RX-8 battery goes flat if parked for a long period. I just assumed it was all the ECUs fault. Say when you do get power back to the car do you have to "relearn" it how to idle? I've actually been considering having some kind of system that copies the part of the ECU that evaporates when you unplug the battery. Which someone probably has done? I'm just getting into hacking the cars ECU and finding lots of interesting info but not too clear which way to go. I did buy an ECU from EBAY years ago but from what I've learned you need a number of other items connected to make it run on the bench.

MANIACman

You are doing it right. Your car is looking so great! l love the trunk mat. I got one myself along with some of the panels I never knew were part of the car. I bought a kids "project" and I guess everything that could be popped off was pulled and tossed. (Like the panel under the engine) Wow was that a surprise the first time I hit water and everything just winked out. One question. Is there inside the trunk a plastic cover that goes over the wire from the trunk key to the lock? I keep screwing that up and the plastic bit that goes on the Lock end? Danged if I can find a part number of even a picture of one (My wife is a 3D printer fiend)

I know this is off topic a bit but does anyone have a good source for things like engine covers (Didn't know these were standard!) ha.. And that pop up display assembly or even a spare blank one I could hack some gauges into?

BigCajun

iTrader: (1)

If a Google search doesn't turn anyrhing up, call Kyle at the Rotary Doctor in Neosho, MO.
​​He's got a huge rotary graveyard.

mazdaverx7

iTrader: (6)

I have issues with a battery draw in all three of my RX-8's. If they sit for more than a week without being started, the battery will be dead. All three are all original and unmodified. I haven't performed a parasitic draw test to see what is causing the draw. It could also be that the car's aren't driven regularly, and it could be my fault for not keeping the batteries on a tender. The batteries could be weak as well. I drive the cars so infrequently that I don't pay attention to the issue.

As far as the plastic cover over the key lock, I will look for you and either pm you or post here. I can't remember off the top of my head. If memory serves me correctly, there is a guide for the lock bars and wiring. But I will look at my cars and let you know.

As for the engine cover, I would create a want to buy ad here on the forum in the marketplace section. I would also search Facebook for part out ads and also look on eBay for one as well. I'm in need of one myself, so I've been keeping an eye out. If I find one in your area, I'll shoot you a pm.

gwilliams6

Yes you need to use a battery tender that keeps a trickle charge into your RX8 battery when you dont drive it for awhile, otherwise you will lose all the fuel trims and idle data, and then you would need to drive it over a hundred miles till you car's computer learns them fully again.
Even the best kept RX8 will drain the battery if not driven, due to alarm system monitoring and other constant drains.

This is the brand I use and they work perfectly.

mazdaverx7

iTrader: (6)

I use that exact brand of trickle charger on my Corvettes while they're being stored. They are the best I've found. It sounds like my car is just fine and that the draw I'm seeing isn't parasitic. I never really looked into it. When my RX-8 was my daily driver, I never had to worry about a draw, as I was driving the car every day.

rezgui

what a beauty, plus you knew how to choose a beautiful place to take the photos, take care two

MANIACman

I measured the battery compartment and bought the largest battery that I could lower into it. I do hate that the data in the ECU is not kept in some EEPROM because there are times you need to disconnect the battery and that break stomping 20 times / steering wheel all the way left then right now idle and pump the gas when it dies for 20 minutes stuff is (I think) amateur crap which doesn't belong on a car as beautiful as an RX-8. Maybe that is the one ECU mod everyone needs?