Chrisbert

Nope, mine is 1 and done. Sounds like the rotor went round once, and then she's purring.

zenmoused

Anyone with a late 05 to testify and say they got a new starter? I just don't want to press the issue with my dealer, only to find that I have the upgraded starter (which I sincerely doubt).

Go48

If you want to be sure that you have the upgraded starter motor, check out the part number on your starter. You may have to raise the car and crawl under it or perhaps you can use a mirror on a long handle to view the number from above.

The attached image is basically self-explanatory. The new starter motor has an "A" appended to the original part number (and it is significantly longer than the original motor).

msrecant

FYI, the following are the dates when the various "Flooding" changes went into production. You can check your build-date by looking at the tag on the driver's side door jamb.

- Updated Engine Control Unit firmware often referred to as an ECU or PCM flash. The exact level (M, N, etc) doesn't matter, you just want them to update you car to the latest level. If you have had all the RX-8 recalls done then this has been done.

- 640 CCA battery. Comes standard on all RX-8s built after 6/1/2004.

- Upgraded starter. Comes standard on all RX-8s built after 12/1/2004.

- Improved leading spark plugs. Comes standard on all RX-8s built after 3/22/2005.

- In March of 2006 Mazda started replacing all 4 spark plugs as part of the dealer prep done on brand new cars just before customer delivery.

You want to have all four improvements, not just the new starter.

BOB219

my build date was 12/03. Bought a yellow top battery first week since I knew from this forum the OEM battery was weak. Had no problems starting with this new battery. With no problems, the dealership refuses to give me the updated starter or plugs.

Jump120MPH

A body shop flooded mine. So the dealer put the new starter in and battery. I love the way it starts up now. It sounds awesome and fires right up.

zenmoused

I checked out my starter, and low and behold- it's the upgraded one (my car was built in july of 05). So basically no matter what it's going to crank a lot. Thanks to everyone who cleared that up though- maybe I should just buy a better battery or something. :-(

solito77

Is there a TSB for this? ...Just had the battery upgrade but still has weak start. My service man said thatit is characteristic of the 8's start.

Thanks!

msrecant

The TSB can be found at http://www.finishlineperformance.co...04-05-1448e.pdf and, no, with all the updates, the 8's start is not weak. Just try starting an '06.

RX8-TX

Find a way to show the little clip I posted to the service writter, and then ask him is the 8's cranking is weak by design or not!

Jaguar_MBA

The dealership just replaced my Starter under warranty...and it is a world of a difference....the engine cranks over so fast it reminded me of an automatic rifle firing. It was much faster then what I was expecting.

ndtechie09

I think it does vary from dealer to dealer. I had just purchased my used 8 (from a diff dealer that was out of state), a month later I bought new tires for it. I took it to my "hometown" dealer, a very well know one around here. I had bought a car from them before but I never took it in for service there. While getting the tires on I asked them if they would fo the starter/battery/plugs and they said they would. So I made an appointment and got it done the following week. I also know that they were not replaced before because I got a sheet from the dealer of all the warranty work done on my car. Note I also asked for this to be done BEFORE he put my VIN in the computer.

msrecant

It may be better to say that some dealers won't. Some will do it unconditionally. Most dealers will do it as long as there is some reference to a starting problem of any kind (hard start, slow start, hard start after sitting a week, etc.). There are still a few that say no-fix without an actual flood, something that Mazda NA will override if you call and ask politely like djseto did.

Bottom line, the older 8's need/deserve the update whether they have failed or not.

swiftnet

My 5th gear synchro was going so they rebuilt the tranny. While it was in the shop I got the new starter and plugs, a new motor mount and the latest flash. Never had a hard start or a flood, but the new starter is very cool. Ed Howard Mazda (Sarasota Fl) isn't cheap but does a decent job, they have been pretty good to me.

glassetcher

As I mentioned in another thread, I also had a hard starting problem and the delaler said he couldn't do the battery/starter/lpug replacement unless I actually had a flooding occurrence. Although we all would like to get the upgrade just because others have and we also want to, I really couldn't disagree. Yeah, maybe Mazda made a mistake in the original design of the battery/starter/plug set up for cold climates, if it still works (ie. no flooding) why should they replace it.

Well, I did have a flooding "occurrence" and had the upgrade. So far, no recurring problems. Starts like a " Top Fueler" with a nitro spray in the intake!
Zoom, Zoom!

msrecant

Because you are still at risk for flooding, even if you have been lucky so far, and you deserve the upgrades while you are still under warranty.

SOVINE

My 8 has 50k miles on it, and I went ahead and got the 40k extended warranty. It takes about 3 seconds to start the car & sometimes I have to try a second time every once in a while. All I have to do is go to my Mazda dealer and say "put in the good ****?"

msrecant

I don't know if extended warranties fully cover service bulletins. It can't hurt to ask.

I would print out the bulletin (see the link in my prior post in this thread) and take the car in complaining of intermittant hard starting and asking for the referenced update.

beachdog

Good luck Sovine. Who's extended warranty do you have? You might have a chance if it's Mazda but a third party is a long shot. They probably wouldn't treat it any differently than any other repair.

BIU

Just got the updated coils and the new start put in yesterday....

wow the new starter lived up to all expectations of mine.... it sounds like a motorcycle now and it starts instantly!

Happy camper here!