Alright i just bought a used rx8 w/ 35k miles and it is starting to lose power and jutter at medium and high rpm.. *spark plug related* so i went and searched the site and found a few things out but still have a couple questions. in one thread i found a site w/ the correct plugs to order . www.sparkplug.com now i orderd the ngk's it was $19.95 now i was thinking that is for a box of them. but reading farther i might be thinking its only one?? these plugs cant be 20 bux a pop can they. cause i just ordered one if thats the case.. lol.. next ive been readin about lead plugs and whatever the other one was. now these are all the same plugs correct? im sure they are but. i have no experience with rotory motors im all piston head here so trying to learn something new.. thanks for any help. Oh and im doing the plugs myself i do all my mech. work unless its warranty issued and major work.

Well Thanks for any help

 

well i see i need two trailing and two leading... wow! plugs are not cheap to replace on this thing! looks like i just orderd one damn lead plug.. lmao

 

You might like to read this thread.

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-do-yourself-forum-73/diy-spark-plug-change-31872/

 

haha, dont go to the dealer, as its about 70 per plug, and its the same plug youre getting from sparkplugs.com

 

Believe it or not $19 per plug is cheap for these plugs. For one thing it is a very small market. The other factor is they contain Iridium -- not exactly cheap stuff.

http://www.theodoregray.com/Periodic.../index.s7.html


There are threads around with members using ordinary (cheap) RX-7 plugs with good results. Theoretically they don't last for long but seems to me like most plugs are replaced for fouling issues long before the electrodes wear out anyway.

 

thanks guys i order both of them like 90 bucks lol.. wow. then i got to order the step colder plugs once i install my nitrous kit in april. well thanks for the help!

 

Just get you some rx7 plugs they work fine and they are only $7 a plug. Replacing these plugs every 10k will still be cheaper than replacing stock plugs every 30k.

 

well i woulda done that but already ordered the plugs. new are they already pregaped? cause i dont see how im gonna gap the lead plugs? or do i gap the .48 like the oem gap?

 

Technically, you can gap the Iridium plugs but they are already spec'd for the application and they only require a little anti-seize lube on the threads for installation. Wassup, hit me with a p.m. and I can get you up to speed on the RX-8 and which mods work or not. I have been here three years and like to help others along in this process, so it is no trouble for me. If I don't have the answer to whatever questions you have I know who does. BTW, I tried the RX-7 plugs long before it was a discussion point on this forum and decided against using them because they negatively altered the performance of the engine, but only slightly, and noticeably altered the exhaust note especially with my catless midpipe. When the engine runs a little rough I just clean the plugs with a toothbrush and carburetor cleaner, and y'all know how I HAMMER my car/engine. I am surprised at how durable the RX-8 and Renesis really are.

 

you must not be hammering on the trans very hard

 

Team, you know me from around here.....but the Georgia guys can tell you all about how much abuse I have subjected my entire driveline to! After I visited them two years ago they decided that the RX-8 was nowhere near as fragile as they thought it was. Hell, I have TRIED to destroy my rear differential by keeping my foot in it during nitrous use and massive wheelhop, but to no avail. It still runs quiet and like a charm. As for my transmission; I don't use the popular Royal Purple/Red Line "clinging-type" lubes as they tend to slow down the synchros and cause harsh shifting. Lost Angel recently discovered that to be the cause of her own shifting problems, too. I ocassionally get a little synchro "chunk" when my foot/hand coordination is slightly off during a drag race or performance run but the tranny still works great. I don't know why others have had problems except to suggest that the gear oil might be the issue.

 

Charles, is there a gear lube you would recommend?

 

All I can say about the tranny/lube issue is that which I know about manual transmissions, what I experienced, and what I am using now. Manual transmissions have brass "synchronizer" rings that are what actually engages when you shift from one gear to the next. Reverse is not usually synchronized and that is why it sometimes takes a little more effort to engage reverse than it does the forward gears. The effort comes from the fact that you are manually aligning the reverse gear with whichever forward gear the transmission uses to create the chosen reverse gear ratio. When driving at speed the synchro for the gear you are attempting to engage needs to spin up or down to match the rotation of the gear you are shifting into. This is where lube types, in my opinion, make a huge difference. The new lubes like Royal Purple and Red line have what are called "clinging" properties, much like that STP Engine Treatment that we used to call "motor honey" and the purpose is to help absorb shock that the gears experience during both shifting and during the transfer of energy that trannies perform. If you have ever opened a bottle of that stuff you saw just how "sticky" it is. Once it gets on your hands it will be days before it is all gone, even if you use hand cleaners. Anyway, the new synthetic lubes incorporate different degrees of this clinging in their design, even the motor oils. I noticed this when I used the RP trans fluid. I also noticed that with the RP lube my transmission was a little more difficult to shift and I could actually feel the synchros spinning up when I shifted. In cooler weather, matters became much worse. I decided that RP was not what I wanted so I switched to B+M Slick Shift synthetic manual trans fluid and I have had no problems since. From what I understand, B+M may have discontinued making this lube so I will now be on the lookout for something else in the springtime. The point is that certain lubes have clinging properties to them that are excellent for absorbing much of the shock but they may come at the price of slowing down the "spool-up" time of the transmission synchros. I do use RP in my rear axle, and it is a bit more "clunky" in it's operation, but it is tolerable. That's my theory as to why so many people are having shifting problems. Of course, if I am wrong TeamRX8 will be more than happy to offer another point of view.

 

Last I knew, TeamRX8 was using RP 75w140 instead of the more common 75w90 with better results . . . still true, team?