Gomez

izzo, don't know about Ultimate, but Optimax is the real deal....Shell guarantee it...it's not mixed.

Gomez.

Tony Orlando

I'm not lugging the engine in too high a gear. This happens at high RPMS in low gear. I hear it briefly at 6K, just a quick "bzzzt!!", then steady from 7500 to redline. I've run nothing but 93 since I bought the car, we have no 91 here in FL. Just 87, 89, 93.

Tony Orlando

Well, big ups to Gr8Rx8 for finding this, but apparently it IS knock, and the newest PCM update from Mazda addresses this. The exact wording in the bulletin is as follows:

"Engine has lack of power and/or knockng when driving at more than approx. 6000 RPM or high altitudes. This is caused by poor combustion gas sealing due to lack of oil being supplied by the metering pump."

Great. So for the last 12K miles, I've had insufficient oiling above 6000. Forgive me for saying so, but that royally pisses me off. What happens at 55,000 miles when the damage already done to my engine causes a failure? Will they replace it? Doubtful. Man I'm angry.......

Tony Orlando

Just returned from having the M flash done, which supposedly will cure this. Since the car almost stalled at a light (ECU re-learning), i'll have to wait until tonight to wring it out. I'll report my findings.

izzo

i get the noise/rattle even at low revs.

mine is a AT 04 build so I dont know if it is specific to that model.

its coming from the engine bay somewhere, my old man had a listen to it and is very good with all things mechanical and he swears its a vibration noise.

izzo

well i just got my car back from Eurocar mazda artarmon and they fixed the brakes by replacing the pads but they still have not fixed the rattle...in fact they claim it is a normal noise for the motor which is totall bullshit. I told the guy to just admit that they dont know whats making the noise instead of making excuses but he sounded like he had been instructed to say what he was putting forward.

My opinion on this whole matter is mazda does not know where the noise is coming from , they even sent out a mazda tech to look at it and he said it was a charecteristic of the rensis motor which I dont believe as it dont not make this damned noise when I first bought it , only after 4000 odd km's

Although it does not appear to be effecting the performance its just very anoying to me.

shame mazda shame.

One would expect a car that one paid 65k for , would not start to rattle for at least the first 3 years but apparently I am wrong.. I will probably trade it in on a 2003 model 330 BMW as at least they are reliable and dont bloody rattle..

<end rant>

policyvote

Actually, if you look at the quality standings, BMW is not nearly as high up there as you think. Part of their legendary reputation comes from the fact that they insist upon a ridiculous maintenance schedule and engineer the cars so you have to have a dealer do it (at astronomical rates, of course). I'm not trying to sales pitch you on the 8--you bought it, only you know if you're happy with it--but if you go and buy a late-model BMW assuming it will be truoble-free just because of the marque, you're going to be disappointed, and you're going to be paying a LOT of money in maintenance . . . just to let you know.

Peace
policy

Chrisbert

I have it starting at 4750 (approx) RPM up to 5200 (approx). It only happens when the car is in gear. I can reproduce it easily on the highway by rolling in 5th gear at 5K (about 83MPH). I think it maybe the variable intake runner mechanism flapping. Dunno. Its on my punchlist for the Dealer.

09Factor

I'll see if I can get my A/T to do the rattle on the way home.
Gas=91 and outside temp is 104 and going up. I do notice diffrent sounds when the daily temp. rises.
I'll post what I find tonight.

izzo

mine only ever does it when the car is warmed up, never when its cold which makes me think it is something expanding with the heat...i get the impression the mechs just dont know what they are doing as i get more help on this board then i get from my dealer. I run nothing but premium in my car which is 96 or 98 octane rating here depending on who i fill it up from ( BP or SHell) and although I do drive the car like it was meant to be i never red line it. Also the temps here at this point in time are quite low as we are in the middle of winter.

09Factor

I tried everything I could think of.
I mashed the gas from a full stop. Tried this with the engine hot and cold. Nothing. I didn't hear any rattling during braking or acceleration. tried 1st and 2nd to start from. nothing again. I listened for any rattle in each gear all the way to 8 grand. No luck. I'll try some more.

silver1.3

has there been any headway with this rattle issue. I just noticed mine doing it the last week or so!!

Damn, I hope its not an oiling issue - not good, not good.

DrRockin99

I had the same noise for months , I took my car in 3 times ...they finally found the problem. The trans vibration dapner shield was loose . They tightened the mounting bolts and it the noise is gone totally . They first thought it was pinging from 3000 to 5000 rpm , but it was the shield causing the noise

ozzyrx8

The question about the rattle at high rpm is due to fuel octane- in Australia our fuel is good - Premium is 94/95 octane and the "ultimate" style preimums are 98 ocatne. Standard is 91.

I use 98 octane until I noticed a rattle at 3k-4k when cold, there has never been a rattle in 6k+ rpm- even when 8500 to the cutout, when using this fuel.

So I tried the normal premium - same low rpm rattle when cold - none at high rpm, but higher fuel consumtion.

Tried standard and same low rpm rattle- and crap over 6k- rattles galore and can feel timimg being retarded.

Swithced back to 98 octane and advised rattle is combination of exhaust, plus additional fuel of warm up cycle with the adjusted timing to suit- solution for low rpm rattle- WAIT for it to warm up.
Solution for high rpm rattle - high octane fuel.

BTW- Australian manual states minimum 95 ocatne fuel only

Parz

I took mine into dealership awhile back and they said that this noise is normal, like everyone else it does it right around 5-6 rpm either in 1st,2nd,3rd...gear, please someone figure this out

redjetpack

mine makes a similar sound.... only when the car is hot, and only at the 4700 rpm range and up. i have a thread about it in the general discussion forum... its called scary engine noise and im too lazy to link to it. expansion with heat is a possibility, and i have considered pre-ignition, but i use premium fuel (only 91 octane here in az... grrr) and i never run in too high a gear, around town drives i usually hold above 4k rpms and i regularly run my car up to redline.

im going to showcase mazda in phoenix on friday and this is one of my issues.

09factor have any experience with them? i think poolside said they have a rotary master mech. there and i plan on raising a stink if they feed a line. its 115 degrees out consistently now and i cant have my car always making that sounds because its always runnning at temperature.

also, what is S-DAIS? anyone also have any info on when secondary exhaust/intake valves open? i have a feeling all of those are related.

snap-on

https://www.rx8club.com/showpost.php...&postcount=153

zoom44

redjetpack it is not pre-ignition/knock. i was out for a drive listening intently to the various noises today. i think what some people are hearing is indeed sdais operation. but i now also bnelieve that what someof the people inthis thread are describing is the air pump operation. the air pump [umps air in for emission reasons. i am certain now after listening to it today that alot of folks are hearing this. it happens under acceleration in certain rpm range. hard acceleration you just cant hear it.

redjetpack

thank you snap-on, i realized it today on my way to the dealership.

and you are also correct zoom, it does come on at just about the right time to be sdais. it just makes for some wierd chainsaw sounding sounds.

i still also wonder about the oil pump issue, my seals may not be properly oiled at those rpms...

solito77

RP Supercat on mine- On start-up, I get that tinny rattle sound from underneath (cold) ...Once warmed, you dont hear it until you start to accelerate. It comes off and on. I think its the heat sheild so im bringing it in to the guys who installed the RP Cat for me.

123456789

It's funny how many people have this problem. Myself included. I complained about this problem and the dealership stated this is normal with the car. Recently my car has been experiencing a loss of power and a lower rumbling noise during acceleration and the rattling is gone. The dealership has yet to determine what this is. I think Mazda knows what the problem is and will not put out a bulletin to fix it. I recently also had my clutch pedal worked on for the squeaking/clicking noise when I step on it after finding the bulletin for it and the factory rep stated that that noise was also a normal problem. Well apparently it wasn't being that there was a bulletin for the problem so I wouldn't be surprised if they were lying that this rattling noise is a normal sound.

greg985

I am getting this same problem, I am running the RP supercat and I get a quick "bzzzt" sound at 2800-3100 rpm. Its only when I am giving it about 50% throtle or so. I am wondering if it is the heat shield. But my CEL is on with code P0420 (Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold) So I am wondering if my Supercat is dead. I hope not b/c I have only had it for a few months at most

greg985

no one has a sure answer?

I8U

iTrader: (1)

^I don't think anyone is looking at this thread since you revived from a year ago. Oh and just get rid of the super cat. I think it's your heat shield though.

04RX8man

another thread revival? Wow i bet some of your rasp is coming from the supercat greg! I know sometimes they can be raspy and the only way to get rid of it is weld in another resonator