Hey guys I have a question/multiple concerns. Yes I DID search the forums.

My gf's Rx8 was not working meaning it would not start at all. When I came back yesterday, I tried to jump her car (with some advice I took from the forum). Over a period of maybe 15 tries, only three allowed the car to turn over for one second then stall.

On the third time when "starting the car" and the engine started, I just put the pedal down so it could go above the 1,000 odometer threshold. However, whenever it started the whole car shook like crazy. Not just a knocking noise, but side to side. While doing that for a bit, I then took it down the street to the local Firestone shop, since I was afraid the car would not run for long.

She purchased the $99 "Diagnostic" that Firestone offered to try to see what the problem was. Got a call earlier today saying the car is now doing fine and what happened was the battery was improperly placed and the ECU needed to be re-programmed. They then offered a Fuel Injection thing for $99 which I told her to decline.

When we picked up the car it started, but sounded horrible not the normal whizzing sound from the Renesis engine. So, I thought I would pick up some extra things for her car a Quart of 5w20 Castrol GTX and some Chevron Techron.

When I added those things and then started the car the second time since receiving it from Firestone. It had a really hard start, the one where it starts to turn over but doesn't catch. Maybe after 6 to 10 seconds it will finally catch and slowly start up. This is when we decided to return it to Firestone, after all we did pay $99 for the service. They didn't seem to happy and said they had started it like 5 times and it was fine.

What could be the problem?

I thought it was the battery and tried to convince my gf to get Optima, but they said the battery is fine and appears new. All I know is the company is called "Powerpak" or something.

Is it the ignition coils? I see a lot of people on here replacing these.

Is it the MAF Sensor?

Is it the Spark Plug?

I would try and get it to the Mazda dealer, but since we paid Firestone and they are literally .5 miles from the house it makes it easier. Autozone was nearly 3.5 miles away and the car nearly stalled.

I will probably get a call tomorrow and see what they say this time, but they will probably say they can't reproduce the error. I have never seen any rotary engines in there, and only the far Firestone maybe 3.0 miles away has a Mazda Technician. If not, the Mazda dealership is 15+ miles away and requires highway driving. The car drives fine, but this extremely hard start is a problem.

Thanks in Advance.

 

Sounds like fouled plugs. No good just starting and shutting down.

When you get it started, take it for a fast blast, and when it warms up rev the crap out of it.

Oil accumulates on the plugs when it fails to start, then it needs to be burned off.

Get back to us after you do it and let us know any further symptoms (won't rev up, loses power at high speed etc.)

 

It definitely sounds flooded as well. How many miles are on the car, and do you know the last time the coils, plugs, and wires were changed?

 

Do you know which type of plugs? When we got it back for Firestone we took it for a ride to Autozone. And when its in the low revs the car sounds like one of those "put put" busted GeO Metro cars. However, when you rev it it sounds fine. But, I doubt the Rx8 got revved at the Firestone shop, which is where the car is now.



I guess it could be flooded, but I always rev the engine before turn off no matter how short the drive. The car right now has round maybe 57,000 miles. She purchased it used 6 months ago from a dealer in Ohio (she lives in Ann Arbor). But, we have no idea when the coils, plugs, or wires were changed. My guess is never. The only thing that seems to be replaced was the the Mazda battery to the "Powerpac" battery.

I have religiously put in Castrol GTX 5w20 Non-Synthetic. However, now I am seeing that maybe 5w30 is a better option?

 

OEM coils are only good for about 25k - 30k miles. So if you are not sure if they have ever been replaced, you may want to test the coils to see if they are bad, or you can just replace the coils, plugs, and wires. The low rpm issue does sounds like bad plugs, which could have been caused by bad coils. Which if not replaced, will result in a bad CAT.

But, before spending the money, try what StealthTL said to deflood and clean off the plugs

 

What model year is the car?

 

Yea. THanks xun4gvn4everx. I could try and deflood them when I get it back from Firestone tomorrow. I doubt they will have reproduced or isolated the problem. But when you mention coils, plugs, wires, which ones specifically?

 

2005 AT, Bought USED with 50,000 miles. I have always given it frequent oil changes Castrol GTX 5w20 and Purolator Oil Filter. It has been checked a week or so after purchase when it went over a pot-hole and the car stalled, but the car came back clean. And this is the second time its at Firestone, only now it doesn't want to start, but they fixed the "ECU" and it just really hard starts and doesn't want to turn over.

 

Replace all of them. Just replacing some means they are performing at different efficiencies. Also, if you replace the coils, let's say, and not the plugs, if the plugs are bad then it will still run bad and clog your CAT. By replacing all of them, this will help to ensure you get optumum performance out of the engine.

 

Did the traction control light illuminate after it stalled going over the pothole and you restarted the engine?

 

Chevron gas? Or the bottle additive?

Either way I don't recommend using any Techron product!

Techron works by quieting the valves on piston cars by slowing the valves down.
So people think "hey my car is running better because it is quieter/smoother".
When in fact Techron is just a fancy name for a form of glue, "Yes GLUE".

With Techron you will use more gas to counter the effects of the glue, so for Chevron it is a win/win situation.

Texaco with system3 was a far superior gas but it did not have a name/marketing with little talking cars like Chevron with Techron has.

If you have watched Modern Marvels they will show you that all gas is basically the same. Its the additives that are the only difference between brands. For instance Maverick and Sinclair use alcohol in their additives to add extra octane values to the gas.

I would avoid Techron unless you are out of gas and walking is not an option!

That is my opinion and "I'm STICKING to it".

 

Thx xun4gvn4everx, I will see what I can do when I get it back from Firestone.

 

I think when it went over the pothole that time the Traction Control Light Went off.

This time the car was parked in the car port for over two weeks. However, when it started all the lights came on. The Steering Wheel, Engine, Battery, and the Traction Sign with the Wiggle Lines. Also the DSC light came on and even if you pressed the button it would not go away. It would just stay lit, even while driving.

3rotor2.4X I actually used the bottle from Autozone, was that a bad idea?

 

all the lights stayed one even when driving?
DSC stay lit might be the steering relearn thing just turn steering full lock left to right.

I personally wouldnt take the car to firestone anymore because they probablly have never worked on an RX-8 before.

$99 buck diagnose fee is a waste imo.

read what people talking about above and search.

try to take the car for a sprint drive use the manual shift mode hit redline full throttle several times not just rev the engine in neutrol. extended driving is needed when cars been parked that long.

 

Yea Jason I thought the same thing, but after 15 plus unsuccessful jumps it was the easier decision. However, I just got the call back from Firestone and they are trying to sell me on getting the "Fuel Injection Service" for $99, which I think is kinda extreme and unnecessary, they tried to say that yesterday, after they said they had fixed the problem.

 

Hey guys I just got the car back from Firestone, they still recommend the "Fuel Injection Cleaning Package" for $99. However, I am convinced there is another problem. I have attached a Youtube video, if anyone can help solve the problem its greatly appreciated.

[embed]<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/EfGHqvhkK0o&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/EfGHqvhkK0o&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>[/embed]

I think it has the original starter and it has a battery by a company called "Powerpak."

 

I can hear your starting issue, but after being started, does the car run normally now? And I would avoid the Fuel Injection Cleaning, Firestone is not knowledgeable in the Rotary Engine.

 

Besides that it runs fine from what I can tell, may take it on the highway today. But, every time it starts, that is how it sounds. However, its much better before, since it didn't start at all.

Yea I declined the Fuel Injection. But, what do I need to resolve this issue?

Battery?
Starter Motor?
Spark Plugs?

 

I would first start off by checking the voltage on your battery. If the battery seems fine, then you may need to replace the starter. The starter is one of the OEM parts on the 8 that tends to fail. Do you know how many CCA the battery you currently have has?

 

Note: When checking the battery voltage, be sure to have the battery under load. For example, by having your headlights on.

 

I have no idea, I would need a battery voltage meter. Firestone said that everything was "fine," and blamed the problem on needing the Fuel INjection crap. They "said" the battery was brand new. However, I think the dealer in Ohio just placed a whatever battery inside, since the car was bought used from a VW dealer.

 

It says the CCA on the battery. Our cars take a lot of CCA's to start, especially in the cold. If you do not have a voltage meter to check the battery yourself, you can take it to Autozone and they will check it for you

 

I just realized CCA meant Cold Cranking Amps.

Powerpak 70 Gold
It says CCA 550 and CA 580

 

CCA's are a little low, but should be adequate. I would go ahead and test the battery

 

try the push start?