The Short Story
04 rx8 is missing, sounds like its on 3 out of 4 cylinders if our cars had cylinders haha.
It smokes a little bit and the cel blinks. It doesn't idle very well and I will die if I don't give it gas. Engine shakes when i dont give it gas. Im thinking plugs ? Wires ? and or coils ?

The Detailed Story
Bought an 04 rx8 off ebay.
60,000 Miles
Drove to michigan to get it.
The car has set in garage for almost 8 months only barely driven.
Like 20 miles since march barely driven.
Has aftermarket obx exhaust from the tips to the headers.
Trailered the car home.
Start it drive it all over town for two days.
Runs fine not a problem.
Change out the intake to an aftermarket K and N intake.
Runs fine for a day.
Pull into wal-mart and when I get back in my car and shift into 2nd its like I shifted into 4th.
I have no power and it sounds funny.
Like a miss. I baby it up the hill and the CEL comes on blinking.
I pull over and have dad come check it out. Its smoking now. Like raw fuel.
Baby it a little further in an attempt to get to our garage
Dad turns his hazards on as has me pull over.
He can see the exhaust is red.
Let it cool down and made it another mile to our garage.
My first guess is MAF or something like a vaccum leak.
Ive checked the intake GOOD.
Cleaned the MAF GOOD, even put the stock intake back on and still doesn't run right.
I reset the computer or whatever after cleaning the maf and putting the stock intake back on
it reset the cel for a minute but then it came back on blinking
I've spent a lot of time investing the intake and im pretty sure it's right.
So I take the spark plugs out and they look pretty bad.
Where the wires attach are rusted and the plug spark part are black.
The wires don't look bad at all on the coil side, still shiney.
What do you guys think ? Sound like a plug or wire issue to you ? And what about coils.
Also just curious, i'm the 3rd owner I think. How does the warrenty work ? 60,0XX Miles


EDIT - FIXED

Put new spark plugs in and that wasn't it
New coils and wires and the car runs like new
Everything is just perfect

 

Your car is in limp mode.

Change your coils, plugs, and wires. Do some searches and you'll find you can get the all the above fairly cheaply through certain places mentioned on this site. You probably don't have to do the wires, but you might as well do them at the same time.

Also.........might want to get the CEL code and then come back here, but I'm pretty sure it's going to be a misfire code due to a bad coil. You don't say where you are at, but some places like Autozone will read the code for free.......if you can't.

I'm a little worried about your CAT, but we'll see after you get the code read.

 

I have an obx exhaust.
A mid pipe.
And stainless headers.
Do I even have a cat ?
If so is it in the mid-pipe ?
I know very little about exhaust.
That being said, there was one small spot that was cherry red on the exhaust.

 

You have misfire issues. Probably bad coils since OEM coils last about 20k on a good day. I’ll replace all coils or upgrade to a nice set of BHR ignition upgrade and new plugs.

 

Another question... Does the stock exhaust have the cat in it and will it fit on aftermarket exhaust ?

 

stock exhaust and cat are 2 different pipes...

 

If you have a midpipe then I believe you are catless.

 

mid-pipe = no cat

Just to make sure, just look at your exhaust from the end of the header to past the transmission. If you can't locate a catalytic converter, then you don't have a cat in your exhaust system.

 

Does it sound like a lawnmower when you start it up?

Sorry to hear your problems. But to me this is sounding more and more like your engine lost a seal on one rotor (probably the rear one).

Try this https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...ssion+test+diy

You can rent the compression tester from just about any auto parts store.

 

If you notice one rotor is significantly different from the other, then you have lost an engine.

 

Also forgot to mention... a few times up the hill it cleaned it self out. Like it would quit missing and run fine for a couple hundred yards.

 

Yeah, it may be the spark plug wires, if there is rust on the plug ends then there is most likely rust inside the wire itself. This is caused by a person not fully putting the spark plug wire on the plug.

It sounds like either way you will need new wires, so I would give those and new plugs a try first and pray.

 

Plugs should be here tomorrow, coils and wires won't be here until tuesday though

 

not trying to be harsh-

the exhaust is glowing and you think MAF? you've probably lost the o2 sensors to the cooking you have way too much fuel in the exhaust.

 

Had exactly the same problem as you....suddenly car got no power, spluttering and lots of fuel in exhaust.

Then i changed out a new set of plug....to no avail, problem still there....then replace a new sets of coils (version 100B suffix), power came back...smooth accel, driveability back to normal....but still got blinking CEL.

Then i changed a new sets of igniton cable...viola ! Blinking CEL is gone...now engine pulling as it should and happy...

My problem solved ! Just to share....

 

Thanks silvercosworth, that really makes me feel better about things.

 

I thought maf because I had messed with the intake the day before. My first thought was something I messed with is wrong. =\
It controls how much air and fuel it gets so It was worth a shot wasn't it ? =\

 

Put new plus In no change.
Two days later coils and wires came.
Car runs better than ever.
It was either coils or wires.
Thanks so much guys !

 

I just went though the same thing, wasn't able to change the wires as none of the shops around here had them, so only replaced the coils and plugs. Mine is running great, only problem is a Traction Control Light is stuck on. Did the DSC reset deal.....any input?

 

Speed sensor on drivers side?? Check wire...