RX8 Dream

Hey guys. I’m new to this forum and RX8’s but not new to wrenching on cars by any means. I like to do all of my own work cuz I like to make sure it’s done right and I don’t trust shops or dealerships.

Anyways, I have a 2005 with 60,000 miles on it. I went out to start it the other morning and it started hard and then ran really, really rough and the CEL came on. I tried to drive it anyways (thinking it just started hard cuz of the cold) but I could hardly make it around the block! So I parked it at home.

The next day I drove it up to AutoZone (barely made it there) to get the codes. Got a P0302 - misfiring.

On the way home from Autozone, it started running fine! So I drove it around for about 20 minutes thinking that maybe a piece of dirt got struck in one of the injectors or something. I drove it hard and hammered on it and it ran perfectly.
I tried to start it again later that night and it ran rough again. Sounded like maybe something was loose.

So I checked the plug wires and everything seemed fine except one wire. Turns out the tip of the front trail plug broke off inside the plug wire.
　

Here’s the back of the plug. It seems a bit rusty, notice the threads.
　
　
I’m guessing that when the tip was close to the plug, it would run fine, but if it was too far away, it wouldn’t fire.
　
　
** I also tried to pull off the plug wire from the coil so it would be easier to get the plug tip out of the other end but it was really hard to get off the coil. So hard, part of the coil came with it! I’m taking it that these wires haven’t been changed … ever.
　




　
I got a new set of NGK laser Iridium plugs. Tried to get new wires but they are on back order. I’ll change those out later.

Changed out the new plugs, no problem.
　
　
So I got everything back together but now it won’t start. It turns over but won’t fire. It sounds different too. The only way I can describe it is that it sounds like there’s no compression, it just spins.

I double & triple checked to make sure the correct plugs were in the correct locations and that the plug wires were connected right.

This is so stupid. Any help would really be appreciated!

Thanks! Sorry for the long story.

Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

Push or pull start the car if you have the six speed manual transmission. Might be flooded.

RX8 Dream

Thanks for the help Grace_Excel! I did pull start it and was able to get it started but it was still misfiring really bad.

Replaced the coils and plug wires and it fired right up! Running really good, even better than ever!

I really missed my RX8. Its been about 3 weeks since it started to misfire and couldn't drive it.

I only have a 1 car garage which is too full of other things right now so I couldn't get it in to work on it. So I've had to work outside on the driveway which really sucks since it's only been in the teens and single digits for temp up here in Minnesota!

New plugs - $85, New coils - $124 each, new plug wires - $38 = $247 - Speeding in my RX8 again - priceless :^ )

Mark Mathis

Hey I'm having the same problem with his, did everything he did but my rx8 doesnt sound like its getting any fuel at all. Its just spinning like his. Please help haha