Here's the story. I'm in the air force, was stationed down in Keesler, Mississippi where i found my 8. I then took leave during a PCS and then drove to Mountain Home, Idaho. The car ran fine the whole 5 full days or so on the road "except it was throwing the code for running lean twice" which injector cleaner cleared that right up. Haven't seen it since.


So now I have been here for a little over a week. I drove the car to wal-mart, which is probably 15 miles away. I noticed the car seemed to lack power, wouldn't accelerate after 4k. Felt like the clutch slipping after 4k, but I don't think it was. So when i got to wal-mart I let the car cool down then checked the fluids. I waited maybe 20 min or so before starting it back up.

On the drive back it seemed fine pulling out of the parking lot. About a mile down the road I got on it and at 6k heard a really bad (loud) grinding sound. I let off immediately. Pushed the clutch in (like in neutral) and reved it all the way to the beep and i heard no sounds over the exaust. I got it back in gear and got on it again and then again at about 6k there was the sound again. It sounded like I had a bucket of rocks fall under the car... sounded like rocks hitting the pavement. Then I heard a ping. Not pinging, but only one single ping. It shifted fine, and i couldn't feel the car jerk or anything, just really bad sounds. Not a single CEL the whole time either. I babied it all the way back to the base.

Then when I got on base the speed limit is 30 and I heard a chirping sound, sounded like it was coming from the left front, or maybe i just heard it out the window. It was very loud and distinct. It only made the chirping sound with it in gear 2nd, 3rd or 4th"don't know about the other gears" and only when cruising, or slowing down in gear, couldn't tell if it made the sound while accelerating because of exhaust.

Anybody have these same problems?

Its a 2005 rx8 86k miles "now" mt ...
its 100% stock and original motor

 

O and i always let it warm up before driving, and take it to redline almost every day

had the car about 3 months now

 

Is your gas old? You sound like you might be having preignition or what we on here call "MIAC" Marbles In A Can. Are you using Prem-91 gas or reg-87oct.

 

Always have used 93 Shell V-power, until i moved here and they only have 91.

So i now use 91 Shell V-Power and normally get to under 1/4 a tank before I fill up again

 

Do you hear these sound sitting idle or if the car is not in motion and you're just revving it?
It would help if you can narrow it down a little more, so see if you can pop the hood and hear it or crawl under the car (safely with jack stands).

 

no there was no sound while sitting still.... reved just fine... moving or still... i'm thinking transmission or clutch?... but why does it sound like rocks hitting the ground??? and only at 6kish??? I was scared to rev it higher than the sound... Shifts just fine and from a stand still starting to move it doens't feel any different than it did yesterday.. and the day before that... ect... No fluids were leaking and car doesn't feel funny except for when it felt like it was lacking power. Still that random ping after hearing the "rocks"... made the "rocks" sound every time

Could it have to do something with engine load? "only happened when engine was under load"

 

Hard to tell for sure without actually being there, but I'm leaning more towards the transmission itself.
Have you changed out the fluids lately?
Might want to try that and see if it helps... and it'll give you the opportunity to inspect the magnetic drain plug to see if anything is attached such as the metal detent ***** and springs.

 

Is there a write up on how to do that??? or the easiest way to do that??? and wouldn't i feel that?? again it shifts fine and no jerking or anything in that manner when the noise happens

 

come to think about it When i was in wal-mart the car did sound funny... like the normal whirling sound was really bad and was making a grind, clutch in it would go away, but it didn't do that after i turned it off and turned it back on. Just the noise while actually moving and at about 6k...

and radio, lights, and A/C was off completely

 

the chirping noise is normal on the transmissions. I have that same noise and it wont ever go away. But the loud ping and grinding noise is not normal. It seems like the when you get it to 6k its slipping out of gear and starts to grind. Could be possible clutch issue also.

Would be best to do what Jon said and inspect the tranny. Easiest and quickest way is to get the fluid changed and inspect the fluid that comes out.

 

The only problem is that I am in the Airforce and have no tools here... not even a jack or jack stands... I don't want to take it to Mazda because i'm sure they will screw me over but I really don't have a choice right now. I need the car for work and i'm bored here miles from anything. I was going to go to my first autoX event in Boise but now after this problem I don't even want to start it up unless i'm going to get it looked at or fixed.

I called Mazda and they want $90 just to look at it... Being enlisted and just moving here I don't have that much money saved up and i'm sure its not going to be a $500 dollar fix. That's about all I can afford right now

Again it doesn't grind in low rpm's just high about 6k, and only have heard it with the engine under load... and shifts and goes into gear just fine... significant power loss as well

 

You're better off to take it to the dealer to have them check it out before it gets worse or you damage something. Not sure what you've got going on.

The lean condition and pinging may be a leak somewhere in your intake after your MAF. If so that's pretty easy to find and fix and the dealer should be able to help with that.

Trick is to find a decent dealer. Search the regional section of this forum for recommended dealers in your area.

 

You need to get your tranny pulled off and inspect whats in there. Only possibility you have engine side are the APV valves.

The longer you sit on this issue the worse it will get, these things don't fix themselves.

I'm surprised you don't have a lift and tools on your base. You may want to ask around and verify that you don't have access to one.

 

I will today.... btw i haven't even started it since i came back from wal-mart on Sunday... I don't expect it to fix its self... just don't have the time to take it anywhere right now... wont be until friday