I just checked my air filter, and I noticed a relatively large amount of oil in the air filter. Now, I'm not a "car person", but I have a feeling that this might be a bad thing.
I do know, however, that the RX-8 is different from most cars in a vast majority of ways, and so I'm questioning my premonition of it being bad and thinking that maybe it's just normal for this particular car? It's happened before and I just changed the air filter, but this is the second time I've checked it (the previous time was several months ago) and I've decided to ask about it.
I've included photos of it so that you can exactly how much there is, and where on the filter it's blowing onto.



This is the front of the air filter, with the oil being localized at the bottom.




Back of the air filter, also at the bottom.

 

if yours is a Series I, it likely means that the oil was filled through the oil filler neck WITHOUT the use of a longer funnel. Poured oil can work down through the oil filler neck's breather return(s) into the air plenum from what I hear. Comments others?

 

install a catch can it's really simple and you can buy a cheap one off ebay there is a diy for how to install on here as well. wankel is right it can happen without the use of a long funnel or if you over fill the oil, mine had the same thing when I bought it I put in a catch can and haven't found it since, you will probably also find it in the intake tube so clean it all out replace the filter and install catch can or just use a long funnel and dont overfill oil. what year is it also?

 

As previously noted, the most common causes are overfilling the oil (common problem if someone else changes your oil) and use of a short funnel (or no funnel) when filling. If you have it in the filter, you also need to clean your accordion tube and throttle body (all of your intake, really) and ESPECIALLY your MAF sensor.

 

I question the use of the term 'overfilling' the oil. It's just filling too fast, not adding more oil than the full mark on the dip stick...

But yes, that's what it is. And despite these engines being different (from piston engines), oil in the air filter is still considered a bad thing.

 

^ It can be adding too much or adding it too fast. Either can cause the problem.

 

Thanks for the replies, guys.
To answer one of your questions, it's a 2005.

Also, what kind of problems could this bring about? Because I've been experiencing some problems with the car, like it sometimes randomly dies. It's mostly when I stop the car, at a stop sign or an intersection. It dies, the steering locks up, and the brakes get stiff. Some of the lights on the dash come on (Check Engine, Battery, and something else that I can't remember?), sort of like when you're starting a car. Could this oil in the air filter indirectly be the problem, because the rest of the crap inside is dirty?
Or could it be a battery thing? My battery hasn't been keeping a charge, but it's only a year old? What's the recommended minimum CCA for RX-8s?

 

I don't have time to write a long answer right now, but you might check out this thread, which lists symptoms of problems and their common causes.

https://www.rx8club.com/new-member-f...causes-249529/

As for the battery issue, it could be poor grounding in the engine bay, poor connections at the battery, a defective battery, or a bad alternator.

 

Don't know minimum cca off the top of my head but yes oil in the filter can cause those problems also your maf sensor may be dirty the lights coming on and the steering locking up is just because the car turned off that's not part of the issue. it also could be a battery issue only way to know is change the filter and clean your intake and maf sensor and see if it still happens if so then move on and try the battery

 

2004, 76000 miles, always had oil in the intake tract and on the bottom of the air filter.
Some threads complain of the same thing, and some members insist it's from sloppy oil filling or overfill.

After an oil and filter change (using a long funnel to avoid and 'leakage' into the tube that runs to the intake plenum) I cleaned out
the intake folds and filter housing, one more time.

Then I got together a few hoses and a catch can (from my Subaru) and mounted it on the filter as shown.

One month later, about 160 miles of driving, I collected about 2 ounces of 'blow-by'.
Expensive 0w-40 blow-by....

Theory confirmed, and a nice addition to my maintenance checklist.

S

 

Yes, I'm new here, but I thought 10W40 was the preferred grade???

Quick, duck, in coming...
.