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Mazda RX-8 Care & Maintenance

103 messages,  Last post on Oct 25, 2009 at 5:17 AM

You are in the Mazda RX-8 Forum. Your Host is claires

What is this discussion about? Mazda RX-8, Auto Body, Engine, Fuel System, Interior, Oil, Paint, Coupe


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#56 of 103
Re: Best Snow Tires for RX-8 [mcusmc] by trispec
Nov 09, 2006 (3:11 am)
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Replying to: mcusmc (Nov 08, 2006 9:25 am)

I went with the Avon all seasons because here in Boston, it's not so much snow and ice as it is the constantly wet road surface with lots of pot holes. Snow tires don't help with wet roads and snow tires get chewed up with pot holes because the softer rubber compound has a poor tread wear.
 
Avon all seasons have a 380 tread wear rating. All seasons provide 90% of snow tire and 90% of performance tires.
#57 of 103
interior rattles/noise by reidswitch
Nov 09, 2006 (8:29 pm)
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Picked up my 06 RX8 last month. Grand Touring package, Nav, you name it... I noticed rattles commming from the dash,doors and in the head liner above the B piller. The rattles are loud and the dealer said it is normal for the car. They pulled out the dash and all the panels and put in foam to control the noise but didnt help much. Is any one else having this problem. also the door handle where the lock makes noise and moves when it gets hot outside. Please let me know.
#58 of 103
Re: interior rattles/noise [reidswitch] by yellowrx8
Nov 10, 2006 (6:02 am)
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Replying to: reidswitch (Nov 09, 2006 8:29 pm)

My '04 has a similar issue. some they have been able to fix, some not. i continue to just let them know when i take it in for other service so it is documented. if any one has suggestions on something that worked, please post it
#59 of 103
Re: interior rattles/noise [yellowrx8] by pathstar1
Nov 10, 2006 (8:08 am)
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Replying to: yellowrx8 (Nov 10, 2006 6:02 am)

Well, I have a 3rd gen RX-7 and they also rattled a lot. You will not like the fix. Remove all interior panels and glue felt everywhere they meet other panels or the body, including under the fasteners. You may also have to fasten some cables better - some can touch the plastic panels under hard jolts. It works, but it's quite a project. Of course Mazda wouldn't do it for you.
 
The cause is the "sport suspension" combined with the plastic panels of the interior.
 
Alternate fix - turn up the stereo.
#60 of 103
Re: Oil Change Frequency [johncalifornia] by deaun
Dec 23, 2006 (10:09 pm)
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Replying to: johncalifornia (Jan 25, 2004 1:00 pm)

Boy, do I feel like an idiot...
 
I drive in the hilly/curvy part of Arkansas--usually 75+ mph, long distance daily. But I never gave a thought to the rpms until my husband flooded my 8. I know now, thanks to the service manager, but I didn't think about carbon build up (yes, I read the manual--several times--just missed this).
 
Any other tips for not killing my RX8?
 
Thank you!
 
Deaun
#61 of 103
Re: Synthetic Oil [nojets] by goopilot21
Dec 26, 2006 (7:51 pm)
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Replying to: nojets (May 11, 2004 8:54 pm)

DO NOT USE SYNTHETIC OILS IN YOUR RX8!!!!!!!
the use of synthetic oils in a rotary engine causes problems for one main reason..the way the engine is meant to run.
rotary engines are meant to burn oil and as specified in the manual for the rx-8, it is suggested to check oil levels constantly for this specific reason. synthetic oil does not burn as well due to its 'ingredients' and thus will cause a build up in your engine and many problems to come along the way.i fthe oil that is being burned in your engine like it is done in the rx8 donesnt actually burn all the way, it means there is gonna be problems. if you happen to have one of the few rx8 with the low oil pressure that caused an engine failure... dont bring the engine in with synthetic in there... they can technically blame it on that and not replace the motor like originally promised, because they can blame it on that.
#62 of 103
Re: Synthetic Oil [goopilot21] by oldtimer2
Feb 25, 2007 (3:46 pm)
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Replying to: goopilot21 (Dec 26, 2006 7:51 pm)

Hi goopilot,
 
You have all the words but they are not strung to gether quite right. Try out the following and see if it makes more sense.
 
Synthetic oil does not cause the catalytic to go bad, but synthetic oil does cause seals in the motor to get hard and fracture which then causes leaks and "blow by" oil to go through the motor. This excessive oil in the exhaust then floods the catalytic converter, so that it can not stay hot enough to burn off excess hydrocarbons and the "blow by" oil in the eshaust, as is required by EPA.
 
The failure of the catalytic converters is the only reason Mazda cares about the motor seal failures and must rebuild the failed motors is because EPA requires the catalytic converter to function longer than Mazda warrants the motor. Now the rest of the facts, the motor seals would have failed anyway even if non-synthetic oil had been used. Masda USA requires USA owners to use a very light 5W-20 weight oil in the cars, that cannot protect the oil seals from failure due to the excessive temperature of the motor in hot climates, while in stop and start traffic and while on long non stop drives.
 
Otherwise the car's very hot running motor will not last very long anywhere in the USA that has stop and start driving or long drives to be taken on hot days. (See the Mazda Rx 8 index page of this site for the "Mazda RX 8 Motor Failure Problem" and go to that "string" for the whole story.) Of course Mazda throws up a smoke screen about synthetic oil causing the problem so the public thinks it is the owners fault when it is really Mazda's fault.
 
Quickly, Mazda requires the use of this light oil to help meet EPA's requirements for miles per gallon of the car to reduce the huge fines EPA charges for exceeding the MPG requirement.
 
The proof of all the above is that every else in the World Masda requires (except in the USA) that RX 8 owners to use a heaver 5W-30 weight non-synthetic oil for adequate protection of the hot running RX 8 rotary engine. Mazda does not care about how soon the engines fail for the consumer they just care about the EPA fines for catalytic failures and MPG repuirements.
 
To get a complete understanding of how large these fines are that Mazda is trying to reduce or avoid, Google for "CAFE-EPA Miles per gallon requirements" and do some very interesting reading. It will explaine why all of a sudden car manufactures are requiring the use of very light weight oil to be used in some USA cars because it reduces internal engine drag and increases MPG for their fleet of cars. Very light 5W-20 weight oil is a win, win for the manufacture who avoids large EPA fines and it also wears out cars faster so the consumer will have to by new cars sooner.
 
Good luck to all RX 8 owners in the USA, untill they band together and get Masdz to let them use 5W-30 oil in their cars to protect them in hot climates. Just look at an oil viscosity verses outside temperature chart published by independent oil experts and you will see that 5W-20 multi grade oil is usualy not even show or considered for use at any outside temperature.
#63 of 103
maintenance by phil59
Feb 28, 2007 (9:29 pm)
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do anyone know a good maintenance place in Houston for rx8?
#64 of 103
Re: Synthetic Oil by 4_my_8
Mar 06, 2007 (12:53 pm)
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hello everyone. i just purchased a 04 "8" and am now a little confused as to what type oil i should be using. i've sworn by synthetic for years but do understand that the "8" is no ordinary automobile. just when i thought i knew everything, now i'm not sure if synthetic oil is the best for my baby? help!
#65 of 103
Brake pads? by slices17
Mar 06, 2007 (2:52 pm)
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Hi,
 
Just wondering when you guys replaced your brake pads. I have 35000 miles on my RX-8. About 2 months ago when I brought my car to the Mazda dealership for something else, they told me that I would need new brake pads soon, though they didn't tell me how soon.
 
Also, how much did it cost to replace the pads?
 
Thanks.
 
Ray

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