RX-8 Owners Club UK

This was my first time buying a new car by myself (well I took my friend with me but still).

After checking through everything I could think of everything looked perfect. No rust on the body work. Hot started cold started fine. Pulled like no tomorrow.

I arrived home and realised the oil pressure light was on!

On the 60 mile trip or so home it definitely wasn't on. And it wasn't on when I viewed the car.

Obviously this has me in a bit of a panic. I did a quick bit of reading and I've seen there is a sensor in the oil pan that can go bad?

The cars lowered and the track I live down is a bit bumpy.. So I'm worried that a couple of bumps to the oil pan (I was driving so carefully too) may have done the sensor in?

It may be the coolant level light that’s on and not the oil light? Does it look like the roman coliseum? If so it’s the coolant light. It’s a common fault. Just check your coolant level to make sure. Then either live with it, or disconnect the sensor and just check it regularly. The float can get waterlogged and sink, giving it a false reading. Going over a bumpy road can make this happen.

If it is the oil can shaped light then it's more likely to be the low level light and not pressure as the RX8 oil pressure gauge is simple a pressure switch hence the gauge does not move with engine revs. Check your oil level and if it is at 3/4 then you don't have a level problem, it's a faulty switch sticking which is quite a common fault.

Tis definitely the oil can light. Oil was sitting at half the dipstick so I topped it up a little bit. If it is the switch sticking is a fix just a new switch? Lets just say that I bought this car knowing things could go wrong and budgeted accordingly. However my mum/her friend whose my mechanic usually, are somewhat... against the fact that I've bought this so I somewhat want to avoid "WHY DID YOU DO THAT IT WAS A STUPID IDEA!" where possible.

Really enjoyed the 60 mile drive home.. Was really enjoying the beautiful rotary noise. Getting use to a car that is actually designed for speed compared to a falling to piece hatchback is interesting.

Hi & to the RX-8OC

Please check out the EVENTS SECTION's - Events Team

More likely the rough roads and slightly low level just confused the sensor/computer.
Once triggered will stay on till restart.
I've had it come on under harsh breaking downhill pulled into garage and level was fine... Only happened once many months ago.

I too have the 'sticking' switch that tends to come on without fail on a hot restart

originally its there to warn the owner that the oil level is low and needs topping up
but to replace you need to have the sump off - not that big a job but I just live with mine and keep a close eye on the oil level
worth noting that its best not to fill right up to the max - you have less chance of oil carry -over into the intake if you run these things at 3/4 full

It doesn't seem to be going away. I didn't really expect the small amount of oil I put in to fill to the max. But I will keep that in mind!

Does it count as an MOT concern these days?

Yorindesarin wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 14, 2019 11:10 am

Does it count as an MOT concern these days?

You need to complete your profile, including your location before we can answer that question.
ucp.php?i=164

In NI any dash warning light is an MOT fail.

In England you could possibly convince the tester that is doesn't relate to the emissions system, braking, seatbelts, airbags or lights, and therefore shouldn't be a fail - good luck with that.

Huh I thought I did complete my profile. Im currently in Scotland but should be moving back south to England soon.

warpc0il wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 14, 2019 11:46 am

Yorindesarin wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 14, 2019 11:10 am

Does it count as an MOT concern these days?

You need to complete your profile, including your location before we can answer that question.
ucp.php?i=164

In NI any dash warning light is an MOT fail.

In England you could possibly convince the tester that is doesn't relate to the emissions system, braking, seatbelts, airbags or lights, and therefore shouldn't be a fail - good luck with that.

a lit oil warning light is a mandatory reason to refuse to test in the uk.

Thats what I was thinking. If it is just a sensor in the oil pan though, Ill just service the car at the same time. MOTs in December anyway so plenty of time to get it sorted.

Hi and Yorindesarin. I can't add to what has been said about your oil light, it sounds like you know what needs doing anyway.

Have a good read through whatever in the FAQ section you didn't already read and then (and just ignore me if you know all this already) here are my best tips for keeping it all running sweetly:

1. To start up turn the key to position 2, wait for most of the lights on the dash to go out (I watch the airbag light by the glove box), press the clutch to the floor (optional, but reduces drag), turn the key to start and do not touch the throttle until it has started. You can drive off straight away, just keep the revs down for a bit (see #4 below).

2. Never turn off the engine before it has reached at least somewhere towards normal operating temperature (should only take a minute or two, but best to go for a short drive if just swapping cars round on the drive etc). Switching off cold risks flooding, which is a real with a rotary engine. Mazda recommend rev to 4k and hold it for 8-10 seconds switching off while still revving if you have no option but to switch off cold (it is not necessary to do this in any other circumstance).

3. Check the oil level regularly (use the dipstick - the oil gauge tells you nothing other than that you have or don't have pressure) and top up if necessary with semi synthetic 5w30 (most people and specialists are advising to use 10w40 now though) ... small amounts at a time, no more than ½ a litre then check the level again before adding more as you don't want to overfill it.

4. Use all the revs once the engine is nice and warm (don't sit idling to warm up, start up and drive but keep it below about 4k until the needle on the water temperature gauge is pointing straight up, then give it another 10 minutes for the oil to warm up too before really thrashing it ) and hit the beep often. Best acceleration is from 4k revs up - to pull away you really need to rev to 2k - you can let the revs drop after lifting the clutch if you are in traffic, cruising steadily at 3½k revs and changing down to go up hills or accelerate gets you the best mpg ... which still won't be great.

5. Join the club for discounts on all sorts of things (you will very quickly get the cost of membership back - and then some), loads more info in the members only sections, local meets (or if you can't find one exactly local it is a good excuse for a drive if you come to one a bit further away), a sexy keyring just for joining and more.

For the sake of fixing the issue, the sensor was unplugged so it must've been loose and come undone when I went down my track. Plugged back in and all is good.