What have you done to your RX-8 today????

[LeeW]

Finally installed new battery terminals. Been meaning to for a long time as they were so fatigued. But it got to the point yesterday where the car couldn’t start and in trying to tighten them up, they started to tear…!

Cheap but next day delivery from Amazon and should see me for a bit longer. Need to continue in tidying up the engine bay.

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[warpc0il]

It may just be the angle of the photo but it looks like you might have the battery clamps swapped over.

The cables are going to the correct terminals but the negative clamp looks over-sized, as in pulled too tight, while the positive clamp appears to be stretched wide.

The negative terminal post is about 2mm smaller diameter than the positive, so should be fitted with the slightly smaller clamp.

[PaulAV]

You might want to clean the connectors on the end of the leads and the nut and washer on the negative terminal, they look quite corroded, then put some petroleum jelly on them

[ChrisHolmes]

Unboxed the new engine to get a bit more room, might tart it up before installation, just need some ideas.

Just about all you can see when its installed is the front cover so personally I would leave it as it is.

Yes I know I was more on the side of polishing and coating to avoid dullness and corrosion.

A de-grease and clear lacquer then, it is already masked after all!

[PaulAV]

Just about all you can see when its installed is the front cover so personally I would leave it as it is.

Yes I know I was more on the side of polishing and coating to avoid dullness and corrosion.

A de-grease and clear lacquer then, it is already masked after all!

My engine was sprayed silver and black (irons black, housings silver)with the 13b highlighted in black, OEM look

[79398]

Just about all you can see when its installed is the front cover so personally I would leave it as it is.

Yes I know I was more on the side of polishing and coating to avoid dullness and corrosion.

A de-grease and clear lacquer then, it is already masked after all!

I was thinking mirror polish the aluminium, gloss black the irons

[LeeW]

It may just be the angle of the photo but it looks like you might have the battery clamps swapped over.

The cables are going to the correct terminals but the negative clamp looks over-sized, as in pulled too tight, while the positive clamp appears to be stretched wide.

The negative terminal post is about 2mm smaller diameter than the positive, so should be fitted with the slightly smaller clamp.

They are marked up as + and - and one is 19mm and the other is 17mm. They’re probably not great quality and I may have tightened the - more to make it look like it’s deformed slightly. They seem to fit well so they’ll certainly do for now. The test will be how they fatigue when they’re tightened and loosened a few times in the future.

You might want to clean the connectors on the end of the leads and the nut and washer on the negative terminal, they look quite corroded, then put some petroleum jelly on them

Already on the list of things to do. I gave them the best attention I could with zero tools on the drive. This was all a last minute fix as it didn’t start last night and all of my tools and consumables are at my workshop. They could defo do with some cleaning up.

[PaulAV]

I have used curb stones and brick walls in the past to clean connections (rotor arms from a distributor ID a favourite) sandpaper is a better option though

[ChrisHolmes]

I have used curb stones and brick walls in the past to clean connections (rotor arms from a distributor ID a favourite) sandpaper is a better option though

Caveman style!

[PaulAV]

If it works it works, even a car tyre works quite well as rubber is naturally abrasive due to the carbon black, silicon, French chalk and titanium oxide they use as filler material and to alter the properties

[ChrisHolmes]

If it works it works, even a car tyre works quite well as rubber is naturally abrasive due to the carbon black, silicon, French chalk and titanium oxide they use as filler material and to alter the properties

I always found that best for rotor arm contacts!

[79398]

And the bling begins, this is what happens when you're left alone

http://essexrotarystore.com/product/ess ... -for-rx-8/#

[liam.k97]

Got in, turned the key, went for a drive......my standard kind of rx8 day. I felt left out of this thread living the 20k mile life....

[mrspiller]

And the bling begins, this is what happens when you're left alone

http://essexrotarystore.com/product/ess ... -for-rx-8/#

Make sure that you're battery is always fully charged.

That "under drive pulley kit" reduces the coolant flow and the alternate output.

[79398]

And the bling begins, this is what happens when you're left alone

http://essexrotarystore.com/product/ess ... -for-rx-8/#

Make sure that you're battery is always fully charged.


That "under drive pulley kit" reduces the coolant flow and the alternate output.

Really, don't fancy the sound of that.
Might be going back
Are there any advantages?

[Elmotheewokking]

And the bling begins, this is what happens when you're left alone

http://essexrotarystore.com/product/ess ... -for-rx-8/#

Make sure that you're battery is always fully charged.


That "under drive pulley kit" reduces the coolant flow and the alternate output.

Really, don't fancy the sound of that.
Might be going back
Are there any advantages?

On the water pump side, it reduces cavitation at high RPM.

[xwing]

Spent the day stripping out my oil cooler lines, so hopefully start fitting the new rrp oil lines tomorrow.
Took a good couple of hours to loosen the nuts at the engine end, and stripped out a bit more than I thought I needed.

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Just a quick question, is there a torque value when tightening the new pipes to the engine or is it as tight as you dare. I've found the torque settings for the oil cooler ends but not the engine ends in the r3 workshop manual.

[PaulAV]

I'm not sure if the specific torque, but if you have the figure for the oil cooler end then the other end would be as much if not more. The oil coolers being able to take less torque due to them being aluminium.

[xwing]

Thanks, that was what I was sort of thinking

[Ollie]

Figured with the day being semi nice weather I'd make use and get the starter motor swapped over finally. Jobs done nice and easy.

Need to fit the decat but not going to attempt fighting the cat out on such low clearance..

So figured I would change the diff oil. Fill hole plug comes out easy. Drain plug? Ehm.. Socket slipped and now is missing a corner.. Can't get enough leverage with the ratchet to break it off.. Can't use the breaker bar because not enough room.. Rather than round it down even more I've left it for another day annoyingly.. Preferably when I have access to an impact gun.

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And a new plug will probably be ideal. Not sure how it's as tight as it is. When I did it last time it was to crush washer squish spec.. So it shouldn't be this much of a dick to get out.

[HarSc]

Coolant temp sensor now installed! And hit 47k miles too to top the weekend off!

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[HarSc]

Recently picked up a big bag full of undertray/bumper screws, since last time I removed the bumper I found most to be rusty, ready to snap or in general - really not wanting me to wake them from their 11-year-odd slumber on the car

So I'll be getting in there and replacing them all when I have the bumper off again (which won't be too long away if I find some time in the coming weekends)

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[PaulAV]

I used 6mm stainless steel button head Allen bolts and 6mm chimney nuts for my bumper to undertray, I find being Allen head means you have a positive fit with the tool and an Allen key will fit even with the car on the ground

[nightfire10]

It's my 8's 14th MOT tomorrow, so treated her to a run out today.

Partly to check that everything was working okay and mainly feeling guilty, as she's hardly been out since the last MOT

Anyway we enjoyed a 67 mile loop of the Ards Peninsular, mainly in 3rd gear as the roads are so twisty, a bit like a miniature NC500

Took a few photos when we stopped for lunch and later by the inlet of the Strangford Lough, under a moody sky...

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[ChrisHolmes]

Recently picked up a big bag full of undertray/bumper screws, since last time I removed the bumper I found most to be rusty, ready to snap or in general - really not wanting me to wake them from their 11-year-odd slumber on the car

So I'll be getting in there and replacing them all when I have the bumper off again (which won't be too long away if I find some time in the coming weekends)


Screenshot_20211017-185141.png

For my undertray with seized and broken screws I used the self drilling, self tapping 8mm hex head screws you can pick up in B&Q which will drill into the metal making a secure fixing.