RX-8 Owners Club UK

My one for the RX8 wasn't with the car when I bought it.
I must check the one in our 2016 Mazda 6 to see how long that has to go.

The number of times I've seen owners struggling with foot pumps at track days and car handling events, not realising that they had that pump in the case in the back or that it works as an inflater with or without the gloop.

Filled up again so many miles per gallon

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To be clear, in the video I posted of my exhaust it's not the general noise I'm concerned about.
It's the random sharp noises on top that are new (and strange to me at least).

On the repair kit. I save the space and strap one of these in the boot. Fits in the same strap neatly alongside an emergency 1L bottle of 10w40.

Chuck out that old original compressor for track days and grab this one:

https://www.screwfix.com/p/ring-metal-d ... tid=694501

It's the fastest portable one I've used. Like, petrol station compressor fast. Means less time wasted in the paddock. Has a lovely metal threaded nozzle too, none of that horrid plastic stuff.

I found the tyre pressure monitor accessory I bought recently is really useful for confirming that the tyres are at the correct pressure ( or otherwise).
However I've had a problem with the the very thin locking nut used to prevent casual theft of the pressure monitors on the tyires. They corrode and then they are the devil to back off in order to remove the pressure sensor which of course you have to do if you want to put more air in the tyre.
So I would like to buy replacement nuts preferably in stainless steel. The thread on a tyre valve appears to be about 8 mil but finer than standard metric.
Can anybody tell me what thread they are - and even better where I might find such nuts?
Tia

John,take an old valve with you to any engineering firm,ie bearing man. Takes all the guessing out of it.

These are what you need.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 1591498544


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Thanks, Neil; but you get presented with all choices of size and fineness of thread. I'm guessing I need M8, but should I order 0.75 or 1.0 pitch? (I've tried contacting the seller but it seems to be not possible.)
Thanks, John
PS [edit] Having checked on the officially stated size, i.e.
External thread: 0.305 in (7.747 mm) x 32 TPI[3] (1⁄32 in or 0.7938 mm pitch) (Tap size: 8v1-32)
I'll go for M8 0.75 pitch.

A brass nut won't seize
https://www.cokertire.com/brass-locknut.html

Will a stainless steel one? Surely not.

A set of four of those would cost about double the price of the pressure monitor.!

Stainless reacts with many other metals, so it depends what you're screwing on to.
If the stems are brass then you must avoid using copper grease, as this would accelerate the reaction with s/steel.
An aluminium-based anti-seize compound may help.

Sorry, Dave, my edited post overlapped your latest. ~Anyway, Wiki says:
A Schrader valve consists of an externally threaded hollow cylindrical metal tube, typically of nickel plated brass.
Wouldn't that be ok?

How stainless reacts with other metals

re-introduced my RX8 to an emergency tyre kit... but not quite the one it remembered:

Is that a BMW logo I see?

Yes, it is. At the end of the day, it's an electric pump which works, with a pair of gloves which are warm (even after being in the boot at -5C) and keep your hands clean, and a bottle of (in date) tyre sealant. Why throw it away because it's got the wrong badge?

I was wondering if you had bought it for example second-hand or in the unlikely event of it being cheaper than mazdas equivalent.
Certainly better than throwing it away!

It came with my Z4 as a good-will gesture - the dealer declined to supply a new car that didn't have BMW approved tyres fitted (I wanted non-RFT tyres). In the end, it was a great move as I put OE alloys and wheels in storage for 3 years and ran some epic aftermarket alloys which really made my Zed stand out from the rest.

Took my pride and joy to TPS, as it was not happy,plus it needed a new CAT, so seemed easiest. Luckily the problem was very straight forward

They suggested that as my mini-map was done a while ago that having a new mini-map would be a good idea, so that was done as well (including Reece taking it out with his laptop attached). OMG has that new map made a difference, best £40 I've spent on the car.

So its all working properly, engine pulling even better than before and I'ma very happy bunny

Following delivery of some M8 0.75 fine pitch half nuts, I can confirm they thread onto tyre valve stems, with a little slack. (13mm AF spanner fits.)
Something to file away, if you're interested.

Got her or 'Blackbot' to the 70k milestone. Helped today by getting most of the way to Snetterton before getting a work call and having to turn around and head to London instead.

I'm putting a lot of miles on it now it's my daily. 2000 miles in the past month.

Changed the battery in my key fob. It's the first time I actually have done it. I don't remember the dealer ever saying he did it. If it is the first, that battery has lasted over a decade. My CX5 key fob needed a battery change in 2 years.

Spent ages trying to find the battery. In the end I got the battery from Timpsons. Never would have guessed that they would sell it, but was directed there by the chaps in Robert Dyas.

I have yet to test whether it has worked. Hopefully my fob not opening the car was the battery and not something else more sinister. Will find out tomorrow....

Replaced mine a couple of weeks ago, at 9.5 years, for the first time to my knowledge. I realised I was having to get much closer to make it work and now it's back to how it always was.

So I've already started spending money on her! New battery and a pair of aero wipers ready to go on tomorrow.
Decided to go against the ussually recommended Varta E23 as I've had good experience with Yuasa batteries, and this one has an extra years warranty and slightly more starting power for the same size and at a similar price. Available on the shelf too!