Help / advice re: stutter/misfire - engine light on

[GaryD]

Help! Need some advice before taking car (R3) to Mazda main dealer

Had starting issue - think I flooded it as battery was flat, almost got it going with jump start + de-flooding procedure, but no luck.

Breakdown recovery also failed to get it going, so car recovered to my local garage, who did get it started, but informed me the engine light had come on and it was suffering a misfire at low revs (about 2000rpm). They couldn't get any error codes via the OBD 11 port - don't have specific reader for an RX8, so have suggested I take it to the main dealer. They didn't remove the plugs at any point.

Picked car up today and it started fine (no engine management light). It had already been taken for a run and warmed up. Went for run and initially ran faultlessly for a couple of miles on dual carriageway, but after second time stopped at set of lights started stuttering badly on pulling away until revs got up again. Engine light came on, and has stayed on, so far.

Anyone have any idea what the problem could be, and/or know someone in or around Edinburgh who could do a diagnostic check?

(I had Magnecor coils, leads and new plugs fitted when I got the car just over 2 years ago)

Thanks in advance!

[qwakers]

for starters, don't take it to a dealer, their rotary knowledge is non existent. where are you? much better off going to a specialist, if there are none near you, you could ask luke murdock to come to you, he's mobile.

[Nickp47]

Where did you buy the coils etc from and how much for?
Is the car still fitted with a cat?

[acegeezer]

^^ as Nick states.. if the coil/s are failing they will block a cat and you will fubar the engine.. and were these coils genuine or eBay fakes?

[30405]

and

They couldn't get any error codes via the OBD 11 port - don't have specific reader for an RX8

is totally b*****, as you don't need any special reader to get all the data for the powertrain elements via the ODB2.
The cheapest £5 dongle from ebay or a £20 reader from Halfolds is sufficient

[GaryD]

Thanks for the replies:

Got the Magnecor kit from Rotary Revs

I''m in Edinburgh, Scotland - don't appear to be any specialists listed anywhere in the country (which I find hard to believe)

[Honkytonk]

As Warpcoil says, if their obd reader couldn't find any codes, that's their problem as its not some magical special system (its probably identical to Fords of a similar era) If you have your own OBD reader, might be worth using something like torque/FORscan to diagnose issue if the CEL's back on. If you don't they're cheap and its worth the investment. Diagnosis will help a huge amount as there are lots of things on the 8 that seem terrifying when they happen, but are actually really simple/cheap.

[Ollie]

If you're in Edinburgh Ben Taylor on Facebook is your closest specialist. He doesn't come on the forums anymore so give him a shout there.

[GaryD]

Thanks again, I'll look up Ben Taylor

[MARKTHOMASBRAND]

I'd be inclined to try some new spark plugs if they've not been changed for 2 years

Also check that ignition leads are seated properly,@ both ends,as several people have been dabbling recently

[GaryD]

There are a few Ben Taylors on FB, anyone got a direct link to his page, or know anymore about him to narrow it down? Thanks

[MARKTHOMASBRAND]

Don't do FB thankfully

You could click here & try emailing him

[Ollie]

There's only one with a crystal white 40th anniversary. I thought he would be top 5 results easily.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/407026602828955/

I'd suggest joining this group he's the admin.

[GaryD]

Thanks for that. Running around today so only intermittently seeing msg's.

[acegeezer]

https://www.facebook.com/ben.taylor.94801