Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

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Iantheace
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Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by Iantheace »

Moderator: moved here as first post.

Hi, I recently inherited an RX8 which I was intending to get up to scratch for my little brother’s first car. However it has some issues which local mechanics don’t see to be able to diagnose, so I’m a little stuck. Basically it’s just not a happy bunny at idle, I think the 'lumpy' sound is misfiring? The engine was just rebuilt (less than 5 months ago as it included a 2 yr warranty) so I went to take it back to them last week but they’ve just gone bust (ARGH).

Video of it here:

http://rgupdates.co.uk/RX8Dieing.mp4

A little bit of extra info:

It has following mods:

Bridge ported (on rebuild).
Ultralight flywheel (on rebuild).
Masimoto Oil pipes
Remap+Dyno (with the 4k rev protection) (on rebuild).
AEM Cold air intake (After rebuild)
Uprated ignition system (Halo Racing, but may be fake according to what i've read) (before rebuild)
R3 Starter upgrade

Has Always run Premixed.


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Re: Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by Boston Rotary »

Who rebuilt it then?
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Re: Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by kopite72 »

Bridgeport rebuilds tend to ' brap' on idle, was it a full bridgeport? What's it like to drive?
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Re: Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by Delanor »

:welcome:

Well the place to start is to verify you have quality ignition coils, plugs and leads (they all can be poor quality copies) but one would assume a reputable builder would do that at the rebuild stage, then if required get a Rotary engine compression check, followed by the exhaust components then take it from there, who rebuilt the engine?

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Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by GreySilver Beast »

Hi Ian & :welcome: to the RX-8OC :thumleft:

<<<<<< Please put your Location in your Profile Box, it will help us to know where you are, if required any help in the future :thumright:

Please check out the EVENTS SECTION's for anything coming up soon in your area :thumleft:

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Re: Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by 350matt »

that sound on the video could be duff ignition system , or it could simply be the result of the bridgeport

as most bridgeport car need to have the idle speed raised to get past the rough idle point and even then will make a brap, brap brap noise

what rpm is it idling at when warm ? as 800 rpm is a normal car but bridgers seem to need 1200-1400rpm
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Re: Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by casey »

I agree, that could simply be the result of the bridgeport. Mine has a rough/unsteady idle too, not dissimilar to the video.
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Re: Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by ChrisHolmes »

Whereabouts are you as that affects where we can direct you for workshop support.
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Re: Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by Iantheace »

Hiya, I am just south of Exeter in devon (paignton).

I will get the details of the rebuilder out of the boot tomorrow :).

To drive it isn't too bad, a few minor issues (stalls sometimes at idle if revs drop).
There is a big puff of black smoke comes out the back when you put your foot down hard :O.

The exhaust (whole thing) has been changed to get it through MOT as it had a non-street legal Racing Decat exhaust.
It's had new spark plugs, new leads, but not yet new coils. I'm worried about buying new coils if they are unnecessary i would rather not pay for them.
The car has an occasional misfire it reports, but this (as a non rotary owner, i've only ever owned Alfa's (Oh yes dont make fun)) sounds really strange to me!
I want to get it compression tested but the garage dont have a way of doing it apparently - i guess maybe go to mazda?
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Re: Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by warpc0il »

The oil may have been overfilled, that would account for the smoke when accelerating and some misfiring.
See viewtopic.php?f=25&t=36391
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Re: Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by Shagrington »

Hi and :welcome: Iantheace. The nearest specialists to you would be RX Motors in Salisbury or Rotary Motion in WIltshire I think, I'm not sure many Mazda dealers now will still have rotary compression test machines and if they do they're known to charge a lot more than specialists or club members ... there may be a club member nearer to you who has one if you're lucky. Alternatively find Luke Murdoch on Facebook and see if he will be down your way some time soon (he is mobile and goes all round the country) Here is a link to his page https://www.facebook.com/Murdochs-Rotar ... 174826564/
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Re: Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by Delanor »

Iantheace wrote:
Fri Sep 11, 2020 10:55 pm

There is a big puff of black smoke comes out the back when you put your foot down hard.

Black exhaust is a sign of over fuelling which could be poor ignition you really need to make sure it is all OK - poor ignition is not good on a Rotary don`t be tempted to buy cheap stuff off eBay it invariably will be Chineeez specials even NGK plugs are now copied.

To put it bluntly you will get away with poor ignition parts on a piston engine - a Rotary will suffer.

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Re: Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by WildMan10 »

BHR coils should be more than adequate. Bridgeport’s, as others have said, have different idle characteristics.

Don’t touch a dealer for a compression test. If you can’t get a proper one done, You can do a Ghetto compression test that will give crude results that will show any major problems. Bridgeports do lower compressions.

I suggest you join the club for the extra resources available.

I wish I had a brother like you. My first car was a 34 bhp Beetle.
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Re: Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by warpc0il »

A dirty MAF would cause the AFR to be off, hence the black smoke from fuel. If there's still excess oil on the intake then the smoke would be white.

Black smoke can also be an indication that one (or more) of your fuel injectors is leaking, as in not shutting off fully.

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Re: Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by Iantheace »

Thanks for all the help, I will join the club and gift the membership to my little brother once car is ready if that’s ok? Or maybe just get it in his name anyway?
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Re: Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by Shagrington »

Iantheace wrote:
Sat Sep 12, 2020 11:51 pm
Or maybe just get it in his name anyway?
I'd think that will save any complications ...
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Re: Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by Iantheace »

I just got it in mine, I’ll get him one once he passes 😀. I’m gonna use it for a bit of track fun anyway with him now and then.
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Re: Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by SprintRX8 »

Needs a compression test.

You may as well start from basic and go from there.
As it looks like it’s been off the road for over a year?.

Especially as it’s just failed it’s mot on emissions
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Re: Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by Iantheace »

Got Murdoch’s rotary specialist Coming to take a look 😃.
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Re: Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by Shagrington »

Excellent, he will sort you out and make sure it's all good, he's a good lad. :thumleft:
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Re: Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by SprintRX8 »

Most Excellent Dude.

Damm good choice.
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Re: Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by Iantheace »

On another random note (murdoch's coming tomorrow) do you still send out membership packs? I like the keyring :)
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Re: Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by Ainmhidh »

We do (read I do), but you've just missed the previous batch and I'm sorting out a new batch of keyrings as the current supplies are running very low, so you may have a slight delay in getting it, but you will get it, eventually! :thumleft:
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Re: Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by Iantheace »

Engine was tested today by murdoch's, and the read rotor has no compression (2.6), so even though it was just rebuilt, its broken.

It was LC rotary that did the rebuild, and it seems their warranty isn't /wasn't insurance backed..... So con artists i guess as the rebuild was £3500........

If the engine was rebuilt so badly, do you think the bridge port etc im thinking the birdge might be awful too. Might be worth binning the whole engine :(.
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Re: Just got an RX8, but it seems broken and my garage dont know hot to fix it.....

Post by Ollie »

It depends entirely on how it was rebuilt. The irons maybe perfectly fine and the housings/rotors could also be in good condition. Or they could all be scrap parts that shouldn't of been reused. An apex seal may have gone or a side seal? Im sure Luke would've mentioned which was the likely loss of compression when he tested it. Did you ask Luke his thoughts at all?
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