Advice needed with rx8 problems

[burnett419]

Hi Guys, In new! (woohoo)

So I apparently have some serious problems with my beloved rx8 and could really use some guidance/advice.

I bought an 05 plate 231ps with 58k on the clock and FSH back in April last year. My pride and joy. She's never missed a beat and apart from a small reluctance to start when hot has given me no grief whatsoever until now.

She has barely a scratch on her and when somebody pulled of the headlamp washer jet I sourced a part from scrappy and took it to a local garage so they could drop the bumper and fit it. Cost in region of £140 as needed colour matching too. Despite my instructions  and warnings on how special she was they managed to badly flood the engine.

After attempting the mazda de-flood procedure (disconnect fuel pump crank 4 secs, rest 2 etc blah blah) and failing We bump started and let sit for 30mins before I took on a 10mile drive opening up all injectors and parked back up at home. After allowing to cool I tried to start again and nothing. I checked one of the spark plugs and it was pretty fouled so purchased a new set costing another £120. Being parked up on a busy main road I couldn't do much else other than get a recovery to a local garage.  Another £96...

The local garage changed the plugs and crank over with them out to de-flood and managed to get it started. When I got there they said I had another issue and that there was oil leaking from underneath the front bumper. After inspection they informed me that the oil cooler pipes had corroded and one had split. Mazda mechs advised that once one hose goes they would need to replace the lot and quoted around £800 for the pipework + 4 to 5 hours labour + oil filter and fluids all totalling around £1400. On top of that they say that the only way they can get it to start is by putting in a lot of extra boost through the battery. They are testing the battery overnight but are suspecting that I will also need a new starter motor. They have also read the diags and say that its throwing crankshaft sensor codes, presumably due to the worn out starter?

I only paid £2200 and from the numbers that the mechanics are giving me I'm wondering whether I'm better off cutting my losses and finding a new rx8? Although I feel obliged to keep this fantastic car on the road I'm not sure the numbers add up. Please somebody tell me I'm wrong and the mechanics have made a horrible mistake?

[boosted]

 Hi matey were are you based?  Rotary garage is what you need. Pipes can get corroded but id suspect disturbed by bumper removal. Crank shaft aka eccentric shaft sensor could be bad but suspect covered in oil or crud.

[boosted]

And when where the coils last changed.

[burnett419]

Hey boosted,

I'm in Calne, Wiltshire (Sort of near Swindon). Unfortunately I'm in the process of moving house so all my cars paperwork is packed (God knows which box!). I suspected the coils need changing and was in fact planning that as the first job once I move to the new place where I have an actual driveway!

[boosted]

Im in Westbury mate just down the road .
Well you have
Hayward Rotary Newbury.
Rx motors Salisbury
And Rotary Motion in Calne.
All know there rotaries mate and all will have spares and being able to get you up n running...due to your location prob best bet is Rotary Motion. If you can wait til weekend im maybe able to pop over and help you but i do not have a spare oil cooler pipe. But i would hold off spending any cash as a slow starter will not cause eccentric shaft position sensor faults that im aware off!

[boosted]

Also dont even think about taking to mazda dealership...theyll wipe your bank account out!
How bad is the leak? We talking drip or gush?

[burnett419]

It can't be that bad, I check the oil religiously and after bump starting and taking for a run the oil level didn't appear to have dipped. I of course wasn't aware at that point of any split hose.

Looking underneath briefly at the garage it appeared somewhere between a drip and a gush ;-) .

Funny thing is that as far as I could tell (by no means a mechanic) the starter was running like the clappers. The guy I bought it off said he had replaced at some point with the uprated starter.

Myself and Mrs are sharing a car at the moment so I can get around for now. I'll give rotary motion a buzz in the morning and see what they say! Thanks 

[boosted]

Cool. Did you change plugs 1 at a time? So as not to mess up orientation? Also what colour where the ht leads? And leading sparkplug...marked with an L went in bottom and Trailing in top

[burnett419]

Yeh leads were labelled and all out at once but they went back in the same orientation. I think the leads were all black but can't remember.

RE8's in lead and RE9's in trail. The old ones that came out were RE7's and RE9's.

[boosted]

Ok just checking. Well see if Chris from RM can help you tomoz if not as short notice i might be able to pop over for a look at weekend.

[burnett419]

Sweet cheers!

I'll give Chris a buzz tomorrow and go from there.

I was well down in the dumps - so glad I posted here. Had no idea there was any rotary specialists nearby. Legend.

[boosted]

Cool no worries.

[exiled-viking]

don't buy second hand ones don't buy mazda parts get a set of these half the price work very much better takes less than two hours to fit and only 3 hoses to fit not the 6/7 mazda parts that fail all the time I had mine on almost a year there very good and half the price of mazda originals and unless you know the perteck fitter in your area very well don't buy from them either cos there hosing an,t no dam Good.



http://www.mazdarotaryparts.com/bracing-beat-rx-8-oil-cooler-hose-set-b-1768-p.asp


If i lived nearer I would pop over to give you a hand the crank sensor can be a fickle thing only take 5 mins to take off clean and put back check the crank sensor tooth end plate make sure thats not had any teeth bent as well.

Hears some one that might be able to help he sells good second hand parts and is a trusted supplier he could point you in the right place if your on a budget until you can get a new part click on the link below


http://www.rx8ownersclub.co.uk/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=16453&sid=2d7e17cf352eaa8452293bc6f42fc3d2

[burnett419]

Wow thanks that's somewhat cheaper!

[exiled-viking]

were here to help any time