Mazda: Your Rx8 Needs New Motor, $15,000 Please!

[diamondjo]

My girlfriend was relating her bosses tale of woe this morning and I said I'd ask around you guys and see if any of you knew any reputable Mazda specialists (performance or otherwise) that she could take her car to.

She's got a '03 RX8 and she has trouble starting it. Everything else is fine (apparently), it's just a total b*tch to start. So she took it back to the Mazda dealer she bought it from to see if she could get it fixed. So far she's already spent a couple of grand with them and got no result.

As a woman, she's got the old "Well we've tried everything else, and the only other thing it could be is the whole engine... blah blah blah... but we're not 100% sure it's the engine. 15 Grand please." which roughly translates to "We've hooked up the diagnostic computer and aren't imaginative or skilled enough to look any further and you look like you're made of money so I'll try and sell you a brand spanking new engine from Japan... but the ride's not over after that, I'm going to see how long I can keep this going"

My missus got a similar runaround getting a new engine for her Laser a few years ago. "Oh yeah, you know how there's like... thousands of your particular model of Laser lying around in wrecking yards? Well we can't source a second hand engine anywhere in Australia... blah blah blah... 8 Grand please." Needless to say, a stop was put to that pretty damn quick.

So the question is this; are there any decent honest workshops out there that you guys know of specializing in Mazdas?

[phenline]

rotormotion and there is a few others to, one in oconner the rotory shop i think not sure dont quote me. if you check the yellow pages heaps will come up sure they will let her know the real story

[ashleyr33]

Speak to rotormotion,

Knew someone who had similar problems in a rx7, rotaries have a tendancy to flood very easily especially if cranked too many times. Rotormotion I think installed a solenoid in the fuel line to restrict the amount of fuel to the injectors whilst starting. He hasn't had a problem with it since.

I'm sure it isn't internal problems, besides most dealer mechanics couldn't find their ass if they had a mirror.

[R DIRTY 3]

..As Ahsley said, its a common problem. I had one in the workshop for a few weeks. After about 4 or 5 days of starting it, driving it out of the workshop and stopping, then doing the same at the end of the day to get it back in the w/shop (maximum or 45 seconds to 1 minute of running) it would no longer start...just kept cranking. We rang the Mazda dealer in Osb Park and told them, and before i had finished telling them the problem, the guy knew exactly what the problem was. From memory, it was a flooding issue. Apparently if the cars are started and not allowed to get hot they fill up with fuel and wont run. We were told that if we start the engine, drive it for a few minutes before shutting it off.

Mazda Should know this problem and the solution. I really doubt you need a new engine. When Mazda came and took the car from here, it was back the next day, with the same engine in it

Edited January 16, 2008 by R DIRTY 3

[turboedsloth]

and when you ring mazda " o na mate first time ive ever of anything like this. must just be your car". Ford did the same thing when the radiators in the BA's broke.

[chuckie]

G`DAY ALL I HAVE BEEN TOLD FROM VERY GOOD SOURCE THAT YOU WILL NEED A REBUILD AS THEY DON`T LAST LONG SO LOOK`S LIKE BAD NEW`S.50,000 km & it`s all over not what you want to hear when you have such good car,but do give ROTOMOTION,& Other`s a call as you may get more help & info.cheer`s chuckie.

[R32 Driver]

rotormotion as mentioned above...

[Nick033]

wat 50,000km and its all over

im sure if this was the case nobody wud be forking out there hard earned for one of these beasts only to have it last 50,000 and then need a rebuild!

[chuckie]

wat 50,000km and its all over

im sure if this was the case nobody wud be forking out there hard earned for one of these beasts only to have it last 50,000 and then need a rebuild!

[/quote ]. YES WELL THAT`S WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD HAD A BEST MATE LOOKING AT BUYING ONE & HE WAS TOLD THIS.HE WORKED AT ROTO FOR YEAR`S BUT NOT KNOW,So he didn`t buy one.& have seen a few with problem`s,Not what you want to hear when spending that sort of MONEY,but very nice car i was very impressed with them,cheer`s chuckie

[showbizz]

try factory re,rotomotion, a mazda dealer ship should have done a compression test on the engine which would prove if it needs a rebuild or if the engine is fine..

[diamondjo]

Thanks guys for the awesome responses, I appreciate your help.

Chuckie, I've done a little research and found that Mazda US have indeed done a recall of RX-8s between 04 and 06 (the aussie 03 model is the US 04 model oddly enough) due to engine problems saying that they "tend to fail in hot climates". Apparently there is no such recall in effect here, which is strange when you consider we have a pretty hot climate. I did find a post on RX8club.com that explains why this might be the case.

http://www.rotarynews.com/node/view/822

http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/24/mazda-to-recall-the-rx-8/

http://www.rx8club.com.au/forum/viewtopic....e10b0823d228a75

http://www.rx8club.com/showpost.php?p=1492...amp;postcount=4 (Explanation of why not Aus)

[masTers]

Factory RE! speak to Mike 93062210

[durty2]

there is a guy at tenegah, dont know if he is still there, he fixed my mates mazda, same problem as she is having, the probelm was the distrubter, i cant remember his name, but i highly recommend him

[342Four]

think rx8 are distributer-less

plus the rx8 engine is a completely new design compared to the rx7 and previous rotors

i say go rotormotion

[showbizz]

there is a guy at tenegah, dont know if he is still there, he fixed my mates mazda, same problem as she is having, the probelm was the distrubter, i cant remember his name, but i highly recommend him

that would be John Otter at tenagah

[Onthehunt]

the old man had an rx8 for about 2 years before selling it a year back now and it did flood once on him. had started the car to move it into the garage from driveway and had it running for about 2 mins then off and next time went to start it it was flooded and needed to be towed back to dealership and sorted out. as Brad said they told us take it for a drive if you start it up or it will flood and to never ever depress the throttle at all when cranking as that floods it straight away.

dealership sorted out his problem as it was under warranty but rotormotion would be the place to go.

[Mr. Keets]

How ya goin guy?..Rotomotion FTW. Did a great job on the RX-7.

[KeeFy]

that would be John Otter at tenagah

[SkyDragon]

Must admit I had done some research into RX8's when I was considering buying one. All of the recalls in the US turned me off and there were plenty of sources stating that after 50,000km a lot of bad things began to happen, worst being engine failure. Apparently this was the reason mazda will not offer an extended warranty on RX8's.

Anyway probably unrelated, as most people have suggested go to rotomotion those guys have plenty of experience with rotoraries including modding RX8's, hopefully its something simple like flooding.

Good luck