Mazda RX-8, anyone know much about them?

[DieselTweaker]

Mazda has used Diesel in the past.



The Miller cycle is a pretty cool engine, Bad for vacuum leaks.

 

[MickeyMiller]

In the late '70s, I had a Mazda Rotary Pickup with the 13B Engine, 4 speed, disc brakes and a wide track stance. Did a total re-build in my 2nd floor San Francisco appartment (try that with your Chevy V-8!)... ported cylinders, Racing Beat headers and intake manifold, RX7 muffler, and a Holley 4 barrel. It was a screamer! Literally... very fast and very load! Had a Porsche Carrera try to pass on the Waldo Grade... left him in a cloud of blue smoke that would have made a diesel proud! It was fun, fast, and got terrible milage... did I mention how much fun?

 

[mazdarotary]

Any update on your sisters car? Did mazda determine the cause of her troubles?Is it being repaired?I just took my 79 off the road on wednesday for the winter :{ .



Here is linky to some pics of my rotary sanctuary.



http://web.mac.com/cdirado/iWeb/Diradosite/Mazda RX-7.html

 

[DZLROKET]

NTP! thats the answer. (no thrashing parts)



I had an 87 Turbo that was SO smooth and QUICK! I loved that RX7

 

[DieselTweaker]

Chris



I didnt know you had a pick-up too!!!!



I was looking at one that had a blown motor, I've been wanting to put a 3 rotor in one!!! talk about a sleeper!!

 

[mazdarotary]

I do indeed have a 1974 RE/PU. I have owned it for years,and I love it. It needs paint,but not real bad. It has a strong running 4 port 13B ,and the factory carb on it. It needs an exhaust system as well,but I can live with it. I hope to restore it at some point,but I don't know when I will have the time,or money. My son loves the truck,and when I talked about selling it he cried like I just threw away his favorite toy. I bought it from a guy in Georgia,and it is pretty much rust free. I didn't drive it at all this year,as I had the RX-7,and I had little time or money with the birth of our second child in july.



Chris

 

[y-knot]

Mazda is a drivers car, but not for the ordinary guy that doesn't like to get involved with it. You have to really understand and respect the engine, to fully appreciate it. I have had an RX-3, 4 and 7, all had there special places and they are were a blast to drive. The older ones use to have the biggest 4-barrel carburetor you have ever seen, no matter what type car it was in. They also were one of the few engine builder that not only injected water/alcohol directly into the engine, but engine oil as well. What a sound, you think removing the ring from the turbo makes a nice noise... try running the car without an air filter and kick in that huge 4-barrel... what a wonderful sound that is!!!

I have also had the pleasure of tearing into several rotor engines, and rebuilding them... actually replacing rotors and or tips. The engine is a pure piece of motor art. The small displacement fools 99% of all the people that no nothing about the car. What more could you ask for then 2 or 3 rotors, each supplying the equivilate of 3 cylinders, all firing at or very close to the same time, the 2-rotor engine the equivalent of a 6-cylinder and the 3-rotor like a 9 cylinder. The whole thing has basically 4-5 moving parts and rev till you say stop. Yes they like to be run hard but there is a line between running them hard and abusing them. The engines also are designed to use oil, they inject it into the combustion chamber to help keep the apex seal alive, sort of like a 2-stroke engine, but not as much.

When I think back to the days when we had our rotary's, I always smile. . they were just that much fun to drive. I never had the pleasure of driving a turbocharged rotary but can only imagine the fun... . maybe one day I'll get another one... . I hope.

 

[WAckerman]

Sorry for being absent for so long, but at this point the dealer says they still don't know what happened to the motor. They say they have ran all the diagnostics and could not find anything out of the ordinary. Mazda has authorized the replacement motor and the broken one is to be shipped back to the factory for analysis. So, all in all we don't know anything more than we did 2 weeks ago, but at least they have stood behind the car.



The service manager ended up tell me over the phone the he believed that whatever happened was related the the ECM reflash that had been done a month ago.



I really appreciate all the interest everyone has given this thread! The dealer says they will follow up with my sister if & when Mazda comes to a conclusion on the problem... I'll post back if anyone is interested!

 

[PToombs]

Yes, Please!

 

[WAckerman]

Well, the saga continues on the car. As the tech was putting the new motor together yesterday, he found more problems... this time it's not good. There is a white, foamy gel like substance all through the fuel system. All the way from the tank to the injectors. Apparently someone put eggs or sugar or something in the tank... So Mazda put the work on hold, but has agreed to still replace the motor under warranty. So my sis will be responsible for the fuel system work.



We met with the Service Manager and the tech this morning to go over options and see what they are talking about... the stuff dried hard as a rock once it has been exposed to air, but some of the fuel lines had not gelled up yet...



Insurance company was contacted this morning to see if they will cover the costs as it was vandalism... but who knows. The adjuster was a prick over the phone (from what I heard) about whether or not the gas door has a lock on it... sounded to me he basically said that since the fuel door has a button you have to push from the inside to open it, that he wasn't going to call it vandalism... who knows though...



I can't believe that Mazda honored the engine replacement! Yeah for Mazda! Anyone car to guess if DC would have done that after the foreign substance had been found in the tank!??



So the moral of the story is; Buy a locking fuel cap!!!! I'm ordering mine right now...