Why rx 8 engines fail

Hot start problems signs of poor compression. Growling noise and loss of power sticking SSV or tune valves. Engine Management Light flashing whilst driving real time detection of engine misfire. Rattling Exhaust catalyst damaged with ceramic in rear section of exhaust. Won't rev past rpm approx. Damaged catalyst blocking exhaust. Engine struggles to start possible Starter Motor.

With a menacing low stance, bulging wheel arches, and highly distinctive rear, backward-hinged suicide, or freestyle doors, the RX-8 was a bold statement from the Japanese marque. But it was under the bonnet where the RX-8 really stood out.

Installed in what Mazda called a front, mid-engine configuration sat the power unit — a small, high-output 1. It was a powerfully smooth, high-revving unit that helped shove the RX-8 from mph in 6. In fact, it can still outshine many a fast sedan to this day.

Thanks to its limited-slip differential and sophisticated combination of double wishbones at the front and rear multi-link suspension, you could confidently hustle the car into corners and exploit its limpet-like grip. The cherry on the cake was a cool sporty interior, relatively comfortable ride, and deliciously raspy exhaust note. However, once you brought the car to a halt and looked under the hood, the fun invariably ended.

Quite often in an abrupt manner. Rotary tuners are always boring out the openings in earlier Mazda rotaries, so it stands to reason that the later, bigger-opening engine would be better. You can see how that porting works in the following vid:. Well, the earlier engines have a clear and easy exhaust exit in the rotor housing. The Renesis engine, locating that exhaust exit within the plate, requires the exhaust gas to turn to get out of the engine, a more difficult path. The Renesis engine is basically choking itself, apparently in the name of emissions compliance.

A later engine indeed. Between the bad exhaust routing and the poor housing build quality, you would need very good seals to keep everything clean and separate inside the rotary engine itself. As Engineering Explained noted in his old rotary engine shortcomings video, the rotary engine needs good seals as one half of the engine is always heating up after combustion in relation to the other half expelling exhaust and intaking air.