Idiling Question
 

When i first got my car I noticed it had a bad idle. It would literally kick back in before it died, when I sat in neutral. I took it to the shop and they told me that I had a cracked engine block and within a week i had a reman-engine installed.

I noticed today that my idling is really rough. I sat in a drive thru in neutral and it began to shake more then normal and really sound like it wanted to die. It did it a couple times but always quickly kicked back in. It's hard to explain. But basically it was quite loud and would just go low to high. There are no loose wires nothing missing. I'm hoping that It's nothing major and maybe just something the rx8's do. I was wondering if anyone has the same issues or if this is normal.

I have the AP underdrive pulley and my idle is not consistent since installing it. It could be partly due to it.

hrm..i'll have to read up on that them. some said a new reflash is out but my vin number doesn't follow with the numbers that the reflash is out for

Weird, I figured since you have an '05 the flash would be good for you since it is for nearly all 8s from '03-'07. I am also having some idling issues hopefully this flash will fix it since I don't to have to replace the engine again.

Here's the VIN listing for the flash just in case:
2004-2008 RX-8 vehicles, produced from April 10, 2003 through November 9, 2007
• VIN Range: JM1 FE17** 40100053 - 80215462

Yeah i saw that my vin is JM1FE173550146614
the reflash describes my problem exactly.

I do have an 05 but i don't think my number falls between the ones they have listed. I need an oil change so i was gonna have them do the reflash at the same time. Since the ECU reset i did didn't work.

Jen, how long have you been having problems? Have you had a sudden loss of power? What about the emissions recall, did you have that done?

-Nic

i've noticed the problems off an on. It doesn't happen all the time just once in awhile and when it does, as the reflash says it shakes violently. I don't know what the emissions recall is. I got my car back in january after they replaced my entire tranny and gears and I had a re-man engine done in october.

The engine replacement must have been done because of the emissions recall. I was in the same boat about 20k miles ago...my problem was the real bad idle also, it has died a couple times but I've had the compression tested and the motor is still extremely strong...so strong infact the techs can't figure out why I'm having so many issues.

Now does the idle drop real bad after a pretty decent drive and come to a stop? Cuz that is what mine does...I thought it might be from the new intake and exhaust I installed but it's been on long enough for the PCM to recalibrate the A/F ratios. So, I'm at a loss now too...well at least until I get the new flash and I'll go from there.

umm droping i'm not exactly sure what you mean by that (sorry not very car smart i'm learning though) From what i remember I was driving the speed limit, not too hard on the car and was just parked in the drive thru feeling it shake violently i saw the tack on the spedometer move maybe half an inch nothing major but enough to catch my attention.

they re-man my engine 'cause i had a crack in my engine block which caused me to lose compression. I'm going out for the night so i will reply when i get back :)

Dropping, like dropping below the normal idle rpm. RX-8s normally idle around 800rpm, usually anything below that the car does tend to shake a little more noticeably. Maybe your motor mounts might be going bad also, but definitely take it in and have it looked at. Maybe another thing to check is for a lose or disconnected vacuum line on your intake...that could cause a rough idle too. Not sure though, just trying to give some other options to look at.

yeah we thought it could be the vacuum line but everything seems tight. i notice it kinda bobbled above 800 rpms and back down.

Well mine has done this exact same thing on occasion since I had the recall done. No new engine only had a reflash and plugs. Before the recall mine idled around 1000 to 1100 rpms and now it idles around 8 to 900 rpms. I am about to carry mine in for the 30,000 mile service and I am going to get them to check it.

Screamin, 1000-1100 was pretty high, and 800-900 is about where it should be. The norm is 750-850.

I8U, I thought so too, even though it idled smoother. Now with it around 800-900 it idles rough at times. I am thinking though after the 30,000 service with the new plugs and all it will run and idle better. I will tell you since I took the cone and baffels out of the airbox it runs and idles better and gets better gas mileage. I figured the reason for that is it is getting more air.

Mine ran a little better when I did the same mod but I have recently installed a K&N Typhoon V2 intake and the HKS Hi-Power exhaust...idle seems to be better but I think my coils are going out again. I'll make a thread about that though...that is a pretty long story.