It's funny how Mrs. Wizard mentions how you fixed her Blazer when you were first dating. I have a very similar story with my wife too. Hey, if they don't find us handsome, at least they find us handy!
My wife had an RX 7 before we got married many decades ago. Dazzled her with my ability to get it going one night, when we came out of a bar, and it wouldn't start, and homeless people were offering her (not me) their help and wanting loose change to buy a little wine. The radio would never pick up any station, unless you were within a mile of the station's tower.
I had a mechanic like you at one time. He did all he could to repair my truck. Even drove 8hrs one way to pick up a transfer case. Nothing but respect for you all.
@@nfo1347 It's under-trained techs and would-be, but not trained, mechanics who can't diagnose or fix things. Trained and skilled mechanics can fix any thing, if they have the right spouse to keep them moving forward.
Folks who thinks auto mechanics got into their profession because they weren't smart enough to do anything else are woefully ignorant. It's like watching a surgeon present a case study for treating a patient. I'm glad you helped this one get healthy again, and I can hear in your voice the love you have for the healing arts you practice.
The entry bar for car mechanics is very low, especially in the US it seems to me, which means there is a very broad spectrum in terms of the quality of mechanics out there, some are very good and some are just parts fitters and it's not until you show up with a complex problem that you can tell which is which. If you can tighten bolts you can open an auto repair shop, and you can do reasonably well doing the most common repairs on most common models on the road, it doesn't take a lot of intelligence, knowledge or skill to replace brakes or change engine oil. But any time a more complex problem arises all these low skilled mechanics that learned by doing are stumped and you need someone who really understands how cars work which does require a fair bit of engineering knowledge and some thinking skills.
After the car didn't start with the forced fuel relay on. it seemed to me either the fuel pump was bad or a fuel filter was clogged. Thanks for showing the diagnostic procedure for free!
It's crazy. The same exact thing happened to me. Driving the rx8, minding own business and *stall*. Series 1 fuel pump never replaced under the recall these had and it failed at 76k miles.
Or there was a fusebox or wiring issue. Next step would be to confirm power coming out of the fuse box, then check for power to the pump and directly power the pump while you’re there.
Wizard actually seems to have gotten super arrogant and insufferable over the past year or two. Thank god Mrs wizard is part of the videos now - she seems to be way more hunble.
@@OlayerB If you want to talk about arrogant , watch Scotty Kilmer . Car Wizard is actually pretty down to Earth , decent , and mellow compared to Scotty Kilmer . In fact it seems all that Scotty Kilmer does is repeat the same answers to the same questions over and over again , screaming and waving his arms around , and calling people stupid who own any car other than a Toyota product , including his paying customers .
I love how even though he felt angry with the situation with the RX-8, and the situation where the 4 shops that couldn't fix it or even trying to, and what the customer had to go through but still remain calm doing everything he can to make the car alive again. That's why I love this channel and Car Wizard himself so much. Very detailed explanation and we can use these informations to fix our cars ourselves.
Why wouldn't he remain calm? Other mechanics not being able to fix someone else's car should not be a reason to get worked up or stressed. Incompetence is all around us - there's no point in getting oneself agitated. He should just fix the problem as he's paid to.
@@stoned9913 and I changed a wheel cylinder of questionable age, and the 12 year old master brake cylinder......because it was nice outside. I looked at my maintenance log, and it was 9 years ago. Time flies ! ! For this labor day weekend, I'm touching up the undercoat of the undercarriage.
That ride height sensor shown @18:55 is present both at front and rear axles to control the automatic headlight leveling feature of the car. That small rod is made of aluminium and it's susceptible to corrosion (especially when driving during the winter when roads are being covered by salt). Considering how thin that rod it's not uncommon that it's being eaten away and you CAN NOT order that that small rod as a replacement part (at least from OEM). You will have to order WHOLE ASSEMBLY which is extremely expensive. So if you own a Mazda - clean that puppy and cover it with protected layer of primer and paint. Same system is present on many Mazda models. Including MX5.
Any thoughts? I have an 04 that an apex failed on. Fuel and everything else was fine. Have it in a shop with a low mileage japanese shipped engine in. Shop is telling me they don't know why it won't send fuel through 2 of the lines now. Any tips would be appreciated
@@mrkojak-ci1zm Sad to say your shop can’t fix it due to their incompetence. Find a shop that can do basic troubleshooting like was expertly done in the video. Try to follow video step by step and problem should be resolved. However, above would be dangerous if done by ‘mechanics’ who don’t know what they’re doing.
@@zukobringas5096 if I lived somewhere"bigger" that'd be an option. We had a Mazda dealership that went out and without shipping the car somewhere there aren't many options
@@mrkojak-ci1zm If you really love rotaries like I do, you would have to learn about them yourself via internet. Not many people would go out of their way to fully understand it let alone fix it. When you’re shop says they don’t know why there’s no fuel, thats already a red flag. A simple problem like that should be a no brainer for mechanics worth their while ( I included 😉). What I’m saying is that if nobody in your area understands rotaries enough (including you, if you don’t learn it yourself) you’re in trouble since this is only the beginning of your ‘engine change’ (was it really the apex seals? I’m starting to wonder). With that shop you’re in for more problems, believe me. Sorry to disappoint you but after years with my 13bt s5, I too couldn’t find shops that could actually fix rotaries and not do more damage. That’s why I’ve learned to learn them. Check fuel pump power supply-fuse-relay-wiring-connectors-fuel pump itself- filter- pressure regulator...refer to rx7 blogs and youtube content. There’s a lot you can learn from the internet. I hope his helps. Good luck.
As a big rotary fan, and someone whos owned 2 first gen RX-7s, the idea that people are scared of rotaries for being too complex is still hilarious to me There are quite literally about 3 moving parts in the entire engine. Thats it. Youve got some rotors and a e-shaft. Theyre one of the simplest engines from a mechanical perspective, and aside from the seals, theres really not much internally that can go wrong. Different doesnt mean complicated
I own a first gen RX-7 (‘83) and the combination of age+rotary means it’s far more simple and reliable than any modern car I’ve had experience with. No timing system, no valves, no camshafts, no fuel injectors, no PCM or other computer modules, no sensors, no automatic transmission, no ABS. When something breaks on that car, it’s always such an obvious fix with plenty of room to work. I love it.
@@Schmuly engine internals are one thing but 99.9% of the work a shop would be doing is similar or the same as any other car. Only the combustion chamber itself is different, and that’s not a regular service item.
@@Schmuly in my opinion it’s similar enough to a piston engine that any reputable mechanic should easily be able to apply the same principles to work on it. If they can’t, they clearly don’t really know what they’re doing when working on a “normal” engine either. Source: I own one and working on it is far easier and simpler than working on my other car with a piston engine.
I had the same issue on my 04 RX8. 2 shops kicked me out because they didn't know about rotatives.. hopefully I found a guy who prepared rotatives for racing in Florida and he just changed the gas pump really fast. It worked perfectly afterwards. Feel you Wizard!
You should let your customer know that missing plastic pan at the front is important for directing airflow through the rad and oil coolers - RX-8s are prone to overheating in traffic or when run hard without the bottom tray. Something he can pick up cheap at a salvage yard if he doesn't want shell out to order it from Mazda.
My wife ran our suburban out of gas & fried the pump... Changed it out and got it running again so I filled the tank & a day later it crapped out again. Moral of the story, never buy the cheapest pump available.
@@kennytheamazing It’s actually usually the temperature shock that finishes off the pump. If you run the tank low on fuel, the pump is no longer fully submerged in fuel to cool it down, so it gets a little warm. Fuel storage tanks are usually under ground and the fuel comes out of the pump quite cold, which gives the fuel pump a temperature shock. That won’t harm a good pump, but it can finish of a dying pump. I’ve seen so many Chevy trucks get towed in from the fuel station for this reason.
my evo fuel tank suddenly revealed itself to be completely rusted, after being completely filled the morning of a big trip. luckily it happened at home and the car could barely drive up a hill. I replaced the entire tank and filter. The trusty corolla got me to the track and I got rides in other peoples cars.
I have believed for years that a good mechanic can fix almost anything. Honesty and integrity are as important as the mechanical skills. You are the complete package. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us!
Wizard doing what Wizard does best, making things other mechanics panic over look hilariously easy. Thanks for the great content, keep up the good work!
It's awlays a great feeling finding a mechanic like you. Most mechanics I've ever been do don't leave things at "the bare minimum to keep it safe and running". There are always simple things that I can do myself tacked onto the estimate, or a couple times even the final bill. Wish there were more mechanics like you out there.
Wizard you’re a throwback to the old master mechanics who in addition to having test equipment you have the “ear” they had when the can listen to the car and diagnose the problem!
That's true for that Series 1 RX-8s. When he mentioned the owner's story, I figured it could be a failed fuel pump. But, let me go ahead and finish watching the clip and see what it actually is.
Or, like my old truck, someone spiked the fuel or something, bad pump, replaced the pump and it died immediately, never started the second time. Either they poured a bunch of B12 in the tank or the ethanol separated from the gasoline and it ate the fuel pump. Went through three pumps before I got that sorted.
@@glenwaldrop8166 Always drain and clean you're fuel tank when u do a pump also good idea to blow the top of the tank off before removing the pump to keep debris from getting in there too
My old beater of a car had the fuel gauge shift so that empty is actually st half full. Over the years it keeps shifting up so now full actually means empty and at a full tank the needle twists all the way round to empty again. The only problem arose when the oil trmp gauge started doing the same and I was stuck in a traffic jam with oil rising to 120°c according to the gauge. I was sweating bullets at that point till I realized what was going on.
It's good you do these "been to four other shops" videos. You showcase that even unique or exotic cars are all still cars and have regular car issues. One of my dream projects is to 13B swap an NA Miata.
@@jjwrx8 meh 😑 I can find a 13b everywhere. The K24 is an engine that won’t be very easy to find and getting harder to find. K24 is capable of tons of horsepower.
My '83 RX-7 had an actual drain plug in the fuel tank. It came in handy once. Rotary engines are pretty cool, but IMO should be owned by mechanics. Good job on the video!
I’m a mechanic and just bought my first RX8. I haven’t even worked on it yet but from what I’ve seen id agree. Mostly because it would be a hassle to take it to a shop or finding a specialist. I’ll probably end up rebuilding the engine at some point and maybe I’ll become a specialist on it 😂
What year? I got an 04 RX8 GT a few months ago for $3000, I knew nothing about cars a year ago lol. Had to learn how to drive a manual too. I love it. I've replaced coils, leads, plugs, upgraded the starter, changed oil, and cleaned up the janky battery terminals. That cleared up the misfires at high RPM and fixed hot start issues. It's at 95,000 miles and runs great, back to back 9000+ RPM pulls with no misfires. I had it die the other day at a stop, despite it running fine, and it wouldn't even try to start up upon immediately trying. It sounded like it was getting very little or no fuel. On my second attempt the RPMs bounced up and down like it was sputtering fuel but then cutting out. I waited about 60 seconds and tried a third time and it fired up just like it normally would, which is only slightly longer than a cold start. That and an occasional and unpredictable roughness at low speed or idle lead me to think that the fuel pump is going out. I'm pretty sure I've felt the car accelerate significantly faster at the same RPM, gear, and throttle on the same road and conditions sometimes too, like it's getting an inconsistent fuel flow or pressure. I guess that's next on the list! I plan on rebuilding the engine at some point, just like you. Probably once it's lost enough compression to be annoying and have starting issues. Hopefully the housings will be in decent shape because they are pretty expensive. I feel up to the task of cleaning up rotors and replacing apex, side, and corner seals and coolant seals/O-rings and all that. I'm the quality control guy at a machine shop so I have access to fancy coordinate measuring machines(if I can convince/pay them to let my use them for a personal project lol) and my friend is an experienced machinist, so I can clearance my apex seals precisely and resurface a housing if it needs it and is in a fixable condition. I'm going to go with OEM mazda apex seals because after extensive research I'm convinced that basically all aftermarket apex seals tear up the housing prematurely. Anyways, it's running good so hopefully that day doesn't come for a while. I hope you enjoy your RX8 as much as I am enjoying mine lol.@@NoLurp
The difference in the position of the plugs will need a different type of spark or strength of spark, it's all to help with getting a fuller burn of the air/fuel mixture
@@phil955i Flame front propagation is different in Rotaries. Project Farm I think has a video of a OS model rotary engine with a glass combustion chamber where you can see how the combustion works.
Nice video! I really like these cars. Let me tell you why those 4 shops failed to fix it: There aren't many old school mechanics like you left, who really want to solve problems and developed a true diagnostic mindset over the years. If you want to be a good mechanic, you have to feel the hunger to fix things and take up a challenge. Working on electronics and computers is quite similar in that regard. Nowadays a lot of shops just throw parts at it, because their focal point is just selling parts to make a profit. Others don't want to repair cars like these because it's not worth the effort for them, which is at least honest. A lot of mechanics nowadays just hook up a scantool, which is the holy grail in their mind and fail to zoom out and really fight to collect all variables in order to see the bigger picture. A car is like a living organism, where parts correspond to one another. If one fails to see causality and consequences or things are just left out of scope like with this car, chances are it'll never be fixed, which is exactly what happened to this happy little RX-8. It's indeed pretty disappointing to see that 4 shops failed to fix a simple problem like this..
The Car Wizards has the coolest walk on TH-cam! I'd love to see a continuous loop video of him just walking around. Let's give this comment a bunch of thumbs up and maybe he'll make such a video!
Unfortunately, we dont get cool stuff like that. I have a del sol, and basically every world market but the USA got a version of a rear fog lamp. It's cool to know that's where they put it on the rx-8. I worked in Mazda parts for a few years and wasnt aware of that. Thanks for the cool detail!
Very rational, straightforward, honest, understandable diagnostic review of a car problem and solution to fix it. If I were ever to have you work on one of my cars, and you told me to replace whatever- I'd do it without hesitation bc of how you do things. No fear of a misdiagnosis or shady over-selling repairs or work- just "100% trust in this guy knows what he is talking about!"
I didn't expect to see my car in the wizards shop today! Same year model as well. I would suggest that the owner replace the engine splash guard it is critical for feeding air to the radiator! Rotary engines don't need any help creating heat and the dummy guage in the dash won't warn you when you are about to blow up.
@@DIRT4649 I believe there is a company called rotary performance that makes a screen to protect it. I don't call it being all that expensive when I bought it for my 2004 RX8. Also there are oil coolers just below the headlights that can be covered with the screens as well. Just a little piece of mind.
"The engine is special, but the rest is just a car" Great attitude! Some shops would get scared off just because of the rotary, even if the issues are elsewhere. It's a shame because all they're doing is losing potential business. It's a Mazda, not a Ferrari…this isn't rocket science lol
They are saving the owner from expense by admitting they are not accustomed to these vehicles. I see nothing wrong with that. I'm sure most mechanics can fix most things, it may just take longer, thus be more expensive.
Its pretty shitty, if they charge by the book, say you need 4 hours for sth but they need 1 hour, you pay for 4 hours and I am fine with that. What I am not fine with is paying for 6 or even 8 hours when they fuck up for a 4 hour job on the book
Shout out to the "Car Wizard"! My 2008 RX-8 Stalled on me and been standing for almost a year. After watching your video, I not only got the car started using your tips, but I also feel that I know more about the car than ever before. I even changed the fuel pump myself. I was contemplating selling it, I changed my mind. Thank you for your knowledge. You are totally awesome dude. from here on, what would you recommend that I do to keep the car in great shape? It has 80,000 miles. Thanks again God bless you...
for others that experience this with an RX-8. keep in mind that the rx8 has a sort of saddle shaped fuel thank. and that sometimes the mechanism that transfers fuel from the right side (non fuel pump side) to the left side (fuel pump side) stops working for some reason. so there is a chance you experience fuel starvation at around 1/4th of a tank or when you take spirited left turns.
Damn, this Mazda is in really nice shape. Sure it needs some love, but overall it's nicely kept. Also. it was nice to see someone who treads this car like a normal car and not alien technology.
I went through almost this exact same diagnostic process when trying to figure out why my car wouldn't start. Starting fluid and relay bypassing answers a lot of questions.
Propane gas will usually work too. I used to use the lil propane bottles piped into intake to move cars with failed fuel pumps. Not all cars like it but slightly older efi cars works great and no risk of ether starting fluid causing damage
Thank you thank you thank you! I finally started my RX using your tip! I will recommend this to everyone. My engine was flooded, fuel was good, spark was good. Tried deflooding the official way but no luck even after several goes. I had even removed the plugs and flushed the chambers. I had shielded the sparks from the plug holes. This time after performing the usual deflooding procedure, I squirted two shots of Quick Start into the air filter box. The engine fired up, but I had to keep cranking till it established itself. Happy days! Thanks.
If I remember right, Mazda recalled the fuel pumps for the RX-8 in 2017 or so. Technically it was for a seal, but they were replacing the pumps for free, which was good cause the OEM pumps weren’t great.
My 07 rx8 actually had a deflooding issue which took some time to make it start but The Wizard reminded me of the basics air, fuel, and spark. Tested all of these and finally ruled out the possibilities. Thanks again for the awesome video .
Can you hold WOT while cranking like on a carbureted piston engine that's been flooded? Even if you have to pull the spark plugs, that wouldn't be that hard to de-flood it.
One thing that would be nice in these videos that I’m kinda missing is to see the car running after you fixed it. C’mon Wiz, that’s the satisfying part for us!
Yesterday, a 1 owner, 04 RX-8 popped up on my Dealer Wholesale Platform. The inspections stated "battery was low, tried to start, and didn't. Possible fuel related.". I went ahead and placed a low bid offer, then I stumbled upon this video. Sounds like it's the same issue as above. I won the auction, and I pick up my ride this week. My Son will be enjoying it. Thanks Wizard! We'll be leading a lot about the Rotary as we get it running.
@@Mega-P71 Sold it about a year ago. It was amazing. Since we are always flipping, we found another project. Easy fix. It was fouled. New plugs and BAM! Done..
That's some pretty basic diagnosis there. It was always an issue finding a decent technician, it's getting harder and harder now. So many are admittedly parts changers that can't think for themselves.
It's the same in Car Manufacturing, gone are the days when the big firms hired guys fresh from Technical Colleges, now it's assembly workers, mostly lower wage Immigrants. In Europe when you order a Mercedes, BMW, Audi, VW etc. you really need to find out where was the car assembled because there is a Massive difference in Quality !!
@@AnthonyTobyEllenor-pi4jq it’s probably the same with automotive TH-camrs, lol. Sometimes it’s the blind leading the blind. Baffles me how most of these car channels are doing so well with all this fluff content. But I gotta give it to some of them, as the TH-cam dollars keep rolling in, some channels are learning to work on what they love so much… Cars.
My dad always told me engines need 4 things to run. When an engine doesn’t start, start with the 4 basics: fuel, timing, compression and ignition. Figuring out what is causing one of those shortages is another question. But starting with those basics is typically pretty easy.
Old stuff, yeah was simple... 123 Spark, fuel, compression Battery, coil, wiring/fuel filter, hoses, pump/timing .. now things complicate with input sensors for spark and fuel, and advancement in timings and computer controls.. Auahahahhhhhh
@@gfykbyfcs4177 true, but usually you can at least check for ignition, fuel, listen for compression etc. And yes, once you find out let’s say there’s no ignition or fuel, that might be more difficult.
Good One Wizard. My brother and I own SC400s or Soarers from Japan. When problems like this occur we learnt early to go back to basics, check online and fix ourselves. And the money stays in our pockets. Don’t be frightened of fixing it yourself and if you don’t have the time at least you can communicate with your trusted mechanic 👌 The motor screams “Clean Me”
Hello Car Wizard i’ve spent a lot of time looking at videos on youtube and tying to learn myself. Today i watched your video before going to look at an RX-8 for myself and you’ve helped me a lot unfortunately the car was no good because like you said you can hear the difference when it has no compression and it was nice to know that difference between a good engine and a bad engine without a compression tester. I loved your video super informational and really helps a lot. Rest assured that i’m subscribing and watching your videos from now on.
Ending of this video was trully wholesome. Also i'm glad that this car showed up, alot of people have the assumption that everything on a rotary is complicated but it isn't
very good troubleshooting, I worked on ship propulsion diesels, generators, steam boilers, turbines and auxiliary machinery for four decades on about two dozen different ocean going class vessels; your process of elimination was straight forward and direct. I know a good engineer when I see one!!
@@chrismarek7864 th-cam.com/video/kqeHzqXbVcM/w-d-xo.html lol they were a hell of a lot more unreliable before electronic ignition came along! Almost impossible to keep tuned!
@@chrismarek7864 Main drawback isnt the number of seals, its the fact that like 3 companies control the price of those seals, charging 200$+ for some rubberbands
@@chrismarek7864 piston engine has way more seals. Main drawback is heat and fuel consumption. On a road racetrack, the rotary tends to be more reliable that a piston engine, requiring less rebuilds in a season.
I absolutely appreciate your thoroughness!! I had a forest green version of this RX8. My main relay went while driving, and I also had a parasitic draw that two shops couldn't figure out. Seriously is my favorite car, Thank you for this video!
If I remember correctly. On my 04 I had years ago on flooding if you mash the throttle all the way open it on cranking it cuts the fuel off. This was done to clear the flooding out.
Man, seeing how he goes through the troubleshooting so smoothly to find the problem was fuel, and how the comments go on about how other mechanics struggle...it makes me wonder if I should learn the trade and strive to be a future wizard.
Don't. Shit industry, no respect from customers, hard on the body. Just get in construction if you want a labor intensive job, will make more money too
The plugs are Trail and leading T and L, and in my opinion as someone who's rebuilt two already and currently doing my third rebuild they're actually easier to work on than most piston engines, but very cool video glad the guy could get his car fixed and happy to see another rx8 able to drive again
Years ago I was out on tour with my band and my wife needed a new battery for her '06 Audi A4. She brought it to 3 shops that told her they "didn't work on Audis". I started calling around for her until I got a guy that said "Does it have 4 wheels and a motor? Then I work on it." For the rare occasions when I can't do a job myself he gets all our business. I don't even consider calling anyone else. Good on you for not getting scared away by the badge. I had a couple of RX-7's over the years. Fun cars, but you have to really love them if you want to keep one after 60k miles or so.
Thank you for being passionate about your job and explaining things the way you do. Also, thanks for not just throwing parts at it like most do these days.
I like when Mrs Wizard chimes in with little anecdotes about the old days in much the same way I like Mazdas from back when all their cars looked happy. By which I mean I like it a lot.
I had a '09 gen 2. One of the most fun to drive! To keep then from flooding it's important to change plugs and coils 30k to 60k miles. I was getting my yearly inspection done at a quick oil change place( they claim 5min changes), and one of the techs asked me how long does it take to change the timing belt! Trying not to laugh in his face I politely told him it doesn't have one. Only three moving parts in a rotary. The eccentric(crank) shaft and the rotors. Needless to say that's why most car repairs are done by me! @therealcarwizard, if you know of a shop that is close to being as good as yours in the dallas, TX area, please share!
I've experienced this sort of phenomenon with one of my cars, as it has a unique transmission. The problem did NOT require a specialist... but someone who would just TRY... and unusual cars scare rookie techs. The gent that helped me solve it had never worked one like mine, but I found as much info out of the problem as possible, and we looked through documentation together to decide the best plan of action. The solution was a filter that doesn't "exist" according to his documentation......but it DOES in the OEM docs. I found the docs and the filter. Thanks go to both the gent who fixed it, and the gent from the OEM shop for helping me find the part.
My fuel pump died about 2 weeks ago, and that’s how I diagnosed it after making sure the relay was good. The fuel pump prime in every car I’ve ever had is pretty noticeable
Hey wizard I know you said you guys don't normally build rotarys but honestly I would absolutely love too see you and Daniel tear one down and go threw it , would be a great video !! Really enjoi your content buddy much love from Canada! As a rx8 owner myself their really a fantastic car I have 170,000km on mine with no engine rebuild or any problems you just have too run two stroke injection instead of just the oil injectors ( SOHN adapter kit ) and make sure you redline everytime you drive it to clear the seal springs of carbon and DO not run any synthetic oil in them ( rotors build up carbon due too synthetic oil not burning easily in the combustion cycle ) .
Sometimes on my Lincoln LS, if it runs low on coolant, it will actually cut power to the fuel pump. It's happened to me twice, one on my old 02 V6, and more recently on my 04 V8. It's a ingenious system. It protects the engine from running low on coolant. Saved me from overheating both times. I'm not entirely sure how it works. But if it gets low on coolant, it shuts off the fuel pump. You put some coolant in it, and it will start right back up.
A friend of mine once was unfortunate enough to own a Chevrolet Vega. It had a similar shutoff for the fuel pump on the oil pressure sending unit. If you ran low on oil and lost oil pressure it would kill the fuel supply.
@@HeavyTanker-vx4oq Any idea how it knows? On the S Type there's a coolant level sensor in the tank which lights up the dashboard light if the level is low but that's just supposed to be for knowing that it needs topping up. I'm glad that doesn't cut off the car as the floats are known to go bad after some years and give a spurious warning. I've just replaced my coolant tank after 14 years/165k miles because of the sensor float issue.
I wish I could find a great honest independent mechanic like yourself. Ide even be willing to pay extra just to know I'm not being sold crap I don't need and that the repairs are done properly.
Honest, trustworthy, mechanics that perform quality work are more rare than unicorns. If I was not able to perform diagnostics and repairs myself i would contemplate shipping my vehicle to Eric at South Main, Or this guy, Scanner Danner, Pine Hollow, and the other OG Eric.
I would say the two shops that wouldn't touch it were at least on the surface being honest. They didn't feel they could work on rotaries, and rather than maybe messing something up or misdiagnosing and doing the ol parts shotgun routine, they just declined a chance at some money.
Instead of those switched relay jumper boxes I use a jumper wire with a switch so I’m also able to put an amp clamp around it with a scope and get an idea of the shape of the fuel pump circuit and the pump itself. We get a lot of cases like this from other shops. What chaps me the most is when the shop actually brings the car to us themselves for something that should be elementary and then that customer thinks they fixed the problem. I might start accidentally dropping a business card in there. Oops must’ve fell out of my shirt pocket 😂
I have a big heart for the RX-8. was THE hot car to have when it first came out, right alongside Mitsubishi Eclipse. Jeez those were the days. The RX, a very misunderstood car
16:40 leading and trailing, specifically, although just as easy to think of as the equivalent of intake and exhaust stroke typical 4 Cycle. Two rotors makes it the rough analog to a V6. And thank you for showing folks that 90% of that car is still serviceable and you don't have to know a lick about a rotary. Unless those shops don't like money 😃
funnily enough my very first guess when hearing that it just stalled while driving, was the fuel pump. Second guess of course was the coilpack if it has only one (two would result in rough running and fuel-rich exhaust). Two common parts that exist in all petrol fired engines and can be diagnosed in minutes, the latter being fun to test new coworkers with. Similar story with an old 91 subaru; at one point it had developed random stalling and rough running but with no clear cause, but all it simply was was that the fuel pump was possibly as much as 25 years old and just gunked up with all kinds of stuff (mostly ethanol crystal I imagine). Subaru's use a 3-hose full-loop fuel injection system with a PWM controlled pressure regulator on the return, which of course this relies on the fuel pump providing adequate pressure, so even if it might be pushing at least some fuel through it might only be a couple PSI. So how do you test this? well just pop off the supply hose and plug a pressure gauge on! needless to say once the fuel pump was replaced the engine sounded noticeably deeper in rumble, turns out for the past few months at least it had been running very lean from low fuel pressure and we just never noticed.
And that's where a little rotary knowledge comes in nicely (or just follow the plugwires lol) - The 8 has 4 individual coils, one per plug. So with this car just cutting out all together you can pretty much rule out a faulty coil.
Unbelievable! Those shops gave up without even trying a basic troubleshooting 🙄. They just assumed the problem was the rotary engine. Great job Car Wizard! 💯👏
Its niche car. Its problematic. Engines are expensive. Sometimes its better to just pass and not trouble anymore as a mechanic. Every rx8 owner got his rotary workshop and know that its almost impossible to fix the car anywhere else.
I had to wait a bit b4 commenting, because I was passed off. And going around saying "see this is why I and should also fix your own cars, other you play the cards hoping you're lucky enough to find a shop like omega". To you wizard, I salute you, and keep up the great work.
Nothing like finding a real professional to handle the challenge, which may not even be that big to start with, as you proved so nicely. Thanks for the video! Stay the route.
"let's just throw parts at the wall and see what sticks" Moses people are so stupid nowadays. Yes the engine is different mechanically, but ffs it's the same basic principle
Your channel is so appreciated. Love the input. In an industry that becomes repetitive, it’s refreshing to see someone attack problems methodically and provide fresh perspective for future repairs.
God I remember when wizard first made videos on this channel. To see how far he’s come and the channel has come since then is amazing. Keep killing it man!
Intelligent and honest mechanic saves the customer a lot of money. With this video he is letting the other shops know that you don't need to overhaul a rotary engine to replace a fuel pump.
Normal... I bought my son one in France, cost me a fortune in oil and repairs, the B&O stereo system had to be sent to Belgium for a fix, cooling issues also, The last shock was 5000e for a new clutch and to fix a steering noise when turning, and in winter he once had to dump it overnight in some light snow ( no rear grip) to get a lift home with a woman in a little fwd Renault! lol
As a former tech of GM (10 years) and a parts employee at a mazda dealership for 2 years, The RX8 was a drivers (car ppl) car. you just cant drive this car like a normal piston car. I drove one as a used car PDI at gm that was intake,exhaust,tuned and man it was so fun! Car wizard is correct about not being scared to check basic things. Always start simple with repairs and ignore the issue it came in for.
It's funny how Mrs. Wizard mentions how you fixed her Blazer when you were first dating. I have a very similar story with my wife too. Hey, if they don't find us handsome, at least they find us handy!
Can't go wrong with some Red Green advice.
My wife had an RX 7 before we got married many decades ago. Dazzled her with my ability to get it going one night, when we came out of a bar, and it wouldn't start, and homeless people were offering her (not me) their help and wanting loose change to buy a little wine. The radio would never pick up any station, unless you were within a mile of the station's tower.
so true Eric o! my wife always told me I'm always good with my hands!
I was just watching a SMA video lol
Well said uncle Red lol
I had a mechanic like you at one time. He did all he could to repair my truck. Even drove 8hrs one way to pick up a transfer case. Nothing but respect for you all.
nothing but respect for those 2
most mechanics are useless trash
@@nfo1347 It's under-trained techs and would-be, but not trained, mechanics who can't diagnose or fix things. Trained and skilled mechanics can fix any thing, if they have the right spouse to keep them moving forward.
Those people are hard to come by for sure. Reality is harsh and ego just goes up.
@@Anonymous-it5jw h hi b I’ve hyuith😮😅
@@Anonymous-it5jw😂
Folks who thinks auto mechanics got into their profession because they weren't smart enough to do anything else are woefully ignorant. It's like watching a surgeon present a case study for treating a patient. I'm glad you helped this one get healthy again, and I can hear in your voice the love you have for the healing arts you practice.
Mechanics replace parts. They aren’t educated engineers.
@@DanielJohnson-ec8rk not being an engineer ≠ not being smart
@@tristanparkk Scotty = not being an engineer and not smart
@@DanielJohnson-ec8rk actually i think he is. Used his GI bill for a fancy degree.
The entry bar for car mechanics is very low, especially in the US it seems to me, which means there is a very broad spectrum in terms of the quality of mechanics out there, some are very good and some are just parts fitters and it's not until you show up with a complex problem that you can tell which is which.
If you can tighten bolts you can open an auto repair shop, and you can do reasonably well doing the most common repairs on most common models on the road, it doesn't take a lot of intelligence, knowledge or skill to replace brakes or change engine oil. But any time a more complex problem arises all these low skilled mechanics that learned by doing are stumped and you need someone who really understands how cars work which does require a fair bit of engineering knowledge and some thinking skills.
After the car didn't start with the forced fuel relay on. it seemed to me either the fuel pump was bad or a fuel filter was clogged. Thanks for showing the diagnostic procedure for free!
I was waiting to hear the fuel pump engage when he turned on the relay. Silence. That was a dead giveaway that the fuel pump was not working.
It's crazy. The same exact thing happened to me.
Driving the rx8, minding own business and *stall*.
Series 1 fuel pump never replaced under the recall these had and it failed at 76k miles.
Wizard to the fuel relay. Look at me; I'm the captain now. lol
Or there was a fusebox or wiring issue. Next step would be to confirm power coming out of the fuse box, then check for power to the pump and directly power the pump while you’re there.
or there was no gas😂
The Wizard and his wife seem like genuine down to earth people. Wish I lived close enough to take my cars to their shop.
I bet he has to turn down lots of business now on addition to BMW as he's gotten so famous.
Wizard actually seems to have gotten super arrogant and insufferable over the past year or two. Thank god Mrs wizard is part of the videos now - she seems to be way more hunble.
@@OlayerB I don't care about watching someone who is humble. I care about whether they are competent or not.
I’m sure you could take your European car to ninja anytime (unless he’s booked like crazy)
@@OlayerB If you want to talk about arrogant , watch Scotty Kilmer . Car Wizard is actually pretty down to Earth , decent , and mellow compared to Scotty Kilmer . In fact it seems all that Scotty Kilmer does is repeat the same answers to the same questions over and over again , screaming and waving his arms around , and calling people stupid who own any car other than a Toyota product , including his paying customers .
I love how even though he felt angry with the situation with the RX-8, and the situation where the 4 shops that couldn't fix it or even trying to, and what the customer had to go through but still remain calm doing everything he can to make the car alive again. That's why I love this channel and Car Wizard himself so much. Very detailed explanation and we can use these informations to fix our cars ourselves.
Why wouldn't he remain calm? Other mechanics not being able to fix someone else's car should not be a reason to get worked up or stressed. Incompetence is all around us - there's no point in getting oneself agitated. He should just fix the problem as he's paid to.
Actual Mechanics are hard to find, parts changers are everywhere. Good job Wizard!
What is a "part changer"? Never heard that before now
@@Marthastewart209. people who diagnose issues by charging parts they think might be bad until the problem goes away
@@Nevy21 I just replaced the clutch hydraulics because they were 17 years old. Old parts were working fine. I change parts just for the hell of it.
@@cubiczirconiabeard5366 nothing wrong with part changing, as long as you solve the problem who gives a shit
@@stoned9913 and I changed a wheel cylinder of questionable age, and the 12 year old master brake cylinder......because it was nice outside. I looked at my maintenance log, and it was 9 years ago. Time flies ! ! For this labor day weekend, I'm touching up the undercoat of the undercarriage.
“This is a rotary, it’s complex”
*Rob Dahm enters the chat with a mallet*
Damn right Rob would have problems with that statement!
*and 10 rotors*
@@ToastNova I thought he was up to 20?
Hahahahahahhaaa
@J M have you gone to his channel and typed all this.
That ride height sensor shown @18:55 is present both at front and rear axles to control the automatic headlight leveling feature of the car. That small rod is made of aluminium and it's susceptible to corrosion (especially when driving during the winter when roads are being covered by salt). Considering how thin that rod it's not uncommon that it's being eaten away and you CAN NOT order that that small rod as a replacement part (at least from OEM). You will have to order WHOLE ASSEMBLY which is extremely expensive. So if you own a Mazda - clean that puppy and cover it with protected layer of primer and paint. Same system is present on many Mazda models. Including MX5.
Give a shop a complete new rod and make a bunch of replacements out of 304 or 316 stainless. Problem solved, maybe make money off of it.
I used to be a RX mechanic. I love your step by step on this. From the sound I narrowed it down to spark or fuel and glad you can figure this out.
Any thoughts? I have an 04 that an apex failed on. Fuel and everything else was fine.
Have it in a shop with a low mileage japanese shipped engine in.
Shop is telling me they don't know why it won't send fuel through 2 of the lines now.
Any tips would be appreciated
@@mrkojak-ci1zm Sad to say your shop can’t fix it due to their incompetence. Find a shop that can do basic troubleshooting like was expertly done in the video. Try to follow video step by step and problem should be resolved. However, above would be dangerous if done by ‘mechanics’ who don’t know what they’re doing.
@@zukobringas5096 if I lived somewhere"bigger" that'd be an option.
We had a Mazda dealership that went out and without shipping the car somewhere there aren't many options
@@mrkojak-ci1zm If you really love rotaries like I do, you would have to learn about them yourself via internet. Not many people would go out of their way to fully understand it let alone fix it. When you’re shop says they don’t know why there’s no fuel, thats already a red flag. A simple problem like that should be a no brainer for mechanics worth their while ( I included 😉). What I’m saying is that if nobody in your area understands rotaries enough (including you, if you don’t learn it yourself) you’re in trouble since this is only the beginning of your ‘engine change’ (was it really the apex seals? I’m starting to wonder). With that shop you’re in for more problems, believe me.
Sorry to disappoint you but after years with my 13bt s5, I too couldn’t find shops that could actually fix rotaries and not do more damage. That’s why I’ve learned to learn them.
Check fuel pump power supply-fuse-relay-wiring-connectors-fuel pump itself- filter- pressure regulator...refer to rx7 blogs and youtube content. There’s a lot you can learn from the internet. I hope his helps. Good luck.
@@zukobringas5096 alright thanks for the reply 👍
As a big rotary fan, and someone whos owned 2 first gen RX-7s, the idea that people are scared of rotaries for being too complex is still hilarious to me
There are quite literally about 3 moving parts in the entire engine. Thats it. Youve got some rotors and a e-shaft.
Theyre one of the simplest engines from a mechanical perspective, and aside from the seals, theres really not much internally that can go wrong.
Different doesnt mean complicated
I own a first gen RX-7 (‘83) and the combination of age+rotary means it’s far more simple and reliable than any modern car I’ve had experience with. No timing system, no valves, no camshafts, no fuel injectors, no PCM or other computer modules, no sensors, no automatic transmission, no ABS. When something breaks on that car, it’s always such an obvious fix with plenty of room to work. I love it.
@@Schmuly engine internals are one thing but 99.9% of the work a shop would be doing is similar or the same as any other car. Only the combustion chamber itself is different, and that’s not a regular service item.
@@Schmuly what is so complex about it?
@@Schmuly in my opinion it’s similar enough to a piston engine that any reputable mechanic should easily be able to apply the same principles to work on it. If they can’t, they clearly don’t really know what they’re doing when working on a “normal” engine either.
Source: I own one and working on it is far easier and simpler than working on my other car with a piston engine.
@@Schmuly you’re really smart
I had the same issue on my 04 RX8. 2 shops kicked me out because they didn't know about rotatives.. hopefully I found a guy who prepared rotatives for racing in Florida and he just changed the gas pump really fast. It worked perfectly afterwards.
Feel you Wizard!
You should let your customer know that missing plastic pan at the front is important for directing airflow through the rad and oil coolers - RX-8s are prone to overheating in traffic or when run hard without the bottom tray. Something he can pick up cheap at a salvage yard if he doesn't want shell out to order it from Mazda.
Username checks out
Yes it's clearly designed that way.
“The tank is alway full when the fuel pump needs replacement.”
No kidding, my fuel pump died AT THE GAS STATION after filling the tank!
i think this is true of any problem, if the car is broken, the tank is full
I guess this happens because filling up the tank stirs up the debris at the bottom of the tank, it gets into the pump, and kills it.
My wife ran our suburban out of gas & fried the pump... Changed it out and got it running again so I filled the tank & a day later it crapped out again. Moral of the story, never buy the cheapest pump available.
@@kennytheamazing It’s actually usually the temperature shock that finishes off the pump. If you run the tank low on fuel, the pump is no longer fully submerged in fuel to cool it down, so it gets a little warm. Fuel storage tanks are usually under ground and the fuel comes out of the pump quite cold, which gives the fuel pump a temperature shock. That won’t harm a good pump, but it can finish of a dying pump. I’ve seen so many Chevy trucks get towed in from the fuel station for this reason.
my evo fuel tank suddenly revealed itself to be completely rusted, after being completely filled the morning of a big trip. luckily it happened at home and the car could barely drive up a hill. I replaced the entire tank and filter. The trusty corolla got me to the track and I got rides in other peoples cars.
I have believed for years that a good mechanic can fix almost anything. Honesty and integrity are as important as the mechanical skills. You are the complete package. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us!
Wizard, Harley’s don’t leak, they just mark their territory. 🤣
If they don't leak there is no oil in them.
@@nielsdebakker3283 …..good…one….?
@@TonyLasagna it was yeah
it's just letting him know it still has oil in it of course
Wizard doing what Wizard does best, making things other mechanics panic over look hilariously easy. Thanks for the great content, keep up the good work!
@Dominick watch the previous video, i believe he said they're waiting on a few things for it to arrive.
As great as his knowledge is, I think the Wizard’s best strength is that how methodically tracks down issues. He doesn’t grasp at straws
Look easy? It is easy.
Shut up
Step 1: Don't Panic. Douglas Adams gave us all good advice for many situations, not just galactic hitchhiking.
It's awlays a great feeling finding a mechanic like you.
Most mechanics I've ever been do don't leave things at "the bare minimum to keep it safe and running".
There are always simple things that I can do myself tacked onto the estimate, or a couple times even the final bill.
Wish there were more mechanics like you out there.
Wizard you’re a throwback to the old master mechanics who in addition to having test equipment you have the “ear” they had when the can listen to the car and diagnose the problem!
Yes, indeed, I like the"staccato" part...
My favorite is when you do all that diag and pull the pump to find the tank bone dry and the level sensor stuck at 1/2
Ah, a true Shyamalan-esque twist.
That's true for that Series 1 RX-8s. When he mentioned the owner's story, I figured it could be a failed fuel pump. But, let me go ahead and finish watching the clip and see what it actually is.
Or, like my old truck, someone spiked the fuel or something, bad pump, replaced the pump and it died immediately, never started the second time.
Either they poured a bunch of B12 in the tank or the ethanol separated from the gasoline and it ate the fuel pump. Went through three pumps before I got that sorted.
@@glenwaldrop8166 Always drain and clean you're fuel tank when u do a pump also good idea to blow the top of the tank off before removing the pump to keep debris from getting in there too
My old beater of a car had the fuel gauge shift so that empty is actually st half full. Over the years it keeps shifting up so now full actually means empty and at a full tank the needle twists all the way round to empty again. The only problem arose when the oil trmp gauge started doing the same and I was stuck in a traffic jam with oil rising to 120°c according to the gauge. I was sweating bullets at that point till I realized what was going on.
Nice to see an old school mechanic checking the basic things firstly, such as spark fuel and air mix etc, nice one, good Video 😃
It's good you do these "been to four other shops" videos. You showcase that even unique or exotic cars are all still cars and have regular car issues. One of my dream projects is to 13B swap an NA Miata.
yes. just yes.
No! Not a 13b. I have an Acura on my lot with a K24 in it. Way better option for that car.
@@thomasstrickland0 Nah keep it in the family 13b is a heck of a lot more unique.
@@jjwrx8 meh 😑 I can find a 13b everywhere. The K24 is an engine that won’t be very easy to find and getting harder to find. K24 is capable of tons of horsepower.
@@thomasstrickland0 Yes, the K24 is a good engine that can reliably make big power, the 13b is not even capable of reliably making factory horsepower.
love the casual almost bob ross like energy to diagnostics. Glad i found this channel.
So if a customer mistakenly puts coolant in the crankcase would that be a "happy accident"?
@WinGate Mose Who's throat he happily sharted down. 🤭
Both are military men if I got my facts right
My '83 RX-7 had an actual drain plug in the fuel tank. It came in handy once. Rotary engines are pretty cool, but IMO should be owned by mechanics. Good job on the video!
I’m a mechanic and just bought my first RX8. I haven’t even worked on it yet but from what I’ve seen id agree. Mostly because it would be a hassle to take it to a shop or finding a specialist. I’ll probably end up rebuilding the engine at some point and maybe I’ll become a specialist on it 😂
What year? I got an 04 RX8 GT a few months ago for $3000, I knew nothing about cars a year ago lol. Had to learn how to drive a manual too. I love it. I've replaced coils, leads, plugs, upgraded the starter, changed oil, and cleaned up the janky battery terminals. That cleared up the misfires at high RPM and fixed hot start issues. It's at 95,000 miles and runs great, back to back 9000+ RPM pulls with no misfires. I had it die the other day at a stop, despite it running fine, and it wouldn't even try to start up upon immediately trying. It sounded like it was getting very little or no fuel. On my second attempt the RPMs bounced up and down like it was sputtering fuel but then cutting out. I waited about 60 seconds and tried a third time and it fired up just like it normally would, which is only slightly longer than a cold start. That and an occasional and unpredictable roughness at low speed or idle lead me to think that the fuel pump is going out. I'm pretty sure I've felt the car accelerate significantly faster at the same RPM, gear, and throttle on the same road and conditions sometimes too, like it's getting an inconsistent fuel flow or pressure. I guess that's next on the list! I plan on rebuilding the engine at some point, just like you. Probably once it's lost enough compression to be annoying and have starting issues. Hopefully the housings will be in decent shape because they are pretty expensive. I feel up to the task of cleaning up rotors and replacing apex, side, and corner seals and coolant seals/O-rings and all that. I'm the quality control guy at a machine shop so I have access to fancy coordinate measuring machines(if I can convince/pay them to let my use them for a personal project lol) and my friend is an experienced machinist, so I can clearance my apex seals precisely and resurface a housing if it needs it and is in a fixable condition. I'm going to go with OEM mazda apex seals because after extensive research I'm convinced that basically all aftermarket apex seals tear up the housing prematurely. Anyways, it's running good so hopefully that day doesn't come for a while. I hope you enjoy your RX8 as much as I am enjoying mine lol.@@NoLurp
I learned a long time ago that the BEST teachers make complex things simple; you do that. Thanks.
Regarding spark plugs, "T" for trailing and "L" for leading.
So why are the spark plugs different between the two positions?
@@phil955i I'm not sure for certain. I used to have a copy of the SAE paper on the Renesis engine. The answer may have been in there.
The difference in the position of the plugs will need a different type of spark or strength of spark, it's all to help with getting a fuller burn of the air/fuel mixture
@@Brads_adventures Sounds plausible.
@@phil955i Flame front propagation is different in Rotaries. Project Farm I think has a video of a OS model rotary engine with a glass combustion chamber where you can see how the combustion works.
Nice video! I really like these cars.
Let me tell you why those 4 shops failed to fix it: There aren't many old school mechanics like you left, who really want to solve problems and developed a true diagnostic mindset over the years. If you want to be a good mechanic, you have to feel the hunger to fix things and take up a challenge. Working on electronics and computers is quite similar in that regard.
Nowadays a lot of shops just throw parts at it, because their focal point is just selling parts to make a profit. Others don't want to repair cars like these because it's not worth the effort for them, which is at least honest.
A lot of mechanics nowadays just hook up a scantool, which is the holy grail in their mind and fail to zoom out and really fight to collect all variables in order to see the bigger picture.
A car is like a living organism, where parts correspond to one another. If one fails to see causality and consequences or things are just left out of scope like with this car, chances are it'll never be fixed, which is exactly what happened to this happy little RX-8. It's indeed pretty disappointing to see that 4 shops failed to fix a simple problem like this..
wait till all the old timers die out and every shop is owned by a corporation.
The Car Wizards has the coolest walk on TH-cam! I'd love to see a continuous loop video of him just walking around. Let's give this comment a bunch of thumbs up and maybe he'll make such a video!
On the European versions, that detail in the rear bumper contains the high-intensity rear fog light, which is also shaped like a Wankel rotor.
yeah I was wondering if it is missing on US models or if it's just missing on this particular car. guess it's the former then!
Unfortunately, we dont get cool stuff like that. I have a del sol, and basically every world market but the USA got a version of a rear fog lamp. It's cool to know that's where they put it on the rx-8. I worked in Mazda parts for a few years and wasnt aware of that. Thanks for the cool detail!
@@goosenotmaverick1156 probably just some agency that said that rear light could cause a crash and banned it in the US
Very rational, straightforward, honest, understandable diagnostic review of a car problem and solution to fix it.
If I were ever to have you work on one of my cars, and you told me to replace whatever- I'd do it without hesitation bc of how you do things. No fear of a misdiagnosis or shady over-selling repairs or work- just "100% trust in this guy knows what he is talking about!"
I didn't expect to see my car in the wizards shop today! Same year model as well. I would suggest that the owner replace the engine splash guard it is critical for feeding air to the radiator! Rotary engines don't need any help creating heat and the dummy guage in the dash won't warn you when you are about to blow up.
That dumby gauge screw me on 3 diff cars
Also that condenser is being pounded into crap, it needs the protection if the owner wants to have functional aircon.
Wizard did mention the owner does not want to invest more money than it is needed for it to run. Probably doesn't want to spend more on it.
@@DIRT4649 I believe there is a company called rotary performance that makes a screen to protect it. I don't call it being all that expensive when I bought it for my 2004 RX8. Also there are oil coolers just below the headlights that can be covered with the screens as well. Just a little piece of mind.
I guarantee you on a hot day after he parks the car his cooling fans kick in on high and stay on for several minutes.
"The engine is special, but the rest is just a car"
Great attitude! Some shops would get scared off just because of the rotary, even if the issues are elsewhere.
It's a shame because all they're doing is losing potential business. It's a Mazda, not a Ferrari…this isn't rocket science lol
Uh, yeah, he just explained that 2 shops refused to look at it because of the engine, but thanks for reiterating.
They are saving the owner from expense by admitting they are not accustomed to these vehicles.
I see nothing wrong with that.
I'm sure most mechanics can fix most things, it may just take longer, thus be more expensive.
Its pretty shitty, if they charge by the book, say you need 4 hours for sth but they need 1 hour, you pay for 4 hours and I am fine with that. What I am not fine with is paying for 6 or even 8 hours when they fuck up for a 4 hour job on the book
well he has his own yt channel because he is the WIZARD, So many people ask me if my rx-7 is reliable?
Even Ferraris are "Suck, squeeze, bang, blow." Their parts may be hard to get, but it is still just a car.
Shout out to the "Car Wizard"! My 2008 RX-8 Stalled on me and been standing for almost a year. After watching your video, I not only got the car started using your tips, but I also feel that I know more about the car than ever before. I even changed the fuel pump myself. I was contemplating selling it, I changed my mind. Thank you for your knowledge. You are totally awesome dude. from here on, what would you recommend that I do to keep the car in great shape? It has 80,000 miles. Thanks again God bless you...
Harley's last a lifetime if you take them apart every winter and put a few grand in parts in them.
Harley is not a motorcycle. It's a legend 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Good one!!!
Best comment today my friend you own the internet
😂😂😂😂😂😂
🤣🤣🤣
L on the rotor housing stands for LEADING. The T is TRAILING. So there is a leading and a trailing plug for each housing.
Why did i think the Lead would be on top? 🤔
Yup, and 2 separate ignition systems at least in my old one. Super smooth and responsive, but wow those 4 electrode plugs were expensive.
@@Cony989 Because the rotors will be spinning and seals go top of engine to bottom of engine, so the bottom plug is the lead. Learning is great :D
Lower leading top trailing it was always easy for me to remember that way
The leading plug fires just before the trailing plug for those that didn't know.
for others that experience this with an RX-8. keep in mind that the rx8 has a sort of saddle shaped fuel thank. and that sometimes the mechanism that transfers fuel from the right side (non fuel pump side) to the left side (fuel pump side) stops working for some reason. so there is a chance you experience fuel starvation at around 1/4th of a tank or when you take spirited left turns.
Damn, this Mazda is in really nice shape. Sure it needs some love, but overall it's nicely kept. Also. it was nice to see someone who treads this car like a normal car and not alien technology.
100%
Daily driver normal car 😂🤣😂🤣🥰 everyone has told me not to over drive it that is sensitive
All I know it likes red lines 💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽🥰🥰💃🏽😆
That would sell for 12k here. All of ours are rotten.
I went through almost this exact same diagnostic process when trying to figure out why my car wouldn't start. Starting fluid and relay bypassing answers a lot of questions.
Propane gas will usually work too. I used to use the lil propane bottles piped into intake to move cars with failed fuel pumps. Not all cars like it but slightly older efi cars works great and no risk of ether starting fluid causing damage
Thank you thank you thank you! I finally started my RX using your tip! I will recommend this to everyone.
My engine was flooded, fuel was good, spark was good.
Tried deflooding the official way but no luck even after several goes.
I had even removed the plugs and flushed the chambers. I had shielded the sparks from the plug holes.
This time after performing the usual deflooding procedure, I squirted two shots of Quick Start into the air filter box.
The engine fired up, but I had to keep cranking till it established itself.
Happy days! Thanks.
"Dont even go there bro" I want this to be my new voicemail!
No matter the weather, The Wizard always has plenty of shade in stock for local competitors 😂🤣
😂
You know, If a local shop did something good I bet he would say that as well.
It's not always shade, it's just what comes into his shop.
Let's be honest though, they're not competition. He's frustrated by incompetent people in his field giving mechanics a bad rep.
Greetings from Melbourne Australia. The starting fluids here are called "Start ya Bastard." Happy to send you one if you'd like. lol.
He sounds like a teacher, describing all the steps he took to diagnose the problem. He made it very simple to see what part is not working.
If I remember right, Mazda recalled the fuel pumps for the RX-8 in 2017 or so. Technically it was for a seal, but they were replacing the pumps for free, which was good cause the OEM pumps weren’t great.
My 07 rx8 actually had a deflooding issue which took some time to make it start but The Wizard reminded me of the basics air, fuel, and spark. Tested all of these and finally ruled out the possibilities. Thanks again for the awesome video .
Can you hold WOT while cranking like on a carbureted piston engine that's been flooded? Even if you have to pull the spark plugs, that wouldn't be that hard to de-flood it.
One thing that would be nice in these videos that I’m kinda missing is to see the car running after you fixed it. C’mon Wiz, that’s the satisfying part for us!
Good diagnosis video.
The lower cover on the front is critical because most of the air goes under the car without it.
Yesterday, a 1 owner, 04 RX-8 popped up on my Dealer Wholesale Platform. The inspections stated "battery was low, tried to start, and didn't. Possible fuel related.". I went ahead and placed a low bid offer, then I stumbled upon this video. Sounds like it's the same issue as above. I won the auction, and I pick up my ride this week. My Son will be enjoying it. Thanks Wizard! We'll be leading a lot about the Rotary as we get it running.
How's the car now?
@@Mega-P71 Sold it about a year ago. It was amazing. Since we are always flipping, we found another project. Easy fix. It was fouled. New plugs and BAM! Done..
That's some pretty basic diagnosis there. It was always an issue finding a decent technician, it's getting harder and harder now. So many are admittedly parts changers that can't think for themselves.
Bro, my business partner said he doesnt know how to do a compression test. Smh
Yeah the era of good technicians is dreadfully dead.
It's the same in Car Manufacturing, gone are the days when the big firms hired guys fresh from Technical Colleges, now it's assembly workers, mostly lower wage Immigrants. In Europe when you order a Mercedes, BMW, Audi, VW etc. you really need to find out where was the car assembled because there is a Massive difference in Quality !!
@@AnthonyTobyEllenor-pi4jq where should say a new BMW come from when you buy it in Europe? Are there any places I should avoid?
@@AnthonyTobyEllenor-pi4jq it’s probably the same with automotive TH-camrs, lol. Sometimes it’s the blind leading the blind. Baffles me how most of these car channels are doing so well with all this fluff content. But I gotta give it to some of them, as the TH-cam dollars keep rolling in, some channels are learning to work on what they love so much… Cars.
My dad always told me engines need 4 things to run. When an engine doesn’t start, start with the 4 basics: fuel, timing, compression and ignition. Figuring out what is causing one of those shortages is another question. But starting with those basics is typically pretty easy.
If timing is messed up compression will be bad, or low reading
Hand/Hand
Old stuff, yeah was simple...
123
Spark, fuel, compression
Battery, coil, wiring/fuel filter, hoses, pump/timing
.. now things complicate with input sensors for spark and fuel, and advancement in timings and computer controls..
Auahahahhhhhh
@@gfykbyfcs4177 true, but usually you can at least check for ignition, fuel, listen for compression etc. And yes, once you find out let’s say there’s no ignition or fuel, that might be more difficult.
Spot on.
Respect!!! For taking the time to look at the car and for trying to help someone else out who needs to get to work.
Good One Wizard. My brother and I own SC400s or Soarers from Japan. When problems like this occur we learnt early to go back to basics, check online and fix ourselves.
And the money stays in our pockets. Don’t be frightened of fixing it yourself and if you don’t have the time at least you can communicate with your trusted mechanic 👌
The motor screams “Clean Me”
"I control the fuel pump!!!!"
God I love the Weezard. 😂
Hello Car Wizard i’ve spent a lot of time looking at videos on youtube and tying to learn myself. Today i watched your video before going to look at an RX-8 for myself and you’ve helped me a lot unfortunately the car was no good because like you said you can hear the difference when it has no compression and it was nice to know that difference between a good engine and a bad engine without a compression tester. I loved your video super informational and really helps a lot. Rest assured that i’m subscribing and watching your videos from now on.
I need a T-shirt with the Wizard's face on it and "don't even go there, bro" printed on it 😆
I'd buy that T-shirt fo sho...
I'd buy one....
Ending of this video was trully wholesome. Also i'm glad that this car showed up, alot of people have the assumption that everything on a rotary is complicated but it isn't
very good troubleshooting, I worked on ship propulsion diesels, generators, steam boilers, turbines and auxiliary machinery for four decades on about two dozen different ocean going class vessels; your process of elimination was straight forward and direct. I know a good engineer when I see one!!
rotory: i am thirsty feul plz
car shops: oh dear a rotory
car wizard: here starting fluid
rotory: omnomnom feul
* sharting
Ol school method always works
xdxdxdxdxdxdxdxd
Internally, rotaries are simpler than piston engines and aren't complex at all. Only three main moving parts to a two-rotor engine. Come on!
Exactly
The main drawback to rotaries is their lack of reliability due to the sheer number of seals they need.
@@chrismarek7864 th-cam.com/video/kqeHzqXbVcM/w-d-xo.html lol they were a hell of a lot more unreliable before electronic ignition came along! Almost impossible to keep tuned!
@@chrismarek7864 Main drawback isnt the number of seals, its the fact that like 3 companies control the price of those seals, charging 200$+ for some rubberbands
@@chrismarek7864 piston engine has way more seals. Main drawback is heat and fuel consumption. On a road racetrack, the rotary tends to be more reliable that a piston engine, requiring less rebuilds in a season.
I absolutely appreciate your thoroughness!! I had a forest green version of this RX8. My main relay went while driving, and I also had a parasitic draw that two shops couldn't figure out. Seriously is my favorite car, Thank you for this video!
Its a common phenomenon in the Midwest that shops treat nearly all import cars like theyre some type of exotic.
I've seen cars rejected when they've literally just run out of fuel, as no-one bothered to even check the fuel gauge ... !!! 😂
I've seen the fuel gauge be off and show 1/4 of a tank or more, and be totally empty when you pull the sender lol
If I remember correctly. On my 04 I had years ago on flooding if you mash the throttle all the way open it on cranking it cuts the fuel off. This was done to clear the flooding out.
Man, seeing how he goes through the troubleshooting so smoothly to find the problem was fuel, and how the comments go on about how other mechanics struggle...it makes me wonder if I should learn the trade and strive to be a future wizard.
If you strive to be like this guy, you will be very successful. So many shit mechanics.
Don't. Shit industry, no respect from customers, hard on the body. Just get in construction if you want a labor intensive job, will make more money too
The plugs are Trail and leading T and L, and in my opinion as someone who's rebuilt two already and currently doing my third rebuild they're actually easier to work on than most piston engines, but very cool video glad the guy could get his car fixed and happy to see another rx8 able to drive again
Years ago I was out on tour with my band and my wife needed a new battery for her '06 Audi A4. She brought it to 3 shops that told her they "didn't work on Audis". I started calling around for her until I got a guy that said "Does it have 4 wheels and a motor? Then I work on it." For the rare occasions when I can't do a job myself he gets all our business. I don't even consider calling anyone else.
Good on you for not getting scared away by the badge. I had a couple of RX-7's over the years. Fun cars, but you have to really love them if you want to keep one after 60k miles or so.
Thank you for being passionate about your job and explaining things the way you do. Also, thanks for not just throwing parts at it like most do these days.
I like when Mrs Wizard chimes in with little anecdotes about the old days in much the same way I like Mazdas from back when all their cars looked happy. By which I mean I like it a lot.
I had a '09 gen 2. One of the most fun to drive! To keep then from flooding it's important to change plugs and coils 30k to 60k miles.
I was getting my yearly inspection done at a quick oil change place( they claim 5min changes), and one of the techs asked me how long does it take to change the timing belt! Trying not to laugh in his face I politely told him it doesn't have one. Only three moving parts in a rotary. The eccentric(crank) shaft and the rotors. Needless to say that's why most car repairs are done by me!
@therealcarwizard, if you know of a shop that is close to being as good as yours in the dallas, TX area, please share!
I've experienced this sort of phenomenon with one of my cars, as it has a unique transmission. The problem did NOT require a specialist... but someone who would just TRY... and unusual cars scare rookie techs. The gent that helped me solve it had never worked one like mine, but I found as much info out of the problem as possible, and we looked through documentation together to decide the best plan of action. The solution was a filter that doesn't "exist" according to his documentation......but it DOES in the OEM docs. I found the docs and the filter. Thanks go to both the gent who fixed it, and the gent from the OEM shop for helping me find the part.
You can usually just listen for the fuel pump when you turn the key to on before starting it. That's almost always a sign that the fuel pump is bad.
Yeah, if you can't hear it turn on.
I had a first-gen RX-7, from inside the car the loudest noise at idle was the fuel pump.
Yep. All this other BS was idiotic.
My fuel pump died about 2 weeks ago, and that’s how I diagnosed it after making sure the relay was good. The fuel pump prime in every car I’ve ever had is pretty noticeable
Yeah he had that relay switch and I was sure he was gonna mention something about listening for the pump, but he didn't!
Hey wizard I know you said you guys don't normally build rotarys but honestly I would absolutely love too see you and Daniel tear one down and go threw it , would be a great video !! Really enjoi your content buddy much love from Canada! As a rx8 owner myself their really a fantastic car I have 170,000km on mine with no engine rebuild or any problems you just have too run two stroke injection instead of just the oil injectors ( SOHN adapter kit ) and make sure you redline everytime you drive it to clear the seal springs of carbon and DO not run any synthetic oil in them ( rotors build up carbon due too synthetic oil not burning easily in the combustion cycle ) .
Sometimes on my Lincoln LS, if it runs low on coolant, it will actually cut power to the fuel pump. It's happened to me twice, one on my old 02 V6, and more recently on my 04 V8. It's a ingenious system. It protects the engine from running low on coolant. Saved me from overheating both times. I'm not entirely sure how it works. But if it gets low on coolant, it shuts off the fuel pump. You put some coolant in it, and it will start right back up.
Yee Hawww! Thats some good ole fasion Merican engineering! Good motoring!
Politicu5 more British engineering, it's a Jaguar Drivetrain. It's essentially a re bodied Jaguar S-Type.
@@HeavyTanker-vx4oq ford owned jaguar at this time. Its a Ford
A friend of mine once was unfortunate enough to own a Chevrolet Vega. It had a similar shutoff for the fuel pump on the oil pressure sending unit. If you ran low on oil and lost oil pressure it would kill the fuel supply.
@@HeavyTanker-vx4oq Any idea how it knows? On the S Type there's a coolant level sensor in the tank which lights up the dashboard light if the level is low but that's just supposed to be for knowing that it needs topping up. I'm glad that doesn't cut off the car as the floats are known to go bad after some years and give a spurious warning. I've just replaced my coolant tank after 14 years/165k miles because of the sensor float issue.
I wish I could find a great honest independent mechanic like yourself. Ide even be willing to pay extra just to know I'm not being sold crap I don't need and that the repairs are done properly.
Honest, trustworthy, mechanics that perform quality work are more rare than unicorns. If I was not able to perform diagnostics and repairs myself i would contemplate shipping my vehicle to Eric at South Main, Or this guy, Scanner Danner, Pine Hollow, and the other OG Eric.
I would say the two shops that wouldn't touch it were at least on the surface being honest. They didn't feel they could work on rotaries, and rather than maybe messing something up or misdiagnosing and doing the ol parts shotgun routine, they just declined a chance at some money.
When I watch you repair cars it's like I'm watching myself. Keep up the great work Wizard.
I love the diagnostic process videos - really helps with how I should think as I approach a problem!
Instead of those switched relay jumper boxes I use a jumper wire with a switch so I’m also able to put an amp clamp around it with a scope and get an idea of the shape of the fuel pump circuit and the pump itself. We get a lot of cases like this from other shops. What chaps me the most is when the shop actually brings the car to us themselves for something that should be elementary and then that customer thinks they fixed the problem. I might start accidentally dropping a business card in there. Oops must’ve fell out of my shirt pocket 😂
I have a big heart for the RX-8. was THE hot car to have when it first came out, right alongside Mitsubishi Eclipse. Jeez those were the days. The RX, a very misunderstood car
This same thing happened to me last week, replaced the fuel pump and now it works perfectly.
16:40 leading and trailing, specifically, although just as easy to think of as the equivalent of intake and exhaust stroke typical 4 Cycle. Two rotors makes it the rough analog to a V6. And thank you for showing folks that 90% of that car is still serviceable and you don't have to know a lick about a rotary. Unless those shops don't like money 😃
funnily enough my very first guess when hearing that it just stalled while driving, was the fuel pump. Second guess of course was the coilpack if it has only one (two would result in rough running and fuel-rich exhaust). Two common parts that exist in all petrol fired engines and can be diagnosed in minutes, the latter being fun to test new coworkers with.
Similar story with an old 91 subaru; at one point it had developed random stalling and rough running but with no clear cause, but all it simply was was that the fuel pump was possibly as much as 25 years old and just gunked up with all kinds of stuff (mostly ethanol crystal I imagine). Subaru's use a 3-hose full-loop fuel injection system with a PWM controlled pressure regulator on the return, which of course this relies on the fuel pump providing adequate pressure, so even if it might be pushing at least some fuel through it might only be a couple PSI. So how do you test this? well just pop off the supply hose and plug a pressure gauge on! needless to say once the fuel pump was replaced the engine sounded noticeably deeper in rumble, turns out for the past few months at least it had been running very lean from low fuel pressure and we just never noticed.
And that's where a little rotary knowledge comes in nicely (or just follow the plugwires lol) - The 8 has 4 individual coils, one per plug. So with this car just cutting out all together you can pretty much rule out a faulty coil.
Unbelievable! Those shops gave up without even trying a basic troubleshooting 🙄. They just assumed the problem was the rotary engine. Great job Car Wizard! 💯👏
Its niche car. Its problematic. Engines are expensive. Sometimes its better to just pass and not trouble anymore as a mechanic. Every rx8 owner got his rotary workshop and know that its almost impossible to fix the car anywhere else.
“Don’t even go there bro”😂 I love you Wizard!
I had to wait a bit b4 commenting, because I was passed off. And going around saying "see this is why I and should also fix your own cars, other you play the cards hoping you're lucky enough to find a shop like omega".
To you wizard, I salute you, and keep up the great work.
Nothing like finding a real professional to handle the challenge, which may not even be that big to start with, as you proved so nicely. Thanks for the video! Stay the route.
Man, as a car guy, this whole video hurt to watch. So I can imagine how you felt filming this. Everyone forgets the basics, or just ignores them.
"let's just throw parts at the wall and see what sticks" Moses people are so stupid nowadays. Yes the engine is different mechanically, but ffs it's the same basic principle
It's easier just to make an oil change or panel replacement than troubleshoot an issue. People want to avoid work and earn easy buck.
Your channel is so appreciated. Love the input. In an industry that becomes repetitive, it’s refreshing to see someone attack problems methodically and provide fresh perspective for future repairs.
"I'm glad I kept you around so you can keep my Maserati working" The awesomeness of Mrs. Wizard.
P. The
I
Ok
I
@@gregmcable Happy wife, happy life! THAT is why she has her Maserati, she LIKES it.
God I remember when wizard first made videos on this channel. To see how far he’s come and the channel has come since then is amazing. Keep killing it man!
Car wizard you are the dude, I learned a lot from you throughout the years. I just have so much respect for your honesty and character.
"Here's a hose, a bucket and two peppermints for ya!"
I shouldn’t have eaten the mints first!
Wow, I though you wouldn't work on rotary engines. Nice to see.
He doesn't but there was nothing wrong with the rotary.
Haha, yeah was a fuel problem, nothing related to engine
Did you even watch the video?
In theory these should be easier to work on, given there are less moving parts.
Rotaties are super simple engines. Their biggest problem is people not understanding them. Which I don't get.
Intelligent and honest mechanic saves the customer a lot of money. With this video he is letting the other shops know that you don't need to overhaul a rotary engine to replace a fuel pump.
Wizard: "It's just a normal car, but with a rotary engine"
Rob Dahm: "Hold my beer"
Normal... I bought my son one in France, cost me a fortune in oil and repairs, the B&O stereo system had to be sent to Belgium for a fix, cooling issues also, The last shock was 5000e for a new clutch and to fix a steering noise when turning, and in winter he once had to dump it overnight in some light snow ( no rear grip) to get a lift home with a woman in a little fwd Renault! lol
@@lffit 5000e? Wow! I did my own clutch on my E46 BMW for 350$ and I guarantee a new steering rack would be even cheaper lol.
@@lffit please don’t buy rotary cars if your not a car person lol
@@lffit please don’t buy rotary cars if your not a car person lol
*hold my valvoline
Nice work Wizard! Great lesson in sticking to old-school logic! Before grabbing the code reader just slow down and think! Love your channel!
Best mechanic Channel on TH-cam and it's not even close! Appreciate all you do wizard
"It doesn't have pistons like a normal...." Internal dialogue : "crap I shouldn't have called it normal."
Thought the same thing lol
GOD those switch activated relays are frickin ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!
As a former tech of GM (10 years) and a parts employee at a mazda dealership for 2 years, The RX8 was a drivers (car ppl) car. you just cant drive this car like a normal piston car. I drove one as a used car PDI at gm that was intake,exhaust,tuned and man it was so fun! Car wizard is correct about not being scared to check basic things. Always start simple with repairs and ignore the issue it came in for.
Those relay switches are the bomb! I use them almost daily, that $40 or so has definitely paid for itself