Mazda RX-8 User manual

GENERAL INFORMATION
How to use this Manual: (w)
Range of Topics
•This manual contains procedures for performing all required service operations. The procedures are
divided into the following five basic operations:
 Removal/Installation
 Disassembly/Assembly
 Replacement
 Inspection
 Adjustment
•Simple operations which can be performed easily just by looking at the vehicle (i.e., removal/installation
of parts, jacking, vehicle lifting, cleaning of parts, and visual inspection) have been omitted.
Service Procedure
Inspection, adjustment
•Inspection and adjustment procedures are divided into steps. Important points regarding the location and
contents of the procedures are explained in detail and shown in the illustrations.
Repair procedure
1. Most repair operations begin with an overview illustration. It identifies the components, shows how the
parts fit together, and describes visual part inspection. However, only removal/installation procedures
that need to be performed methodically have written instructions.
2. Expendable parts, tightening torques, and symbols for oil, grease, and sealant are shown in the overview
illustration. In addition, symbols indicating parts requiring the use of special service tools or equivalent
are also shown.
3. Procedure steps are numbered and the part that is the main point of that procedure is shown in the
illustration with the corresponding number. Occasionally, there are important points or additional
information concerning a procedure. Refer to this information when servicing the related part.
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Symbols
•There are eight symbols indicating oil, grease, fluids, sealant, and the use of SST or equivalent. These
symbols show application points or use of these materials during service.
Symbol Meaning Kind
Apply oil New appropriate engine oil or gear oil
Apply brake fluid New appropriate brake fluid
Apply automatic transaxle/
transmission fluid
New appropriate automatic
transaxle/
transmission fluid
Apply grease Appropriate grease
Apply sealant
Appropriate
sealant
Apply petroleum jelly
Appropriate
petroleum jelly
Replace part O-ring, gasket, etc.
Use SST or
equivalent
Appropriate tools
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Advisory Messages
•You will find several Warnings , Cautions , Notes , Specifications and Upper and Lower Limits in
this manual.
Warning
•A Warning indicates a situation in which serious injury or death could result if the warning is ignored.
Caution
•A Caution indicates a situation in which damage to the vehicle or parts could result if the caution is
ignored.
Note
•A Note provides added information that will help you to complete a particular procedure.
Specification
•The values indicate the allowable range when performing inspections or adjustments.
Upper and lower limits
•The values indicate the upper and lower limits that must not be exceeded when performing inspections
or adjustments.
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Notes:

Troubleshooting Procedure
Basic flow of troubleshooting
DTC troubleshooting flow (on-board diagnostic)
•Diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) are important hints for repairing malfunctions that are difficult to
simulate. Perform the specific DTC diagnostic inspection to quickly and accurately diagnose the
malfunction.
•The on-board diagnostic function is used during inspection. When a DTC is shown specifying the cause
of a malfunction, continue the diagnostic inspection according to the items indicated by the on-board
diagnostic function.
Diagnostic index
•The diagnostic index lists the symptoms of specific malfunctions. Select the symptoms related or most
closely relating to the malfunction.
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Quick diagnosis chart (If mentioned)
•The quick diagnosis chart lists diagnosis and inspection procedures to be performed specifically relating
to the cause of the malfunction.
Symptom troubleshooting
•Symptom troubleshooting quickly determines the location of the malfunction according to symptom
type.
Procedures for Use
Using the basic inspection (section 05)
•Perform the basic inspection procedure before symptom troubleshooting.
•Perform each step in the order shown.
•The reference column lists the location of the detailed procedure for each basic inspection.
•Although inspections and adjustments are performed according to the reference column procedures, if
the cause of the malfunction is discovered during basic inspection, continue the procedures as indicated
in the action column.
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Using the DTC troubleshooting flow
•DTC troubleshooting flow shows diagnostic procedures, inspection methods, and proper action to take
for each DTC.
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Using the diagnostic index
•The symptoms of the malfunctions are listed in the diagnostic index for symptom troubleshooting.
•The exact malfunction symptoms can be selected by following the index.
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Notes:

Using the quick diagnosis chart
•The chart lists the relation between the symptom and the cause of the malfunction.
•The chart is effective in quickly narrowing down the relation between symptom and cause of the
malfunction. It also specifies the area of the common cause when multiple malfunction symptoms occur.
•The appropriate diagnostic inspection relating to malfunction cause as specified by the symptoms can be
selected by looking down the diagnostic inspection column of the chart.
Using the symptom troubleshooting
•Symptom troubleshooting shows diagnostic procedures, inspection methods, and proper action to take
for each trouble symptom.
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SERVICE CAUTIONS
Protection of the Vehicle
•Always be sure to cover fenders, seats and floor areas before starting work.
Preparation of Tools and Measuring Equipment
•Be sure that all necessary tools and measuring equipment are available before starting any work.
Special Service Tools
•Use special service tools or equivalent when they are required.
Disconnection of the Negative Battery Cable
•Before beginning any work, turn the ignition switch to LOCK position, then disconnect the negative
battery cable and wait for more than 1 min. to allow the backup power supply of the SAS control
module to deplete its stored power. Disconnecting the battery cable will delete the memories of the
clock, audio, and DTCs, etc. Therefore, it is necessary to verify those memories before disconnecting the
cable.
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WARNING:
•For vehicles with DSC, if the negative battery cable is disconnected, the stored initial position of
the steering angle sensor will be cleared and the DSC will not operate properly, making the
vehicle unsafe to drive. Perform the steering angle sensor initialization procedure after
connecting the negative battery cable. (See STEERING ANGLE SENSOR INITIALIZATION
PROCEDURE )
Oil Leakage Inspection
•Use either of the following procedures to identify the type of oil that is leaking:
Using UV light (black light)
1. Remove any oil on the engine or transmission.
NOTE:
•Referring to the fluorescent dye instruction manual, mix the specified amount of dye into the
engine oil or ATF (or transmission oil).
2. Pour the fluorescent dye into the engine oil or ATF (or transmission oil).
3. Allow the engine to run for 30 min.
4. Inspect for dye leakage by irradiating with UV light (black light), and identify the type of oil that is
leaking.
5. If no dye leakage is found, allow the engine to run for another 30 min. or drive the vehicle then
reinspect.
6. Find where the oil is leaking from, then make necessary repairs.
NOTE:
•To determine whether it is necessary to replace the oil after adding the fluorescent dye, refer to
the fluorescent dye instruction manual.
Not using UV light (black light)
1. Gather some of the leaking oil using an absorbent white tissue.
2. Take samples of engine oil and ATF (or transmission oil), both from the dipstick, and place them next to
the leaked oil already gathered on the tissue.
3. Compare the appearance and smell, and identify the type of oil that is leaking.
4. Remove any oil on the engine or transmission.
5. Allow the engine to run for 30 min.
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6. Check the area where the oil is leaking, then make necessary repairs.
Removal of Parts
•While correcting a problem, also try to determine its cause. Begin work only after first learning which
parts and subassemblies must be removed and disassembled for replacement or repair. After removing
the part, plug all holes and ports to prevent foreign material from entering.
Disassembly
•If the disassembly procedure is complex, requiring many parts to be disassembled, all parts should be
marked in a place that will not affect their performance or external appearance and identified so that
reassembly can be performed easily and efficiently.
Inspection During Removal, Disassembly
•When removed, each part should be carefully inspected for malfunction, deformation, damage and other
problems.
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Arrangement of Parts
•All disassembled parts should be carefully arranged for reassembly.
•Be sure to separate or otherwise identify the parts to be replaced from those that will be reused.
Cleaning of Parts
•All parts to be reused should be carefully and thoroughly cleaned in the appropriate method.
WARNING:
•Using compressed air can cause dirt and other particles to fly out causing injury to the eyes. Wear
protective eye wear whenever using compressed air.
Reassembly
•Standard values, such as torques and certain adjustments, must be strictly observed in the reassembly of
all parts.
•If removed, the following parts should be replaced with new ones:
 Oil seals
 Gaskets
 O-rings
 Lock washers
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 Cotter pins
 Nylon nuts
•Depending on location:
 Sealant and gaskets, or both, should be applied to specified locations. When sealant is applied,
parts should be installed before sealant hardens to prevent leakage.
 Oil should be applied to the moving components of parts.
 Specified oil or grease should be applied at the prescribed locations (such as oil seals) before
reassembly.
Adjustment
•Use suitable gauges and testers when making adjustments.
Rubber Parts and Tubing
•Prevent gasoline or oil from getting on rubber parts or tubing.
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Hose Clamps
•When reinstalling, position the hose clamp in the original location on the hose and squeeze the clamp
lightly with large pliers to ensure a good fit.
Torque Formulas
•When using a torque wrench- SST or equivalent combination, the written torque must be recalculated
due to the extra length that the SST or equivalent adds to the torque wrench. Recalculate the torque by
using the following formulas. Choose the formula that applies to you.
Torque Unit Formula
N·m N·m ×[L/(L+A)]
kgf·m kgf·m ×[L/(L+A)]
kgf·cm kgf·cm ×[L/(L+A)]
ft·lbf ft·lbf ×[L/(L+A)]
in·lbf in·lbf ×[L/(L+A)]
A
The length of the SST past the torque wrench drive.
L
The length of the torque wrench.
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Vise
•When using a vise, put protective plates in the jaws of the vise to prevent damage to parts.
Dynamometer
•When inspecting and servicing the power train on the dynamometer or speed meter tester, pay
attention to the following:
 Place a fan, preferably a vehicle-speed proportional type, in front of the vehicle.
 Make sure the vehicle is in a facility with an exhaust gas ventilation system.
 Since the rear bumper might deform from the heat, cool the rear with a fan. (Surface of the
bumper must be below 70°
°°
°C {158°
°°
°F} degrees .)
 Keep the area around the vehicle uncluttered so that heat does not build up.
 Watch the water temperature gauge and don't overheat the engine.
 Avoid added load to the engine and maintain normal driving conditions as much as
possible.
NOTE:
•When only the front or rear wheels are rotated on a chassis dynamometer or equivalent, the
ABS/DSC CM determines that there is a malfunction in the ABS/DSC and illuminates the
following lights:
 Vehicles with ABS
•ABS warning light
•Brake system warning light
 Vehicles with DSC
•ABS warning light
•Brake system warning light
•DSC indicator light
•If the above lights are illuminated, dismount the vehicle from the chassis dynamometer and turn
the ignition switch to the LOCK position. Then, turn the ignition switch back to the ON position,
run the vehicle at 10 km/h or more and verify that the warning lights go out. In this case, a DTC
will be stored in the memory. Clear the DTC from the memory by following the memory clearing
procedure [ABS]/[DSC] in the on-board diagnostic system. (See ON-BOARD DIAGNOSIS [ABS]
) (See ON-BOARD DIAGNOSIS [DYNAMIC STABILITY CONTROL] )
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IDENTIFICATION NUMBER LOCATIONS
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Chassis Number
Engine Identification Number
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VIN:
Chassis:
EIN:
Notes:

SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE
Scheduled Maintenance Table
Schedule 1 : (Normal driving conditions) U.S.A.
•The vehicle is mainly operated where none of the "unique driving conditions" apply.
Number of months or kilometers (miles), whichever comes first
Months 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48
×1000 km 12 24 36 48 60 72 84 96
Maintenance Item
×1000 miles 7.5 15 22.5 30 37.5 45 52.5 60
ENGINE
Engine oil R R R R R R R R
Engine oil filter R R R R R R R R
Drive belt I I
AIR CLEANER
Air cleaner element C C R C
IGNITION SYSTEM
Spark plugs R
FUEL SYSTEM
Fuel filter Replace every 160,000 Km (100,000 miles)
Fuel lines, hoses and connections *1I I
COOLING SYSTEM
Cooling system I I
Engine coolant Replace at first 96,000 km (60,000 miles) or 48 months; after that, every
24 months
CHASSIS & BODY
Brake line, hoses and connection I I
Disc brakes I I I I
Steering operation and linkages I I
Front and rear suspension and ball
joints I I
Manual transmission oil R
Rear differential oil R
Driveshaft dust boots I I
Bolts and nut on seats I I
Exhaust system heat shields I I
All locks & hinges L L L L L L L L
Flat tire repair kit *2Inspect every year
AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM
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Cabin air filter (If installed) Replace every 40,000 km (25,000 miles) or 24 months
Chart symbols
I
Inspect and repair, clean, adjust, or replace if necessary.
R
Replace
L
Lubricate
C
Clean
Remarks
•After the described period, continue to follow the described maintenance at the recommended
intervals.
•Refer below for a description of items marked * in the maintenance chart.
o*1: According to state / provincial and federal regulations, failure to perform maintenance
on these items will not void your emissions warranties. However, Mazda recommends that
all maintenance services be performed at the recommended time or mileage / kilometer
period to ensure long-term reliability.
o*2: Check the tire repair fluid expiration date every year when performing the periodic
maintenance. Replace the tire repair fluid bottle with new one before the expiration date.
Schedule 2 : Canada, Puerto Rico and (Unique driving conditions) U.S.A.
Unique driving conditions consist of
•Repeated short-distance driving
•Driving in dusty conditions
•Driving with extended use of brakes
•Driving in areas where salt or other corrosive materials are used
•Driving on rough or muddy roads
•Extended periods of idling or low-speed operation
•Driving for long periods in cold temperatures or extremely humid climates
Number of months or kilometers (miles), whichever comes first
Months 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48
×1000 km 8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80 88 96
Maintenance Item
×1000 miles 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
ENGINE
Puerto Rico Replace every 5,000 km (3,000 miles) or 3 months
Engine oil Others R R R R R R R R R R R R
Engine oil filter R R R R R R R R R R R R
Drive belt I I
AIR CLEANER
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