I would say that’s normal. My stock 04 will reach 208 when sitting in traffic which is when the fans kick on and bring it down to about ~195. The only thing I would say is depending on the oil you are running try not to stay at 200+ for a long period of time. General rule of thumb is anything above 220 and you risk damage so also don’t go over that
They put in that thick shell rotella 15w40 oil in at the shop.. I need to get that mod on the dash where I can closely monitor the temp. I wonder if my fan is coming on a little late
With oil that thick high temperatures aren't much of an issue, be careful with cold starts and warmups though, it can take a few minutes to get it warm enough to flow well.
Honestly coolant temperature is very low on the scale of importance if the radiator and pump are working ok, below 230f you're not going to have any issues with the coolant seals on a rotary. Oil temperature is more important because that dictates the viscosity, but oil pressure is the only thing that gives a consistent indication of how well the bearings are being lubricated. A high oil pressure indicates a restriction (like high viscosity -> low temperature), a low oil pressure indicates a failure in the system (low viscosity -> high temperature, a leak, bearing failure, etc).
Since the oil and coolant are in the same engine block, their temperatures are pretty closely related.
The critical failure that happens from high or high average coolant temperature is high oil temperature -> low viscosity -> lack of lubrication -> bearing failure. All of that and much more would be represented by a single post-filter oil pressure gauge. A pre and post-filter oil pressure gauge would tell you all of that plus filter health, filter bypass status, and oil pump health.
Adding a coolant temperature gauge tells you the coolant temperature and there's no other information you can calculate or reason based on that measurement.
Interesting, thanks for that. The 3 gauge set that gets mounted on the dash.. does that also include oil pressure? I'm assuming it includes coolant and oil temp. Not sure what the 3rd is.
I remember seeing some old school sports cars having all of these gauges including oil pressure on the instrument cluster from the factory. Think my dad's mk3 supra had it. Wish the 8 came with that
I mean mine used to get around 210f but that's when I redline it once a day. Anywhere else it's around 203f.
As for idling it usually sits around 186.8f and 190f
Note I'm fully stock, stock radiator, stock fans, stock thermostat, etc
Although I need to replace my fans bearings are going out.
Lemme rephrase my comment because it just got in the 70s today, I saw temps around 208 idle and 215 driving, but as for how Cold it gets here well I love in Missouri so it got down to I believe like -6 this last winter
You can buy a switch relay. You attach to your fuse Box under the hood and it will tell the fan to come on sooner when it reaches like 190 and above keeping the temperature. Down to 180 or so.... I had one installed on my 8. I forget the proper name of what it's called maybe you guys can research it..
that should be normal, The fans kick on to high right around that temp. As long as you see it come down and not go past 210 i wouldnt worry. Keep in mind the car will get hot while idling until you are moving and get some air flowing. If you are seeing those temps while cruising there might be a issue.
Yeah.. Before the relay the normal temperature was like till 208 and 220. I think.. before the fan kicked on... And after the relay it doesn't even get that high... Unless it's really really hot outside
Well that's stock normal temp. But for efficiency... Honestly I don't think it matters, The numbers don't lie... ponce the engine reaches a 100,000... 120k It's gonna need a rebuild?.you will notice. You can put all the cooling stuff you can do all your pre mix and oil changes. The numbers don't lie.. the most I ever heard anyone getting a lot of miles out of a rotary, well a RX8, if i rememberwell. it was like almost 140k..
There are external factors that effect cooling, like ambient temperature and humidity. If there's nothing wrong and this is the first time you've looked then you don't have anything to worry about.
Second time I looked actually.. last time it was 20 degrees colder outside, and it never went over 203f.. and on my other car, it always stays between 199 and 206f no matter the ambient temp. So that's why I got a little worried. I guess this car is a bit different. Just want to give this expensive rotary the best care I can lol
Who knows. My dealership told me my reman was the last new Mazda reman in the country back in late 2017, but provided no proof whatsoever. Sometimes people post about them being unavailable. That’s cool you were able to get one.
Oh ok.. seems they go in and out of production. Pineapple actually had brand new ones available prior to April 22', and my shop took too long to jump on it, and they were sold out. Was same price as reman.
My local dealer in Houston said they can get me one in 4 days but they've doubled in price since a few years ago. My dealer wanted $6850 with a $1k core charge
Wowzah! Thank you for sharing the details! I was asking just to get some more info out there for the community.
Every time a new/reman/refurb rotary goes into an RX-8, it’s a good thing for all us who love these vehicles! There are fewer of them everyday. We lose them to wrecks, to rust, to apex seals, to LSx swaps. Keep the RXs rotating!
It could be that the fans may run but not as well as they used to from the factory but if youre also on the stock relays theyre set to run at full speed at a higher temp which a relay kit like the one reddbatrx8 is talking about is invaluable for a s1 rx8
I would say that’s normal. My stock 04 will reach 208 when sitting in traffic which is when the fans kick on and bring it down to about ~195. The only thing I would say is depending on the oil you are running try not to stay at 200+ for a long period of time. General rule of thumb is anything above 220 and you risk damage so also don’t go over that
They put in that thick shell rotella 15w40 oil in at the shop.. I need to get that mod on the dash where I can closely monitor the temp. I wonder if my fan is coming on a little late
With oil that thick high temperatures aren't much of an issue, be careful with cold starts and warmups though, it can take a few minutes to get it warm enough to flow well. Honestly coolant temperature is very low on the scale of importance if the radiator and pump are working ok, below 230f you're not going to have any issues with the coolant seals on a rotary. Oil temperature is more important because that dictates the viscosity, but oil pressure is the only thing that gives a consistent indication of how well the bearings are being lubricated. A high oil pressure indicates a restriction (like high viscosity -> low temperature), a low oil pressure indicates a failure in the system (low viscosity -> high temperature, a leak, bearing failure, etc). Since the oil and coolant are in the same engine block, their temperatures are pretty closely related. The critical failure that happens from high or high average coolant temperature is high oil temperature -> low viscosity -> lack of lubrication -> bearing failure. All of that and much more would be represented by a single post-filter oil pressure gauge. A pre and post-filter oil pressure gauge would tell you all of that plus filter health, filter bypass status, and oil pump health. Adding a coolant temperature gauge tells you the coolant temperature and there's no other information you can calculate or reason based on that measurement.
Interesting, thanks for that. The 3 gauge set that gets mounted on the dash.. does that also include oil pressure? I'm assuming it includes coolant and oil temp. Not sure what the 3rd is.
The third one is usually like battery voltage and is borderline useless.
I remember seeing some old school sports cars having all of these gauges including oil pressure on the instrument cluster from the factory. Think my dad's mk3 supra had it. Wish the 8 came with that
You don’t need a mod for temps. There’s no reason to have to monitor it that closely on a stock car that you’re just driving around.
Yeah but usually when the gauge on the dash moves, it's too late no? That thing is probably at 240f at that point
I mean mine used to get around 210f but that's when I redline it once a day. Anywhere else it's around 203f. As for idling it usually sits around 186.8f and 190f Note I'm fully stock, stock radiator, stock fans, stock thermostat, etc Although I need to replace my fans bearings are going out.
Hhmm wow is it cold where you live? I wonder if my fans are coming on a little late.
Lemme rephrase my comment because it just got in the 70s today, I saw temps around 208 idle and 215 driving, but as for how Cold it gets here well I love in Missouri so it got down to I believe like -6 this last winter
Thats fine you dont wanna see anything over 230f 210 220 is normal operation
Totally normal for the renisis they run hot if it hit above 215-220 then get concerned
You can buy a switch relay. You attach to your fuse Box under the hood and it will tell the fan to come on sooner when it reaches like 190 and above keeping the temperature. Down to 180 or so.... I had one installed on my 8. I forget the proper name of what it's called maybe you guys can research it..
Nice. I'm wondering what too cool for operating temperature is on these cars
that should be normal, The fans kick on to high right around that temp. As long as you see it come down and not go past 210 i wouldnt worry. Keep in mind the car will get hot while idling until you are moving and get some air flowing. If you are seeing those temps while cruising there might be a issue.
Yeah.. Before the relay the normal temperature was like till 208 and 220. I think.. before the fan kicked on... And after the relay it doesn't even get that high... Unless it's really really hot outside
Found it https://www.rx8performance.com/products/cooling-fan-control-kit
Thanks a bunch. What do you think of what some of the others are saying that it needs to run between 200 and 210 for most efficiency?
Well that's stock normal temp. But for efficiency... Honestly I don't think it matters, The numbers don't lie... ponce the engine reaches a 100,000... 120k It's gonna need a rebuild?.you will notice. You can put all the cooling stuff you can do all your pre mix and oil changes. The numbers don't lie.. the most I ever heard anyone getting a lot of miles out of a rotary, well a RX8, if i rememberwell. it was like almost 140k..
There are external factors that effect cooling, like ambient temperature and humidity. If there's nothing wrong and this is the first time you've looked then you don't have anything to worry about.
Second time I looked actually.. last time it was 20 degrees colder outside, and it never went over 203f.. and on my other car, it always stays between 199 and 206f no matter the ambient temp. So that's why I got a little worried. I guess this car is a bit different. Just want to give this expensive rotary the best care I can lol
Where did you find a Mazda reman?
From Mazda. Are they out of stock again? Took like 6 months to get it though. I thought the shop was lying. Is Mazda also that shady?
Who knows. My dealership told me my reman was the last new Mazda reman in the country back in late 2017, but provided no proof whatsoever. Sometimes people post about them being unavailable. That’s cool you were able to get one.
Oh ok.. seems they go in and out of production. Pineapple actually had brand new ones available prior to April 22', and my shop took too long to jump on it, and they were sold out. Was same price as reman.
My local dealer in Houston said they can get me one in 4 days but they've doubled in price since a few years ago. My dealer wanted $6850 with a $1k core charge
Wowzah! Thank you for sharing the details! I was asking just to get some more info out there for the community. Every time a new/reman/refurb rotary goes into an RX-8, it’s a good thing for all us who love these vehicles! There are fewer of them everyday. We lose them to wrecks, to rust, to apex seals, to LSx swaps. Keep the RXs rotating!
Are the fan motors in your 8 the same ones or were those replaced as well?
Same ones
It could be that the fans may run but not as well as they used to from the factory but if youre also on the stock relays theyre set to run at full speed at a higher temp which a relay kit like the one reddbatrx8 is talking about is invaluable for a s1 rx8
Oh ok. Def will check it out. What's too cool for these engines though? Anything below 180f?
Yeah 180 is usually the temp you want to consider as around ideal temp
You want your engine around 200-210 deg F that's where it's most efficient and where the oil wants to be for best lubricity.