Sunday night after returning home from the Snodrift Rally, Flint was getting some snow.. Itook the RX-8 out for the Flint Ghetto Rally. My girl and I hooned it all over town enjoying the deserted, snowy roads for about an hour. Coming around a long sweeper in 3rd I shift to 4th but hit 6th instead. There was a loud crunch and what reminded me of a false neutral, like one gets in motorcycle. I tried 5th and also had nothing. I go back to 4th and it seemed fine, so I left it there. We made it to a parking lot and parked it. Now it is in gear and will not shift to another gear. The shifter moves freely and I can feel the gates. I assume that I have ruined a finely engineered piece of metal and a replacement or rebuild is in order. Do any of you have any ideas of what is wrong? aside from my lack of maturity and judgement.
I have determined some part of your transmission is broken 
The S1 transmissions did not handle prolonged use too well from my understanding, how is the clutch pedal?
The clutch feels fine and the car is a second series, 2009.
pilotbraden wrote:
I assume that I have ruined a finely engineered piece of metal
More like a poorly engineered piece of poo. I've been very unimpressed with the earlier version of that trans, which is in my '06 RX8. The S2's are supposed to be much better, but I don't have any first hand experience.
The forks are not that strong on the S1 cars and I've had two transmissions where the fork bent going into second causing grinding during 1-2 and 3-2 shifts (one trans was in the car when I got it, and the used trans I replaced it with has the same issue). Doesn't sound like this is your problem, though.
If you have the time and something else to drive, the transmission isn't that hard to remove, open up, and disassemble. Just be really damn sure you cover the gear/shift collars if you slide them around with the case apart - they have little spring loaded ball bearings to re-center them in the neutral position and they love to shoot out of the assembly and fly across the shop/garage never to be seen again.
Based on your description, it does sound a little like a clutch issue, though, rather than trans internals - as Jtspells suggested.
Can you start it now? Or is the clutch staying engaged?
If you push in the clutch, does the car roll back and forth? And vice versa?
Check your clutch pedal bracket! I had mine snap and behave the exact same way two months ago. The bracket is two pieces of very very thin metal spot-welded together. The left side spot weld likes to snap or the bracket itself will crack in that area. RX8 Club explains it better than I ever could.
The car starts and rolls freely with the clutch pedal depressed. I believe it to be a transmission problem.
Can you take the shifter off and lever the rods around to see if it pops out of gear?
I'll trade you for a Miata with a good transmission. 
In reply to EvanB:
I already have a Miata, but maybe I need another one, especially if it has a turbo.
Mileage? 5 year/60K powertrain warranty I believe. Might be outside year warranty, but Mazda might throw you a bone.
Sounds like you broke a fork, except the shifter feel should have changed if that happened.
In reply to CGLockRacer:
63,000 miles. In early december I would have been covered.
Duke
UltimaDork
2/4/15 11:31 a.m.
I'd bet if you are polite that they will work with you on it anyway.
I blame Gremlins in the transmission.
In reply to EvanB:
no linkages between the shifter and transmission on these IIRC.
Did you figure out what the problem was? Was it the transmission? Dead pilot bearing?
