View Full Version : Starting Car on Small Incline...


AlisterMcRae
02-12-2007, 02:03 AM
I just noticed this but the car starts up just fine on a flat surface with hot or cold weather. But I went to a friends house who has an elevated driveway and everytime I get in the car to leave and try to start the 8, it hesitates for about 2 seconds before starting.

Any ideas what it might be?

army_rx8
02-12-2007, 03:06 AM
how much fuel is in your tank? just curious.

AlisterMcRae
02-12-2007, 08:59 PM
how much fuel is in your tank? just curious.

on average between halfway mark and empty.

Easy_E1
02-12-2007, 09:06 PM
Don't park on an incline,,JK. Sounds a bit odd to me. Don't have an answer.
Speculation? Not really anything comes to mind.
Unless for some reason the fuel is creeping back towards the tank and leaving a space of air between the fuel pump and pick up line in tank. I doubt it though. Air would have to get in to replace the fuel. And you have no fuel leaks.
Oh well.

army_rx8
02-13-2007, 12:05 AM
^yea that's what i was leaning twoards as well..but it doesn't seem like that would be (as per how does the air get in)...to be honest i could guess at a lot of different things that could cause this...but with out looking at the car and messing around with it...i dunno.

what year is your car..if it's under warrenty take it to a dealership. hehe if not make friends with a mechanic in your area who will check it out for free :)

to recap from what you've said...i'm leaning twords a fuel delivery issue..b/c the car has no issues on level ground just on an incline. But not sure the exact cause (or even if it is a fuel draining to the rear issue) with out checking it out.

is the front of the car pointed up..or down....or does that not matter when it cranks a few times? is it temperature dependent too? does the amount of tiem the car has sat on the incline play into it any (only after a few hours liek that or a few sec.'s)? things liek that....we can help you more if we had more specifics.


hmm..ok that's a lot of babbling..hope i stayed on track..if not sorry. lol :)

Razz1
02-13-2007, 12:07 AM
Are you strating it with the parking break on?

Or are you just depressing the clutch?

AlisterMcRae
02-13-2007, 01:45 AM
^yea that's what i was leaning twoards as well..but it doesn't seem like that would be (as per how does the air get in)...to be honest i could guess at a lot of different things that could cause this...but with out looking at the car and messing around with it...i dunno.

what year is your car..if it's under warrenty take it to a dealership. hehe if not make friends with a mechanic in your area who will check it out for free :)

to recap from what you've said...i'm leaning twords a fuel delivery issue..b/c the car has no issues on level ground just on an incline. But not sure the exact cause (or even if it is a fuel draining to the rear issue) with out checking it out.

is the front of the car pointed up..or down....or does that not matter when it cranks a few times? is it temperature dependent too? does the amount of tiem the car has sat on the incline play into it any (only after a few hours liek that or a few sec.'s)? things liek that....we can help you more if we had more specifics.


hmm..ok that's a lot of babbling..hope i stayed on track..if not sorry. lol :)

I will be happy to oblidge w/specifics..lol

I park w/the vehicles nose on the incline. Its weird though cause when I park and leave the car in neutral and then start it up again it starts fine. However, when I start the car in gear, it has trouble starting.

AlisterMcRae
02-13-2007, 01:47 AM
Are you strating it with the parking break on?

Or are you just depressing the clutch?

Both, I usually just leave the parking brake engaged until the car has started then release it.

MazdaManiac
02-13-2007, 02:04 AM
I actually found that, when I had the Int-X installed, the car was harder to start on an incline.
WTF?

army_rx8
02-13-2007, 03:11 AM
^wierd.....where's a mazda engineer when you need one?

army_rx8
02-13-2007, 03:13 AM
everything that you would think tha twould cause it to start hard...would cause it to start hard no matter how the car was..slight incline or flat surface.....hmmm mayeb i should think about this probable when it isn't 0300. lol Brain doesn't work soo good early in the morning.

TeamRX8
02-13-2007, 10:31 AM
why is 2 seconds an issue?

AlisterMcRae
02-13-2007, 08:14 PM
why is 2 seconds an issue?

It happened again today when I went to my friends after work. When I left work, car started no problem. But when I left my friends, started it in gear, it was more like 4-5 seconds.

otherside
02-13-2007, 08:26 PM
It happened again today when I went to my friends after work. When I left work, car started no problem. But when I left my friends, started it in gear, it was more like 4-5 seconds.
Started it in gear?

AlisterMcRae
02-13-2007, 09:36 PM
Started it in gear?

I know that sentence doesnt really make sense.

Razz1
02-14-2007, 12:32 AM
I wonder if anyone else has this problem.

ECU thinking? Ahh.. out of control, must shut down, apply DCS, TCS a wait a minute..
tires not moving, I'm ok to start the car now.

Hell of a good question if others are experincing the same thing. Go to West coast section and see if you can find member in San Fransico.

AlisterMcRae
02-14-2007, 12:36 AM
I wonder if anyone else has this problem.

ECU thinking? Ahh.. out of control, must shut down, apply DCS, TCS a wait a minute..
tires not moving, I'm ok to start the car now.

Hell of a good question if others are experincing the same thing. Go to West coast section and see if you can find member in San Fransico.

Im in az so maybe ill try there, unless there is someone from san fran who knows?

I thought it was the battery at first but that was ruled out because starts fine on flat surfaces.

Razz1
02-14-2007, 12:47 AM
The only thing I can think of is the clutch not fuly engaging the swithc to allow you to start the car.

AlisterMcRae
02-14-2007, 12:49 AM
The pn;y thing I can think of is the clutch not fuly engaging the swithc to allow you to start the car.

Maybe, i didnt think of that. Maybe because im at a steeper incline im not pushing the clutch as far as I need to? Im going to try that tomorrow and see what happens.