I hadn’t driven my car in two days. Today I went to start it and it had a hard time starting almost like it was semi flooded, it fires a few times and sputters then eventually starts. I warmed it up drove about 130km today. Every time I start it it now does this any ideas? Thanks. And I have searched with little success.

My car has all the current recalls, is a 100% stock besides then K&N drop in filter and has 76 000 km

plugs ? battery ? coils ?

yeah i plan on replacing the plugs. i just find it odd fine 2days ago and now this.

Is your fuel tank close to empty? Filter clean?

Is your fuel tank close to empty? Filter clean?


We don't have a fuel filter in a RX8.

Mine had the same trouble starting until I changed all the coils, wires and plugs. I don't know which fixed it but I don't worry about it starting hard anymore. I considered it preventive maintanence.

We don't have a fuel filter in a RX8.

Well, we don't have a serviceable fuel filter, but there is an integral filter in the pump.

Come to think of it, I was extremely low on fuel just before I parked it.

It's not that it sat for 2 days, if that's what you're wondering. Mine routinely sits for a week—sometimes two weeks—and has always started right up every time.

It it's the stock battery and it's two years old it's crap.

Our stock batteries are too week. This is for 2004,2005,2006.

Replace the plugs, they are pretty foul.

I can smell them from here. Kinda like a dead fish. HA ha

wow Mazdamaniac you're going to get me fired with the pic....

wow Mazdamaniac you're going to get me fired with the pic....

+1...me too ! But I like your pics! Any special place where u get them from?

firefox -> righclick -> block all images from rx8club.com :p

Come to think of it, I was extremely low on fuel just before I parked it.


It could be the low fuel. This time of year the fluctuation of temperature can cause condensation to form in the fuel tank if it isn't full. It has to do with the lowering of the dew point due to lowering of the temperature. I used to have a big problem with this in the fall when I lived in Syracuse New York. Fill the tank.

You are also probably working up to new plugs, not so much the wires and coils, but they could be done too if you are feeling rich. And you might also want to clean the MAF sensor since you are using a K&N filter. There is some talk that the oil from the filter can coat the MAF sensor faster than the paper filter would permit.

Mee to but i cant stop scrolling up for some reason ha ha ha

Search "Starter TSB" I had a thread but no time now to look for it I"m @ work.:lol2:

Having all the recalls won't necessarily fix this problem because Mazda never did a formal recall for the hard start problem that many earlier cars suffered.

However, there was a TSB issued as indicated above and those of us who whinged to our service manager about hard starting got our battery and plugs replaced no questions asked. I did that and the difference was amazing.

Otherwise, unless the fuel level was extremely low (I'm talking yellow light on for some time the last time you drove it), I don't agree that low fuel level or leaving your car for a while would have anything to do with the problem. Like one of the guys above, mine regularly sits for a week or more and starts every time without any hesitation.

wow Mazdamaniac you're going to get me fired with the pic....
Your name's Mike and you look like that? What time you get off work tonight?

alright, ill start replacing parts monday starting with the plugs thanks for all the advice

So I replaced the plugs, didn’t help. so I took it in to the dealership for them to diagnose the issue instead of me just randomly replacing parts. I got the call today low compression engine being replaced. Supposed to take 7-10days for it to arrive.

I had problems with a pretty weak start, and Mazda replaced the starter. I was told that the newer RX-8s have a different more powerful starter. If the starter is still the original one, it could be part of the problem.

So I replaced the plugs, didn’t help. so I took it in to the dealership for them to diagnose the issue instead of me just randomly replacing parts. I got the call today low compression engine being replaced. Supposed to take 7-10days for it to arrive.

Well wow.. that seemed pretty hassle free to you, engine swap no questions asked at 76,000 km? Sounds like a good deal! :Eyecrazy:

they did ask for the maintance records which i had to "find". they needed proof i was putting the correct oil in it.

The dealership called me last week telling me I needed a new clutch and mine was 99.9% gone and blue. Which I find hard to believe since I wasn’t experiencing any signs of a worn clutch it wasn’t slipping and had no problem chirping the tires between gear shifts and was letting go right in the middle of the clutch throw not near the top like past clutches I’ve worn thru, anyways I told them go ahead replace it $800 later.

Today I got a call saying the new engine is in but I now need a new starter, since mine had the originally not the new design from the tsb, and not starting the new engine well. I remember when I first purchased the car and going to the dealership and asking if it had the tsb done for the starter and new battery and them replying you only got the new battery if needed.

So my understanding of this is that my old motor had low compression therefore was easy to turn over. Now that I have compression the starter is struggling and I feel this should be replaced under warranty since my extended warranty only expired September 18th its not like my motor lost all its compression overnight. If the engine was working correctly the poor starter would have shown up earlier while it was still under my extended warranty.

yeah, i'd try to get it covered.

I had the same problem three times i had to get my 2004 rx8 towed to the shop since i owned it. later i found out from a friend that your suppose to rev it to 4 or 5 rpm before you turn the car off. ever since i tried that i have not had any problems since.

^^ Yep, the TSB specifically saids start AND battery.

I had mine replaced at the same time, I didnt even ask for them, they just go ahead and replace it.

The new starter spins faster.

Hmm, 800 for new clutch ? wow. for the parts alone? you know they should not charge you for labor, Mazda already covered it. they can charge you, but thats just wrong, maybe a little bit of talking can save you a few hundred bucks.

you know for a bit more than 800 you can get a new clutch AND MS flywheel ??

I had the same problem three times i had to get my 2004 rx8 towed to the shop since i owned it. later i found out from a friend that your suppose to rev it to 4 or 5 rpm before you turn the car off. ever since i tried that i have not had any problems since.

I never rev it. Never had a problem

I had the same problem three times i had to get my 2004 rx8 towed to the shop since i owned it. later i found out from a friend that your suppose to rev it to 4 or 5 rpm before you turn the car off. ever since i tried that i have not had any problems since.


thanks but im certain this isnt a flooding issue and i do rev.


just talked to mazda again and apparently i did have the new starter and its just faulty they are so vague in their descriptions of issues.

got the car back today $1400 later, and i started it and it has the same damn issue. it does turn over 10x faster then before but still stumbles i need to hear another 8 start and see if this is normal for a rotary engine like the dealer is telling me. i have never been fucked over by a dealer so much in my life.

I apologize for ranting on and on. The dealership admitted they replaced the engine which they clamed was my initial issue of my hard to start. With the new engine it was still hard to start, until they replaced the starter and now starts within specs. I have no idea what the specs are, I’m assuming starts with in 3-5seconds or something similar.
I’m at the point where im ready to accept how the engine starts.

I still don’t understand how my car when I originally bought it started after 3-4 revolutions of the engine every single time, now it takes 6-8 revolutions. yes it starts fairly quick but only because the engine turn’s over 10x as fast as it used to.

I’m a technical person and id like to understand why this happened.

my engine, when cold, usually starts within 1-2 seconds.

when hot, sometimes a bit longer, but no longer than 3-4 seconds.

thats after the new starter.

the original starter? double the time.

alright thanks, im meeting someone tomorrow to see how their car starts compared to mine. the issue is it used to start faster than it currently does and i dont understand why and the dealer is saying its "normal"

alright thanks, im meeting someone tomorrow to see how their car starts compared to mine. the issue is it used to start faster than it currently does and i dont understand why and the dealer is saying its "normal"

the last flash increased cranking time before the injectors start adding gas..

to help prevent flooding, and protect the cat.

beers :beer:

^ omg aww see now that makes some sense. thanks so very much. like i said before, i new my car spent more time cranking than before and i just wanted to know why / correct it. now i know its normal i am once again a happy rx8 owner

I was having a hard time in general until I started doing the rev to 4.. Now she starts up just fine. I do find that if I have stopped ofr just a short bit of time it is easier for me to leave it running though or its hard to start it right back up.. People have gotten into me for leaving it running while pumping gas but its hard to start right back up :o/

My 2007 8 is only 6 days old and it seems to be hard to start as well. It's not even that cold in the mornings right now either.

New engine or rebuilt?

So I replaced the plugs, didn’t help. so I took it in to the dealership for them to diagnose the issue instead of me just randomly replacing parts. I got the call today low compression engine being replaced. Supposed to take 7-10days for it to arrive.

after i got my engine replaced i drove it maybe 3000km and all was well, and stored in for 8 weeks or so, started it 3 days ago since its been raining and fairly warm all the salts off the roads. anyways started fine ran great for 2 days and now.... lose of power hard on gas 250km on a tank i usually get around 400km and takes about 4 seconds to start and seems to be getting worse. im thinking the cat maybe clogged but i dont have any CEL's my plan is to check the cat replace the coils "which should be done anyways" any other ideas im gonna start monday. im going to florida on the 6th of feb and planned on driving the 8 thanks for the help

after i got my engine replaced i drove it maybe 3000km and all was well, and stored in for 8 weeks or so, started it 3 days ago since its been raining and fairly warm all the salts off the roads. anyways started fine ran great for 2 days and now.... lose of power hard on gas 250km on a tank i usually get around 400km and takes about 4 seconds to start and seems to be getting worse. im thinking the cat maybe clogged but i dont have any CEL's my plan is to check the cat replace the coils "which should be done anyways" any other ideas im gonna start monday. im going to florida on the 6th of feb and planned on driving the 8 thanks for the help

most likely the cat, and they rarely put up a cel when they go..

beers :beer:

I've had my 8 for 3 months now and it's still hard to start :(

Fixed. Replaced the coils what a difference. Should have done this along time ago.