Im curiouse if anyone else here powers down at or around 3k rpm's?

also, How long do you guys wait before driving at a morning start, Here in boston. Its about 30 degrees in the morning as i make my way to school. I wait about 10 minutes before i leave for insurence that the block is warm. Anyone else?:beer05:

Nope...I only do that if I move the car a few feet (which is almost never)

I will not move the car until the temp needle begins to move. I will not leave my parking lot until I have reached full temp.

The 3000 shut off is mainly for cold engines. But it is a good idea if you have been idling for a long time. It doesn't hurt to do it every time. But you are letting the engine come back to idle before turning the key off . . right?

so basickly you just shut it off without keeping it at a steady 3kish...

I will not move the car until the temp needle begins to move. I will not leave my parking lot until I have reached full temp.

The 3000 shut off is mainly for cold engines. But it is a good idea if you have been idling for a long time. It doesn't hurt to do it every time. But you are letting the engine come back to idle before turning the key off . . right?

no..i keep it at 3k..for like a 2 seconds then shut it off...

i'm confused now about shutting down the car... what's the exact steps? rev to 3k, back to idle then ignition off? if i came from a long drive (more than 10min) do i have to do the rev shut off?

well see, Thats were im confused. After everytime im done driving...i keep it at 3k then shut it off. not sure if its a right thing to do...

To avoid flooding- just don't shut off cold! Let it warm up, once temp needle hits middle mark, rev to 3k for 10 secs, let drop back to idle, cut off.

Cold Starts: turn car on, let temp needle drop below 1500 rpms before you start moving. Takes about the same amount of time as it does to put on a seat belt and find a good cd to listen to. Keep car under 4k rpms until temp needle has been settled for at least 5 minutes then let her loose

If the needle isn't quite to the middle but heading there then I'll rev it to 3 or 4, let off the gas, and then shut it off right when it drops to it's lowest point..

the 3000 rev is to help clear out the excess gas/carbon(not sure which or both) in the engine.

This is normally only done when you move the car VERY short distances.

You hit 3000 for 10 seconds, let off the throttle back to idle, then shut down.

k so if im jsut crusin and when i get back i dont need to shut it off at 3k?

k so if im jsut crusin and when i get back i dont need to shut it off at 3k?

As long as the car has reached normal opperating temps, you can do whatever you want.
If it is a cold morning, and you move the car from the garage to the street . . . now you must wait for the engine to warm up, hit 3000 for 10 secs, let off throttle, then turn off key


If I have been sitting traffic all the way home, and do not have a chance to redline it ( which should be done every day) I will go through the 3000 rev. But after normal driving, with a warm engine . . . no worries if you just shut down without the 3000 peg

ok, cool. now that's cleared up. thanks a bunch.

yea man, Thanks got it, Also i here it cleans out like the carbon or w.e But sweet..thats good cuz by the time i get to school, (7:20-7:30ish) its warm, But i only drove like 2 miles or so maybe 3 i probbly should do it so that Its stays somwhat warm, And i wont be leaving till later in the after noon (somtimes if i get out early or not) but sweet. Thanks for the help.

start car. put on seat belt. reverse out of garage and drive normally. Keeping revs under 4k until operating temp is reached. Dont sit and idle. It's bad for gas and environment.

OP's topic.
Only on a cold engine.

You're making this way too complicated! Aside from remembering to NOT immediately turn off a cold engine that's only been running 20 seconds, it's just like any other car:

1. In the morning, I start her up, wait a minute or so, and then drive. Gently. I keep it below 4K until the temp gauge indicates normal temperature (4 or 5 minutes). Just like any other car.
2. I always shut her down at idle, no revving, and I don't give it a second thought. Just like any other car.

Never flooded, never any problems.

You're making this way too complicated! Aside from remembering to NOT immediately turn off a cold engine that's only been running 20 seconds, it's just like any other car:

1. In the morning, I start her up, wait a minute or so, and then drive. Gently. I keep it below 4K until the temp gauge indicates normal temperature (4 or 5 minutes). Just like any other car.
2. I always shut her down at idle, no revving, and I don't give it a second thought. Just like any other car.

Never flooded, never any problems.

+1

I've never flooded my engine, just remember to never shut your car off while its cold. simple as that.

I will not move the car until the temp needle begins to move. I will not leave my parking lot until I have reached full temp.

This is a terrible way to warm up your car. The best way to warm your engine is by using it. Just be gentle with it, and go easy on the rev's until the engine reaches proper temp. Warming your car at idle causes cold spots to develop as well as carbon buildup; plus it's just a waste.

Start your car, wait until you see the rev's drop, then gently drive it while the engine comes to temp. The manual recommends 10 seconds to allow the oil to properly circulate throughout the engine.

I always shut off at 3k, hot or cold. It just seems to have a better start-up afterwards if I do.

+1

I've never flooded my engine, just remember to never shut your car off while its cold. simple as that.

+2.......making it way too complicated!

If it's warm(at temp), then just shut it off.
If it's cold........wait till needle moves and start driving gently until normal temp.
If it cold, and only short time on(not warmed up), then 3k rev for a few seconds then foot off, let rev's drop, and shut it off.

I never do the 3K dance and have never flooded my car. As long as your car is warm, its not necessary.

Not really freezing here in Atlanta so I just drive off with little/no warm up. However, I never drive over 4k until it's fully warm.

i know ima sound stupid, but whats flooding?
is that something rotary's do?
yall can pm me on that for being ignorant

i just drive my car like a regular car. i dont notice any difference from any other car other than that smooth ride.

you're not ignorant, you've just never read a thread about flooding it would seem. There's a few hundered of them on the forums and it's an issue that was more common in 04's but can still happen to any rx8

If it is a cold morning, and you move the car from the garage to the street . . . now you must wait for the engine to warm up, hit 3000 for 10 secs, let off throttle, then turn off key.

Wait a minute...that's what the owner's manual says.

Are we allowed to follow Mazda's instructions? :)

Ken

Wait a minute...that's what the owner's manual says.

Are we allowed to follow Mazda's instructions? :)

Ken

No.

What if I hold down the throttle as the car shuts off?

That's what I did to my flooding Nissan engine to prevent flood starts.

my practice has been to start the car put on my seat belt and get ready to roll (takes about 5 - 10 seconds, pull out of the garage and then roll out. I do not redline nor take the rpm's above 5kish before the car has warmed up. as far as shutting down goes i always rev it to 3k and shut it off.

Let me explain that (as it was explained to me on some pages here and the mazda people at the dealership) rev to 3k turn off the key (not letting it go back idle). As the purpose was to clean it out a bit for when you start it the next time. so i push on the gas and shut it off. Not had a problem yet however i shouldn't as i have had the car since haloween :)

After reading this thread I'm sure that my car will flood ....It's not complicated people . Main thing don't turn it on and then turn it off unless its fully warm up.

Seems like many are revving to 3K before shutdown. That's unnecessary, guys. You're just wasting gas.

^It is unnecessary, but everyone doing it should get some forum points for following instructions. The dealers and manual both push the idea without (iirc) stating that it ONLY needs to be done if the engine is still cold.


Bottom line: if you start it - go drive it. It'll warm up enough to shut down safely even if you only drive a few minutes. Plus it'll make you smile. :)


i know ima sound stupid, but whats flooding?
is that something rotary's do?
yall can pm me on that for being ignorant

i just drive my car like a regular car. i dont notice any difference from any other car other than that smooth ride.

Lots of threads on it, but it's more of a cold climate issue, so not very likely to happen to you in TX. Still best to never turn it on & shut it down without running for a little bit, though.

Like a few of the guys here I also rev to 3k and then shut down. I also have shut down many times without reving on warm engines but when I do a 3k Rev Shut Down my restarts (whether they be in 2 mins or 2 days) are cleaner and sound less hesitant.

As for warm ups - I wait for the tach to get around 1500K and then drive off keeping it below 4K until the engine warms up.

Idling for long periods of time to warm up the car was for your grandfather's car.... Waste of fuel, stress your cat, dump condensation into your exhaust, and waste of time.

^It is unnecessary, but everyone doing it should get some forum points for following instructions. The dealers and manual both push the idea without (iirc) stating that it ONLY needs to be done if the engine is still cold.


Bottom line: if you start it - go drive it. It'll warm up enough to shut down safely even if you only drive a few minutes. Plus it'll make you smile. :)




Lots of threads on it, but it's more of a cold climate issue, so not very likely to happen to you in TX. Still best to never turn it on & shut it down without running for a little bit, though.


thank you
thats what i wanted to hear
hahaha

Wow you guys are really careful...

I start my car, wait like 10 seconds and take off. Coming home, I pull up in my drive way, keep her in gear, and shut her off as soon as I come to a stop. I treat it like it has pistons, and it has never flooded, been 7 months now.

I will not move the car until the temp needle begins to move. I will not leave my parking lot until I have reached full temp.Then you're just wasting gas.
Start the car and immediately drive off. No need to "warm it up".

I start my car, wait like 10 seconds and take off. Coming home, I pull up in my drive way, keep her in gear, and shut her off as soon as I come to a stop. I treat it like it has pistons, and it has never flooded, been 7 months now.Yep, same here... except I don't even wait 10 seconds.

I do shut it off a 3K RPM as a precaution when I moved the car just a few feet completely cold. During the 4 years I owned it, it never flooded.

i flooded once and it was because i had to move my car to let someone else out.. so it was on for like 10-15 seconds i guess.

its no big deal to start after its flooded anyways, hold the gas wide open and turn ignition for no more then 7-10 seconds, wait 10-20 seconds if it doesn't start, then try to start as normal... repeat the process

Also 30 degress is hot as hell, it doesnt even get that hot here in the summertime barely. At -2 degrees here i'll start the car, flip on my seat warmer, buckle up and drive.. waiting for your engine to warm up is marginal at best.

Despite lengthy discussion on "cold shut down procedures", one piece of missing information remains: Someone needs to define what "reaching operating temperature" means.

If the temp gauge has just started to move, is that considered operating temperature, and safe to shut down?

How about just above the C? Or 3 or 4 marks above? Or 1 tic below median, which is the highest it will normally go?

its obviously operating all the time, so operating temp is every temp.

If the temp gauge has just started to move, is that considered operating temperature, and safe to shut down?

No.

Or 1 tic below median, which is the highest it will normally go?

Yes.

And the 3000 rpm shutdown deal is if you start it cold, then let it reach normal temperature by sitting and idling rather than driving.

Ken

Yep, same here... except I don't even wait 10 seconds.

I do shut it off a 3K RPM as a precaution when I moved the car just a few feet completely cold. During the 4 years I owned it, it never flooded.

Same here, and I shut the 8 down cold at least twice a month for washing. Furthermore, I've yet to flood a rotary in the 20+ years that I've been running them. "knock on wood"

Im curiouse if anyone else here powers down at or around 3k rpm's?

also, How long do you guys wait before driving at a morning start, Here in boston. Its about 30 degrees in the morning as i make my way to school. I wait about 10 minutes before i leave for insurence that the block is warm. Anyone else?:beer05:

Last time I did this my car got fludded :spank: