Hi everyone, I'm really looking to get an RX-8 this year, but of course the flooding issue has got me worried. I've been following this board for quite a while but I'm still skeptical about the 8's flooding problem in our COLD, COLD winters. I mean, if a an 8 can flood in SoCal, it'll sure as hell flood when its -47 (in Alberta) esp. when I park it outside during work hours. What are the chances of that happening up here? Also, I understand that there's no block heaters on these things. Isn't that a necessity for us? Sorry for beating on this issue, but getting answers from people who really know what *COLD* means makes me feel more comfortable. (That and the search was overwhelming!) Thanks.

To address your concerns:

1) I left my 8 out in -35C weather for 3 days without starting it. On the fourth day of -35C it started after about 10 secs of cranking... that's not bad for no block heater.

2) If you don't want to flood your 8, just drive it around the block before parking it. I've found that no matter what the temp is (on the gauge), if I run it for at least 10 mins, there are no stalling problems. If you absotutely must drive less than 10 mins all the time, then you can try the "rev trick" which is to hold it at about 5Krpm for 5-10 secs before shutting off the engine. Mazda mechanics seem to do this. (I've tried it and it seems to work).

Personally I think most people who flood their engines, shut their 8 off within 5 mins of starting it. But that's just my opinion...

I have driven in throughout the cold snap we had here in Edmonton and I haven't experienced any problems with flooding or starting. I do park it in my garage which warmed up to a balmy -20c when it was -40c.

No flooding and no trouble starting so far here. As low as -20 in the garage at night and -30 outside at work. It was in a heated garage at the dealer for the few days of -40.

Bought a stick-on 250 watt heater, made a 20 watt battery warmer, and put the in-car on the passenger footwell wall....

The province will be 2* warmer when I'm done!

S

Canzoomer flooded his at -30. Took a week to get it going again (when the weather warmed up). He has an in-line circ. heater but hasn't installed it yet. I may take over my RX-7 bolt on external heater (goes around the plugs) to see if it will fit.

It just got in my way whenever I changed plugs so I took it off as I don't drive my 3rd gen in winter!!!

Here’s another data point.

I put my 8 away for the winter in early December but usually start it one a week for 10 to 15 min. I have been away so I hadn’t started it for two weeks when this afternoon I started it in the garage at -12C. It started very rough but after about one min I backed it in the driveway. I inadvertently let go the clutch and stalled it. When I tried to restart it, it flooded.

Followed the procedure described elsewhere here (crank it repeatedly for short periods with the pedal to the floor, then crank it normally – i.e. without touching the pedal). It didn’t fire the first few times, and the battery was getting weak. I started the Expedition and connected the booster cables to the 8 and went through it again and it eventually started.

However, after it started the CEL was on –solid for 10 sec then flashing. After it warmed up I rev’d it to 6k a few times, then to 3k and off. I restarted but the CEL stayed on (flashing). I will be taking it to the dealer in the spring, in the meantime I will be more careful when I back it out in the driveway.

It was the first time it stalled on me. Obviously my fault. It was also my first time dealing with the flooding. What I read on this forum allowd me to deal with it without being too worried. Don't know what the CEL is about, but I'm not too woried about that either.

Originally posted by pot8r
Here’s another data point.

I put my 8 away for the winter in early December but usually start it one a week for 10 to 15 min. I have been away so I hadn’t started it for two weeks when this afternoon I started it in the garage at -12C. It started very rough but after about one min I backed it in the driveway. I inadvertently let go the clutch and stalled it. When I tried to restart it, it flooded.

Followed the procedure described elsewhere here (crank it repeatedly for short periods with the pedal to the floor, then crank it normally – i.e. without touching the pedal). It didn’t fire the first few times, and the battery was getting weak. I started the Expedition and connected the booster cables to the 8 and went through it again and it eventually started.

However, after it started the CEL was on –solid for 10 sec then flashing. After it warmed up I rev’d it to 6k a few times, then to 3k and off. I restarted but the CEL stayed on (flashing). I will be taking it to the dealer in the spring, in the meantime I will be more careful when I back it out in the driveway.

It was the first time it stalled on me. Obviously my fault. It was also my first time dealing with the flooding. What I read on this forum allowd me to deal with it without being too worried. Don't know what the CEL is about, but I'm not too woried about that either.

I also read a few times that after a flooding incident, the MPG will decrease. Something like 18mpg to 11mpg. (yes, this board has brainwashed me into using imperial!) :) Is this true?

As a side note, if you're going to park a car for several months over the winter in an unheated garage it's better for it to sit all winter without running than to start it up every so often.

By starting it up once a week you'll just create condensation in the engine and combustion byproducts (acids, etc) in the oil. I'd also stablize the gas, put the car up on jackstands and take the battery out and hook it up to a smart charger over the winter. There are many detailed procedures on the internet on how to properly store a car, you may want to look into it.

I agree with Jag expect the battery, just leave it, it won't drain.

When I was getting set to store it in December, I asked the mazda dealership here what I should do if I disconnect the battery during storage. The only precaution that I was given was not to store it on a concrete floor.

I also filled it up and put in some stabilizer.

How many months do we have left before spring? :)

I saw my shadow this morning so I figure it'll be mid march before the salt is off the streets.

Mid March - reality check - lived in Canada for 30 plus years - you're good until Mid April at least. Ha ! Ha ! John

PS Snow gone in central Indiana - near 60F - that's 15C !!! and very sunny - Top down in the SLK320 today.

Originally posted by pot8r
I saw my shadow this morning so I figure it'll be mid march before the salt is off the streets.

I figured that I was going to wait until at least early April. We usually get a cold snap in mid to late March. With the stock tire ratings specs I don't want to get caught in a snow storm or the like. On the other hand, if I check the forecast for a particular day I can gauge to see if I take the camry or not when I do put the rx-8 on the road.

On a side to this. I usually drive my cars in the winter and the only reason for not driving the rx-8 this year was that I had only driven it for a month before winter. I didn't feel that I 'knew' the car well enough to take it out in the snow with some good snow grips. Even though the rx-8 behaves somewhat like the '99 miata that I used to own, I still wasn't ready because of the difference in hp/torque. All this to say that I will undercoat it and get snow tires for next season (ugh, listen to me talk about NEXT winter.)

I've lived in Canada all my life (48 years) and have on occasion had my first round of golf in Canada before the end of March. I am, however, willing to state my prediction here and now - No more snow by March 15 (here in KW area). That's when my ride comes out of hibernation.

Originally posted by RX8_GT
Mid March - reality check - lived in Canada for 30 plus years - you're good until Mid April at least. Ha ! Ha ! John

PS Snow gone in central Indiana - near 60F - that's 15C !!! and very sunny - Top down in the SLK320 today.

Pot8r - Where are you located? What is the KW area? If you're in BC - that's not really Canada - just ask the rest of the country. Ha! Ha! John PS But I hope you're right - on the road end of March to balmy Cape Breton. PPS Golf with a coloured ball - not white!

KW = Kitchener Waterloo, 60 miles west of Toronto.

I'll admit my prediction is part wishful thinking, part experience. To paraphrase Pope, my Spring hopes are eternal.

Why do you people insist on living in such inhospitable conditions when there is so much land in Mexico. You should invade them.

Kitchener Waterloo !!! What have you been smoking? Some government supplied weed ? I predict two further snow falls by end of March - each greater than 2 inches (Indiana definition of major snowfall). John

We consider 2" (5 cm) a dusting. It can fall and disappears in the same day in March. So your prediction is not inconsistent with mine.

The government doesn't actually supply our weed. In fact, until the proposed law is enacted, "possession" is still illegal, though mostly un-enforced.

guy - You just want us to take care of what you perceive as a problem for you in Fl. i.e. uninvited guest workers.

I do remember that 2 inches is not a snowfall in Canada - but is in Indiana. Worse overnight snowfall I recall - about 34 inches in NS was in March.

Sorry - not government supplied - just government sanctioned/ignored. (I'm not really opposed to THC de-crimilization.)

As for invading Mexico - no way - we must have cheap labour. Best just to let them go across the border and work for us. We can vacation cheap there. Besides we have a limit - no more than two countries occupied at a time.

John

Originally posted by RX8_GT
<snip>
As for invading Mexico - no way - we must have cheap labour. Best just to let them go across the border and work for us. We can vacation cheap there. Besides we have a limit - no more than two countries occupied at a time.

John

At the risk of going even more off topic.....

Interesting comment about the cheap labour fueling the economy. It’s a different tune from the cacophony of Stop-Exporting-Our-Job blues that has been coming from much of the American Talking Heads lately. Can one hold both views? (i.e. Guest workers are good because they are doing work we wouldn’t do and stop exporting our jobs)

From here, it appears that both are bad for the American worker (though good for American business and to a lesser extent the American consumer). Guest labour pushes down the overall salary scale by providing locally staff for menial/low skill jobs that need to be done but wouldn’t be done by American workers for the offered (less than) minimum wage. I’m sure that if hotels had to, they could find American workers to make up rooms for $25.00/hour (or maybe less). Company profits would be lower, the traveling public would incur higher costs, but the American worker would be better off.

So are you (the American worker/consumer) trying to have your cake and eat it, or is there something else at play that I am missing? Just wondering.

Cake and eat it too - sounds American to me. PS I'm guilty too. John

Have any of you contacted MAZDA canada at 1-800-263-4680?

Well if you didn't maybe you should call them and ask them about if the car doesn't start or if a flood happens if it is covered under warranty.

The answer is just for the first incident.

I got pretty upset with that anser.

Anyone else get a different answer?

I am just curious as to RX-8 GT's cpmment

Pot8r - Where are you located? What is the KW area? If you're in BC - that's not really Canada - just ask the rest of the country. Ha! Ha! John PS But I hope you're right - on the road end of March to balmy Cape Breton. PPS Golf with a coloured ball - not white!

What is wrong with BC and why is it not "really" part of Canada?

Inconsequential

I was referring in fun to BC as the 'California' of Canada - weather is much milder - on the coast. BC has a long history of wacky politics - dating even before Wacky Bennett - long time premier (Social Credit).

I've always joked that that the winds from the ocean did strange things to the people there - I've been known to call it the Wacky West Coast 0r sometimes the Wacky Left Coast.

John

PS I'm from Nova Scotia - a place where the salt air seems to have a strange effect on the populace.

PPS As for 'not being part of Canada' - the Atlantic provinces has at times been 'missed' from government maps, etc. Even my RX-8's mapping program ends at the Quebec border and the profile of Nova Scotia is cut off of Canada.

I would love to live in BC. I've lived in San Franciso, and I love the West Coast. But now I'm back in good old, salty Montreal. Can't complain because Montreal is a beautiful city, but there's something to be said about going outside in January in a light sweater and never worrying about salt, ice and slush.

I'm sure that RX-8 GT's comments (and I'm not putting words in his mouth) meant well, and that you were lucky not to live in a deep freeze for 3 months a year.

Baze

So true !!! Love Vancouver - been there a couple of times. As a 19 year flew there - following my first true love. Very fond memories. Personally know one of the former Premiers - Dave Barrett - a great multi-dimensional person and a socialist - BUT I can still joke about the Wacky West Coast - just I can about joke about my current home in Indiana - the MidWest. Or my former home in Cape Breton - "God gave it beauty - but not much else" - just joking. The beauty there is in the land and the people.

John

Baze:

What's this ' 3 months of deep freeze' - I now live a land of four seasons. In Cape Breton - there are only two seasons - Winter and Not Winter. Actually there is a Summer - it's a Tuesday in August I think.

Actually when it's 100 plus in the backyard here - I do wish for the pleasant cooler summers of CB. But in March when here it's 60 plus at times - Indiana is just fine.

John

I am guessing you never lived in the interior of BC then huh? There is a lot fo snow there, not huge wind chill, but the snow falls can drop 3 feet easily in a night, and continue that way for several days. If I had my 8 when I lived out there, winter would have been hell, so yes I agree that Vancouver doesnt get hit as bad, but the bad thing is that when it does snow, no one here knows how to drive in it, so you spend most of your time trying to avoid them having accidents cuz they lock thier breaks and stupid stuff like that.
So, I guess I will forgive, but be careful, we BC people can get offended too :P
But... its all good

uh oh.... I smell a potential firestorm from the comments that I'm going to write.... :)

BC doesn't own the rap for rough winter drives..... Have you ever seen what happens in Toronto when you have an early snow? It's a parking lot because everyone has bald summer or all-season tires... The normal 1 hour commute *anywhere* becomes 4 hours.

I was there a couple of weeks ago, and it took days before they even cleared the snow from a main artery such as Yonge Street. I was amazed, but everthing seemed so much cleaner with the large amount of snow.

This is in stark contrast to Montreal, where you can probably pickle eggs in the salty brine that they have flowing everywhere in the streets and pooled at the key pedestrian intersections. Hmmmm... is that how they do it a Dunns?

I guess every city has its 'charm'!

Lol, no firestorm here, just seems that people judge all of BC by the weather we get in Vancouver, whereas, people never seem to consider the northern parts, or interior. I know the windchill is extremely nasty on the prairies and more easterly areas but it isnt all sun here... its a lot of rain in van, mainly rain, hehe.
well, no harm done in the comments.