It all started when i pulled into the gas station & my car just died out of nowhere on me! After i fueled it up it i tried starting it at least 1000 times but it wouldnt start so i pushed it over to a nearby parking lot. I decided to go home & come back about 2 hours later to try it once again. I got it to start thank god but it cranked really really slow as if it were in slow motion, it also took about 20 sec to startup!! After it started up it wanted to die so i kept my foot on the peddle to keep it running, there was alot of white smoke coming from the exhaust also. I took a chance to drive it home because i live right down the street & it barely wanted to move! i had to drive home at like 15mph but so what at least i got it there. Any advice on what my problem could be??????

 

The slow cranking is probably from running your battery down while trying to start "it at least 1000 times".

The reason why it died, didn't want to start, and now barely runs could be any number of things but I'd start with testing your ignition coils (HEI coil testers are $10-$20 on Amazon) and checking your spark plugs. If those are fine, it's time for a compression test since these are classic symptoms of low compression.

Does the white smoke from the exhaust have a particular odor to it? Like, does it smell vaguely like maple syrup? If so, that's coolant and you've blown a coolant seal. If that's the case, you're SOL and will need a rebuild or reman/new motor.

 

It was probably cranking slow because your battery was low, all that cranking probably almost killed it.

It was likely hard to start because the engine was flooded, I'm shocked you got it to start without knowing the signs it is flooded and how to deflood it.

Also sounds like you have some serious engine issues if you had white smoke coming out like crazy from the exhaust. Your best bet is to take a video of what is going on so we can see

 

Idk because the smoke went away after the car warmed up a little!! when i drove home there wasn’t any coming from the exhaust really. It mainly was smoking when i had it in park & tried to rev it up a bit. My coolant light comes on often & sometimes stays on, even while im driving at low speeds. It pops on alot aof times when i come to a stop light & when the cars at idle.

 

You really need to get your car checked out unless you are actually trying to break it.

 

yea ur right iknow!! i will post a video later of what’s going on! stay in touch

 

So does your coolant level go down? The coolant sensor is known to crap out a lot, but you need to make sure the coolant level is fine regardless.

Do you know what the temp gauge was showing when the car turned off on you initially?

Also, never crank the starter for more than 10 seconds as it generates a lot of heat. You can burn it out from cranking it for too long, not to mention how horrible it can be for your battery.

 

any idea 🤔🤔🤔

 

There's not a video

 

Here's some videos of what it's doing, & the Battery's fully charged !

 

Looks like it could be flooded, and it doesn't help that the early(04~early 05) RX-8 starters are kinda weak. I have seen an upgraded one for the automatics, but I forgot where exactly. Flooding also can indicate ignition troubles, so check your coils out as well.

You also have a CEL that needs to be read. It should turn off after flashing a few times before you start the car, instead of staying on. You need to get the code read.

Edit: high-speed starter for an automatic RX-8.

https://www.rx8performance.com/produ...gh-rpm-starter

 

Yeah i don’t think the starter has ever been changed. The cel code i got were P0300 / P0301 / P0455. i also noticed an oil leak somewhere, After i go for a ride & then shut the car off, i check about 30min later & a oil puddle is under the pan. The puddle was the size of a saltine cracker to be more specific

 

What year is your car?

P0300 and P0301 are misfire codes, so another indication that you may have ignition issues.

P0455 is an EVAP large leak code. The first and easiest thing to check is the fuel cap.

Oil leak could be from the drain plug or a broken gasket. You will have to get under there and identify the source of it.

 

mines is a 2004 automatic! i have new spark plugs, wire & coils. some guy told me yesterday my engine was gone, he went off of a noise he heard from the video i posted. But the fuel cap is fine also

 

Have you done a rotary-specific compression test at any point? Do you still have a catalytic converter?

You could find the Service Manual at foxed.ca to help you hunt down the EVAP leak. Another possibility I can think of is the purge solenoid located at the UIM.

 

no i havent had one yet. But i remember awhile ago i got a code P0076 (Intake Valve Control Solenoid Circuit Low Bank 1). Any idea what that is ?

 

That code means your intake solenoids are busted. They are located under the UIM.

There should be a service manual for 04 RX-8 in the link I provided. It both tells you how to troubleshoot the codes and shows you the procedures to replace that parts.

 

if they aren’t the reason for it not starting up then don’t wanna order em just yet! Idk if they play a main factor in that...

 

All of the issues listed except EVAP could be the main factor, so you need to fix all of them if you want a reliable car (and also treat these things as they come up, not when the car has completely failed).

Start with a compression test so you know what you're investing into and/ or bring it to someone who can diagnose it properly,like a rotary specialist or Mazda. There is too much wrong here to diagnose over the internet.

Just for kicks, get under there and check that a spark plug wire hasn't popped off.

In the video your starter is turning verrrry slowly. That could easily cause poor starting and flooding as stated above. Either dead starter or dead battery (even if fully charged, it may not produce sufficient current to get the starter up to speed).

 

is this one of the solenoids?

 

That's the purge valve solenoid , part of the evap system. While not deadly, there is no real reason it shouldn't be plugged in.

 

The intake manifold solenoids you're looking for are on the back side of the UIM (between the UIM and the firewall).

 

kind of next to the oil filter. they are hard to see without a light. but you really need to get a scan tool and scan for codes. anyone trying to do troubleshooting without scanning codes is just making wild guesses.