Wont start after tune up. Xmas is ruined
 

Heyguys. I replaced my coils spark plugs and spark plug wires yesterday. Ngk and BWD. When I try to start it, it makes a whirring sound, but no clicking sounds at all. Please help this rotary newbie all I want for xmas is my baby driving again.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS
(AKA ECONOMY STIMULATION DAYS)

Make sure your wires are plugged in, you'll hear a clicking sound when they've made proper contact. Also make sure the coils and spark plugs are correctly wired. I'm not familiar with the setup you're running but I'd assume there was some kind of manual attached that could help you.

Does the starter turn the engine over at all? It could be your battery is low and can't turn the starter. This usually produces a light clicking sound once, but all the accessories (fans, radio, rad fans) will still work.

Please forgive my lack of knowledge. I'm learning and researching when ever I get the chance to..



​installed them as follows labeled 1-4: 1 being closer to the radiator , 4 being closer to the firewall.

1) Black wire (labeled "1") connected to Trailing Rotor 1
2) Blue wire (labeled "1") connected to Leading Rotor 1
3) Black wire. (Labeled "2") connected to Trailing Rotor 2
4) Blue wire (labeled "2") connected to Leading Rotor 2
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The car does turn over when I try and start it. It's a whirring sound. My headlights and everything else work. And it sounds like its turning over at a normal rate, so I believe the battery is fine. The car gas been sitting for a couple weeks though.

installed them as follows labeled 1-4: 1 being closer to the radiator , 4 being closer to the firewall.

1) Black wire (labeled "1") connected to Trailing Rotor 1
2) Blue wire (labeled "1") connected to Leading Rotor 1
3) Black wire. (Labeled "2") connected to Trailing Rotor 2
4) Blue wire (labeled "2") connected to Leading Rotor 2

Plugs installed trailing on the top leading on the bottom
battery seems fully operational.

Your spark plug wire order is messed up.

See picture for reference.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...86336b49f1.png
With NGK wires, the blue wire is the same as the OEM black wire with blue and green tapes.

I put them In the right order. I just wrote it downwrong. Leading one, trailing one, leading two, trailing two.. I'm getting spark. It cranks over, just probably isn't getting fuel for some reason? Maybe I bumped into something that was already loose when I was swapping out parts. I didn't do everything one by one. Wired thing is, there was 4 leading spark plugs instead of 2 of each.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...2dd74ccac1.jpg

Actually i put them on as shown in that diagram I just wrote it down wrong in my post. So my motor cranks over.... I'm getting spark (checked leading on rotor 1 with my old spark plug)... so I'm thinking its not getting fuel? Or too much? One of my last coils was melted to the point where the pigtail melted a bit as well. So I replaced that one. It didn't click in like the other 3 did either the new coils but I'm fairly certain it's makingcontact.

I'm going to go through the deflooding procedure and i will let you guys know what happens. I have started the car before the tune up and turned it off without letting it warm up all the way...

A healthy 8 shouldn't flood, though.

What year is your 8? If it's an 04 or early 05 with a manual transmission, you could get a 09+ manual transmission starter to get more cranking power.

Possible it was flooded when last turned on with the old unhealthy coils. You can confirm by pulling the plugs. If they're wet with fuel, it's that. If they're not, then it's a fueling or timing problem. Is the Eccentric Shaft Sensor connected?

One of the coils was starting to melt... hence the entire tune up. But I. But I notice that the red key dash light is on? And a green flashing light delivers side below dash? (Aftermarket alarm) idk... I only have one key. No keyless entry fob. Been sitting in front of my house for weeks. Had battery unplugged

It turns over.
. But just a Constant whirring sound

So you now have 2 leading plugs and 2 trailing plugs, right?

That's right

What year is you're car? Do you hear the fuel pump kick on when you turn the key to the on spot you should hear like a pump from under the driver side passenger seat. You may also want to try to deflooding

I'll check. I can tell you that the red key dash light is on now. I only have one key.... no keyless entry or anything

The red key on the dash doesn't mean anything if the car is turning over. If there was a problem with you're key the car wouldn't crank at all

It's a 2004 by the way. I misplaced my only key, its not my daily so I don't keep it on me all the time... ugh. Hope it's in my toolbox at work

Found my key. Tried to deflood by pushing gas to the floor, cranking for 5 to seconds. I tried that a few times, and then tried to start it. No luck. Tried it without the fuel pump fuse, and without the fuel relay for maybe 5 or 6 times. Replaced them... and still failed to start. Yes I had it hooked up to my other car that was running to preserve the battery. What am I doing wrong? Is it absolutely necessary to remove the plugs during this process, I've been researching and I've seen a lot of people be successful without removing them. They are brand new, haven't even started it yet with my new ignition parts. I am getting so freaking frustrated. It's been sitting for way too long, 2 to 3 weeks maybe

Tried deflooding (gas pedal to floor + cranking)
did that a few times, attempted to start. Just turned over.

Tried deflooding (fuel pump relay + series of cranks and resting) did that even more times, attempted to start. Just turned over.

had two guys help push me, dropped the clutch in and gear... Nothing. Tried it again.... made some noise.... tried it again but at a a faster speed. Sounded like I heard some compression but it didn't catch. Tried to start it after letting it rest. Nothing.

:(

Do you hear the fuel pump prime as you turn the key to ON?

You can try to turn the key to ON, wait a couple of seconds, then OFF. Repeat a few times and see if you got anything. If you do, then your fuel pump could be dying.

- are the plugs wet with fuel now? If yes then flooded or not getting spark, if not then fueling issue or timing issue.

-are you actually getting spark?

You would have disconnected the battery during the tune up right? I would look real closely at that aftermarket alarm and what it's doing. Rip it out if you can, it would explain a lot.
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Yes I disconnected the battery. I just talked to kurt from kurt Robertson mazda In Molalla. He said I should tow the car at about 15 to 20 while it's in 1st gear, and it should start up after about a half mile to a mile. I just need to know where to tow it from? I looked under the car I don't see any hooks or safe places. What about the strut bar in the engine bay?

There is a tow hook you screw into the front bumper to attach a tow rope. The hook may be in your trunk...

While that may get it started, I feel like it's not actually solving the problem. It might clear the flood if there is one. I hope that's all it is, and after you get it running, the car starts fine on its own, but I'm not holding my breath.
I still thinks it's the aftermarket alarm. It could be wired into something silly like the clutch safety switch or ESS signal.

Definitely do not tow it by anything that's not a tow hook. Check the corner of the front grill, it pops out revealing a hole for one of the tow hooks that are in your trunk under a plastic flap at the very rear of the trunk. The jack is in the same place.

What do you're spark plugs look like?
Do they look like this?
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...813d7a42a8.png
Or like this?
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...9904b32f47.png

They actually were all leading plugs... but now they are brand new, two trailing and two leading.

Almost started last night when I had some friends push me, started glugging on the last attempt. Today I tried using my other car to push my rx8 and drop into gear when he backed off at about 20mph but it didnt start... it DID backfire and shot a one foot flame out the exhaust. Almost gave this poor lady a heart attack all she wanted to do was walk her dog in peace lol. And I believe the fuel pump is working I hear something come on near the back end of the car

I guess you're getting fuel then. Just at the wrong time or without ignition. Careful with the backfires, you're going to blow out your cat like this.

Rather than continuing to try to start it, pull the plugs that are on there, clean/dry them off and try again. Trying to start it without doing that first is just risking further damage. And quadruple check that it's all correctly wired. The coils might be connected to the right plugs, but are the coils connected to the right harness connectors?

By the way, which coil was it that had a melted connector? Are you still fairly certain it is making contact and firing?

It was the rotor 2 trailing coil, closest to the firewall. I labeled them so I wouldn't get confused. But there is always a slight possibility I did something wrong this was my first time working on a renesis ignition. I've done so much searching on this problem but I really should look at the connectors again because I misfired again let night.... LOUD, I'm concerned about trying to start it again. I am not good with electrical diagrams, perhaps a you can tell me how its arranged by wire color?

I know for sure I have my spark plug wires right, were talking about the ignition coil connectors. It's not shown in this picture, but out of the 3 wires that go into these connectors, one of them is a solid color with a different colored stripe, the middle is all black and the last one is black with a white strip. The black with the white stripe is the wire closest to the firewall on all of my connectors. The colored wire with the different colored stripe is the wire closest to the radiator. I need to make sure I have each of these connectors hooked up the the proper ignition coil to ensure timing. With such a horrible misfire to the point of a backfire something has to be wrong with these right?
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...e53343c813.jpg

Can any of you verify, based on the wire colors if these connectors are in the right place?

I would love it if someone would call me and help advised through diagnostics. 503.498.7477
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...f56b7cf8fd.jpg

IIRC, the leads are different lengths, the one that goes in the front is a little longer than the next one and so on. It looks like you have a replaced connector in there, so that may throw it off. I do not have a drawing with me for firing order, but there are some out there. I would grab one and check wire colors.

Also, you say a whirring noise, that sounds like a starter that is not engaging, have a buddy look at the front of the motor when you try to crank it.

Starter is making the engine turn over.

You may try putting your old parts on.. Maybe the plug wires weren't any good. You also really really have to push on the end of the plug wires to get them to pop on the plug in the engine

Ignition coil trigger wire colors (ordered closest to front bumper going back)
Green. White. Yellow. Blue.

Didnt see if it was answered already.

I checked the coil connectors... they are in the correct order. And I made sure I pushed the plugs down until I heard them click.

Alright, so your ignition parts are fine, right?

Are you sure the intake system is put together properly?

it's a shitty aftermarket intake by spectre. Its easy to setup it has the 3 air hoses and then the MAF sensor.

Even if it is not the current problem, get rid of that intake. It's removing horsepower and reducing MAF reading consistency.

[edit] I just looked up what the Specte is. What. The. Fuck. Get rid of it ASAP.

​​​​​​Do you have the parts to go back to stock?

Have you already tried starting it with the MAF unplugged?