-5 tomorrow - flood precautions
 

After my other thread stirring up so much trouble, I'm afraid to post again :scratchhe

Its getting down to -5 tomorrow. Is there anything I should do to prevent flooding. I heard to keep on the ignition until it goes, but is there a limit to that? 10 seconds, 20?

I had to give it a few more cranks than usual tonight and it was only down to 20 some degrees - plus the engine was already warm so I dunno.

Secondly, does that "deflood" procedure mentioned in the manual regarding pressing pedals and stuff really work? It seems kinda strange to me.

My cars pretty newish- I bought it used just this year from a reputable dealer (not the mazda I was talking about in my other thread) and I'm sure the battery is new /enough/ but I just want to be safe.

Its -22 here today (Celsius) and it just kicked over like a champ...
Just remember to keep cranking the ignition until it starts!

You should be able to crank up to 30 seconds straight without permenantly damaging the starter. However, I have starter my car in those sorts of temps a bunch of times up in Northern Massachusetts and Canada, and it always fired right up just fine. Just be sure not to stall it, and make sure that you drive it around for at least 15 to 20 minutes before you shut it off to make sure that it is good and warm before shut down. That's the only advice I would give.

Assuming your car is outside overnight, you might want to take the battery out and bring it into a heated area. If your car has the original battery, the cold cranking amps is not what it needs to be for very cold weather starts. Also, make sure it is fully charged. Might be worth getting a trickle charger to slowly charge it overnight as well.

It sounds like you might be confusing two separate issues: flooding, and starting in cold weather.

Flooding, when it used to happen (rare nowadays, particularly after Mazda started using stronger starter motor), would occur when one turned off the engine before it had a chance to warm up (in any season, regardless of outside temperature). So people would start their 8 first thing in the morning, move it 10 feet in the driveway (so someone could get out of the garage), and then turn it off. Flooded. The way to avoid flooding - at any outdoor temperature - is simply to let the engine warm up first. That takes 4-5 minutes sitting in your driveway; faster with a drive around the block.

As others have said, cold weather starting was more of a problem before Mazda replaced the original battery with a more powerful one. I've had mine nearly 3 years now; it's always fired right up in even the coldest weather, and it has never flooded.

start like normal...do not crank for more that 15 seconds....I"ve started mine in -20 degrees before and it fired right up....but def needed to run to get everything going....

p.s. i DO NOT have the upraded starter