Crazy-Loud Backfire When Starting?
 

Hey, I'm having a problem with starting. For the past few months I've had very rough starts and sometimes it takes 3-4 times to start, usually when its cold but only a little better when warm. I installed new plugs a few months ago and ordered coils and wires a few months ago from a certain store which STILL hasn't delivered, but thats beside the point.

About a month ago the car was taking a while to start, which is normal now, and backfired, sounding like a gunshot. Its happened 3 times now in the past 3 days! I'm assuming its an excess of fuel being ignited in either the chamber or exhaust pipe, but I've done a lot of searching and haven't seen anyone mention this happening, so I'm getting kinda worried. I'm waiting till my coils/wires get here and a new battery before I take it seriously (such as taking it to the German dealer). If anyone has any info or ideas, it'd be greatly appreciated, from me and especially my neighbors!

Mine always starts a bit better if I shut down the engine at 2-3k and not just at idle. Could help.

CHeck your MAF sensor as well. It could easily be your coils/plugs, but THAT much excess fuel might be caused by a bad MAF sensor reading, dumping way too much in, rather than just not burning what is there.

When I accidently left my MAF unplugged once, I was getting gas puddling under my tailpipes. Yours isn't that bad, but if it is damaged or dirty, it could be giving a higher flow reading than is accurate.

You could get one of those Burninators............

I have the same issue it's only when my battery is weak its almost a flood just get a decent battery and starter that should help

8 year thread necromancy...

Monster In Gray
Well since you already necroed this thread I might as well throw in my two cents. My car doesn't really backfire when starting but it hella grumbles and pops a little which is normal for a decatted 8. Its possible that your coils/plugs are fucked if you are using stock coils which leaves extra, unburned fuel in the combustion chamber when starting. Fuel gets dumped into exhaust and explodes. Fuel destroys CAT. CAT destroys rear rotor. The usual RX8 bullshit.

Check your plugs, coils and cranking speed of the starter. Go get your battery tested too, its free in most places.

This is not a normal thing for the RX8 to do, something is almost certainly wrong.

Grab yourself an OBD2 scanner and check your MPG and drive like a granny. If you are getting less than 18mpg then your coils/plugs are almost certainly fucked. The stock coils give up around 20k miles and don't work right. I replaced my with D585 coils which I ordered from Greece to avoid the BHR tax. Make sure you are using laser iridium plugs, they are hella expensive but the humble rotary is hard as hell on plugs and without iridium tips you'll get a bad spark real fast.