RotoRocket

iTrader: (1)

...why can't they come up with a fix for the Achilles Heel of the RX-8, ala the farking flooding problem?

How difficult can it be to devise a resolution for this highly annoying issue that should not plague a modern automobile?

Mazda; can you hear us? Can you hear our collective plea?

Tigster

They did, dont turn it off cold.

Glyphon

this is a problem that can affect every modern automobile, piston and rotary. the difference is, in a piston engine, the gas can evenually leak out of the cylinders (right into the oil) and eventually crank again. with the rotary, there is no way for it to leak out without some sort of intervention.

that said, if you'd follow the cold shut down procedure, then you wouldn't have a problem. and as smart as they are, the engineers can't do anything about the true achilles heel...the owners

Umbra

Drain valve..... hahahahahahahaha

shaolin

Screw that, they should come out with a better fuel map. Every flash they come out with still doesn't put it where it should be.

vectorwolf

I don't have flooding problems? Happened to me ONCE a couple of weeks after I bought the car. It's fired up just fine, cold or hot, every time since then.

You know you've come across a great car when something as simple to "fix" as this is the most discussed problem.

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

they should find a supplier for catalytic converters that can handle the higher heat that the rotary engine puts out, so mazda doesn't have to 'detune' their fuel map so the cat can last 100k miles, or whatever the feds mandate

Nemesis8

iTrader: (3)

From early in the pre days - it was known to never turn of the car when cold. A capture from the early instructional manual for the techs:

FirstSpin

Have driven my 8 for 2 years and 8 days now and after 30,500 miles, it's never flooded once, or even come close. For me, it's not an issue....

bluesunlion

Practically the same for me.
20 months and 31K miles.
I don't generally shut it off cold, although I'm sure I have once or twice, I don't go through any extensive warmup period or anything like that. Usually, I start it, take off and try not to wind it up too much until it's reached regular operating temps.

G8rboy

The fix is easy- follow directions and it WON'T flood... it's really quite easy. It's never a good idea to shut off any engine without letting it warm up... it just happens to cause more immediate problems with rotaries. Despite this, knowing people wouldn't follow directions, Mazda still released an ECU flash to help prevent flooding, a much stronger battery for cold climates, and a faster starter motor.

cstokes24

..ditto... never had an issue with flooding....

Krankor

Thank you, that's the first time I've seen someone explain the "why" of the flooding thing. Care to take it one step further? What is it about being cold that makes flooding a problem? Why is it perfectly ok when warm?

Slick8

Not to knock anyone of the soapbox, but the Mazda Engineers have done an excellent job of designing the RX-8. It simply does everything very well, not excluding the incredibly low cost at the level of engineering expertise that went into the 8.

Sure the flooding can be a pain as is the mileage and adding oil, BUT nothing is anything like it. Mazda Engineers have refined the Renesis and chassis balance and feel beyond the expertise of almost all other auto manufacturer all by themselves. The transmission is even world class, although a non Mazda assembly. The gauges are perfect! Last, the interior is so progressively styled AND ergonomically exceptional, a real reference for every other auto maker for design.

The piston engine has some much more R&D money and support for it, of course its design is more foolproof. However, it will never ever be as inherently silky smooth and as light as a Renesis -- with a comparible piston engine with the same displacement and cost. All Mazda has to do is scale up the engine from 2.6L (arguably not really 1.3L) to 3.0-3.5L and then add direct injection and all bets are off. Imagine how sick that will be!

I've been driving my winter beater Saturn (the bare minimum to be defined as a "car") and my grilfriend FX35 (awesome), but the last time I drove my RX8 a few days ago, all I could think was WOW.

Sephiroth

Not trying to be a dick but...in the mean time you could be half as bright and take the steps to PREVENT flooding.

RotoRocket

iTrader: (1)

I'm not trying to be a dick either, and my car never flooded (yes, that is correct - no flooding in 1,560 miles since purchased new), but...

...reading about the frequency of flooding issues posted here by long term members, coupled with the weak starter experience I've had in sub 30 degree weather, is not exactly confidence-inspiring on a forward going basis.

Aside from all of that, I do think it can be objectively stated that a modern automobile should be able to be started and stopped, whether the engine runs for 5 seconds, or 5 hours, and restarted, without the owner having to worry about whether they'll have to call a flat bed truck to tow it to the dealer for replacement of spark plugs and having other deflooding procedures performed.

Some people believe we have sent men to the moon and machines to Mars, so an engineering resolution of this issue shouldn't be that tall an order.

But that's just my opinion.

hemanrulez

Spoken like a true non-engineer.

spork

I dunno. Mine never flooded (well , I had one close call). 13,000+ miles. I also learned stick on this car meaning I stalled cold MILLIONS of times. Not a problem for me, but after the first month and hearing how serious the flood effect is, I avoid shutting it off cold.

RotoRocket

iTrader: (1)

You're right; I'm not an engineer.

Just an average consumer, who needs reliable transportation, and feels slightly burdened by having to explain to everyone from the people at the window tint place, to my wife, that you can't simply start the car, and turn it off before going waiting for the engine to warm, driving it around for a while, or performing a preventative-deflooding procedure.

I love the car, though.

It seems like it's a faux pas to make the slightest objective criticism of this car, which I now own, for some members on this forum.

herbert

But who's going to start a thread saying that they've never flooded?

RotoRocket

iTrader: (1)

That's not really a fair analogy, though.

If I had 150,000 miles on my Renesis, and the only thing I had to do was change the oil and other fluids in accordance with the manual, I'd start a thread, because that would be notable.

Again, I'm not trying to be an ***. I love this car. I'll love it even more when my winter tires and rims get mounted (in the Michigan farking winter).

I've just seen an increased posting frequency of flooding problems now that it's colder in most parts of the U.S. and Canada (and where our European friends live, too).

I do plan on getting the upgrade to the stronger battery and starter, and hopefully that will decrease the chances of the flooding issues which I have yet to experience, and that I hopefully never will.

Sephiroth

You are right ofcourse, it can be a problem when other people are going to be using it. I was under the impression you are another person bitching about how your car keeps flooding, etc. Clearly not the case.

G8rboy

I think you have overlooked the fact that some of us have heard the same complaint for three winter seasons now, and while the frequency has decreased tremendously, it just seems silly to whine about something Mazda has obviously been working through for many, many years. After all the complaints about the 3rd gen RX7, especially here in the states, I'm just happy as hell there's a rotary on the market again at all, and can happily live with it's few little quirks.

RotoRocket

iTrader: (1)

No, and I wasn't probably as clear as I should have been earlier.

NoTears316

Never flooded here... proud owner since August 2003, 32k miles.