silvernite8

Finally Happened, My luck streak is over

Tried to fire up my baby today and she just would not start

Call up Mazda Road Side Assistance and they contacted my local dealer and told me that I flooded her...Which I am still and disbelieve since the last times i drove herI allowed the engine to warn up and made sure she was well warmed up before any redline or shutdown
I try to keep the RPMs under 3K when the engine temp is warm but does not reach the middle.

So i did the hold the gas pedal down deflood technique since no hope...turn the key and get two lousy clicks and nothing...

Though my Model 2006 (6sd) under 20K miles should not be subjected to the engine flood if i allow her to warm up and drive for a bit before shut down which i do...

But after doing some quick searches on the forum I'm going with either the coils or my starter or maybe at worst batt.

Searches show ppl having problems with the cold weather.
This was my first winter use the RX-8
(20 degrees F today)

I felt some hard starts during the very cold winter days (below 30 degrees F) but she would always start just took longer than normal
but for some reason today had to be that day

As far as maintenance i have the recalls done

Starter was changed, sparkplugs changed as well, had the test done to make sure if i need a new engine due to low compression (didn;t need a new engine).

I keep up to date w/ maintenance.Had all my maintenance done at my local Mazda dealer.

Use only 5W20 oil and check every 3 fill ups adding if necessary. (just checked the oil 2 weeks ago)

Though I have to say my Mazda Roadside Assistance was pleasant.

Call them up and they got everything fixed up for me.
They called my nearest dealer to let them know my car would be coming in bec according to them "Engine Flood"
and within 20 a flatbed tow truck was here to tow the car
and got calls from the Mazda dealer that they will be expecting my car. So overall well done on their end.

Is there anything i should be aware of when they attempt to de-flood the car or and specific request i should make regarding the coils, battery, sparkplugs (assuming flooded they should clean or change the plugs), starter (do i need a new one)?

Also did a search for helpful links and found this one: http://www.myrotarycar.com/portal/fo...3le/index.html (reading through now)

Guess i should have not used the car as my winter warrior

Well right now nothing i can do now but wait and see what i did wrong and hear back from the dealer.

I'm be myself if i did in fact flood her...

Thanks in advance for any addition advice/ tips (goin to be do some search/ post reading now on this forum)

szym0n

that really sucks sorry to hear that, i do the same by warming it up every time and not redlining it in cold temps.

I think maybe the car isent used to the cold weather.

Ryan2008

I highly doubt it flooded.. after 04 they fixed any issues with flooding so 06 certainly shouldn't have that problem. What's the temp where you are?

silvernite8

Been starting her in 30 degree temp. though last week she was operating in the high teens low 20s degrees F. This week around 20s-30s since the car is outside.

I have notice her being harder and harder to start during the cold. 6-7 sec to fire her up (first start in the morning) However once she's all warmed up and shut down i can easily fired her back up.

location varies middle of the New Jersey area and sometimes in NYC/ Brooklyn NY so fairly cold temp and snow around me.

CyberPitz

I don't know, it seems like it could be the battery more than anything to me...but they should be able to test it all and figure out the weak link. Depending on the miles, wouldn't hurt to get a new bat.

rowteree

check your battery. Are the lights dimming inside your car? Can you read the instrument cluster?

czar

iTrader: (3)

its still possible to flood, just reduced the likely hood with the stronger battery and the stronger starter. id check the battery (that was my problem)

silvernite8

Batt should be fine gauges light up. dash is lit. But the car is already at the dealer so I'll be sure when i pick her back up to ask them about a new batt.

in case ppl ask I have been following the advice on this Winter thread
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-tech-garage-22/fall-here-winter-coming-things-remember-about-your-rx-8-a-129198/

I'll post the report once my dealer gets back to me

thanks again for the timely responses

CyberPitz

Yeah, it's not impossible, but it's just very unlikely. I'd go with the battery idea mostly.

Ryan2008

Yeah I know it's still possible, just very unlikely. People still rev it up before shutting it off in the newer 8's, and all though it doesn't hurt it, you don't have to do it anymore because they fixed that issue.

Most likely a battery though, My car is away for winter, I'd say I start it up bi-weekly and it fires right up under 2 seconds. I have an optima yellow top. Best battery I've ever owned, throw one of them in there.

New Yorker

Having your 8 run normally in winter doesn't require any kind of "luck". It can be your "winter warrior" as much as any other car. It should start right up every time - even in very cold weather.

Instances of flooding are pretty much ancient history. (Only owners of early 8's that, for some reason, haven't had Mazda upgrade their starter & battery might have that problem.) I have an '05 and it's never flooded - and never failed to fire right up in the dead of winter. If it had winter starting/driving issues, I would never have considered purchase.

silvernite8

True, though this would be the first winter I'm using the car as my daily driver. Normally, for the past two winters she was a weekend car only if the temps are high. and no snow on the ground. This year i used her in semi snowy days...she got me from point A to point B so far this winter except today

silvernite8

Just got a call back from my mazda dealer...guess what most of you said was right on the $$... BAD BATTERY was the cause and they are going to change the batt for and do some ECU upgrades along with some other TBS to ensure everything is up to date.
Is there anything else i should be aware off along with the new batt?

And NO i will NOT be joinin the engine flood club At least not today and WILL in fact use the car tomorrow once i pick her up later to night once the new batt goes in.
thanks again

New Yorker

New battery, ECU updates, TSBs? Great... best of luck!

04RX8man

if it ust would not crank and got clicks it's just a battery if it cranked and no start there is something wrong with the 3 elements to start(air, fuel, spark.....spark would b a it's flooded)

Renesis07

iTrader: (1)

Battery.

silvernite8

Update (1/22/09 6:22 EST)

just got my baby back and again the forum members are 100% correct...bad battery.
So for the cost of $95 i got a new batt. Dealer check the fluids and gave me the latest ECU flash and prefer some TBS and gave me a new gas cap so i'm all set to go.
Boy that drive home was really enjoyable. I took the extra 15min to take the local side roads/ back roads, a few S-Turns, hills, curves, minor traffic and got back that smile on my face...only one my Rotary powered 8 can give me.

Thanks again guys,

the 8 will be out tomorrow again warm-ups and extra precautions before I drive, just so relief that I did NOT flood her (though the service department and person who towed the car had me convinced that i flooded her )

swifty

As a follow up to this...
A few days ago I experienced the same thing...
No start!

I've got an 04, with the 04 starter.. which I'm going to blame, as it was always warmed up... never abused (and has 16k miles on it)

getting it back tomorrow, with the new starter and I'll throw an optima yellow top in there...

I can't WAIT to get back in the drivers seat!

04RX8man

^off to the dealer to try and hastle them for the upraded starter (and if i'm lucky a new battery since mine is the original in my 04) never got the upgraded battery still have the Mazda "brand"

Ryan2008

Congrats, at least it was nothing major. I would just spend the extra $200 to get an optima yellow top just to ensure you won't have a dead battery for a long time to come. Trust me, that battery is worth every penny.

DOMINION

I bet you its the battery.

*edit* just read your last post lol red top for the win! lol

longpath

iTrader: (1)

From my read of the above, it sounds to me more like the battery flatlined or the starter is malfunctioning. That doesn't sound to me like an engine failure at all, unless it's completely seized and the starter can't turn it at all.

I've never heard of a flooded engine being impossible to turn, so from your description, I think flooding can be eliminated as a root cause.

I suppose it is possible that the engine is carbon locked; but I'm not familiar enough with that issue to know what it would sound like.

I'm basing this upon your description, "...get two lousy clicks and nothing...."

DOMINION

dude your too late. It was a bad battery. Read post #17 lol

PaPaBear

I flooded mine when the battery was going bad. I have a 2004 with the new starter. Seems they flood when the battery goes bad. Had to pull and clean the plugs. Cranked the hell out of it and she fired up. It was 30 degrees yesterday at my house in Miami and I do need coils but she started after six cranks as it has been doing. Going in the shop next week, complete service plugs, coils, all fluids including rear end.

TheDopeShow

my battery died when winter started the oem batteries suck ballz. i put a optima battery in there and new lights started to appear that ive never seen before. like amb temp