- Turning the engine off -
 

Alright. I went to drive an automatic RX-8 at a Mazda dealership just to compare and before I turned the car off, the guy told me to wait, rev it up to 4k and hold it for four seconds before letting off and turning the car off. Not quite sure I've read this anywhere here, but I was just wondering if you do that after short drives or what? I forgot to ask when I was there.

That's what Mazda suggests if you start the car cold and have to turn it off right away, before it gets a chance to warm up - which takes only 3-5 minutes. The only time you'd do that is, for example, if you get up in the morning to move your car out of the garage to wash it in your driveway.

I have heard and read a few threads regarding that procedure and I think that was done in cases where the car did not have sufficient time to warm up. This was to keep it from flooding I believe. If it was driven it was not necessary. If it has had the latest PCM flashes and the ignition system is healthy, it is not necessary IMO. I have never done that, nor has my car ever flooded.

Ummm... that's not what Mazda says. They say that if you're not going to drive it long enough to warm it up, you should let it warm up by idling, then rev to 3k for 10 seconds before turning it off.

Once you start it you're stuck letting it run until it warms up one way or another. Unless you have faith that current PCM and good ignition make flooding a thing of the past.

No need to rev before shutdown if you drive it long enough to warm up.

Ken

Almost, not quite. From "Mazda RX-8 Driver's Guide", P/N 9999-92-RX8D3-04, summarized.

For short periods of cold driving.

1) Start
2) Idle for 10 seconds, then move.
3) Idle for about 5 minutes.
4) Rev the engine to 3,000 rpm, and then let it return to idle.
5) Turn off.

Is the car in question a series 1 or 2?

strangly enough theres been many times I've did this short run scenario in,out of the garage, cold weather or hot and glad to say have never had an issue with flooding.

its prolly due to types of fine beers I drink that obviously must be killing off the flood borne pathogens that are being expelled during these short but exilerating micro bursts, I thinking.

Series 1.

We drove for about ten to twenty minutes. He made me go through a windy back road in the middle of town and then to the highway to let the car loose. We didn't drive for long, but it wasn't too short either. That's why is puzzled me.

If you drove for 10 to 20 minutes, there was no need to rev before shutdown. The salesman just doesn't know as much about rotaries as he thinks he does.

If you have an 8, read the Quick Tips guide and/or watch the video on the DVD. It's all in there.

Ken

Okay, cool.

And also, I'm going to look at one in a little while that I'm assuming has been sitting for a while. A college kid's parents are selling his RX8 since he's at school. Does this hurt anything if it's been parked for so long?

It depends on how long it was sitting. If it was sitting for about 3 months or more, then i should be worried about the oil that was left for that long without running it or just warming it up. If so, then i will have to change the oil before i start the car...just to be on the safe side.

I just put the car in neutral and stick my left foot out and walk the car back. Its a pretty light car and its very easy to get moving, that way no need to turn it on. Then I go somewhere after I wash the car, problem solved.

I think it takes a lot longer than that for the oil to really warm up.

True, the oil temperature lags behind coolant temperature during warm-up, but it is not necessary to thoroughly warm up the oil to prevent flooding. As long as the car is no longer in cold start mode (high idle, rich mixture), it should be OK to turn off. My basic rule: if the idle speed is down to normal and the temp guage has reached normal reading, I can shut it off.

I had a pair of cars in a barn for 5 years w/o changing the oil and they restarted just fine and ran another 10 years after. If one really wants to be compulsive about it, disconnect the crankshaft sensor or pull the fuel pump relay and crank the car without starting long enough to build up oil pressure and circulate oil a bit before actually starting.

The worst problem will be possible rust in the chambers that might stick the seals to the housing. The compulsive approach would be to pull the plugs, spray a little oil in and turn the engine by hand to free the rings (seals) and provide some initial startup lube.

I wouldn't worry much about a semester's worth of storage though. (Except for furry creatures knawing on wires and making nests in comfy places - that sucks.)

That's pretty much what I do too!!

This topic is one of the reasons why I want to have oil temp/oil pressure gauges installed

i store my 8 all winter and usually change the oil before start up but a few times i had to move it before i got to change it. no problems to report but i always change the oil, check tires/pressure and a few other things before i drive it for real.

omfg did i just kinda agree with moniche?