Jims5543

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My initial thought is battery but this is really weird.


No I did not search, I am on vacation and really do not want to be on the internets...

3 weeks ago, wife, kid and I were running errands, Home Depot, Publix (supermarket) then Walgreens.

When we left Walgreens, the car had sat maybe 10 minutes and it would not start, not even turn over.

We happened to be 2 miles from home so we walked home, grabbed a jumper box and jumped the car. It started right up.

So today, I drive 120 miles from Jensen Beach to the Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando. We are hitting Universal and Islands with the 10 year old and the rooms keys are speed passes. WIN!!

I decide to valet the car, slipping the valet a 20 and in return a spot up front. Gonna grab a pic later. Stories of Rotary love was exchanged between a couple of Valets for a bit, then I went on my way leaving the keys with them.

Then I get a call to my room, the car car will not start. I have the jumper box in the trunk. I go down and hook up the jumper box, no start, te car is acting like it is deader than dead. Even the electronic trunk release will not work, I have to use the key to open it.

I hook up the jumper Box, nothing, will not turn over, or barely turns over.

We wait 5 minutes and BOOM turns over fast and starts.


WT ever loving F

I am going to get a new battery for starters but, is there something more to this?

The Car.

2009 R3
20K miles
Ambient Temps 97°


Ambient temp is key because the last time this happened it was close to 100° out.

Karack

clean the battery terminals.

Jims5543

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Jims5543

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holy @#$##@ the pool waitress Is tring to get me plastered. i asked for a single of jack and got a triple. smoking redhed. wife is suspicious.

Car tucked away safe and sound for the weekend. I will deal with this on Monday.

Any previous experience is appreciated.

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JamesD31

As mentioned, check battery first. If not, my knowledge would suggest your engine is dying. This happened to me as well, even when I would site idle after a few hours of driving it would just die, at which you have to let it SITTTTT for a LONGGGG (30+ minutes) time, before you can even ATTEMPT to turn it.

This is because the engine is just dead and won't go very long. A temporary fix to "boost" compression is to kinda put a little bit more oil in, to where the engine will then dump the oil into itself and boost the compression - or so that happened to me by mistake and what I did to be able to get the car home onetime.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

^ this.

The only 2 real sources of hot start problems are failing compression or failing fuel pump. They both have very different symptoms around the how the engine was shut off previously, and how long it takes to re-fire. NEITHER of these two have an impact on the starter's ability to spin the engine.

This totally sounds like battery terminal corrosion is separating the clamps from the battery posts, and the expansion from engine bay heat is causing them to lose even more contact than before. Disconnect both clamps from the battery, clean the clamps and terminals, reconnect making sure to seat them firmly as you tighten.

Jastreb

iTrader: (1)

I think the battery is a good place to start. I was having similar reluctant starting in hot weather earlier this summer, and I was able to correlate it to the cooling fan coming on after the car is shut off. Having the fan run for 6+ minutes would drain the battery to the point where it would not start. When I looked inside the cells, the water level was low and there was a bunch of crud on the plates.

My car being the same age as yours, and in a hot climate, I bet you are due for a new battery.

Jims5543

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thanks everyone. I am going to just replace the battery and clean the cables good.

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Jims5543

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Just to update, the battery was toast. Keeping it on a trickle charger concealed the real problem.

I put in a new Optima Red Top as well as cleaned up the cables, added some dielectric grease and some of those super cool red and green donuts to the terminals.

The car never cranked so fast since the day I bought it. Such a delight.

I am leaving in a week to the Dragon with her. I will make some time to create a thread after the trip with some pics and video. I am accompanying 2 E30 BMW's one an M3 the other a 318i with a E36 M3 Motor swap along with a Focus ST.

tomibox

Hello. I am new here, and I have almost same problem. My rx8 start hardly starts when cold, when warm it wont start at all. When it starts in the morning when the engine is cold, gasoline smells all around car, hard gasoline smell present. maybe someone knows what is the problem. Can it be that fuel pump is failing? Or compression. Sorry for bad English. Thanks

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Pull up the rear seat behind the driver, open the panel there. Do you have a fuel leak? Fuel pump failure could be leaking fuel and not holding fuel pressure.

tomibox

this is how I see it when I remove seat. Should I remove this 4 bolds, and remove the plate?

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Yup. Fuel pump is behind that.

tomibox

this is how it looks. no visible leaking. hm

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

is that smell of gas present? Might it have dried up since you last attempted to start?

tomibox

There is always gasoline in car, it never left without gas. And during driving gas smells a lot.

RIWWP

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I don't think you are understanding me. If the car has been sitting for a while since it's last time running, the gas around that fuel pump might have dried up. Try starting up the car and checking for leaks. Be prepared to shut it off fast if you see a leak, you don't want it catching fire.

tomibox

Now I understand you. Car was started last time, today, 2 hours before now. I am going to start it and watch the fuel pumpe. If it leaks, that can be my problem? sorry for misunderstaning, and thanks for helping.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Yes, if you have a leak at the fuel pump (or anywhere else in the fuel system) then it will cause starting trouble as the pump has to try to re-build the fuel pressure. The heavy smell of fuel, especially while driving, suggests that you do have a leak. Most other fuel smell sources are while starting or shortly after starting, and fade with any vehicle speed. A leak at the fuel pump though tends to gets lots of gas fumes into the cabin area, which you would smell while driving quite a bit more.

tomibox

I started it now, and there is no leaks around the pump, but there is gas smell right now in cabin. I am going crazy because of rx8.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

check up around the engine, near the firewall, look under the car in the same area. See if you can trace the fuel lines from the pump up to the engine.

tomibox

Ok I will check all of it. thank you a lot, for help, i'll write here in the meantime when i check it.