Engine flooded now (exhaust sound changed, sluggish engine)
 

Ok everyone I finally have a problem with the 8 :( 2 weeks ago I went to a carwash and after while driving the engine got flooded. I pulled over and tried the deflooding method ( gas pedal in with clutch and start for 5sec) I tried it 3 or 4 times until the car turned on. after It turned on it was really sluggish/bogy, I’ve been driving it for 2 weeks now and It still feels the same and the exhaust sound has changed sooo much (it doesn’t pop anymore) it’s as if the intake can’t get air in or the exhaust can’t get air out, it also doesn’t rev up as fast, I’ve used zoom-zoom in the engine and cleaned the filter but no luck, I have a 2004 with 38,000 miles and a mazdaspeed intake and exhaust and bhr coils. Thanks everyone :)

cloged cat?

That's what I would think

Ya that’s what I thought too, I’m gonna take it off sometime this week and check it out but I always thought clogged cats set off the CEL, mines not on :dunno:, thanks you guys i’ll let you know what happens

not if a portion of the cat is still functioning. You may have just burned up the first part or the multistep process

buy a catless midpipe ,problem solve. you will have a check engine light on but never worry about the cat again. my check engine light went off after 2 months using the pipe and havent come back on sine 1 1/2 year ago, guess im lucky

Well I took it off today and you guys were right, its definitely clogged :( but rx8speciale I took you up on that advice haha I just got a racingbeat dual Resonated pipe :D thanks everyone for the help

/\ cool - now you get to solve your problem , make some extra power and improve the sound all in one go .

if you guys dont like the CEL light, there are O2 simulators you can get

maybe you could post a link to one that works?

people need to know. :)

beers :beer:

what is the cons of driving on a clogged cat? like the major issues?

Cover your mouth every time you exhale and tell me what the cons are ;)

no power
bad gas mileage
kills motor

nothing important

beers :beer:

I would have to Exhale through my nose? ;)
CAT is covered under warrany by mazda, correct? I feel no power loss, and I am getting regular MPG. But I have realized a different exhaust tone lately. Im gonna have it checked out this week. Just in Case.

OK... I'll give you that one :)

A change in tone could be a sign the cat is on its way out.
Best to have it checked out.

Thanks. Ill probably even get it check out tomorrow. Im going to search for some picks of what a clogged cat looks like. Am I mistaken or can the inside of a Cat (honeycomb crap) also burn up and blow out, causing a CEL? or no CEL? (i have no CEL)

When the first section (or trap) breaks apart, its usually pushed into the next trap and that's what creates the clog.
The burnt material has nowhere to go because its trapped by the other sections.

OK, thanks. So tomorrow or Monday I will be taking it to the local muffler shop to get it looked at. Shouldnt cost more than $30 (thats what they quoted me on to swap w. a race pipe). So if it is clogged Ill just get it over to Mazda for a New CAT :)

change in tone tends to be dry apex seal.. that may or may not go away..

beers :beer: