ummmm.......

dont give milk to Cats. !

:P

If the engine isn't in normal operating temp. then you are supposed to rev it up to like 6000 rpm for 30 sec. before killing it. I do the same thing when I wash mine, but I drive it around the block and make sure the engine temp is up to normal before I kill it. That is the way I took what the cold start procedure said to do.

Where on Earth did you get that???? The engine is cold, the oil isn't flowing and you suggest we rev it to 6,000 RPM for half a minute? I don't think so. Mazda recommendsthe following if you are just moving the car a short distance [My bold]
:

1. Turn the ignition switch to the START position and hold (up to 10 seconds at a time) until the engine starts.
2. After starting the engine, let it idle for about 10 seconds, then move the vehicle.
3. After moving the vehicle, let the engine idle for about 5 minutes.
4. Rev the engine to 3,000 rpm, and then let it return to idle.
5. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position.

Source: Mazda RX-8 Drivers Guide

The procedure I've read in this forum has you revving to 3K briefly then switching it off, WHILE revving. Then, I assume, as it spins down the vile gasoline is expelled or evaporated from the chambers. True, false, more internet propagated BS?

True!

My flood story
 

Ok, I know there have evidently been lots of posts on here about flooding. But, there are not a lot of people telling what they did to cause it or how they fixed it. I thought I would share mine for future readers.

I have had my RX8 for almost two weeks now. It was a 2004 CPO vehicle with 19k miles on it. The dealer told me to let it idle for 8-10 seconds before I touched the accelerator. I have been very aware and done that.

I drove my car home from out of town. It was a 100 mile drive solid with no break. I parked it in the drive way. The next day, I needed to move it from our upper circular drive to the lower driveway. I went out, started it, let it idle, put it in drive and moved it. I put it in park and turned it off. Total time running was probably 1-2 minutes. That was around noon that day. At 7PM, I went to get in the car. It would not start. It sputtered at first. Having not read the manual or any advice online about a flooded engine, I tried to crank it several times.

After freaking out, then being pissed off I went online. I came here first, but really found no solution. Most people here either called Mazda or claimed that this car does not flood.

I turned to Google. After much searching I found a comment somewhere about the instructions in the manual for starting a flooded engine. (sidebar for those that claim this engine does not flood: if the manual tells you how to start a flooded engine, chances are, it can happen. Most cars don't have this instruction).

I read the manual. The process to "unflood" the engine was to depress the accelerator and hold the starter for 10 seconds. If it did not start, you then remove your foot and start for 10 seconds. That is where the instructions stopped.

By this time I had flooded it good. Now this is where my upbringing came into play. My father is a career motorcycle mechanic. I have been around many a flooded engine. Of course, those had a carbourater, not EFI, but I knew the drill.
I repeated those steps about 8 times until my car started. 10 on, 10 off with a break of 5-10 between attempts.

Now, when the car started, it was smoking something terrible. Again my experience being around flooded engines helped me not to panic. I drove it around for 10 minutes or so and the smoke cleared up.

I am lucky I did not foul the plugs. I still may have it checked when I take it in for the next oil change. Flooding an engine can allow gas to get in places it is not supposed to be and can foul plugs.

Just thought I would share my experience.

And hey, not everyone knee jerk posts about their problems without searching.

good post about getting out of flood siutation. like you said, I definitely get it checked on your next visit to the dealer.

And you didn't say which flash you have, but you should get the latest N flash, as it is supposed to help with the flooding situation.

Good post.

And I think you're the only newbie that Mugatu hasn't flamed. There should be an award for this.

yeah - a newbie with something constructive to say. that gets high marks in my book. :D

no need to flame him because he didn't bring a question or comment that hasn't been discussed to death.

Is there a way to find out which flash I have other than the dealer telling me? I have no idea which I have. That is on my checklist of things to ask at my first oil change.

I called a different dealer w/ my VIN.

Well, I will be going to a different dealer for service. It is closer and my father (2004 Tribute) says their service is better than the dealer I bought it from.

In fact, I will be using Trussville Mazda who has banner ads on this site for RX8 parts. Anyone bought from them?

If your car has a build date of April '04 or later, it was built with the M-flash to help prevent flooding. Otherwise, check for a sticker under your hood or engine bay that says MSP04. If you can't find a sticker, call the dealer with your VIN to verify.

Moving a cold car, even after idling for a minute or two, and then quickly shutting down is one of the classic ways folks have flooded the RX-8. To be on the safe side, I always make sure the car is warmed for about 7-10 minutes before shutting down.

Good for you on getting it started though, I bet most of the folks give up after a few tries of starting their flooded car. I recall years ago on my first gen RX-7, took me about 8-10 tries to get it fired up after it flooded (similar procedure, but it had a choke back then). Same thing, big cloud of smoke, but after that it ran just fine.

Mine is an 06/03 build. There are 3 labels under the hood. Two are similar and have something on them about a port code. 030A or something like that. The other says something about modifications made that meat EPA guidlines and then a hand written 10 character code of some kind. That is all I see that looks post production.

What does the hand written code say?

Ok, the two similar labels Say:

Rework: 03F04 Port OA (or DA)
and
Rework: 03F02 Port OA (or DA)

The other has handwritten: N3Z1-18881-L and a dealer number.

Looks like you have the L flash

from page 72 of This Thread


davefzr

Reply by
Zoom44

I guess the last owner never bothered to get the new flashes, and the dealer didn't bring you up to date

Well, I joined the mass of "floodeds" this week. I came back to my garaged 2004 "8" AT after a winter vacation of 8-9 days. The starter cranked, sounded like it was going to catch for about 1/4 second, then just spun. All the clearing stuff of foot to the floor didn't help. Charger overnight boosted battery but to no avail. Off it went this morning on a flatbed, thanks to Mazda RoadSide service call. Car has 14 months on it and 17,237 miles of trouble -free driving pleasure. I have no idea what Flash my ECU is but suspect that the battery issue is the key in this case.

i have had the 8 flood twice now ....and both times it had to go to dealership ...this really aggrivates me, i have tried to remove fuel pump fuse ...petal to floor... nothing works.....there is nothing more embarressing than my car on a tow truck, without a scratch on it....exactly what works other than the damn dealership.....and one other thing its not that i dont follow instuctions, cause i do... HELP....forget the fuel milage...that is the only thing i hate about the car

flooded again
 

tell me what i can do beside having car towed to dealership ....there is nothing more upsetting to me than my car on a tow truck ...without a scratch on it.....ive tried everything ....fuel filter fuse ....petal to the floor...... i know how to crank it ....well i thought i did ....but this is really bothersome...forget the fuel economy ..this is the only thing i hate about the car..it seems to me that mazda should work on this ....i cant even let girl friend drive the car ..afraid she might flood it..............HELP :cool:

dont touch the gas pedal when starting it. if you have a MT park on top of hill (if possible). hey if youve flooded it more than once maybe you should let her try lol. have you read the manuel? ask your sevice guy for other tips i guess

ghostman, Any idea why you flooded? Short trips without letting the car warm up, maybe?

That is the first time that I have heard anyone say this. Has anyone tried? Did it actually work because I would figure that the computer would have some sort of protection setting to keep it from starting while moving (since it has all kinds of other protection stuff that keeps the dyno results from being right, etc)?

Same problem for me in S. Jersey, I have submitted a certified letter to Mazda under the Lemon Law, and an fyi, supposedly the cut off for the Lemon Law is 18,000 or one year.