Bummer! Just curious, is your 8 and MT or AT (not that it should matter)?

 

AT with no aftermarket mods. Just seems like a lot of problems with this engine. Poor engineering or over egineered?

 

2004 MT with 35K + miles (haven't got recall yet) - moved car out of garage to wash a couple weeks ago. Later in the day went to start and it immediately sounded much different than normal cranking. Maybe due to lack of compression or something - but definitely different. My battery was OEM and I knew it wouldn't last the winter - it's always sounded pretty weak. I tried the deflood procedure in the manual and reviewed many of the posts here but the battery was not cranking very fast and could not keep it up for more than 20 seconds. Used jumper cables from another car and it cranked faster but no luck. Started to hook up straps and getting ready to drag down the road but thought I would try once more. Just held the gas down and cranked for maybe 20 sec until I heard some slight "compression" type noises - let the gas off and cranked for almost a minute. Started slowly at first with lots of blue smoke and then finally ran. I immediately ran out and got a new battery and haven't had any issues since. Not that the battery was the problem but the slow turn on a cold start cycle may contribute to the flooding. Fortunately I was in my own driveway and wasn't time critical to do anything. I still need to make an appointment to get the recall done but sure hope that doesn't add to any future flooding issues.

 

When you take it in for the recall, tell them about what happened and ask to be upgraded to the new starter (under warranty). You already have a new battery (hopefully the one you bought is 640 CCA) and the recall will get you new plugs and the latest PCM update. Those are the 4 main things the "Engine cranks no start" TSB replaces.

If necessary, bring along a copy of the TSB and give it to them.

 

Does anyone know if the new electrical parts eliminate the flooding concern? I had the 'move to driveway, then back to garage, then wouldn't start next day' event when my car was new in 2004 and I have been worried about flooding again, so I always warm it up before turning off the engine. This is not always convenient and sometimes I end up pushing the car out of the garage for washing, without starting the engine. I also do the high rev thing when turning off the engine after short rides, say in a shopping center.

I've had the recall done, with new battery, plugs and starter and the engine does turn over faster but, is this a sure fix for flooding? I'm guessing, probably not.

 

Carrying around worry since 2004 is not a good thing. But you answered your own questions.

 

The updates are more oriented to enable you to recover from a flood rather than eliminating flooding.

In answer to your question, I believe Mazda still recommends avoiding shutting the engine off cold. However since the introduction of the updated PCM firmware, battery, starter, plugs and PDI plug replacement, the reports of flooding on this forum have dropped off dramatically. There have been almost no reports of flooding in late-model 2005s/2006s and even older 8s that have had the TSB updates. People have posted a few times where they had the TSB updates and then had a repeat flood but this seems to be the exception rather than the rule.

Regardless, I still avoid shutting the engine off cold if at all possible.

 

I think I experienced flooding for the first time. I have an 04 GS MT and after starting it in sub zero weather I couldn't get the car to rev beyond 3k. Every tie I depressed the accelerator nothing happened. When I got to my destination (about 8kms) I shut the car off. It restarted easily after 5 minutes and ran normally from then on. I think that must have been flooded now that I have read through this post.

Yes??

 

How long did you warm it up for?

Here the U.S. spec cars have a flash that prevents the car from reving very high when the car is cold in freezing temperatures.

Flooding prevents the car from starting. After it does start there is plenty of smoke that comes out the exhaust.

 

I had the same thought on this since the Techs at my dealer asked if I was having subfreezing temp related problems. They explained the same thing to me, stating that the car will NOT rev until it has run for a minute or two.

I do a complete warm-up on every cold start or first start of the day and (knock on wood) have not flooded the car.

I would never do a cold-driveaway in any sports car, just not good.

 

OK It warmed up for about 3 minutes. Started fine. It has always started fine. I wonder if it was the flash preventing it from over revving?
How long do you warm it up?
Thanks for the response

 

It depends on how cold it is.

I normally wait to drive (hot or cold climate) till the idle gets just under 1500 RPMs.

Then, while driving, I keep the RPMs under 3k till a few minutes after the water temp gets to its normal position.

 

Thanks for the info, I'll try to pay closer attention to the revs before I move off.

 

I am done with this car. Waiting on a tow as I type for the second time since ownership. This time I drove home Friday, parked it in the garage and Monday morning flooded. No shutting down a cold engine as I drove it home from work Friday. It is an 04 with a mere 23K miles on it. No way this should happen. Insert namecalling here but there is no excuse for this. Car shopping commences now. Anyone want a RX8 with very low miles?

 

How can you tell if it's a flooded condition as opposed to, say, no fuel delivery or no spark? I'm assuming you can tell.

 

It was flooded again. They replaced the starter as well but did say the plugs needed to be replaced due to flooding. This was not a case of a cold shutdown so i am stumped and annoyed at this car.

 

well then be done with the car... somehow i have managed to put 61k miles on mine.. never a flood, and i have the old starter and battery...

have shut it down cold often... and many times before the rev engine trick came out..

location or bad karma? sorry, it sucks to deal with it...

i hope the starter and plugs work for you..

beers

 

Yeah, I'm an '04 who's never flooded either. But that new starter and battery combo really does rock, it cranks so much aggresively now, faster, more energy. Swoope, you ought to try to get them next time you feel like taking it in. No biggie if you don't though I guess, but I sure like the improvement. Before I got them, it started ok, but it was making me wonder.

 

i dont bug them for stuff that is not an issue..

but i got the new motor. without testing... motor mounts and a bunch of other stuff...

the last flash with the longer crank before fuel or spark i think is going to help a lot..

beers

 

I'm a new RX8 owner (bought a used 04 in October 2006), and I had my 1st episode of flooding today. I really didn't know that it was that much of a problem with the 8. I guess it happened because I started up the car yesterday in the garage, backed it out so that I could wash her, then after washing....started it back up and pulled it back in. Getting in this morning before work and that sombitch won't start. Had it towed to the dealership, as I drove my wife's dependable 4Runner.

I guess I'll have to warm it up a little more next time.

It just sucks **** to have a extremely clean Brilliant Black being towed like a chump to the dealership.

 

Classic flood ... still sucks though!

Make sure you get the updated PCM firmware, battery, starter and plugs. You earned it!

 

They did update the PCM, however they didn't replace anything else. Works like a charm now.

 

Can't see how they could do a de-flood "by the book" without replacing the plugs, but I am not a mazda tech.

I would suggest reading http://www.finishlineperformance.com...4-05-1448e.pdf and make your own decision on following up about the starter and battery. If your 2004 had already been upgraded they you wouldn't need it, but then it shouldn't have flooded either.

 

I worked at a place for almost 2 years that I had to move the car out evening so we could close off the parking lot. I very rarely gave it time to warm up any. Even in winter. I have never had the first problem with starting. I geuss I have been a lucky one.

If you want to read about some hard core, dedicated owners with POS cars, research Mini Cooper owners. People driving for hours to get to a dealer for service because of problems with the car happens often. And then say they wouldn't give it up for anything. It will make you go out and kiss your 8.

 

i've just flooded my rx8 last night, its a 2004 I had it for 3 months. I just dint crank it long enoght and when try to re start it just wont start. dont know what to do now, does anyone nows what to do when it happens besides taking it to the dealer or how much does it cost to get fixt?