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Series I Trouble Shooting This is the place to learn more about or discuss any issues you're having with your RX-8
View Poll Results: Have you flooded your Renesis?
YES
1,355
54.95%
NO
1,111
45.05%
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Engine Flooding Info/Questions

Old Dec 31, 2008 | 06:57 AM
  #1751  
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Originally Posted by zoom44
putting the throttle pedal COMPLETELY down also stops fuel from being injected while cranking. no pulling the fuse necessary. cranking for about 8 seconds should clear any unburned fuel out of the engine then let go of the pedal and crank again to start- smoke like crazy etc. possibly destroy the CAT.
Exactly right, except for some reason it hasn't worked for. Don't know why, might be something with my reflashed ECU; I have a supercharger on my motor. Pulling the fuse has always worked for me, but you're right, just holding the pedal to the floor may do the trick.
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Old Dec 31, 2008 | 08:38 AM
  #1752  
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From: Daytona Beach, FL
EXPENSIVE FLOODING ISSUE Need Advice!

I have an 04 RX-8 that is in the shop right now needing massive repairs.
I had a short in my IGNITION COIL PACK and when trying to start the engine was flooded. So here is what the shop is charging me:

DIAGNOSTICS: Includes DEFLOODING, COMPRESSION TESTS, CLEAN INTAKE & CHANGE OIL & FILTERS
$190 Labor
$24 Parts
Sub Total: $214

REPLACE IGNITION COIL PACK-Shorted
$205.16 Parts
$142.50 Labor
Sub Total: $347.66

REPLACE PLUG WIRES
$88.34 Parts
REPLACE SPARK PLUGS
$81.96 Parts
$47.40 Labor
Sub Total: $217.70

Rotary TSB (When Engine is/has been Flooded): FLUSH ENGINE TO CLEAN APEX SEALS
$25.87 Parts
$380 Labor
Sub Total: $405.87

REPLACE BATTERY (Tests at 100 CCA)
$107 Parts
$24.95 Labor
Sub Total: 131.95

$100 Deductible from my extended warranty which is covering the following repairs:
REPLACE R&L ENGINE MOUNTS
REPLACE COOLANT TANK
($700 Warranty Work)

SHOP SUPPLIES: $39.90

TAX: $94.72

My Out-Of-Pocket Expense TOTAL
$1551.90

HELP!!!! Does this sound right?? Is there anything I can do without having done right away or can have mechanically inclined friends do cheaper??

Any advice would be so greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank You, Thank You for your time!!!!
Reply
Old Jan 1, 2009 | 03:50 AM
  #1753  
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From: Sydney Australia
Meg Decker - how many km on the clock.

If less than 90,000, it sounds way overboard.
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Old Jan 1, 2009 | 03:53 AM
  #1754  
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From: Sydney Australia
Originally Posted by zenrx8
Exactly right, except for some reason it hasn't worked for. Don't know why, might be something with my reflashed ECU; I have a supercharger on my motor. Pulling the fuse has always worked for me, but you're right, just holding the pedal to the floor may do the trick.
I've tried this with no success (accelerator pedal to the floor). On two occasions, we got it going after 45 mins by pulling the fuse and repeated starts with the started motor smoking.
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Old Jan 3, 2009 | 10:52 PM
  #1755  
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I've never flood my engine ever since i own the car back in October, But my local Mazda dealer flooded my car today.
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Old Jan 4, 2009 | 12:03 AM
  #1756  
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From: Long Island (Suffolk), NY
Never succeeded in deflooding ever. I always end up pull starting.
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Old Jan 4, 2009 | 07:39 PM
  #1757  
Deathwatch's Avatar
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From: Martinez California
"OUCH! that sucks"


Originally Posted by MegDecker
I have an 04 RX-8 that is in the shop right now needing massive repairs.
I had a short in my IGNITION COIL PACK and when trying to start the engine was flooded. So here is what the shop is charging me:

DIAGNOSTICS: Includes DEFLOODING, COMPRESSION TESTS, CLEAN INTAKE & CHANGE OIL & FILTERS
$190 Labor
$24 Parts
Sub Total: $214

REPLACE IGNITION COIL PACK-Shorted
$205.16 Parts
$142.50 Labor
Sub Total: $347.66

REPLACE PLUG WIRES
$88.34 Parts
REPLACE SPARK PLUGS
$81.96 Parts
$47.40 Labor
Sub Total: $217.70

Rotary TSB (When Engine is/has been Flooded): FLUSH ENGINE TO CLEAN APEX SEALS
$25.87 Parts
$380 Labor
Sub Total: $405.87

REPLACE BATTERY (Tests at 100 CCA)
$107 Parts
$24.95 Labor
Sub Total: 131.95

$100 Deductible from my extended warranty which is covering the following repairs:
REPLACE R&L ENGINE MOUNTS
REPLACE COOLANT TANK
($700 Warranty Work)

SHOP SUPPLIES: $39.90

TAX: $94.72

My Out-Of-Pocket Expense TOTAL
$1551.90

HELP!!!! Does this sound right?? Is there anything I can do without having done right away or can have mechanically inclined friends do cheaper??

Any advice would be so greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank You, Thank You for your time!!!!
Reply
Old Jan 4, 2009 | 07:43 PM
  #1758  
Deathwatch's Avatar
Deathwatch
 
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From: Martinez California
I got my car started btw, I bought 4 gauge jumper cables and cranked the heck out of my car while pressing the throttle, then I turned it over, and yup made a horrible sound along with the engine knocking. Mements later it ran fine. Save money by not going to the stealership. woo whoooo!!!!!
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Old Jan 5, 2009 | 05:52 AM
  #1759  
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I'm planning to buy one does 2006 year made or 40th ann. ed. differ about flooding issue ?
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Old Jan 5, 2009 | 11:19 AM
  #1760  
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It's a rotary engine thing, specifically the improper sealing of the apex seals and thereby low compression upon flooding. Model year is not relevant.

The future 16X is expected to improve upon this innate 'condition' (I don't want to say flaw, since with minimal attention it can be avoided).

Any internal combustion engine can be flooded, but the rotary with its large sealing surfaces requiring add'l lubrication is especially prone.

Originally Posted by evolvo
I'm planning to buy one does 2006 year made or 40th ann. ed. differ about flooding issue ?
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Old Jan 5, 2009 | 01:44 PM
  #1761  
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From: Long Island (Suffolk), NY
Originally Posted by Huey52
It's a rotary engine thing, specifically the improper sealing of the apex seals and thereby low compression upon flooding. Model year is not relevant.

The future 16X is expected to improve upon this innate 'condition' (I don't want to say flaw, since with minimal attention it can be avoided).

Any internal combustion engine can be flooded, but the rotary with its large sealing surfaces requiring add'l lubrication is especially prone.
Yeah I haven't flooded due to my fault in a long time. It flooded recently, but that was an unlucky problem. The car failed to start because a cable slid along through normal vibration and driving until it made contact with my turbo and melted the in-wire fuse. So attempting to start the car while it was physically impossible to start somehow flooded it. After replacing the fuse, the engine was flooded, thus I pull started it as usual.

But I haven't flooded due to cold shut down in a long long time. Once or twice will learn you your lesson.
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Old Jan 6, 2009 | 07:29 AM
  #1762  
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From: Daytona Beach, FL
I called Mazda customer service and they said Mazda will cover flushing the engine after flooding twice during the life of your RX-8. (Unfortunately mine has already been flushed twice and this makes 3!!)
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Old Jan 6, 2009 | 01:57 PM
  #1763  
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From: Sydney Australia
So what are people doing now to avoid flooding - any progress in recent months. My dealer's latest advice was to just raise the engine to over 3,000 RPM before a cold stop to burn out the fuel. These days, I'm giving a couple of minutes idle, and hitting 6,000 RPM for about 5 sec.
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Old Jan 6, 2009 | 02:06 PM
  #1764  
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RX-8's are still flooding?
do you guys have the upgrade starter / battery? Are you letting the car warm up a bit before shutting it down? (especially in the colder parts of the country / world)
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Old Jan 6, 2009 | 02:33 PM
  #1765  
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I bought my car in January 2005 and just flooded it for the first time last week @ 83,000 miles. It was a nasty flood too, and took me 2 days to get it started again. I refused to have it towed to the dealer since I'm out of warranty and I don't even want to know what they would have charged me. Hopefully it was just an isolated incident and isn't something that will happen more often now that my Renesis is pretty high on miles.
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Old Jan 7, 2009 | 07:40 AM
  #1766  
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Same as always:

1. Don't shut down unless warmed.
2. If you must shut down before fully warmed, rev to 3k, hold for ten seconds, and shut off as the engine's spooling down (to burn off surplus fuel).

Simple.

Originally Posted by rhjames
So what are people doing now to avoid flooding - any progress in recent months. My dealer's latest advice was to just raise the engine to over 3,000 RPM before a cold stop to burn out the fuel. These days, I'm giving a couple of minutes idle, and hitting 6,000 RPM for about 5 sec.
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Old Jan 7, 2009 | 09:01 AM
  #1767  
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yes i admit i flooded my car more then 4 times, cause i'm too lazy to let
it warm up when moving it. and yes i have a darn good battery.
but i've also had my car for almost 5 years..
deflooding is easy but you most be patient
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Old Jan 7, 2009 | 09:34 AM
  #1768  
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Originally Posted by RX8SaxMan
I bought my car in January 2005 and just flooded it for the first time last week @ 83,000 miles. It was a nasty flood too, and took me 2 days to get it started again. I refused to have it towed to the dealer since I'm out of warranty and I don't even want to know what they would have charged me. Hopefully it was just an isolated incident and isn't something that will happen more often now that my Renesis is pretty high on miles.
Even if your car is out of warranty, contact Mazda Customer Service (the 800 number is on the Mazda website) and they can arrange to have your engine flushed at no cost to you.
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Old Jan 7, 2009 | 11:22 AM
  #1769  
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Mine's almost 3 years old and has never flooded. Turn the key and it fires right up, every time.
What am I doing wrong?!?

Last edited by New Yorker; Jan 7, 2009 at 12:29 PM.
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Old Jan 7, 2009 | 04:12 PM
  #1770  
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Originally Posted by MegDecker
Even if your car is out of warranty, contact Mazda Customer Service (the 800 number is on the Mazda website) and they can arrange to have your engine flushed at no cost to you.
What does the "flush" consist of? I already ran the Mazda Engine Cleaner through it after the flood (using the TSB directions). Is there anything else they do?
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Old Jan 7, 2009 | 04:15 PM
  #1771  
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do they even do that as part of flood repair?
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Old Jan 8, 2009 | 02:20 AM
  #1772  
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Originally Posted by New Yorker
Mine's almost 3 years old and has never flooded. Turn the key and it fires right up, every time.
What am I doing wrong?!?
Give it time. I had mine for a couple of years with no problem - turned it off cold. Then one day it just happened. It just wouldn't start. The road service tried also, and in the end towed it to the service centre.

I suggest you follow the advice given here as insurance.
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Old Jan 8, 2009 | 02:23 AM
  #1773  
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Originally Posted by scremn8
deflooding is easy but you most be patient
So what's easy about it? Tow starting is a paid if there's no other car available. I've had smoke coming off the starter motor twice before I got it going. Do you have some special trick?
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Old Jan 8, 2009 | 02:29 AM
  #1774  
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Sometimes deflooding can be easy, but it definitely wasn't for me. I tried the pedal on the floor method immediately when I realized it was flooded, but it didn't help me at all. I had to take my spark plugs out, dry them, clean them, crank out the excess gas, inject some oil into the chambers, crank it some more, recharge the battery overnight because all the cranking drained it, put the plugs back in, crank it more with the pedal floored and everything reconnected, crank it more with foot off the pedal, and FINALLY it started with a huge cloud of white smoke.

And New Yorker, don't risk it. I had my 8 for almost 4 years without a single flood and I thought I was impervious to it too. My flood came after moving my car out of the garage and shutting off cold. Just follow the flood-prevention guidelines and you'll be good.
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Old Jan 8, 2009 | 06:26 AM
  #1775  
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Same here, soon completing 4 years old. It's what you're doing RIGHT!

Originally Posted by New Yorker
Mine's almost 3 years old and has never flooded. Turn the key and it fires right up, every time.
What am I doing wrong?!?
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