Racer X-8

Yeah, sounds like the battery needs to be replaced, not the starter, not the whole car. That's like trading in a car because the windshield wipers are in need of replacement.
My battery is on the charger as I type this. It let me down after less than 1 week idle time. I probably need one too. It's the one they gave me to replace the original lame model battery - an attempt in the beginning to crank the engine faster to reduce the likelyhood of flooding. It's been cranking sluggishly lately, so I wasn't too surprised when this time it only sat there and clicked instead of turning-over the engine.

jmc23200

Optima Yellow or Red Top and deflooding procedure and you should be good to go

rhjames

I agree - check the battery, and the charger. You could even put a battery charger on overnight, then try starting next morning. If it turns over strongly, it's either the battery, or the alternator system. One other possibility, often overlooked, is a bad battery connection. Pull off the battery connections, clean them up with some sand paper (both the battery and terminals) and try again.

I once had the starter motor changed, when it was just a dirty connection (not the RX8).

Generally, starter motors either work or they don't.

jmc23200

^ Agreed. I'm leaning towards bad battery. He mentions as the weather gets colder, it sounds "worse". This is probably do to the fact his battery is weak and has low CCA. If it was the alternator, the battery would be completely dead by now. He most likely has a low CCA battery, the weather got really cold, and his multiple attempts to start the car flooded the engine.

Racer X-8

Here's the battery info that I just got off of mine. It's been a champ until just lately. Mazda # 0000-80-6535-WB. Group 35. 640 CCA

About cleaning, get a good old generic cable 'n' post cleaning tool. They're cheap as dirt, and easily found in any place that sells auto parts. They are a combination "male" wire brush part that cleans the hole in the cable end, and a "female" wire brush that cleans the batery posts. They work so doggon effortlessly, and they can't embed non-conducting sand particles into the soft metal.

jmc23200

Why use a Mazda Battery when you can go to Auto Zone and pick up a yellow or red top optima battery with a three year warranty? I know I will be getting a free battery after the winter is over

Racer X-8

No argument, if you can pick one that is compatible. I just had the info in my hand and thought somebody might want the Mazda numbers. I think I saw a sticker on it saying it also has a 36 month warranty, although I'm sure it's pro-rated.
Anyway, mine isn't dead yet afterall, it seems to be holding a charge ok. The electrolyte wasn't low in any of the cells either...

lil amne

I have flooded my engine too. The procedure in the manual didnt do a thing for me. I live an estimated 45 minutes away from the nearest mazda dealer. So, instead of getting it towed anywhere, found out you can unplug the fuel pump fuse. Attempt to start it up, when it sounds clear, pop the fuse back in, and start 'er up.

(Sorry, I have no idea that it may have been mentioned before, 77 pages is quite a bit of info...)

Huey52

iTrader: (2)

^ or just keep the pedal to the floor prior to de-flood starting, which also cuts off fuel flow.

rhjames

Yes, it's been covered before, but it's good to re-live it. Be prepared that this might required repeated attempts over an hour, and a smoking starter motor (and battery boost)

ChillinRard

My 8 has been flooded for a week now, ive read everything and tryed cutting off the fuel supply etc. but it still wont crank so i guess i have to take it to tha dealership...what a headache...

jmc23200

^ Thread Jack Much?

If it isnt cranking, it is most likely the battery, your alternator could be bad draining the battery, or it could the starter. I'm leaning towards battery since it has been flooded for a week and you were messing around with it. Start with battery. Then, you will have to do the CORRECT deflood procedure that involves disconnecting a few sensors, pulling the spark plugs and cranking the engine with spark plugs off to remove excess fluids from the engine.

Delmeister

The numbers would be more astonishing if one could change one's vote. I voted when mine had not yet flooded. Shortly afterwords it flooded twice.

ChillinRard

yeah i checked my battery and it is kinda low i guess from all the cranking, i ordered me some ngk spark plugs and when they come in ima pull my old ones and see what i got, hopefully that will do the trick, i found a post with a more extensive procedure than what i first found, thanks for the help bro, ill let u know what happens

SPENCER D24

Ok, so i just put in the BHR ignition coil kit, and brand new ngk sparkplugs exactly a week ago today, came home after driving for prolly a good 30min parked it for about 3 days. Some of which were pretty cold, then i go to start and and its a no go, i tried jumping it, the push all the way in on the gas, and remove the fuel pump fuse methods...no go. Anyone know what the problem could be...starter, battery any ideas?

rhjames

Can you just confirm that it's cranking over ok.
Can you check if you have a spark - eg remove a plug and see if there's a spark.

rhjames

Also, what do you mean by pretty cold? I regard that as about 10degC (ie 50 degF).

If it's cranking ok, then it's not the battery or starter. If you've used a jumper, you've eliminated the battery anyway.

SPENCER D24

As in South Carolina cold probably not much less than 40F, since its not the battery now are we left with flooded or fuel pump mabe? how would i check the fuel pump? im going to pull the sparkplugs right now to check if its flooded.

Myriad

iTrader: (2)

Flooded my '04 RX8 today for the first time...followed ALFY's DIY on deflooding and it worked like a charm. I jumped it and then cleared it through about 20 starts...shot out a ton of smoke and has been running fine since. Hopefully I didn't melt my cat, i'll probably take a look at it this week at some point.

TwoEleven

I finallly flooded mine. Like everybody else I did something stupid like a quick start. It snowed here and I didnt want to drive my 8 so I asked a friend to pick me up for work. He was running a lil late so I cleaned off my car and was just going to drive it. As soon as I started it he pulled up. I turned it off and jumped in his truck. I was in a rush because we were running late.


Well, today I get cranks but no start and its still cold out. Im going to do the jumper method first.

Couple of questions tho.

1. First you crank with you the pedal down (10 secs)
2. Wait 30-60 secs and crank it with the pedal up and wait 30-60 secs again?
3. Repeat 1 and 2 until it starts?

TwoEleven

Got her running again. Bought some heavy duty jumpers and jumped the **** out of her until she started. All is good again.

dorayee

Hi All,

1. I think I just flooded the engine but I could be wrong, I drove the car on the high way route 13 north in Ithaca, it was a very cold nite (20F), it's a AT one, I cranked to 5-6k rpm to burn out the carbon residue (may be it's a dump idea after all) and took out the exit but I saw the traffic light so I sharply stop the car and ... the car lose rmp rapidly and just shut off the engine .... I tried many times to start up but it didn't work and now the battery was dead. Is this a flooding engine ? I hit the acc paddle quite hard to achieve 5k-6k rpm since it was quite a steep hill up on the high way.

2. If it is a flooded engine, please please kindly suggest how to fix it? I prob need another car to jump up on the dead battery.

Thanks!!!!

Jon316G

iTrader: (1)

Have you verified the battery connections are secured/tight?
Take the battery to the local Autozone to test and charge it.
Once you get the car running, measure the voltage at the battery (with the car running) and it should be ~14.4V

dorayee

Hey Jon316G,

I am sure that it's not the battery issue since I drove it quite a while before the engine shut off at the exit traffic light.

Pls Anyone Any clue what was going on with my car ?

Jon316G

iTrader: (1)

For a car to just shut off while driving you first look at either the alternator not charging the battery or the battery itself.
Its an easy thing to eliminate and is a common cause for issues similar to yours.
But since you are so sure its not I'll just let someone else chime in.
Good luck.