My wife recently let someone move the car to do some work on the house and of course, it wasn't warmed up so flooded when I tried to restart it. I downloaded the instructions for restarting and it worked, but thought someone might like some tips. After jumpering to another car, disconnecting the air pump, and pulling the fuel pump fuse, crank the car over per instructions with the gas pedal flat on the floor. After you have followed the 4 seconds crandking, 2 seconds recovery for a minute or so, replace the fuel pump fuse. Start cranking the car, but DO NOT TOUCH THE GAS PEDAL. If it starts, which mine did, then just leave continue to leave it idling for several minutes till it warms up - again, DO NOT TOUCH THE GAS or if will probably stall. Once it is warm, then rev the engine to about 5-6 thousand RPM and hold it until smoke clears, then don't shut it off. Replace the air pump connector, disconnet the jumper cables, and go for a long drive to recharge the battery and clear it out. Worked for me after a few trials and error. Hope this helps someone else as the instructions are not clear on use of the gas pedal.

 

They are several techniques that have been known to work and are well documented here.
It really all depends on how badly it is flooded.
Consider yourself lucky that you didn't have to pull the plugs.

Lesson learned......but not the real hard way! It could have been a lot worse.

 

You flooded an SII RX-8?

 

I have pulled the plugs twice on my RX8....the first time to attempt to clean and dry. put all back together and cranked it...turn over with no fire. so i swallowed my stubbornness and spent 86$ on 4 new plugs only to have it do that same thing after i installed them. The only thing left to do is to try the method described above and hope to hell it works. I also have to take into dealership in a few days to have them run a compression test on the engine. Fun to drive..but worth the headache?

 

That would be interesting if he did. Not gunna lie, when I was at the dealership for a testdrive before i bought the car, he started the car and shut it off within the minute to go grab plates. Started up without issue. Maybe luck but i thought the S2's were harder to flood.

 

How long did you crank it? It really depends on how bad the flood is. It took mine about 30mins or so. I didn't even pull out the plugs.

 

It's the revision A coils on Series 1 ... they are beyond lame and cook up fast but still keep working in a limp. Reb B coil or BHR ign and the flood start probs are gone. S2 have the better coils.

 

S2's not supposed to flood...u in the right forum?

 

Newsflash !!!!!

Series 2 RX8s prone to flooding !!!!












































i kid i kid - sorry Ash

 

This past week after getting my car back from the body shop, I had to go and start it cuz of course they flooded my car!
Anyway to make a short story shorter I picked up a lil method to get it back

Basically I learned off this forum that when u press the gas peddle completely to the floor the fuel is cut so what I did is floor it and crank about 3 times while on a battery charger Which cleans what ever fuel is in the engine, then on the 4th crank I let off the peddle slightly to feed a lil fuel but then step on the peddle again! At this point I can hear the engine starting to jump while I crank so I feed a lil more, little by little cranking and feeding brings it back for me, take heed not to let off the gas to much cuz u can re-flood it and u will have to start all over (smh) just wanted to share.

 

That puts too much strain on the starter, you'll burn it if you continue cranking it for more seconds than recommended.

 

HA, I was just about to say the same thing...your starter will get too hot if one 'cranks' more that 6-8 seconds repeatedly, and this is another reason why starters failed earlier on.

 

I thought it was 10 seconds??

 

Yep wrong section.

 

Never had a problem with mine. On the off chance I have to move from one parking space to another, I just tap the gas in Neutral until it hits about 5000rpm, then I pull the key and let the engine spin down on its own inertia. Had a couple of times when it coughed before starting properly, but it only took a couple seconds total.

 

I can assure you that ANY rotary engine with any serious level of carbon build-up can and will flood. All you S2 guys will not be immune to it when that time comes.