New and super confused!
 

A friend referred me here because I have no clue what is wrong with my RX8. So a few days ago I drove my car from school and back, ran some errands and did whatever else with no problems and no weird sounds with my car. Parked it and didn't try to drive until the next afternoon which is when it would not start. The car is trying to start, kind of, when I turn the key but it sounds like the starter isn't engaging, it is a weird high pitched pig squeal/whining sound but not like a bad belt kind of sound. I thought it was a simple starter problem and replaced the starter, still nothing. It now make a strange "winding down" sound after I try to start the car with the new starter but still no go. It seems like it isn't getting any compression maybe? It is dark out by now so I am going to test the compression tomorrow so I'll know then if that is an issue. These cars seem like they have an indicator light for everything, but none are on and when I checked with a code reader nothing is coming on. Does anyone have any thoughts on where I should go from here or have you had similar problems?

https://www.rx8club.com/trouble-shoo...-start-174376/

try the deflooding procedure

Could be fuel pump. Can you give more info about the car? Year, mileage, major maintenance performed to date?

Also since it seems like you have tried to start the car many times and failed, do you have it hooked up to a battery charger? It is not hard to drain the battery when cranking many times, either get a charger or try and jump it as a quick test.

.....maybe you're low on blinker fluid...

:suspect:

It's a 2008, regular maintenance and no issues, it is automatic (don't judge) and it's never really had any issues besides tire pressure.

Yep, that sounds like the problem :hahano:

im sorry the tire pressure part cracked me up
:lol:

It could be a million things, bad fuel pump, flooded engine, etcetcetc...

Most likely its a failed engine.

try the deflooding procedure and charge the battery first
if it doesnt work then worry about fuel pump, ignition, etc

A rotary engine is just like a piston engine. They all need air, fuel and an ignition source to make them run. If your relying on a friend (rather than a professional mechanic) to troubleshoot your car, the ignition system is probably the first, most problem prone and the easiest to check out.

hence why we asked you about maintenance...i.e. coils/plugs

It sounds like the starter is not engaging the ring gear on the flywheel. That has nothing to do with compression or the condition of the engine. Battery is first guess, or you got a bad "bendix" solenoid.

Battery?

Its bad compression, I'll bet $50 on it.