Next step: fuel injectors?
 

I went out to start my car and it wouldn't start. It cranks, but it doesn't start. Thought it was flooded, so I did the deflood procedure. Even tried to push start it with no luck.

I thought the fuel pump had gone bad, so I replaced it under warranty. Still no go. I tested the fuel pressure, and it's good.

I sprayed starting fluid through the air intake, and the engine runs as long as I keep spraying.

So in summary, the fuel pump is good, fuel pressure is good, spark is good, it's not flooded, and it runs with starting fluid. I'm thinking my next step is to pull the fuel injectors and have them tested somehow. Is there anything I'm missing before I do that?

Do you have any codes?

I have a P0102 (MAF circuit low), but I figured that's probably because I sprayed starting fluid past the MAF. No misfires since the engine was rebuilt a year ago, and besides this P0102, no check engine lights.

Well if you screwed up the MAF then that explains it.

If the MAF was the problem, it doesn't seem like it would start and run with starting fluid. Also, using starting fluid was a last resort. It was already not starting before I sprayed the fluid past it.

It's $160ish to send your injectors RC RC Fuel Injection (6 for the S1 which I have, pretty sure S2 didn't have as many so it would be cheaper if you have an S2) and have them cleaned, flow-tested, etc. They send back an analysis and I imagine that a lot of RX-8 injectors look similar to how mine did which were dripping and definitely not producing the factory flow rates although I highly doubt that your car won't start due to faulty fuel injectors. I think 9k pretty much solved this one but I'm sure someone could use this information.

If it's just the MAF, I'll be extremely pleased. I'll try cleaning it tomorrow, and if that doesn't work, I'll buy a new one. Stay tuned...

Well without the MAF working properly then the computer doesn't really know whats going on and when you are spraying in carb spray you are basically just forcing fuel in that is igniting and allowing the engine to "run".

In the future, when you get a code, properly trouble shoot it.


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...279b1c2c12.png

I would try deflooding more. I've seen people deflood for nearly 2 hours and it finally start back up after using the factory procedure and then trying another one. For some reason, the factory procedure does not work sometimes, or it didn't with my experience on a friend's car. It could have just been so badly flooded that it did work and it took around three total hours of deflooding to get it running. It smoked A LOT.

Well if he is getting running, I doubt it is flooded. But I am not sure what he means by running, if it's for two seconds or if he is emptying a whole bottle of carb spray into it. But either way there is a problem with his MAF so until that is addressed nothing will be fixed. And if he doused the MAF with Carb spray, chances are it is ruined.

I appreciate it. I very well may have ruined my MAF. Going to find out at lunch. When I say the engine runs with starting fluid, I mean it stays on as long as I keep spraying. As soon as I stop spraying, the engine sputters and dies. I only tried it a couple times, and only for a few seconds because I was worried about running the engine without proper lubrication. I didn't think about it affecting the MAF until later, but it probably did.

I feel silly that I didn't even think to check for a code until you said something... I didn't have a MIL leading up to this, so I jumped straight to troubleshooting, but missed the most basic troubleshooting step.

Ok I replaced the MAF and did a deflood and 20 brake stomp just in case, and it starts on its own now. And it sounds normal when it starts. But then it dies out after 2 or 3 seconds.

So I've obviously got an underlying problem, and screwing up the MAF just masked it. Thanks 9k for pointing me in the right direction.

My first thought now is that maybe I have a vacuum leak. I looked briefly but didn't see anything obvious. I haven't had to troubleshoot a vacuum leak before, so I'm not sure how best to go about it. If that's even the problem.