RX8 Will Not START
 

So my RX8 wont start, I thought it was the battery so I got a new when, it was time for that anyways. I don't think its flooded done that before, doesn't seem to be the problem, it makes this awful whining sound when I am trying to start it. It doesn't seem to be turning over. Any ideas on this one?

flooded is a good guess. You know about flooding? It has happened to you before? How did you fix it that time and how do you know it is not this time? Why did you think it was the battery? When you say it is not turning over, you mean not firing, or literally not turning over? Loud whining with no motor movement could be a bad starter solinoid, but i would be very suprised.

Last time I flooded it was when I started it and turned it off qucikly several times because I was trying to figure out something with my wheel, never warmed up then sat for a few days, had to get the dealer to deflood it. Learned my lesson that time, always let my car warm up before driving it and turning it off. Thought it was the battery becuase over the winter I hardly drove it and every time I went to use it I had to jump it since it would sit out in the cold for weeks at a time with out being started. I guess I could have flooded it, but I took all of the percausions so that wouldn't happen.

So - the motor is definately not turning over ?

Without any other info, I would suggest it is flooded until you prove otherwise. I have only had trouble starting my car after it has sat for some time. There are ways to get it deflooded without going to the dealer, but if you go to the dealer, and you are under warrenty, you get a better starter and better battery. I got mine going by continously jumping the car off of a running car until it started (there are several things you should do during this process that are detailed here and in the manual.) Push starting in second, while i have not tried this myself, has received some praise. you can search for that.

Again, is the engine turning over?

EDIT^^^ See? we need more info.

Yeah I guess it is, but its making this sound that I have never heard before. Like it has no chance of starting.

flooded

Can't speak specifically to the design in the RX-8, but on other vehicles a high pitched whine coming from the starter with no crank at all usually was a bad starter - solenoid or starter clutch engage mechanism failure. Especially true in colder weather when the starter is cold and no surface expansion factor from heat. Sometimes standing on the starter switch for a while generates enough heat expansion that the starter will catch.

I've had a no start because of a flood once (back in 2003) and I've had a no start because of a blown engine (not enough compression - back in 2005), and neither case exhibited a high pitched whining sound as I believe your trying to describe.

Did you get the starter upgrade for your vehicle yet?

Try holding down the gas pedal as you start it. That is how I used to fix the flooding problem. You may need to hold the gas for a tad after it starts too. Otherwise it might turn off on you again. Just make sure you're not in gear.

Go under the hood to the fuse panel find the yellow 20 amp fuel pump fuse and pull it, go into the car and hold the pedal down and crank it about 10 times, this drys it out, now put the fuse back into fuse panel. and try to crank the engine without pushing the pedal down. If you hear it try to hit give it a little gas. Thats the deflooding precedure we use at the dealer

I'm having the same problem with mine - '04, manual, 40k miles - backed it into the garage, was running fine. Went to restart a couple days later, just makes a whirring noise, will not catch and fire. Replaced the battery, and pulled and tested the starter, which was fine. Still the same result. Was told by a backyard mechanic that it's probably the engine, but have also heard the coils are problematic on this model. Would push-starting work if it's just the coils? Trying to avoid the dealership if at all possible. Any help would be appreciated.

does it sound like its cranking faster than normal? did you shut it off before its warmed up? how old is the ignition. its likely flooded

Pull/push starting it is the easiest way to un-flood it. If it won't start that way you have something else wrong

Thanks! Also, I'm getting conflicting info - does my car have 2 ignition coils or 4? Trying to start cheap and work my way up to the expensive stuff.

4 coils 4 wires 2 leading plugs 2 trailing plugs