Started after flooding...Now car wont rev over 2500
 

So Friday I did the newb thing and started it and moved it 2 feet and shut it off. The car flooded no new issue there. It took me a while but i followed the instructions on this site and now the car idles at 2k when warm and wont rev over 2500. If there is an answer to this question on here please direct me. Sorry if this isnt a new problem but i'm tired of searching for an answer.

The car has an after market cat on it right now or so i'm told by the guy who sold it to me. I think I may have damaged the cat but I dont know enough about this car to make correct guess. I took the car in to get the oil changed last tuesday and the tech there told me that I had an exhaust leak coming from my cat. The car was running rich already before I flooded it.

Any help or suggestions on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

P.S. Car is a US spec and I live in the UK nearest mazda dealer is about an hour away.

Oh yeah and when I start it it idles at 2k with solid check engine light and then after like 4 min or so it starts jumpin from 1k to 2k repeatedly till i shut it off.

Several issues here...

1 - Moving it a few feet and shutting off while cold will not flood an engine with a healthy ignition system. Since yours flooded, you have a weak point somewhere between the battery and spark. (Battery, battery terminals, starter, alternator, coils, plug wires, and/or plugs)

2 - Flooding is one of the most traumatic experiences your cat will ever have to go through, and usually greatly dimishes it's life expectancy, or kills it altogether. I have never hear of one surviving 2 floods.

3 - 'running rich' prior to flooding is another indication of failing ignition.


Now, when you say, "won't rev over 2500", what is it acting like? What does it feel like? A lack of airflow feels different than a lack of exhaust flow, which feels different from a lack of fuel, which feels different than a rev limiter, etc...

Is it stumbling and coughing like crazy? Hits a hard limit easily and instantly? Tries to rev higher then fade back down to 2500? Struggles to get to 2500? Can you get over 2,500rpm in very light load throttle? (try neutral revs for this one)

I'm thinking if he has a constant CEL, then it is possible that the cat is killed and the car is in "limp" mode, so that it doesn't rev.
Agree about the weak point in the ignition system... it is likely that this was the main reason for the flooding.

I retrack my previous statement. It was more like i backed it out of the drive way let someone move there car then pulled mine back in. The thing stayed inoperable for like 2 days. Finally got it started then it wouldnt rev so i shut it down and I just tryed it again a few hours later and now it revs and seems to drive fine but I have a solid check engine light.

Then the fuel is now burned off, you got lucky.
Just read the code to see what the reason is... but still, flooding means there is some weak link, so I'd look into that.
I'd wager the CEL will indicate some problem with the cat.

Alright so get this....I ran the car the next day for about half the day and the CEL light stayed on. Well i went out to start it and when i did the damn CEL light went off on its own. Me still being a little bit concerned took it down and had the exhaust system check out and was told that there is air coming out near my cat. So i'm almost certain i need one of those. However a new one of those in the UK is 550 pounds witch is about 800 dollars. I'm pretty sure i can get a full exhaust system for that some were. If anyone has any ideas on were i can get a decent exhaust system please let me know.

Still though the car is a little difficult to start and gets worse throughout the day the more and more i turn it off and start it again. Car has 56k on it and from what i've been researching probably tells me i need a new ignition coil. I need a good website were i can order these and the exhaust. Any info at would be greatly appriciated. Thanks for your help Tamas

My neigbhor has the same issue right now. I was able to deflood it. Its on huge ball of white smoke and now wont rev over 2500. Is it the cat? What can I do?