So I'm from oceanside and I'm currently down in san diego until friday. I'm got in my car yesterday went to fire it up and nothing. My battery cable is loose so it comes undone sometimes I figured I'd play with it later. After work I popped the hood and slid the cable on so it was tight. Managed to replace my horn fuse while I was at it. Turned my car over to test the horn and not thinking turned it off after I tested the horn. Well low and behold I go to get in this morning (it was sort of cold nothing more then the norm of san diego at around 6:00am.) And my lights come and everything but nothing it sounds like its trying to crank. I didn't have time to screw with it much but I did the normal wiggle the btry cable. Still nothing! I'm currently at a course so I'm staying at a hotel. I have none of my tools. Is there any recommendations on what may be wrong? Or some way to fix it other than having it towed to a stealership? Any help would be awesome. Thanks

 

Auto or manual?

Since you have no tools with you:

If manual...........pull start it. 20mph in 2nd gear and let the clutch out. Once it starts.........go to neutral and don't let it stall. Then take it out and run the **** out of it.

Auto...........well, with no tools you are SOL. You could try the procedure in the manual which is hold the pedal to the floor, crank it for about 8-10 seconds. If no start, then wait 30 seconds for the starter to cool back off and try it again, but this time kinda modulating the gas pedal a little bit.


I attached some "no start" info for you to read through!

 

Yea I haven't tried anything other than what I did quickly this morning. I have a auto which I KNEW would bite me in the *** so if that doesn't work I'm gonna have to try something like take the bus or a cab to get tools but I don't even know what I'm doing in regards to reading the DIY. I'm using a blackberry so its sort of hard to maneuver around the web.

 

Starting a Flooded Engine
If the engine fails to start, it may be
flooded (excessive fuel in the engine).
Follow this procedure:
1. Depress the accelerator all the way and
hold it there.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the START
position and hold it there―for up to 10
seconds. If the engine starts, release the
key and accelerator immediately
because the engine will suddenly rev
up.
3. If the engine fails to start, crank it
without depressing the accelerator―for
up to 10 seconds.


If the above doesn't work, then it's time to kind of follow above what that attached pdf says, but you may not have to do all that it says. Let me review it again and I'll get back to you. Oh......and you may need another battery to get through all that's in the pdf file. When the plugs are out, make sure you do the clearing the gas/oil out of the engine in short bursts until no more comes out.

 

Alrighty I also just remembered I do have a socket set with wrenches in my trunk its nothing impressive but it will work. I'm more worried about the hotel flipping out about me doing my what will appear to be maint. On my whip in their parking lot. I'm also tryin to get to a computer so I can better see what neeeds to be done but again any help you offer is appreciated thanks again.

 

Maybe someone in So Cal will see this and offer to help out? I'm 3,000 miles away.
I'll keep it kinda simple since you are on a crackberry.
Hotel have a business center with free access and computers?
Can you see the pdf file? I don't think you will have to get to "B", because "A" will probably get you what you need. Get those plugs really, really dry!!!!

 

Ya I'm pretty sure I can get to a computer. So I guess hopefully someone sees this and wouldn't mind hlping out. Thanks

 

So you're saying that it's a weak crank or it's cranking but not starting up?

 

When I started it it had power to the inside like my lights on my dash, interior etc. But I'd have to try it again I can't exactly remember it was early this morning. You think if my battery was just weak that could be the problem?

 

If it's a weak crank or it's making a ticking/clicking noise then it's your battery. If not then it's highly possible that the car is flooded.

I would... remove spark plugs, crank the car to get all the excess fuel out, replace spark plugs, and see if it'll fire up.

 

Yeah, he(John?) is right....if it's a clicking then it could be the battery. But......with all you described, I think it's still flooded. I did edit one of my previous post to include the fact that you might very well need a backup battery if/when you go to pull the plugs and crank it per the proceedure. It can run it down pretty quick. The battery should read right around 13.2v without starting the car(14.1 when started and running). Anything less than about 12.3v will start to give you trouble when starting.

 

So I just tried to crank it up and it sounds like its trying to crank so I'm pretty sure that the btry is good. I tried the basic hold the pedal to the floor and try to start I'm super worried about ruining my starter so I only did it twice. For less than 10 seconds and took a 30 second break between. I managed to find someone who would give a marine a. Ridege on this god for saken navy base and am gonna try to pick some supplies up IE starter fluid etc. And after looking at where I parked my car its a decent decline(front to back) so jackin it up and fixing it may be sorta risky. If only I had bought the MT I'd pull start it. Any other ideas?

 

So after my horrible dilema with my 8 i had no other choice but to get it towed in to a dealer. Basically they couldnt figure out what was wrong with it. Crazy yea i know being that they have access to WAY more tools than i have. But thats the straight facts. Anyways the tech calls me and tells me he got it started after a few issues he solved but said my car had X amount of mis-fires when he was starting it up etc. So he called Mazda and was advised to replace the engine. After proving to the dealer and Mazda that i actually maintain my beautiful baby 8 (RXKate as i like to call her) they replaced my engine. So after almost 2 weeks without my car i got her back.

There was no guidance on engine break-in or anything. Is there any type of guidance that anyone can give me on it. Im kind of limited on driving especially for the next month seeing as how i will be out of town and unable to drive it. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

Okay....first of all....if your dealer has no idea how to fix a flooded RX8 or any rotary-engine car - get it out of there as quickly as possible.

Mazda's instruction is exactly how Mazurfer explained it. However, if you're flooded really good, it won't crank using that method.

Try these steps:

1. Connect a secondary power source (like a running car's battery) to your battery. This de-flood procedure is rather hard on your battery and if you don't have enough reserve cranking power - it won't work.

2. Go to the fuse box (located on the driver's side front - has a cover on it). After observing the diagram that is on the cover, pull the FUEL fuse. You can use a flathead to leverage it out, but it needs to be pulled straight out.

3. Once it is removed (and while your friend is keeping the other car's RPMs at about 3000 rpm), crank the car over for about 15 seconds. This will help expel the extra fuel that is filled up on one face of the chamber (de-flood).

4. Replace the FUEL fuse and try cranking normally. It might be a little rough to start up. If it doesn't work the first time, try try again.

Just remember to wait about 30-45 seconds between each cranking session. Otherwise, your starter will burn out pretty bad.

Good luck!

 

Was it John Hine Mazda that didn't know how to de-flood??? Or the dealer in Carlsbad, or ... ??? I gotz to know!!!