hi guy, i just bought a used rx8 (AT) a few week ago. i found sometimes it a bit hard to start (took a 4 or 5 seconds of cranking before it start).

i usually let the start the car about 2 or 3 mins but taking off from home and let it cool down about 30 seconds before shutting it down.

so my question is:
1. Is it a batery or spark plug problem or the way i warm up the car is not good enough?
2. Is it nessessary that the car is not to be move when warming up (or can i move the car slowly) and i read somewhere in this forum that reving it to about 3 to 4k and shut the engine right always will help prevent flooding (so does that mean i dont have to wait for it to cool down)?

any other tip will also be appreciate.

 

Lots of things cause hard starting problems. How many miles on the car; when was it last tuned?

 

I highly doubt it i the way you warm up the car that is the problem. As long as you drive it easy before it gets warmed up you will be fine... A lot of times starting problems come from bad spark plugs or coils. If those have not been changed recently you should change them out. It could be a weak battery, but I'd bet plugs or coils... Also, depending on what year it is it might have a weak starter that you could get swapped out for the newer better one.

 

I agree, that's true. There isn't a need to sit for 3-4 minutes and idle. After 30 seconds, you could slowly drive your car (below 3k RPM) until it reaches normal driving temp. Check you battery first then follow what 'lateralus' have suggested

 

ok the way i warm up is fine (yea i feel 30s is enough too thanks Grace)

i'll check the batery, and maybe replace the spark and coils. thanks lateralus.

hmm what is the reason that we need to cool down the engine before shutting it down since it has the fan to cool it already (you know when you turn the key off the fan still running).

 

I don't know either, I just shut mine off and let the electric fan do it's job. I have close to 150,000 miles with mine on original engine