Just a quick note, since I hear about people and the flooding "problem" all the time. I got a little bold this weekend and needed to move the car to the other parking spot in the garage. So, I started it, drive it back 20 feet, parked it right next to where it was, and shut it off. Maybe 20 - 30 seconds of runtime. I have the M flash by the way, about 7500 on the odo.

Later that night, I get in, turn the key, and it cranks right up with no problems and I grin. No flooding for me! Just thought I'd write a positive note about flooding.

I love this car. My wife tells me she's my girlfriend.

 

without thinking about it, I too have done quick start up's, short moves, and restarts with no issues. I have M also. I am however still breaking in....only a few hundred miles so far....

 

I've been fine with short moves too.

 

Have any of you had any hard starts while doing this? I shut mine off/stalled before it was warm. She started up, but it took longer and almost sounded like it wasn't going to make it.

 

this just shows what i expected all along, flooding only is a problem for a small percentage of cars but because of the internet, everyone knows about it, reads about it, and fears about it...

flooding of the 8 is not a problem of the 8, its just a problem with cars in general, im sure other cars, acura's, dodge, chrysler, all have some of their own idiosyncracies....

i dont even rev the engine anymore before i shut off, my car is not even close to flooding, in fact it roars back to life!

 

I havn't had any problems at all with flooding....:D

 

Absolutely no problems with flooding. A couple of times I started up the car drove around a couple of minutes and shut off the engine. " AAARRRGGGHHH! ", I think to myself. I keep forgetting to let the engine warm up - I hate that feeling. Anyways, the care fired up every time.

Don't know what version of firmware I've got. Maybe this flooding thing was just a myth. Hope so.

 

My 8 flooded due to a weak battery. I got the L flash and new plugs but I still let it warm up before shutting it down and I don't let the battery go weak.

There's a new (June 2) TSB for cars built prior to March 2004 regarding the M flash. The M flash is "supposed" to fix all the known flooding problems. I got my 8 last August and will get the M flash at my next service.

I would be curious to know if anyone with the M flash has a flooding issue.

 

Flooding was most certainly a problem with the original ECU code. There are many threads on here detailing people's experiences with this problem - it is real.

Mazda's TSB for the "M" flash specifically mentions flooding. This is why they came up with the new code and are retro-fitting it to all older cars.

Hopefully the problem is now solved with the "M" flash, or at least as solved as it can ever be - even non-rotaries can flood occasionally.

 

I took some time yesterday to read the owner's manual. There's one page that deals with the engine flood issue (I forget what page number). But the point is, the page had the flood starting instructions pasted on (presumably after initial printing). So it would seem that Mazda does acknowledge the issue and had taken remedial action. This is normal, no? I figure all cars have issues first year of production.

I must reiterate that I've no flooding problems - even with absentminded short trips. Don't even know what firmware version in my 8.

 

All of you with no flooding problems. Wait until it's cold and try starting the car, then turning it off. Before the M, it would definitely flood. It happened to me twice. Since the L and M, no problems, but it is a lot warmer. The test will be this winter. If no one posts any flooding problems, then the issue has been laid to rest.

There has been a problem, let's just hope it is solved. I've never encountered anything like it and don't want to again.

 

Are there block heaters for the 8? Can it be done?

 

I flooded my car once this winter... my Sentra 1992 !! My 8 never ever flooded.

 

The difference between flooding a rotary car the flooding a non-rotary car: the necessary tow. In the non-rotary car, the fuel in the engine will eventually evaporate, but it won't in the rotary chamber because it's sealed. If you flood the 8, unless you can push-start it, or know how to remove and clear the plugs, you're stuck.

The ideal time to flood the car is in cool, moist air. The M flash is supposed to fix the problem. We'll see how things go this winter -- hopefully, come November, the verdict will be in and we can move on to complain about something else.

 

I dont' even think I have an M flash because my ending vin is less than 40000, itz little over 10000.
I accidentally turned the ignition off after turning it on for about 5seconds.
But the car started right up without a problem.
What I'm afraid is getting an M flash might bring down the horsepower of my 8 like some people mentioned.
So I figure I'm just gonna stick with whatever flash I have unless I run into a problem.

 

4000 miles on the odo and no flooding so far but I have had some long starts (2). I also have the M flash now!

 

okay.....I know this is kinda sick, but for 1600 miles now I have been intentionally starting the car cold move it 10 to 20 feet, kill it, do it again, kill it, and do it over and over again until I see the temp guage starting to climb. I have yet to even come close to a starting issue with the engine. I have the "M" flash. I don't doubt that some have had this issue, but not me, not yet.......

 

You're not letting the car "soak" long enough.

Try starting it cold, move it 10 feet and let it sit for a while.

Example: Start it cold, pull it out of the garage and wash it. Then see if it restarts.

BTW, this procedure is not guaranteed to flood pre-M-flash 8s, either...

 

I've have done that a couple times, with the same results. I will keep trying that one and let ya'll know......

 

I've had some hard starts where I think, hmm is this going to start, but it always does and it's never after I have turned it on/off. Usually it's after I shut it off after driving on the highway for 40 minutes.