RX8 won't start. Frank and other gurus help! - TriStateTuners.com :: Home of Tristate Auto Enthusiast

JET02WRX · 08-26-2007, 06:09 PM

Got a question that hopefully someone can help out with. My brother in law recently purchased an RX8. He knows ZERO about cars. He got the bright idea the other day that he wanted to clean his engine bay. He sprayed it down using medium to full force from a hose, and then DID NOT try to start it right away to let the heat evaporate the water. He goes out hours later to go somewhere, and big surprise it wont start. Next day...still won't start. I know NOTHING about these engines. Its cranking, just not turning over. My father took a look at it and determined hes getting no spark from 3 of the plugs. Any idea what fried or what could be causing this? Coils? I'd think the water would have evaporated by now.
Any insight?

ozthunder · 08-26-2007, 06:12 PM

Change the sparks, do an oil change, and see what happens.

NOPSTNS · 08-27-2007, 07:49 PM

i see that more often from cold weather, but, here goes. its prolly flooded. rotary engines, and more severely the renesis, have issues with flooding. the spark plugs will get carbon buildup and not spark. if he did real short driving where the car didnt warm up he might have flooded it. it only happens to cars whos owners let the plugs foul out so dont anyone give me crap on blah blah blah blah....

i cant walk u thru the deflooding process online bc i get them running based on feel...i just kno when its about to fire up.

best i can tell u over internet is to STOP CRANKING it. ur only bringing in more fuel and ur hosing down the apex seals and rinsing off any oil that used to be on them to promote good sealing for startup. if the car has had the 4206f recall performed then his trailin plugs wont fire during cranking anyway, which is were ur pop might see no spark....they arent sparking on purpose.

id love to go out and get it runnin myself but have no clue where u live. tow it to a mazda dealer, if u can, tow it to reedman toll mazda, which is the dealer i work for. i can have it running in 30 mins if its flooded.

cranking it with the gas pedal depressed will deactivate the fuel pump and allow the rotors to spin and eventually push out the fuel. that wont help the plugs but itll get out the junk in it. removing the plugs and doing this crankin procedure will get the fuel out thru the plug holes. all of this is stuff u cant really do on the driveway so just have it toqwed.

more than likely its just flooded and the water washing (which was dumb to do anyway) prolly wasnt the prob.

my comp has beebn meesed up and i cant sign on so im having trouble read up on this so i hope u listen to me and have it towed to a MAZDA DEALER.

most MOchaniks wont have a damn clue what the hell is wrong with it. they will try to sell u valve cover gaskets and a timing belt....just walk away!!!

please call my cell or somethin...good luck

el_jefe · 08-27-2007, 07:53 PM

Will it crank if you pull the fuel pump fuse? Get new plugs, pull the old ones out and remove the fuel pump fuse. Crank it to air out the fuel, then put in the new plugs and try to start it like normal.

JET02WRX · 08-27-2007, 08:33 PM

Got your text today Frank... Thats what he ended up doing.... I talked to him today and he said Mazda even picked up the bill for the towing. Unfortunately he had it towed to Brandywine. I didn't realize you were a Mazda tech or else I would have told him to take to your shop. Oh well...

antman0408 · 08-27-2007, 11:26 PM

30 minutes to deflood an engine, it takes no more than 5. And anyone that knows how to change a spark plug can do it, no need to take it to the dealership.

NOPSTNS · 08-28-2007, 07:34 AM

keep us updated on the outcome tho im sure its just flooded. antman the reason i said 30 mins is bc most defloods ive been doin are on rx8s where they have a tsb and issued new plugs/battery/ and starter....my 30 mins is me changing the plugs starter and battery, and then dechoking it.....thats what i meant. and the plugs on rx8s are a tad harder to reach than previous rotaries bc the engine is mounted a few inches lower and farther back in the engine bay. u cannot reach them from under the hood like all the other rotaries. its easiest to put the car on a lift and remove the d/s front wheel. u dont HAVE to remove the wheel but its 100% easier that way....ive removed the plugs on rx8s with them sittin on a small floor jack and all i could do was turn the wheel....lying on my back pulling boiling hot plugs wasnt fun! haha!~

good luck with it john next time try to get em to take it to me but ive been to brandywine and they are fine too! as long as its a mazda dealer im happy....fill us in when its done!

08-26-2007, 06:09 PM	#1
JET02WRX Tri-State Addict Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chester Co. Member #2133 My Ride: 2002 WRX Wagon iTrader: (1)	RX8 won't start. Frank and other gurus help! Got a question that hopefully someone can help out with. My brother in law recently purchased an RX8. He knows ZERO about cars. He got the bright idea the other day that he wanted to clean his engine bay. He sprayed it down using medium to full force from a hose, and then DID NOT try to start it right away to let the heat evaporate the water. He goes out hours later to go somewhere, and big surprise it wont start. Next day...still won't start. I know NOTHING about these engines. Its cranking, just not turning over. My father took a look at it and determined hes getting no spark from 3 of the plugs. Any idea what fried or what could be causing this? Coils? I'd think the water would have evaporated by now. Any insight? __________________ 2002 WRX "Fun-Wagon"

08-26-2007, 06:12 PM	#2
ozthunder Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: In a modular on campus Member #2994 My Ride: 2006 Nissan SE-R Spec V iTrader: (0)	Change the sparks, do an oil change, and see what happens. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.

08-27-2007, 08:33 PM	#5
JET02WRX Tri-State Addict Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chester Co. Member #2133 My Ride: 2002 WRX Wagon iTrader: (1)	Got your text today Frank... Thats what he ended up doing.... I talked to him today and he said Mazda even picked up the bill for the towing. Unfortunately he had it towed to Brandywine. I didn't realize you were a Mazda tech or else I would have told him to take to your shop. Oh well... __________________ 2002 WRX "Fun-Wagon"

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08-27-2007, 07:49 PM	#3
NOPSTNS Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Member #3176 iTrader: (0)	i see that more often from cold weather, but, here goes. its prolly flooded. rotary engines, and more severely the renesis, have issues with flooding. the spark plugs will get carbon buildup and not spark. if he did real short driving where the car didnt warm up he might have flooded it. it only happens to cars whos owners let the plugs foul out so dont anyone give me crap on blah blah blah blah.... i cant walk u thru the deflooding process online bc i get them running based on feel...i just kno when its about to fire up. best i can tell u over internet is to STOP CRANKING it. ur only bringing in more fuel and ur hosing down the apex seals and rinsing off any oil that used to be on them to promote good sealing for startup. if the car has had the 4206f recall performed then his trailin plugs wont fire during cranking anyway, which is were ur pop might see no spark....they arent sparking on purpose. id love to go out and get it runnin myself but have no clue where u live. tow it to a mazda dealer, if u can, tow it to reedman toll mazda, which is the dealer i work for. i can have it running in 30 mins if its flooded. cranking it with the gas pedal depressed will deactivate the fuel pump and allow the rotors to spin and eventually push out the fuel. that wont help the plugs but itll get out the junk in it. removing the plugs and doing this crankin procedure will get the fuel out thru the plug holes. all of this is stuff u cant really do on the driveway so just have it toqwed. more than likely its just flooded and the water washing (which was dumb to do anyway) prolly wasnt the prob. my comp has beebn meesed up and i cant sign on so im having trouble read up on this so i hope u listen to me and have it towed to a MAZDA DEALER. most MOchaniks wont have a damn clue what the hell is wrong with it. they will try to sell u valve cover gaskets and a timing belt....just walk away!!! please call my cell or somethin...good luck

08-27-2007, 11:26 PM	#6
antman0408 Tri-State Aficionado Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: west chester PA Member #1337 iTrader: (2)	30 minutes to deflood an engine, it takes no more than 5. And anyone that knows how to change a spark plug can do it, no need to take it to the dealership.

08-28-2007, 07:34 AM	#7
NOPSTNS Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Member #3176 iTrader: (0)	keep us updated on the outcome tho im sure its just flooded. antman the reason i said 30 mins is bc most defloods ive been doin are on rx8s where they have a tsb and issued new plugs/battery/ and starter....my 30 mins is me changing the plugs starter and battery, and then dechoking it.....thats what i meant. and the plugs on rx8s are a tad harder to reach than previous rotaries bc the engine is mounted a few inches lower and farther back in the engine bay. u cannot reach them from under the hood like all the other rotaries. its easiest to put the car on a lift and remove the d/s front wheel. u dont HAVE to remove the wheel but its 100% easier that way....ive removed the plugs on rx8s with them sittin on a small floor jack and all i could do was turn the wheel....lying on my back pulling boiling hot plugs wasnt fun! haha!~ good luck with it john next time try to get em to take it to me but ive been to brandywine and they are fine too! as long as its a mazda dealer im happy....fill us in when its done!