New to forum. Driving that Raven haired beauty off the lot tomorrow. Will be an exhilirating experience. Looked for information on this topic here but couldn't find the hand holding I require to feel confident I won't do something stupid.
Read all the available threads thoroughly.

Please, someone explain exactly where the temperature guage needs to be to prevent flooding prob. It doesn't get "that" cold here ---maybe drops to 20 degrees F every 10th winter. So...is it possible to flood in the spring/fall when "coolish" (40 degrees) out?

I am nervous but far from paranoid.
Thanks for your help.
Hes

Black 04 GT, MT with whistles and bells

 

Make sure that your 8 is 'flashed" with the newest update to the PCM (we call the update the M flash). The reason you don't see adequate discussion of flooding (you would if you do a search and look for all the older threads) is because the M flash has pretty much eliminated the problem.

 

Make sure that your 8 is 'flashed" with the newest update to the PCM (we call the update the M flash). The reason you don't see adequate discussion of flooding (you would if you do a search and look for all the older threads) is because the M flash has pretty much eliminated the problem.[/QUOTE]

Thanks so much. "Flashing" isn't a term I knew much about ---except in another context!

OK. Tomorrow I'll ask is she's flashed and ready to roll. Tough to explain how excited I am to drive her off the lot... LOVE that beautiful black beast.
Hes

 

Two things:

1) Get your PCM updated to the latest programming ("M Flash") which as previously stated, basically eliminates the issue.

2) DO NOT, under penalty of death by the gods of the Rotary, touch the throttle during starting - unless it doesn't start in 10 seconds.

3) If it doesn't start after 10 seconds of cranking, then turn the key off, wait 30 seconds, turn it on, depress the throttle all the way to the floor and hold it (this puts the engine into "dechoke" mode - effectively shutting off the fuel injection), then crank the engine in 10 second bursts until it starts, waiting 15 seconds between tries.

If you get the M Flash and follow #2 religiously, then you won't need to ever resort to #3

 

Hespra, I was real concerned about this issue as well when I got my 8. I think that this issue has been blown out of proportion. I own an automatic 8 which is supposed to be more likely to flood but to be honest, I really don't think about it anymore. Just drive the damn thing and enjoy it. I have owned it for about 6 months and just LOVE my car. I got the M flash and just make sure not to cut it off right after I start it up. Of course, I live down here in Gods Country, Alabama, and it really does not get that cold here. By the time I get out of my neighborhood, I'm warmed up. When I do pull it out of my garage to wash it, I let it sit while I get the suds ready. Have fun and enjoy your car.

 

Having experienced 2 nasty floods during last winter, I tried flooding my 8 a couple of weeks ago. I have the M flash, by the way. I started the car backed it out of the garage and shut it down. It reluctantly started again, with lots of smoke. It was probably 80 degrees when I did this. If I do the same thing at 20 degrees, will it start? Time will tell.

Everyone says the M flash has solved the problem, but the new software came out in the spring, so no one has gone through the winter yet. If, next spring, there are no threads about flooding, I would say the problem is solved. I certainly hope it is, because it is no fun.

You can take lots of precautions to prevent flooding, but the last time it happened to me, I started the car in the garage, put it in reverse and stalled it, because the brakes were stuck to the rotors from corrosion after my car wash the day before. It would not start again.

 

My wife started up the 8 after it sat for a week. The TPS light was on, so she shut it off. When I came home, I pumped up the tire with the compressor. The next day, the car wouldn't start.

The car was bought in May '04, but build date was Aug '03. I asked the dealership to make sure it was M flashed when I bought it. I know it has the L flash - verified by the brake test.

I tried the flooded procedure and jumping the car. No go.

We called roadside assistance and they took it to the dealership. Service went through a whole page of stuff (flooring gas pedal, charging battery, changing oil, filter and plugs) before they got the car started again. The recall (M-flash?) was done.

Now the car is fine now. We got a free oil, filter and plug change out of it.

If we had to do it all over? Don't shut down the engine after startup. If TPS comes on, leave car running while you check and pump up the tires.

 

I'm pretty sure changing the plugs is what did it, I've had 3 RX-7 in the past (81, 80, 79 in that order), I experienced some flooding issues with them. I would take the plugs off which were soaked with fuel and took a torch to them to burn the excess fuel out until they were dry. Once I put the plugs back in dry it would fire up instantly. There were other times that the car would flood, I would go back in the house for about half hour or so and come back out and could get lucky for a start.

 

Yeah, the M flash is an improvement. But here is what you need to know more than anything. Never kill the engine below normal operating temperature.

I know, it's like saying "never push that button". But there you have it.

To add any more here is to dilute the significance of the main rule above. 99 out of 100 floodings can be traced to a cold kill. They always say "yeah, but this is what happened..." No buts about it. Cold kills flood. Remember that and you should be ok. If you ever want to kill the engine cold (and you will), don't. Drive it around the block once or twice, that's all there is to it.

oh yeah, welcome to the forum! :D

 

Can anyone explain why cold kills flood?

 

When the engine is cold, the computer calls for a full-rich fuel mixture, which, if you shut the engine off while this is continuing, it can flood the engine with fuel AS the engine shuts off. Then on restart, the plugs are wet, the full rich is on again and ... ruh roh. No start.

Actually, you don't even need to wait for operating temp. Just be sure the engine comes off of high idle and settles down to the 750-850 rpm idle speed (takes a minute or two of running).

When I fire it up to move it for washing, I just let it idle while I get the crap out of the garage to wash it. Then I shut it off and I'm good to go.

 

Thank you all for your kind and generous assistance. I'm really embarrased(what? no spell checker here?!) to say I don't understand any of the engine'eze. I will read the owner's manual and hopefully find where and what is "TSP light" and such. "Cold kill" probably means a stall right after trying to start?

If you will all forgive my dumb questions, I'll catch up to you at least with basic terminology. I learn fast. Last night Stew, bless his heart, was kind enough to explain that "throttle" was indeed the gas pedal. When a kid, my hot rod was the 1953 Ford tractor. It indeed had a pull lever called the "throttle." As to how much I don't know about mechanical things in general, I'm sure you're getting the picture. Now, if you want to tie dye that RX-8 body wrap, I'm your gal...

You're a super bunch. I'm pleased to be here.
Hes

 

Well, you made a very smart decision to join the club. Tons of information about the RX8 here. Don't let the flooding problem make you paranoid. We routinely moved the car for washing and shut it down with no problems before last week.

Another thing, roadside assistance is very good.

 

Well, after considerable searching, I found it! :D

Sea Ray got a really good bunch of news on the benefits of the M flash on the good old flooding problem. Read it - test on Monday. :D

Hespra, the "cold kill" term that I used means turning off (killing) your engine when it's still cold (not much warmer than ambient temperature, if any). I don't know if what StewC625 said is something to follow. (Good explanation though...) I would never turn off my engine until at least some temperature rise can be seen on the gage. (Might just be me being a bit **** about the issue :o One thing I can say is that I haven't flooded mine yet.) Full temperature comes quickly enough after that, so, I've been always "killing" my engine at full operating temperature on the gage.
The TPS light comes on when your Tire Pressure Sensing system detects one of your tires being too low - or too high - in air pressure. It's one of the lights in your dash & it also has an audible alarm when it comes on.

 

Know a couple of folks riding sans M flash who may find this helpful... Bump for them & any others worried about floods!

 

ok guys, i am lost, what is flooding, how do you prevent it, simple terms please.

 

That's the most horrible thing. How did the brakes get stuck to the rotors? Because of your car wash???? This kind of thing makes me cringe.... are you serious?

 

My pads get stuck almost everytime I wash my car because I rarely drive it immediately after. Reason they stick, is because the pads are always loosely touching. Add in corrosion (When a drop of water hits, two things begin to happen almost immediately. First, the water, a good electrolyte, combines with carbon dioxide in the air to form a weak carbonic acid, an even better electrolyte. As the acid is formed and the iron dissolved, some of the water will begin to break down into its component pieces -- hydrogen and oxygen. The free oxygen and dissolved iron bond into iron oxide, in the process freeing electrons. The electrons liberated from the anode portion of the iron flow to the cathode, which may be a piece of a metal less electrically reactive than iron, or another point on the piece of iron itself) and you have a light, chemical bond between the surfaces.

 

Well, I know I'm still a newby compaired to many of you, but from what I've read and what I've seen it seems like the flooding "problem" is at least mostly resolved with the M flash.

Maybe those of you that have experienced flooding could answer these questions so we'll know how well placed that belief is:

How many of you that have experienced flooding have done so with the M flash?

How many of you that have experienced flooding used the dechocking procedure, and how effective was it?

Thanks,
-Dennis

 

Drove her off the lot this afternoon. 256 miles on car when I crawled in. Dealer went through conglomerate in Seattle to find GT MT black on black and all the factory stuff I chose and had their driver transport to Portland. It wasn't a "demo" and I'm certainly not going to argue over 256 miles.

Dealer assured me the car has been duly "flashed."

I'm not in tune with my car at this early stage. Sure hard to remember not to touch the trottle when turn the ignition. But did OK today. Had trouble couple times coming away from stop light. Was leary of killing the car--hot or cold--and not applying enough throttle. Did I say that right? Car lurched a bit but didn't die. Hoping all stalls are not "cold" and I won't flood anything in this sort of senario. Luckily it's 75 degrees here so I will earn the basics in reasonable weather.

Noticed the long casing down center of interior gets quite warm. Had a couple CDs in those pockets. Got warm enough in that compartment to conclude it isn't the right place to store anything. Ice in drinks will sure melt fast if I use that cup holder. Is that area really warm on your cars as well?

I felt incredibly secure in the corners. Feels very solid. Tend to put my hands on top of wheel rather than bottom. If airbag blows will probably break my arms.

LOVE the nightime dashlighting. Very easy on the eyes. Car parked under carport and somewhat protected from direct rain. Now have to construct something to protect the hood and flat surfaces from the neighborhood cats. I don't think I could always manage the body bag by myself in the dark. Maybe a couple heavy quilted blankets or some such will be enough protection from claws.

WOW is this car fun to drive. It's just wonderful. I am thrilled with my purchase. When the factory leather begins to wear, will find someone locally to fit and stich. Have some really spiffy ideas for interior design in black, grey and a touch of maroon red.

Will keep future messages brief. Just HAD to expound this one time!
Hes

 

went to pick up my car sat at the dealership (20k mile service) and it was flooded. sweet. I don't know if I ever got the hot plugs put in my car though. Mine was on the first boat. All the cars they sell now have hotter plugs from the factory. Really pretty upset about it though, I can't get it back until tomorrow