I've never posted anything but I've visited this site too many times to count. I have done a search but couldn't find anything on flooding other than people who couldn't get theirs started back at all...

So yesterday morning I managed to flood my engine, and at the risk of sounding like a complete idiot, I'll tell the details so that hopefully I can get some help from you guys. I have an 04 MT with all the latest flashes, recalls, updates, etc...

It's been cold here, 20's overnight... I don't usually park in the driveway but I had to overnight and left the car in 1st gear with the parking break on when I killed it. I usually leave it parked in neutral. Next morning, go to move the car and wanted to let it warm up before I moved it. Thinking it was in neutral I let off the clutch and it died. It started back, with a little more than normal cranking, and me still in my brainfart, not realizing why it died the first time, did it again. I know... idiot... So it started back again but it was trying to die while it was idling and OMG the smoke... I assumed it was flooded and after I drove it around for a while it seemed fine. I let it sit for several hours then started it up again, and it was still acting up at idle and still smoking for a few mins. After driving to the carwash and starting back, no problem. Went home, parked in the garage, sat overnight and all day today and again when I started it, there was a lot of smoke and it tried to die when idling. If I give it some gas (~3000rpm) for a minute or two it seems fine. It doesn't seem to miss when I'm accelerating...

My question is, if it were flooded, shouldn't it be ok since it started back up and I was able to drive it? Or do I need to change/clean my spark plugs? I just got brand new ones from the dealer.

 

The smoking is only right after it's started, until it starts idling normally. Everything checked out ok with the recent engine recall. I have never had any problems with this car before, but I did a lot of reading about the engine before I bought it, so I was well aware of the flooding issues and other quirks. I just can't believe I did that...

Thanks for your quick reply. The times that I drove it since, I didn't really open it up...I guess I'll see how it does tomorrow after my morning commute.

 

ooh 9k 20 degrees on snow or ice... Wee! that's fun.

 

Well a long, aggressive drive didn't help. Still acting like it's choking when I start it, and won't idle when started from cold. Runs fine after it gets over the initial fit when I start it. Taking it to the dealer to leave overnight so they can start it from cold as well.

Has anyone else had this problem?

 

9k rpms 20 degrees, yes, wee. Snow or ice, I dont think so...

As to the thread starters question. I have no idea. But the only piece of advice I have is this. When you get it back from the dealer don't let them tell you nothing is wrong with it unless you drive it and it never happens again.

 

Haha @ like a mom... Probably not like most moms! I do take it easy the majority of the time to conserve gas, I put about 500 miles per week on it... but I have read enough to know you should "drive it like you stole it" and I do that occasionally. The thing is, I had absolutely no problem like this until I flooded it, and it just doesn't make sense to me. Also, the cat checked out fine 2 months ago when I took it in for that major recall. Would flooding the car do something to the catalytic converter?

I'll post what the dealer has to say, and believe me, I'll be a pain in their side until it's back to normal. So far I've been treated well by the dealer I use.

 

Very interesting... the tips I learn on here... I hadn't read your reply before I left to take it to the dealer. They started it up this morning and it was acting just as I had told them. This is what they told me over the phone...

--They replaced the coils (I don't know what those are) and the spark plugs (doh! those were new)
--also replaced the battery for having too long of a crank time (nice)

They are keeping it overnight again to see how it behaves when started cold. I guess we'll see. Update tomorrow for all who are interested, and thanks for your replies!

 

where are you .. from your name are we talking 20deg c or f??

beers

 

after the r flash you have to pull the bat cable then stomp the brake. then do the what is above...

beers

 

I'm in Oklahoma... it was in the upper 20's i think that morning, farnheit

 

Ok guys, let's hear what you have to say about this:

As I said before, the dealership replaced the engine coils and ignition coils, along with all spark plugs (which were put in only 2 months ago as part of the recall-- brand new and they were all ruined,) as well as a brand new battery. After the work was done, they kept it overnight to start from cold in the morning for "quality control," that the car was actually fixed. They also verified my clutch squeak complaint which is unrelated except that in the duration of the day AFTER the repairs, they had it running and drove it around to listen to the clutch.

How the hell they thought they had it fixed, I will never know.

When I started it up at the dealership, it turned over a little longer, as if it were freezing outside (it was probably in the low 70's today, farenheit). Not to mention the engine was not completely cold since they had been working on it... I'm guessing it sat for 2 hours after driving to evaluate the clutch. But I'm thinking with the new battery, maybe it would sound different... Anyway I left and I immediately noticed that it drove with a little more punch, when accelerating after shifting. So I'm thinking, yay. Then I came to a long stoplight, and when the rpm's went down below 1000, where it normally would idle, it was very rough and my shifter was vibrating like crazy. The drive home is about 20 miles and I called and let them know about the rough idle and that I was not satisfied and i would bring it back first thing in the morning.

I got home, parked it for about 30 mins, then I needed to be somewhere so I started it back up again. It just doesn't fire up like it used to, especially being warm. I got out on the interstate and was less than a mile down the road, going about 70 in 5th gear, not accelerating fast or anything... I felt it hesitate and I look down and the check engine light flashed at me for just a split second. I almost pulled over but it didn't act up after that. I get where I'm going (10 miles maybe), park, go inside for 2 hours and when I went to leave it would start and then immediately die. Restart, die... I tried about 5 or 6 times and then gave up, took out the key and just sat there for a minute, wanting to kill something, debating on calling mazda roadside. But instead, I gave it one last shot and kept the rpm's at 3000 until the temperature came up halfway, then it started to idle.

I started home, got out on the interstate, and again, about the same distance along, it hesitated again but worse, and this time the check engine light flashed several times. I turned on my flashers and slowed down to pull over but it stopped, and I drove it the rest of the way home, which was only about 5 miles.

I'm a girl. I don't work on cars. But my intial reaction is that 1) they had to know it wasn't right, 2) maybe they didn't get the spark plugs put in right, 3) it is something else that wasn't checked or replaced... possibly the catalytic converter suggestion in a previous reply. I'm afraid that if I drive it, it will just make whatever the problem is worse.

Comments? Suggestions? Of course, I'll be calling them first thing, probably before I even start it...

 

bad cat, or bad motor...

beers

 

forgot, sketchy fuel pump also..

beers

 

Is it naive to think a rotary engine can't be totally trashed by stalling in 1st gear?

I would like to entertain the possibility that it's the cat and keep my fingers, toes, eyeballs, arms, and elbows crossed. Can you explain what it would have done to the cat? and what tests the dealer might do to find out if it is bad?

 

Are you talking about the break tapping and wheel turning thing? But how do I do the hokey pokey while sitting in the driver's seat???

Ok sorry I usually kill stress with sarcasm. So, when I try this... in the morning the car will be cold. It will probably be 40*F in my garage. Do I just turn the key on and do the reset procedure before attempting to start it? And how is it that they would forget something like that? Geez they had it for 2 days.

 

No, unfortunately I hadn't read your message before I left to drop the car off. Beyond that, it didn't occur to me to try it once I picked it up. Are you suggesting that the rough idle may be solved by this as well? Or just the possible misfire/CEL

 

Yeah, as disappointed as I am right now, I still hesitate to dump on the service dept. They really have been courteous and helpful.

For those who may be wondering... I didn't have to pay a dime for my new battery (37k miles). I had read somewhere that there was a pro-rated charge after a year... and of course everything else was normal warranty repairs.

 

why are yours? and have you looked at the last pm, the forward?

beers

 

Ha... well lately I can only get on the cpu after 9 pm. Hubby got stuck with night shifts for last few weeks and cpu is in the bedroom where he is sleeping. I am normally sleeping right now but wouldn't be able to sleep from thinking about all this.

Last oil change, end of Nov, week of thanksgiving. I am about 1500 miles into that oil, just added 1/2 quart, which has been routine for me and sounds like pretty much everyone. In fact I did take out my air filter and vaccuum it a bit although it didn't look dirty, can't remember when it was replaced but it looked new. Possibly mazda put one in during the recall visit.

Why do you ask?

 

Hmm good tip. But the oil change was 3 weeks ago and I added the 1/2 quart after the brainfart that started all this.

I mean, seriously, I didn't have ANY problems from this car previous to flooding it. Ok except a squeaky throw-out bearing that I'm told probably won't be covered under warranty and probably won't cause any other problems with the clutch. I don't like "probably." But the service guy is supposed to talk to the mazda rep about it.

I was just getting ready to change out my trans/diff fluid and replace with royal purple when this all went crazy. Now I'm scared to touch it.

 

That bulletin says nothing about squeaking or throw-out bearings, though. and my clutch function is fine, for now, until that bearing goes out then i'm guessing all hell will break loose in the clutch. How does my complaint pertain to that bulletin, so that I can use it to convince them?

Build date: 9/03

 

are you talking about the noise that happens with the car in neutral and the clutch out, or a noise that happens as you depress the clutch?

in neutral with the clutch out, the noise is gear roll over. you are hearing the input shaft spin.. the sound is normal and a bit annoying.

a squeak as you depress the clutch is a lack of lube somewhere.. it has been talked about and fixed somewhere around here...

a throw out bearing would make a constant squeal or rattle only when the clutch is depressed..

and if you had a real good flood the cat is going to be the problem...

beers

 

I would say I had a real good flood. Although I have read posts that it isn't flooded if it starts back easily, I am thinking the new flashes and stuff made it to where it would start back but just kept dumping gas where it wasn't supposed to go (catalytic converter maybe?). I wonder, if it had died when I stalled it and it didn't start back would it have been fine with just the new spark plugs.

Regarding the clutch, I never got into detail about it but I am hearing a squeak over the gear rollover noise that I first noticed about a month ago. After I start it and let out on the clutch to idle, the gear noise is there and then this chirpy squeak slowly starts up and becomes constant when the clutch is engaged, foot off the the clutch. I can hear the same noise as I am driving, when changing gears just as I let off the clutch. But I realized after driving in my enclosed parking garage at work that the noise must be constant while the clutch is engaged because I could hear the squeak while at a crawl in 1st with the window down. It stops completely, as does the gear noise, when I disengage (push in) the clutch, but even if I barely put pressure on the foot pedal, it goes away. They told me that the noise was the throw-out or pilot bearing but that it wouldn't lead to any problems because they hear this noise on a lot of 8's. He told me, if it were his car, and it sounded like that, he would want it fixed and that he would talk to the mazda rep for me. Problem is, I think it's getting louder. I took it to them for only that reason about 2 weeks ago and they said they couldn't replicate the squeak (for me it does it 90% of the time) so I made a guy walk outside with me and surprisingly, no squeak at idle, went on a drive, no squeak while driving. So I'm looking like an idiot. But of course I had them listen for it while it was in for this other work and they did hear it this time.

You aren't the only person that said if it were the throw-out bearing it would make the noise when the clutch is pressed in. I dunno. I'm off to try the reset...

 

I will take the clutch bulletin in with me next time...

Meanwhile, I tried doing the reset, which nothing happened so I don't know if it actually reset. I tried to start it and it acted just as it did before I took it in, only worse. Start, rpm's come down, die... just like last night, after several attempts I finally got it to let me rev to about 3000rpm to warm up a bit and then it idled. Or at least it didn't die. I let it warm up for about 5 mins then took off to the dealer. Died on me at the first stop sign in my neighborhood. Got it started back, and on the trip I got the same hesitation/CEL as last night, happened 3 times.

I want to point out that between flooding on Saturday and taking the car to the dealer on Tuesday evening, I still drove the car as I would normally and other than the problems at cold start, it ran fine.... there was NO cel indicator, and NO vibration that I ever noticed. Now t is so bad my gear shifter vibrates to the point that it looks blurred.

So after I got there, I told them it was worse than when I dropped it off. I had 2 techs and both the service manager and the other inside person meet me at the door. I asked the tech about the cat, he said he did check it and it was ok. I also asked if the computers were all reset, he said yes.

So if all the repairs were done properly, assuming the spark plugs were put in correctly, etc... any other ideas?

 

Yes... that is exactly my problem. I didn't think the difficult shift from 1-2 had anything to do with it, and thought the royal purple in the tranny would help that, which I haven't done yet. I will definitely talk to them today but I really want the other stuff back to normal before they add another variable in the mix.