so I was trying to go home from work this morning tried to start my car and got nothing. it was turning but not getting any combustion. I have an 04 MT, new coils and plugs, regular oil changes. First thing I thought was flooded. Pulled the spark plugs, cleaned them let it sit for 2 hours and turned it acouple times to clear out any extra vapor. reconected everything and still nothing. check the cables and got good spark on all 4. reset the ECU and I still got nothing. anybody see anything I'm mising?

 

All I can say is that in my limited experience with flooding while helping someone else is..........

1.) We had to go through the cycle of pulling the plugs and getting them dry about 3-4 times before we got it.

2.) Did you pull the fuel pump relay while trying to clear it out when the plugs were out? If not........then you need to do that....in my opinion. Don't put the relay back in either, but be ready to do so real quick after the proceedure of getting plugs clean, dry and cranking the engine to get all fuel out. You are still dumping fuel in! Once all cleaned out, and back together, try cranking it and when it catches, put that relay back in real quick.
When we dry cranked, we gave it about 8-10 cranks of 8 seconds each then sometime to cool down the starter before trying again..............and it still took 3 or 4 times of everything to get it!



3.) Is it a manual? If so they tow or push start it! 18mph, 2nd, and pop the clutch.

 

pulling the relay worked like a charm! it fired right up on the second try. thanks for the tip!

 

No problem!
Glad I could help and hopefully save some time, aggravation........and money!

Some people deflood in other ways...disconnecting the fuel pump and the air pump, etc. etc. some even unplug the Eshaft sensor(I think?).

Just removing the fuel pump relay, cranking in bursts until everything is out of the engine, cleaning the plugs, and then firing it up before quickly putting in the relay worked for us and many others.

I think the more severe flooding cases call for far more including squirting washer fluid into the maintaince ports and such.

 

BTW................you do know not to shut this car off cold right? I can assume this wasn't the case since you said you were at work and leaving to go home, so it's logical to assume it was there at work for awhile after a drive from home to work.
You didn't have a mis-start or anything when leaving work that may have caused the flooding issue did you?

 

Nope the car sat there for 24 hours while i was working and didnt move. It did the same thing to me this morning on my way in and I just pulled the relay and it started right up with no fuel pump relay in and then i ran around and pluged it in real quick. as much as I hate to say it I think I may need to take it to the stealership. But I really don't wanna have to do that. we'll see what happens when i try to leave work tomorrow morning.

 

Strange..................

You don't have your foot on the gas pedal when you try to start normally do you?

Since you are an 04.............Do you know if you have the upgraded starter?