We had flash floods in my area yesterday and i was driving down a road and water came pouring onto the road and it was about 3-4 inches and i lost traction and stalled going about 15mph i then had someone tow me out of the water and i tryed to start my car and it wont start, i tryed the gas flooding precudure 3 times and it still wouldnt start so i figure some electronic prolly got wet, i had it towed home and i let it dry out, cleaned out the airfilter and checked all the fuses the car is pretty much totally dry now, i tryed the fuel flooding thing again by holding the clutch and gas and crank for 10-20 seconds and then try to start for 10-20 , repeated this 2-3 times and it cranks and fires 2-3 times then goes back to just cranking then fires 2-3 times then cranking when i do the fuel flooding procedure there alittle gas scented smoke hovering inside my exhaust which im guessing is normal, could my sparkplugs be soaked and not producing sparks? or should i start signing my house over to the dealership for repairs.....Help!!!! please!!!

 

4 inches of water isn't enough to get anything too wet at that speed I would think. When you performed the deflood process what did the plugs look like? You said you "cleaned out the airfilter"...was it wet or just regularly dirty? Did you clean the MAF sensor?

 

I literally poured water out of my airfilter, MAF Sensor? wheres it located? and i havent checked the plugs yet, ive heard its a real pain, like you have to take the wheel off and mess and if i cant get it fixed by tonight ill prolly run up and get new plugs and install em tomorrow, idk when the last time my plugs were changed since i bought it used from the dealership 6 months ago

 

How the hell did you get that much water out of your air filter?
Are you on a stock intake? If you are then, you don't know what three to four inches is.

Yeah, your plugs are probably..........extremely wet based on what you have said!

 

stock intake with k-n filter, its been raining for 4 days, literally so hard you cant see the lines on the road and then bam the flash flood

 

3-6 maybe? enough that my foot was submerged, im not a waterologist here, please, work with me

 

if anyone else has any advice im open to any ideas!!
as it stands ill go out and pick up some new plugs in about an hour (might as well) and also clean out the maf sensor and see how it goes

 

Yup...remove the wheel and the plugs are right there....take them out and remove the eshaft sensor and crank. MAF is just past the airbox and needs to be cleaned with contact cleaner. Look for the deflood process on the site.

 

If it fires 2-3 times while attempting to start, then goes back to just cranking, you were close to starting it.
That is a typical sign of a flooded engine trying to start.
And if you have an '04 or '05 with the original starter and battery, it makes recovering from a flooded engine more difficult.
Just keep trying to start it, do not crank for more than 10sec or else you'll burn-out the starter.
When it does start to fire a couple times, give it slight gas, and if it quits firing, pull off the accelerator and try again.
Once it starts, try to keep the RPM at about 2K (don't go too high) for a good 10sec to ensure it'll keep running.
Then let it run for several minutes (you'll likely have white smoke from the excessive fuel).

But recovering from a flooded engine can fowl the spark plugs, so once you get it started, then install new plugs.
No reason to fowl the new plugs trying to recover from a flooded engine.

And cleaning the MAF is a good idea since there was water in the intake.

 

@jon316G ive tryed the deflooding and cranking and ect and it trys but never starts fully and ive tryed prolly 6-7 long attempts now, ill try cleaning out the MAF Sensor with contact cleaner and ill try the whole process again and if it still doesnt start then ill head out for new plugs.

@devilboi """Yup...remove the wheel and the plugs are right there....take them out and remove the eshaft sensor and crank"""

Both plugs are behind the front driver side wheel? and could you briefly walk me through the eshaft sensor and crank? ive never done that before >.>

 

6-7... that's all...
I've had to do it WAY more than that with an original starter.
I've done it that many times on a flooded engine with the upgraded starter though.
But... feel free to pursue other paths if you wish...
Good luck!

 

Uhhh...all 4 plugs are behind the drivers front wheel.

Dunno why I said eshaft (Jon you can kick me later)...anyhwo...read here on deflooding...

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...hlight=deflood

Jon is right though...it is going to take some time. Mazurfer has had pretty good luck I would say with removing the trailing plugs and cranking the engine to force any fluid out so that is why I suggested that.

 

Noted

And that is one of the best (but more involved) ways to deflood.

This topic has been beaten to death and with MANY MANY MANY threads detailing every type of deflooding process, it gets old typing them all again.
But we've learned you can deflood with many different procedures:
1) Holding the gas pedal while cranking.
2) Keep cranking until it starts (likely require recharging the battery or jumping it).
3) Windshield washer fluid into the maintenance ports.
4) Pulling the trailing plugs (along with the fuel pump fuse and eshaft sensor) so that when you crank it, the fluid will come out the spark plug holes.

The number of flooded engines I've encountered (through myself or locals) can't be counted on two hands, so I've had the opportunity to try all these techniques.
You can get it started (eventually) using any one of them...

 

If your MAF was wet..it is flooded for sure...when the MAF gets wet it thinks the airflow is really high...and injects a ton of fuel...

If it is a MT car...tow starting it is by far the easiest way to get it going.....make sure you dry out the intake and the MAF though

 

Damn it... forgot that one!

 

I started mine when I forgot to change the Map for new injectors that were over 2X stock size....

When I finally got it going after about a block...the smoke show prompted a car behind me to call the fire department...that was fun trying to explain that one

 

I was wondering when someone was going to ask if it was a manual.
Was at work, the went for workout, small dinner, and now checking back in.

No matter what...........I would get the plugs dry, the MAF dry, and then try it all over again(no matter what the method) and not before those two.

 

It will start with the plugs wet...but not the MAF You will just have to tow it further

 

Yeah...........maybe a lot further!
I still say dry them.....gives a chance for inspection as well.


Actually, as I always keep a new set in the garage, I would just put the new ones in and save the old as back-up.

 

Update, bought new plugs, got the tire off, and im about to remove the old plugs dry em off and put em back in and try and if not ill put the new ones in,
I think somewhere between trying the old and new plugs ill also try removing the trailing plugs and pulling the fuses and deflooding,
Stay tuned!!

 

Don't forget to disconnect the eshaft sensor.
This is to ensure the spark plugs don't ignite any fuel still in the chamber.

 

i removed all 4 plugs and the fuel pump fuse and tryed holding clutch and gas and cranking and theres like this horrible black guck coming out O_O its all over a towel i placed though, ill show pictures later, and yeah i removed the eshaft sensor, ALSO my top plugs were completely full of fuel and muck and my bottom ones were dryer and cleaner.
standbyyyyy

 

your cat is going to love all that crud being blasted into it.

 

hmm...what cat >.>
i have the racing beat midpipe and exhaust lmao, straight through.

oh god...i shot flames before...think of now...oh godddd

(midpipe, for track use of course) eh...

 

Wait for the smoke show when you start it..might want to talk to the neighbors so they don't call the fire dept