Hi there,

First off I have searched the forums, and googled for hours, and can't find a solution. If there is one that I've missed, really sorry

The other evening, the car was very cold (frost and ice everywhere), and I tried to start it. It was turning really slowly but I kept trying. Second try, still no joy. Annoying, but not particular uncharacteristic of an RX8. Third try, kept it turning for too long, then the noise transitioned from nothing into fast clicking sounds from the starter motor. Now that's all I get (even a few days after now it is warmer). In addition, whilst the headlights, dash, etc are all fine, the central unit is flickering like crazy and a strange clicking sound is coming from behind the passenger glove box. Clearly I blew something when trying to start it for too long but not sure what. I'm not sure it can be the main fuse since some things are powered and some things just going crazy. Here is some other info which may or may not be useful:

1) I flooded it a couple months back. Idiotic I know, but I managed to get it started again after using the "connect/disconnect fuel pump underneath the rear driver's side seat when trying to start". Took a while but it's been fine since. Fuel pump electrics are reconnected properly, I've checked.

2) The fuses seem fine but I haven't managed to check the main 120A fuse. That baby is jammed right into the side there and I don't know how to get it out to check it. Besides, if that was gone, I'd assume things like electric locks, dash, etc wouldn't light up, and I wouldn't get any power to the central unit let alone flickering - but I may be wrong.

3) The battery terminals are covered in a yellow gunk. The positive less so, but the negative has a fair deposit (1mm approx on it). Connections to the terminals seem fine and there does not seem to be any acid damage to cables and besides - headlights etc turn on fine.

4) Car has its 6 year service from an authorised mazda dealer last month. Ever since, the car hasn't been able to accelerate hard when it hasn't warmed up. From cold start, if I try to accelerate hard, the engine breaks (as if it were redlining) at about 6000rpm. This may have been the case before and I just haven't noticed it but I really don't think it was.

Hope that someone can help otherwise I'm gonna have to get a call-out!

Thanks

 

Your battery terminals are shot, and at this point your battery is probably dead as well. The flickering and jumping gauges are ALWAYS indicating a problem with proper battery connection or grounding problem. Usually grounding at the battery

Step 1: Disconnect both battery clamps from the terminals (negative first). You can opt to unbolt the clamp itself from the harness end with a 12mm wrench or socket, remove the clamps completely.

Step 2: Either replace the battery with a new one OR completely clean the battery terminals. If you have a wire brush of some type to make sure all the corrosion is off, that is by far the best option.

Step 3: Do the same cleaning to the inside of the battery terminal clamps OR go get new clamps

Step 4: Coat the clamps and the terminals with dielectric grease

Step 5: Reconnect the clamps to the terminals, ensuring that they are seated firmly and solidly. You should be able to yank on them and the battery is what moves, not the clamp. Re-bolt the harnesses to the battery as needed, (positive side first).

Step 6: if you didn't replace the battery and it doesn't fire up, get a jump.



Your point #4 is SUPPOSED to be happening. You are abusing the hell out of the engine by trying to drive it hard when cold. There is a built in rev limiter that prevents the full rev range when the engine is too cold. Take it easy, let it warm up! Pounding on the throttle before it's warm is VERY harmful to the engine. STOP DOING THAT! Even once the coolant temp needle gets to full warm, the oil is still typically still warming up, and can take several more minutes to warm. Just keep the revs under 4k until it's warm.

 

Thanks loads for your reply - I'll give this a go today and let you know what happens

 

To add to this, if you have a significant amount of corrosion, you can use a mixture of water and baking soda to help when scrubbing with the wire brush

 

To prevent future corrosion, glue a copper penny to the top of the battery near the positive terminal. The copper will attract the corrosive gasses away from the terminal.
Modern penny's are made of zinc. You need to find an older one, 1982 or older.
http://books.google.com/books?id=pSA...rosion&f=false

 

The acidic properties of Coca Cola makes it work quite good as well

 

Yea i hear that does wonders as a car wash additive too :-p

 

Hi all, I cleaned the terminals, jumped it, and applied dielectric grease, and it's all working fine again now!

I'll keep an eye on the battery over the next few days to see if it is holding it's charge or not and let you know.

Thanks loads !

 

Well, as you know I jumped it and got it started, then drove it around for a while to charge it up. Next time I went to start it a couple days later, the battery was completely dead (central locking wouldn't even work). It seems to be dying when just standing, even though nothing is on and there is nothing attached which is drawing power. Thoughts?

 

You haven't mentioned the age of the battery. It's possible that either from age or the grounding issue, the battery simply won't hold a charge any more. You can get it easily tested at a local autoparts store.

This is assuming that there still isn't a grounding problem that was severing the connection to the battery completely.

When you jump it, the engine is really pulling power from the jumper cables, not your battery, and while it's running, the alternator is providing the power, not the battery. So if you never got a solid connection to the battery, then it wouldn't have been charging, and would still be just as dead, even after driving around a while.

 

That happen to me this morning, it tried starting and was cranking like it was but didn't twice, than just the noise of the starter. Jumped it and it turned on fine. I drive the car everyday if that matters.
The only thing I don't understand is that the reverse bulbs stay on?( I took them out in the morning so it wouldn't kill my battery) went to advance later today and they checked battery and alternator and read fine.
Reverse bulbs stay on still do don't want to put them on.
Any input?
Any more information you need let me know

 

Battery is about 6 years old I'm assuming. At least, the car is 6 years old and I haven't replaced the battery in the year I have had it. Going to try and replace the battery today and see if it manages to hold its charge.