Back in 2004 when I bought a brand new RX8..... 3 days after I
    bought it it would not start. I tried all sorts of things but no
    luck. Called the dealer and he sent a truck to pick it up. Took him a
    week to get it started. Mazda then had to re-flashed the EFI program
    in all RX8's. That fixed it.

    Turns out it is rather easy to flood the rotary engine with fuel.

    Recently I had taken the plugs out on the TTC engine and my helper
    turned on the Motec and electric boost fuel pump. Then he pressed
    the starter button. A lot of fuel vapor came out of the spark plug
    holes. NOT GOOD. The Motec was injecting fuel. A lot of the fuel
    remained in the engine I am sure.

    Then we tried to start it after putting the plugs back in. No way
    would it start. We ran the battery down trying.

    The apex seals collected all the fuel and oil in the engine and
    forced it into the spark plugs holes shorting out the plugs.

    The TTC mechanical fuel pump will not supply fuel when the engine is
    being turned over by the starter. It is also a good idea to use the
    emergency fuel shut off valve and turn off the fuel supply when you
    are cleaning moister or fuel out of the engine with the plugs out.

    In the past 18 or 19 years we have received many messages where
    people found the engine hard to start. I suspect it was the same
    problem.

    Take the plugs out and make sure you do not have a supply of fuel to
    your fuel injection or your carburettor. Turn the engine over and
    hold a paper towel in front of the spark plug hole. If there is any
    wetness of any kind the engine is not ready to start. Only warm dry
    air coming out is acceptable.

    Once you have that condition the engine will start after you
    reconnect the fuel supply.

    Same goes for water of course.

    Paul Lamar




   This has happened to my RX8 a couple of times after I accidentally flooded the engine.  Isn't part of the problem that when the excess fuel washes out the oil, some or all of the compression is lost?

   Scott Gettings

   That could be Scott. I did not think of that.

   Did you get your EFI computer re-flashed? If not take it in and ask them to update
   it.

   Paul Lamar

Remove fuel pump fuse and the leading plugs. Turn over on the starter until fuel not coming out. Squirt one pump of engine oil in the leading plug hole and turn the engine over three revolutions to spread the oil. Best to let it sit for half an hour after squirting oil in and barring it over to let the oil spread. Install the leading plugs and crank over. Install fuel fuse.

Paul for the TTC a fuel switch would be useful. The amount of fuel required with methanol is much more than gasoline so flooding is easier. With the fuel switch off start cranking the engine. Then turn the fuel on. It should have spark and no fuel delivery to flood it. Should light up every time.

Have you seen the turbo Offenhauser startup procedure. There was an article that described it. Quite the procedure to start it without catastrophe happening. Basically 50 year old engines developed 1,000 HP on methanol at the Brickyard.

Dale Davies


No fuses. Most of the circuit breakers are shared.
You got to get most of the oil out of there.
If there is any sign of oil coming out there is too much in there.
Dry air only.

We do have an electric fuel pump only for starting.
Once the RPM is up to 3000 or so the mechanical pump supplies all the fuel.

Paul Lamar

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