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


   I emailed Tracy if he could re-Flash my EC2, but he is off the grid most of the time.  He did send some basic instructions.  All of my local software buddies felt that compiling the code and implementing  the programmer hardware to flash the unit would be a substantial project with uncertain outcome.  Basically a black box.

   I have been following the CDI / EFI threads here, and am hoping to have a practical solution for both functions instead of using Tracy's unit.  Builders like myself greatly benefit from the most final schematics, hardware specs and CAD files to allow us to build critical components we cannot buy.  For example, it isn't out of our range to have a local CNC shop build a redrive coupling or adjustable CAS if we have the CAD files.

   Scott Gettings

   It is a waste of time rewriting Tracy's code.  Number one it is way too difficult as it
   is written in assembly language. When he wrote it 20 years ago that was probably the only way
   to do it because computers were not fast enough then. With faster computers you write short
   simple programs and it is run directly. No compiling. Have your buddy's take a look at
   the maximite. I plan to use two. One for each rotor and their only job to control
   the fuel injection. Plenty fast to do that. You need to buy a maximite and try it.
   You will be stunned on how easy it is to use.


   The other thing is half of Tracy's code is necessary to use the old fashioned
   coils invented in 1922. Totally unnecessary with capacitor discharge ignitions.
   NO CODE IS NECESSARY :-) The CAS fires the plug directly right now!

   Hang on awhile Joe Berki is making great strides with his cap discharge ignition
   systems. I don't have time to do it now as I am focused on the TTC.

   Paul Lamar

If it is flooded and the seals are not doing a proper job a small bit of oil is required. That is what can happen when a recip is flooded badly. A very small bit of oil gets the ring seal back. I know rotaries are a different kettle of fish but the idea is applicable. Just be sparing with the oil.
In your case a switch to shut off the fuel pump would prevent overfueling at or before initial cranking.

Dal Davies

The difference is where the plug holes are. The plug holes are on the side
of the engine and the oil will stay in there.

No recip experience is applicably.



Paul Lamar

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