Non starter

[Fitoldsinjun62]

Hi my name is Mike Grace and I have an 07 plate RX8 low mileage around 40000
At the beginning of lockdown I sorned my car and turned it over every few weeks whilst leaving it on my drive. I then left it for a longer period and battery was flat and I could not start it.

My first step was to call the RAC and after one hour of squirting some spray over the engine he was unable to start the car and left.

During my ownership of the car it has been looked after by a Mazda dealership and a technician from the garage came over with a fixed tow bar and we drove round the local streets in an attempt to bump start it. He was very surprised that the car would not start and suggested that possibly new spark plugs would be required, although from memory I think the spark plugs are relatively new. The situation currently therefore is that having left my stricken car on the drive for several months I discovered the RX8 Owners Club and would welcome any advice or help from the experiences of the members.

In conclusion it is refreshing to find a club where payment to join is not demanded immediately, although I am perfectly happy and willing to pay the appropriate membership fee.

My location is Epsom, Surrey.

Many thanks in anticipation of members' expertise which I sadly, totally lack.

[Nickp47]

Hi Mike, when you say you tried to bump start it, do you mean tow start I.e towing the RX-8 along whilst it is in gear ?

[Fitoldsinjun62]

sorry yes in gear and quite a strange feeling trying to steer and brake!!

[Nickp47]

Dead ignition coils would be a candidate though could be a number of other things

I have reasonable experience in getting non starters going and am not too far away so if you can’t sort it yourself and need a hand just drop me a message

[warpc0il]

The Check Engine Light should come on when you switch on the ignition, as part of the lamp test, then go out before you start the engine.

If it stays on then the engine often won't start, because something critical has failed the system check; for example if there's no signal from the Eccentric Shaft Sensor.

The engine was likely already flooded by the failed starting attempts, while the spray would just have made that much worse.

You'll probably have to remove at least one plug from each rotor and spin the engine over to blow out the excess.

Sent from my Samsung using Tapatalk

[Fitoldsinjun62]

I am amazed at the response and i am very thankful although my knowledge is very limited I will attempt to make some progress
Thanks guys I will let you know of any progress

[GreySilver Beast]

Hi Mike & to the RX-8OC

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[350matt]

if you have a OBD scan tool that can do monitoring then plug that it and crank the engine to see if you get an engine speed / rpm signal flagging up, if you don't then replace the crank sensor / Eccentric shaft sensor

also try cleaning the sensor as they accumulate all sorts of debris and rubbish over time

and if you clean it or replace it then
do the 20 brake pedal stomp where you turn on the ignition and then press the brake 20 times in rapid succession until the oil pressure needle sweeps from right to left

[GreySilver Beast]

Hi and Mike. I'm not far away - sadly I'm useless at anything like that and would be no help at all, but if you can't sort it yourself taking Nickp47 up on his kind offer is certainly worth doing.

If you get it going by Wednesday you would be very welcome to join us for something to eat and a chat at the Fairmile in Cobham that evening. We are there the first Wednesday of every month if you can't come this time. Details here viewtopic.php?f=99&t=59273

[Fitoldsinjun62]

Sadly I can’t make your meet @ Fairmile but hope to see you in Oct.
Nick has been very helpful waiting to hear from him

Thanks enjoy Wednesday

[Koren]

I'm also not far, not sure how much help I'd be either though lol. Do have a code reader if that's any use

[Nickp47]

I popped over to Mike’s this evening and unfortunately couldn’t get it going. It’s cranking fine (not flooded) and I have checked there is spark.
The fuel pump is not priming (no ‘buzz’) so I swapped every relay on the engine bay that may have anything to do with the fuel pump and still no joy.
This makes me think the fuel pump itself is the issue, the only thing in the back of my mind is fuel pump failure is not at all common IME so don’t want to send Mike down another dead end in getting the car going thus welcome any thoughts.

[BigPete]

Has it got fuel?

[Nickp47]

Yes definitely has fuel

[qwakers]

did you check for voltage with a multimeter at the pump? have you checked all the fuses in the under bonnet fuse box? one of the little ones (as lemon found out a couple of years ago) controls power to the fuel pump (and the omp and a few other things)

[Nickp47]

Didn’t have a multimeter with me hence couldn’t check the pump. I swapped all relays and fuses that would have any chance of being involved with the fuel pump afaik.

[Nickp47]

but the relays need a switch feed to function, so if their feed fuse is blown they wont switch.

you can bridge the power pins on the bottom left (or second from left, i cant remember clearly) relay and the fuel pump should run.

[Nickp47]

Alternatively run a long wire from the battery to the pump.

However, it could be the resistor that sits by the Secondary Air pump, which makes the fuel pump run at slow speed at lower engine revs.

[casey]

Here's some guides on options to running the pump at full power, eliminating the relay and the pump resistor:

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=55420&p=989293#p989293

[Fitoldsinjun62]

Feedback on the non starter Nickp47 has been very helpful and he took the trouble to come to my house and he thinks it is the fuel pump.
I have a multi meter and a complete lack of auto knowledge !
Question how easy is it to test the fuel pump
Great club which I have joined bringing no skills what so ever to the table
Simple message Help if you can
Many thanks for your patience and support