Crazy_Carrot

First of all an apology for posting another flooded engine thread, and a second apology for making it so long, but im really stuck here. So the other day I got into a little bit of an accident with my 90 n/a, and the car was sent off to a body shop. After the repairs were done, the guys at the body shop started it and moved it outside the shop to wash it, and didn't let it warm up properly. The next time they went to start it apparently it ran roughly for a few seconds and died. It appears they've flooded my car, and since they didn't know what they were doing, they kept trying to start it and really really flooded the engine. I got it towed home after trying all of the basic procedures, and I still have a dead RX-7 sitting in my garage.

I tried cranking it over and over with the gas floored and the EGI fuse out to no avail. After wards I took the plugs out (soaking with gas) and cranked it over several times, before trying to start it normally. After all this didn't work, I tried putting 1/2 cup of ATF into each rotor housing, and I got it to fire for a few seconds, maybe climbing to 1200rpm before sputtering and dying. Then i tried the ATF trick 3 or 4 more times, getting a slight sputter or two, but nothing like the first time I tried it. My compression was checked about 5000 km ago, and it turned out to be a moderate 80psi. The plugs were new about a month ago. The ignition system seems to functioning properly, although im concerned that the ATF is fouling the spark plugs when i try to start it. I'm not sure about the state of my injectors, i plan to run them into a jar tomorrow and see how they're doing. Theres plenty of gas in the tank. I've owned the car a year and a half and I've never had it flood on me before.

I live at the top of a hill. and I getting annoyed to the point where I may try and bump start my car. However, if i get to the bottom of the hill with no luck, then im screwed, and my car is stuck at the bottom of my street. Because of this i am very hesitant about trying this method, especially after the other methods didn't work.

Does anybody know of any tips or tricks that i haven't tried that might get it going? Once the ATF procedure has been tried does it do the engine any harm to keep trying? And last but not least, does anybody have any idea what else could be wrong with my s5 (if anything)?
Any and all help would be appreciated.

skydivr73

first of all, the push start is probably the most effective from what I have been told if your car is severely flooded. I tried all the same things you listed above in my 86 NA, and got exactly the same results. I push started mine, and on the fourth try it fired right up. Here's a few tips:

When you go to do this you want everything hooked up as if there were no problem(all fuses in, etc)

Take the car somewhere that you will have room and no traffic if possible--a large empty parking lot, a few blocks in a very quiet neighborhood, whatever you can find. Keep in mind that if it doesnt work you will hafta call a tow truck again so be prepared.

When I did it, I put it in 2nd and held the clutch in....then got pushed up to about 15-20 mph, then let out the clutch. Each time it would start up and then die, except for the last time(4th)--it fired right up and ran with no problems. Also--since you put in some atf, you should change your plugs once you get it running. That stuff does foul the plugs. I personally dont like the ATF trick. Ever since I got mine running, I have had no problems with how the engine runs.....I even drove it 850 miles 2 weeks ago with no probs at all.

One last thing--this may sould a little simple, but just in case, cuz I have seen it happen--tell whoever drives the push vehicle to watch for your hand signal, etc, or just to back off when you hit 20.....cuz I have seen someone get the back smashed in a bit from stupidity.....not questioning your brain power, but I know from experience how the simple things can be overlooked.....Good luck and let us know how it works out

Jodoolin

Had the same problem.. very badly flooded. Did two things you did differently. First off I used MMO and put it in all four plug holes starting with the leadgng plugs and put plugs hand tight back on. I let it sit for two days. Removed all plugs and blew dry/cleaned them. With the plugs out cranked over several times. This may help keep some of the MMO out of the cats. Put a bit of MMO in leading (lower) plug holes. Cranked over several times (6-7). Had to remove the plugs 2 times cuz they were re-fouled.

It was a PIA but did start after several plug cleaning/drys. Finaly gor started but did take several times to do so.

skydivr73

thats why the push starting works better--what it does is turn your engine over enough to get rid of the extra gas WITHOUT burning up your starter. This is simply the fastest and easiest way to turn it over enough, and it sure beats pulling out the plugs and reinstalling them a half dozen times......and using up your starter.....

The MMO is a better bet than atf IMHO though....

Crazy_Carrot

Tried the same trick a few more times using MMO instead. Seemed to nearly start again. I think i am going to try rolling it down the hill by my house and bump starting it. Some people say to use first gear, and others second gear. I'm not sure what one to use, but im tempted to lean towards first gear because the hill is quite steep and not that long. Also with regards to push starting.. i have never seen it done before, and i was wondering how you did it exactly. Pull starting i assume you would use a rope, but with push starting how do you do it using another vehicle without damaging anything?