darin
04-21-2015, 06:53 AM
Just about every October or November I park my mazda for the winter. Honestly, it's sat longer than that as I've been enjoying my expedition. Not that I didn't like the mazda, but it's starting to show its age a bit. The radio would 'blink' - shut off periodically, with increasing frequency. When it shut down I'd lose the info display as well as HVAC control. Sometimes it'd stay off for 10-15 minutes at a time - other times it'd blink every 30 seconds.
A couple months ago I picked up a replacement radio/hvac unit from fleabay, as well as an Ipod/mobile audio device adapter - burning files to CD Audio and using actual discs felt...antiquated?
Last week - Thursday, I got the units swapped out and everything sorted. Using my little chinese Jump-Start thing - I cranked the car over and it stumbled to life for about 10 seconds. Not thinking - I shut the car off because I'd forgotten something (which I now forgot). The next day I go to start the car and...nothing - even while jump-starting off a running truck. Here's the video of the car's behaviour.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=graP4Ytnmvc
Okay - so while taking a jump it BARELY turns over.
After getting ahold of some RX8 smart folks, I try replacing the battery. I suspect I know what you're thinking - if it's being jumped the current battery shouldn't matter. Welp - replacing the battery helped a ton - but still...cranked but wouldn't start.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJqC-WvpM0M
On a hunch - and remembering the car started for a couple seconds a few days prior - I went through Mazda's deflooding procedures. See, the rx8 floods. When it floods it takes the hand of god to re-start. Or at least it DID until mazda reflashed the ECUs and came up with the 'how-to'. If the procedure didn't work, I'd have to start breaking out jacks and wrenches and prayers.
Va. ROOM. While jumping the battery from a running truck - because I had to crank this car for literally minutes (combined time), the engine eruppted into a cloud of smoke - was as if I was doing a massive burn-out. The engine popped and rattled and snorted - sounded like a hot rod with a huge cam shaft. Funny, because my car's engine doesn't HAVE a cam shaft! :)
But - it started. Holy hell it started.
After letting it warm I took my daughter for a quick spin. Twin 10" jl audio subs fed 300 watts (the back half of a four-channel amp bridged) slammetaylor swift's "Blank Space" (SHE controls the music while in the car - although I like that song) as we took a quick jaunt to the coin-op car wash to rid a winter's-worth of pine needles and muck. Alaina posted this pic on her FB with the caption "Washing my car..." :)
And...beware Michigan...the mazda is alive again. That car never parks...it lurks. Next stop? Tires. Then front brake rotors and pads. Then corner weighting. Then fluid changes. After my girl gets her license, I require her to take it out for a track day to learn to control the car at speed. Before the track day, I'm taking her to a 'Street Survival' event - see: http://streetsurvival.org/ for more info. Here's a vid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKgLX1xAeoo
Am thinking Potenza S04s, but considering $40/tire more for Pilot Super Sports. The PSS's are getting generally great reviews, but the $160 more would pay for new front brake pads. decisions, decisions. :)
A couple months ago I picked up a replacement radio/hvac unit from fleabay, as well as an Ipod/mobile audio device adapter - burning files to CD Audio and using actual discs felt...antiquated?
Last week - Thursday, I got the units swapped out and everything sorted. Using my little chinese Jump-Start thing - I cranked the car over and it stumbled to life for about 10 seconds. Not thinking - I shut the car off because I'd forgotten something (which I now forgot). The next day I go to start the car and...nothing - even while jump-starting off a running truck. Here's the video of the car's behaviour.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=graP4Ytnmvc
Okay - so while taking a jump it BARELY turns over.
After getting ahold of some RX8 smart folks, I try replacing the battery. I suspect I know what you're thinking - if it's being jumped the current battery shouldn't matter. Welp - replacing the battery helped a ton - but still...cranked but wouldn't start.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJqC-WvpM0M
On a hunch - and remembering the car started for a couple seconds a few days prior - I went through Mazda's deflooding procedures. See, the rx8 floods. When it floods it takes the hand of god to re-start. Or at least it DID until mazda reflashed the ECUs and came up with the 'how-to'. If the procedure didn't work, I'd have to start breaking out jacks and wrenches and prayers.
Va. ROOM. While jumping the battery from a running truck - because I had to crank this car for literally minutes (combined time), the engine eruppted into a cloud of smoke - was as if I was doing a massive burn-out. The engine popped and rattled and snorted - sounded like a hot rod with a huge cam shaft. Funny, because my car's engine doesn't HAVE a cam shaft! :)
But - it started. Holy hell it started.
After letting it warm I took my daughter for a quick spin. Twin 10" jl audio subs fed 300 watts (the back half of a four-channel amp bridged) slammetaylor swift's "Blank Space" (SHE controls the music while in the car - although I like that song) as we took a quick jaunt to the coin-op car wash to rid a winter's-worth of pine needles and muck. Alaina posted this pic on her FB with the caption "Washing my car..." :)
And...beware Michigan...the mazda is alive again. That car never parks...it lurks. Next stop? Tires. Then front brake rotors and pads. Then corner weighting. Then fluid changes. After my girl gets her license, I require her to take it out for a track day to learn to control the car at speed. Before the track day, I'm taking her to a 'Street Survival' event - see: http://streetsurvival.org/ for more info. Here's a vid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKgLX1xAeoo
Am thinking Potenza S04s, but considering $40/tire more for Pilot Super Sports. The PSS's are getting generally great reviews, but the $160 more would pay for new front brake pads. decisions, decisions. :)