Hey gurus, for a super-short trip, something like 50-100 feet, would it be better to just drive the car cold for a few seconds and then shut it off? I know a lot of wear takes place while the car is still cold, due to clearances being out of whack and seals not being lubed well and jazz like that. So rather than spend a few minutes with the engine cold waiting for it to warm up , wouldn't it be better to spend 30 seconds pulling into the driveway/garage and then shutting back off?


I know this isn't exactly the type of subject this forum usually discusses, but it would be nice to hear some others' perspectives on this also.
-s-

 

just take the time and let her warm up or you could just push her in neutral hehe...

 

Nope, since the cold start mode is very likely to flood the engine. Let it warm up or push it. When I drop my car off at the body shop next month I plan on paying the extra $150 "non-runner charge" and letting them push it around (I'm taking the ECU with me). The thought of cold short runs really scares me.

 

Start it, move it, shut it off. Just like any other car. You won't hurt it.

 

I do this all the time and have *never* had flooding problems. Maybe I'm just lucky.

 

I never had a flood problem either, But I've also got low compression.

 

Just drive it. I have never had a problem doing this with any of the 7s I have owned.

 

Just dont step on gas much. be easy on the clutch and u can practically drive it with out gas inless u gotta go up a hill but then just hit the gas alittle

 

Play it safe. Call a Wrecker and have it towed. Then watch yourself on Ripleys Believe It Or Not!!

 

I wouldn't worry too much about it. However, I would suggest letting it fully warm up roughly every other time if you do this often.

 

I normally start the car, make a lap around the block, put it where I want it, bring the RPM's to 3000, then shut it off.

Takes all of 30 seconds, really. Cheap insurance against the engine flooding.

Dale

 

The FD may have some reliability issues but it is still a car, it will not blow up if you drive it like a normal car, common guys the FD is not made of glass...

 

I guess you've never had an engine flood on you . The FD is actually LEAGUES better than the 2nd gen as far as flooding, but rotaries just don't like getting shut off cold. I don't believe that you need to warm it FULLY up to operating temp - just go around the block really quick and get a little heat into the motor.

This is just one of the simple rules of owning a rotary.

Dale

 

I have started my car so many times and moved it the other way real quick and shut it off and never had any issues with it, the only time I had issues like that was with my FB with a carb, but with both my FC and FD never had those issues, well who know maybe I just got lucky...

 

mee too

no problems with short runs

 

I agree. The only time I ever had flooding issues is if I try to start it a couple times and somehow manage not to start it then let it sit a few minutes. I never had a problem moving the FD from street to driveway.

I am a firm believer that 99% of FD owners are overly cautious about certain things like this. All these little things they do add up to alot of time spent trying to increase the longevity of their motors but in the end they last no longer than anybody elses. It is a car, treat it like one.

 

If your car is flooding like that, you have a problem period. Internal combustion is not a mystry. Fuel + air + spark, the only time you would have flooding is too much fuel, no or low spark or a combination of the 2. So if you are having flooding problem, fix it.
The warm up thing is to avoid overloading the engine before it reaches optimal thermal equalibrium, causing premature engine failiur due to differences in the thermal expnsion properties of unlike metals present in every type of engine. It is more important for us beause the FD is pushing a lot more power per unit area (engine size) than any other car on the road.
We all love our cars, but this is paranoia. If you plan on going WOT and boosting 10+ psi traveling 100ft fron the street to your garage, than by all means, warm up the car.

 

my fd has flooded 3 or 4 times now. it's only done it on pretty cold nights (below 50*) but doesn't have much trouble when it's warm. i suggest if it's colder where you live, to let it warm up. the ecu allows for more fuel when the motor is warm and could cause quite a headache

 

This is a good procedure to follow by.

 

 

I move it and set the turbo timer to 3min so the engine gets some warm and never had a problem with flooding.

 

yeah, i think thats mostly with fc's.. it only flooded on me once but after that, i did a couple of quick 30 second warm ups and shut off and no problems..

 

I've had the flooding problem several times on 2 of the FCs I've owned. This week was the first time I didn't take a lap around the block prior to putting the FD into the garage. I'll see how it does tomorrow after sitting for a couple of days.

 

actually thats not a rule at all. i can just imagine you sitting in your garage for 2 minutes waiting to move your car into the driveway. my fd has never flooded ever, and i don't think it would if i started and stopped it all day. do you think the rx-8 has guidelines to starting up the car in the manual?

 

Ha, for reals. If I was to sit in my car on the street idling and warming up for 2 minutes, prior to moving it into my driveway at say 2 am when i stumble home, I think one of my neigbors in this small town would track my habits and come out with a shotgun. Fully modded engines with exhaust systems are to loud to startup and let sit rep rep repping. Instead, I drive the car into the garage, set the ttimer for the normal minute 20 and go to bed. Drive it, park it.