Waiting for buzzer before it will start?
 

Hey, I'm new to the Mazda world. Having owned plenty of turbocharged cars in the past, this makes no sense to me. I recently picked up a very low mileage '94 Miata, with a Flyin' Miata - Voodoo 2 installed. The gentleman who had it built passed away - and his wife doesn't know anything about the car. Aside from that it has a turbo and he babied the car. When she showed me the car, she started it the first time. And told me that because it was turbocharged I had to wait for the buzzer to stop before starting it. I said ok - without my brain being able to comprehend such a thing! After I bought it, she was very stern about waiting for the buzzer to stop before I started it and drove away. For her, I waited for the buzzer. The first time I started it without waiting for the buzzer, sure enough, it doesn't start. It seems to crank at half speed, and won't fire. And when you stop, at that point, and wait for the buzzer - it starts very unhealthy sounding and belts squeal. But if you wait for the buzzer to shut off before you attempt to turn the key from on to start, it starts beautifully. I can not think of one single reason this would make sense. In any car. Maybe it's not even a Miata thing. But thought I'd ask, you guys seem smart. I thought maybe the FM ECU might be the reason. Those guys said I'm crazy and it has nothing to do with their ECU. Any help you can be would be great! Car runs great and it's no big deal waiting for the buzzer to stop. But it's driving me crazy not knowing. Since the old man has passed, and no one has any clue what shop did the install, here I sit. Thanks for reading my terribly long post.

I think it would be more interesting to have a delayed relay on the start, but the buzzer seems to work. Also want to hear the answer.

Pretty sure you should just obey the buzzer. Don't fuck with the buzzer.

Is the buzzer fuel pump related?

That was my thought as well. Have you timed the buzzer? Is it consistent?

It could be a security feature. I've been in a customer's car where you had to leave the key on until it beeped twice, which was about 30-45 seconds, before it would start. It's amazing the amount of security things that people come up with. Like turning the key on does nothing, but hitting the brights kicks on the starter with the key in run, only on start.

Might there be an Accusump installed, which the buzzer signifies pre-oiling is complete?

The buzzer is law. The buzzer is life.

My guess is security as well. Some anti theft devices are pretty imaginative.

the PO was stupid.

Thats pretty much the unwritten law of buying used cars. Now tell us something we didnt know.

the angle of my dangle is inversely proportional to the heat of my meat?

I hear the relays click while the buzzer is buzzing. They both click before the buzzer stops. The buzzer time is consistent every time. There are no signs of a security system being installed, in cab or under the hood. Since it only cranks at half crank before the buzzer, I'm assuming it's not a fuel issue. One of you must know...

Oh ya, do any of you have a buzzer when you turn your key to "on"? I have no other Miata's to compare it to.

There is a buzzer stock, for the door alarm, everyone and their brother has unplugged it as soon as buying the car.

Does it shut off without the door being closed? Most cars don't. The miata on the other hand, is special.

ftfy.

Actually no: Morons unplug it.

Smart people like Braineack wire it to be a "Hey! You left your lights on, idiot. You better turn them off now before you go inside and come back out to a drained battery" buzzer.

Only morons can leave popup headlights on.

that's not even true. But the biggest help is for the parking lights.

I regularly drive with just the parking lights on because the barn doors bug me. And I regularly come out of work to find a dead battery, that is if none of my co-workers turned off the lights for me.

I've figured out how to write the buzzer as a lights-on reminder, but too lazy...

Here in Arizona it's illegal to drive with just parking lights, day or night. Same in Cali, IIRC. The only time I use them is when I'm parking/pulling out at night and my headlights would be pointed at someone's windows. And then the giant lit gauges generally let me know that they're still on.

Admittedly, I did leave my headlights on once, barn doors up and everything. Answered a cell phone call while I was parked, locked the keys in the car to boot. :facepalm: