- :
- 2002 Mazda Protege
Car scene isnt much better here lol have a few weekly meets every now and then but they are terrible. Bunch of riced out cars, all the nice cars dont even bother showing up anymore
Hello from North East NC
- Thread starter Tw1g007
- Start date
Car scene isnt much better here lol have a few weekly meets every now and then but they are terrible. Bunch of riced out cars, all the nice cars dont even bother showing up anymore
I would take your protege over rolling coal too. Trucks have their place and uses, I just don't get thinking they are sports cars or never using them for their intended purpose. How's the brake situation going? Make any progress?
- :
- 2016 GT ST 47A
Welcome!!! Don't let those effin low-beams discourage you about the rest of the car. I hate that damn H7 design and the clip they use. Was it on the PS by chance? If not, wait until you need to change that one with the windshield washer reservoir in your way. (pissed)
Sounds like the calipers might be locked up in the rear. They too are not the best design given the allen bolt used to adjust them (they are known for freezing up). Might be a simple and cheap fix though if they can be rebuilt.
If you don't have emissions where you live I'd say buy an aftermarket header (much cheaper than OEM which contains the primary cat). This will then eliminate the first O2 sensor which you will replace using the non-fouler trick to avoid the CEL. And if the 'blown cat' you mention is the second found in the mid-pipe, you can source another one used or have a local shop fab one up with a hi-flo cat if you prefer.
Sounds like the calipers might be locked up in the rear. They too are not the best design given the allen bolt used to adjust them (they are known for freezing up). Might be a simple and cheap fix though if they can be rebuilt.
If you don't have emissions where you live I'd say buy an aftermarket header (much cheaper than OEM which contains the primary cat). This will then eliminate the first O2 sensor which you will replace using the non-fouler trick to avoid the CEL. And if the 'blown cat' you mention is the second found in the mid-pipe, you can source another one used or have a local shop fab one up with a hi-flo cat if you prefer.
Found some sources for the parts. Researching for the cheapest... I'm hoping to get it done within the month.
First thing I had to do when I got the car was change the Headlights haha. One was out so I just replaced both... Not really what you're supposed to do, but it'll be alright... And I was considering doing the aftermarket header already haha, just need the cash. I live in NC so, emissions is basically just a formality.
Just out of curiosity, how were your brakes? Mine were all beat up and needed an overhaul. Although I lucked out with a new transmission that was installed prior to my purchase! Looks like we're in the same boat with repairs tricking in.
Rear Driver side is clamped up. Redoing the whole rear. Gonna cost me about $280-$320... I also have to fix the tranny, as it's starting to go (the guy who owned it before who I bought it from neglected this car really badly)
Damn, I had to replace front and rear. I'm convinced my previous owner was not careful at all. Oil leaks, gasket leak, an engine harmonizer with the structural integrity of a croissant... Good times! I had it done by Firestone because I wasn't feeling frugal...but really I should have done it with a friend.
I'm just trying to figure out why the battery light comes on and why won't shift up when at 2.5-4 RPM. Narrowing it down to the ECU, or the Alternator...
(flash) Happy repairs! (flash)
5th Gear grind/crunch/popout. If I rev match decently on the upshift it doesn't happen... usually. I think it's just had it at this point.. The interior was spotless. Like, a small tear in the rear passenger seat, and one next to the dead pedal but other than that perfect. Original floor mats too, outside however. There's scratches and dents and chips out of the paint. All from rocks I assume. There's also a dent on the roof, not too bad, could probably be pulled. The rear hatch is a JDM replacement it was rear ended... I haven't noticed any driving trouble though, just the brakes.
Strange that they maintained the interior. Usually that's one of the first things trashed. The last two manual cars I've had (Focus ST and Civic Si) have had transmission troubles. My FoST has 2100 miles on it an has trouble engaging 1st,2nd,3rd and 6th gears. It hates shifting up or down into second. Unless you rev match perfectly when shifting down (and I mean PERFECT) it jumps. Even if off by 100rpm. Shifting up you have to granny shift or it jumps. Revs drop too slowly. It locks you out of first when stopped and sometimes third and sixth when rolling. The Civic Si was even worse. It popped out of gears, had an inconsistent clutch engagement and rev hang for days. You had to shift so slow you held up traffic, and the drive by wire throttle system in it was so weird you couldn't rev match a shift. One time it may take a slight tap to raise 500rpms per say, next time it may take half way to the floor. I hated my Civic Si. My FoST doesn't even have a dead pedal. I wish it did, there is no good spot to place your foot. I don't have any of those issues on my WRX or RX7. I think its a lot of new ECU stuff not meshing with the driver changing the gears. I'm glad your protege drives well otherwise. Crazy how someone could've neglected the brakes that badly. Think maybe the synchro is bad for 5th on your car?
Does the car not shift up only when the battery light is on or does it not shift between 2.5-4k rpm regularly? The battery light very well may be an alternator issue. Battery seem to be keeping a charge pretty well?
That's too bad to hear about the Focus ST. I love those things. The Civic isn't surprising though, their notorious for having trans issues.
I think it's the synchro myself, but I can't find a place to buy new synchros. Somebody also told me it may be a bent shift fork or something.
A bent shift fork could be the culprit. As far as new synchros for it... Idk. But you if you could find a used good tranny in a junk yard you may be able to just get some parts out of it though usually they want to sell the whole tranny. I'm not too comfortable working on transmissions myself, but I'd say if you can get the synchro or shift fork or both it would still be cheaper and easier than a tranny swap. Even if you have to pay someone to do it. I liked the FoST too. So much I bought one....and now regret it. It has been a claptrap. Loves the service department.
The car does not shift only when the battery light is on. During which, lights get brighter and the A/C gets cooler. Now, the battery light will only come on when it is around that range of 2.5-4RPM, and I've yet to find any way of avoiding it.
Upon further inspection, battery is reading is reading well in idle on low draw and high draw activities.
That sounds very bizarre. My current Focus ST has lots of unusual electrical problems. That is what sucks so much about them, is that electrical problems are so hard to accurately diagnose. If it is affecting the shifting it sounds like it could be a tuning issue, but the battery light makes me think alternator. My WRX had a similar issue with the lights getting brighter, air blowing harder, etc... But it was periodical and never caused any issues. It did end up being an alternator problem.
The budget allows for an alternator replacement, and it's either gonna be the alternator, or the ECU (because it houses the Voltage Regulator). I'll check ground and connections one more time, in hopes it may be that, but it seems like an alternator replacement is in the future.
I'll be sure to check back after the replacement.
OK,.. Now I'm about 97% sure it's your alternator. You didn't mention that your battery light was coming on in your other thread.
When my alternator crapped out and shot up to 17 volts, the battery light did come on (but no cell,.. and there is 4 different codes for the alternator)
I went through the FSM but couldn't find the info to say what conditions turn on the "BAT LIGHT" but it may simply be the voltage being too high ???
The voltage regulator is still in the alternator (the big ass diodes and stuff) it's just some extra "control wire" that turns everything up and down is done by the ECU.
Essentially,... your alternator is misbehaving and not doing what it is being told.
I don't recall anyone here on this forum that had to replace the ECU (except to put in the MSP upgrade) but there has been MANY threads about the alternator including the two or three rebuilds being put in before they got one that worked.
PS,.. Two of my alternators "went bad" from being over tightened and the bearing started squealing (before I took over the maintenance).
My girlfriend's father knows how to work on Transmissions. He was going to help me to find a junkyard one if I couldn't find the parts. Still having trouble with that though, looking like I'm just going to have to live with the tranny for a while, and just fix the brakes.
That's great that you have someone who can help. I will keep my eye out for any at local junkyards for you and let you know. Someplaces could ship it to you. I rarely see proteges around here, but you never know. On a side note I posted my ST up for sale today. Only 2,100 miles on it. Thing needs to go. Had all I can take.
