Recent content by 51steve

All-right everyone- I wanted to post what the root of the problem was. Ends up being a leaky gasket between the converter and exhaust manifold- tightened the bolts up a bit more and no more pinging- I like those fixes! Didn't even have to get out the baling wire and duct tape!

Hello Everyone, This ones got me perplexed. I was gone for a month (while wife drove car), and when I got back I took our 2000 Mazda protg 1.6L out on the road and when I accelerated hard or went up hill I had pinging noise coming from the engine. The check engine light was on, I pulled the...

Hello Everyone, To BMXBMW no, I've never replaced the O2 sensors. That's why I took the car to the dealer- to make sure that there where no other codes, or issues that where common to the 1.6l engines. They didn't mention replacing the 02 sensors. Thanks, Steve

Hello Everyone, Yes, it is the P0420 code. When the engine light first went on I took it to an auto parts store, and they pulled the code P0420 (they said most likely cat converter). So instead of just putting in a cat converter I went to the professionals (say what you like) at a Mazda...

Thanks everyone for your responses. It looks like I will take a jump of faith and have the muffler shop put in a universal. Do they need to take out the O2 sensors before cutting and welding due to the heat? Or are the O2 sensors far enough away? This will be the second person beside myself...

Well, I've be looking around and it cost $125 for an exhaust shop to cut out the old converter and weld in a universal. Has anyone gone this route? Saves me the time of doing it myself.

Hello Everyone, I've got a 2000 protege that now has 158k repair free miles on it (ok the camshaft sensor went out last year- do 5 min repairs count?) The check engine light went off- and the code was for the catalytic converter- verified by the mazda dealer. There are no other codes at all...