New Protege Owner here just a few issues

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'02 Mazda Protege5
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Just bought a 2002 Mazda Protege5. I wanted this car when it first came out 15 years ago lol.
It will serve as a second car/winter daily driver for me (my other car is a 2016 Dodge Challenger R/T)

Car has only 67,000 miles, runs great. I love it already

Only has a few issues which I'm going to start to try to figure out:

A/C appears to work, but only sometimes. It was working more when it was warmer out the other day (60s) but it hasn't been that hot yet so it's hard to test it. But, the A/C compressor does come on for a few seconds at a time, then shuts off for like 10 seconds, then comes on again for a few seconds ( the fan comes on too). when it comes on for long enough it does get cold. Do I have a bad compressor, or is it just low on refrigerant, or is it something else?

After driving around for a while it develops a sputtering at idle and sometimes I feel it when I'm on light acceleration (like cruise control)
Appears to be a misfire condition? but i'm not getting any check engine codes. It does it more when the engine is hot, and only at low RPMs and idle. First thing I'm gonna do which is a good idea anyway is to change spark plugs, wires, and coil packs, as well as run some fuel system cleaner through it.

yea so that's literally it. hopefully I won't need to keep coming to the forum with questions, rather have answers for others. lol
 
Bump! to update, I changed spark plug wires and the misfire is still there, but it's a lot better. at least it doesn't feel like it's going to stall when i'm at a light. coil packs and spark plugs will arrive tomorrow and i'll change them too.

But I can't figure out the A/C problem. I bought one of those cans of R134a with the gauge and followed the instructions. I didn't even crack it open. I put the gauge on the low pressure side and the PSI was in the green with the compressor on (it actually stayed on for more than 5 seconds that time) and when it shut off it was in the red, 55-100PSI range. (which I understand is normal)

so I did NOT add more refrigerant. when the compressor does work, it gets fairly cold, there's no noise or anything. problem is it keeps kicking off, turns on for like 1 second, then kicks off again. maybe I have a bad switch or valve somewhere? I'm hoping it's not the compressor. or maybe I do in fact, need to add refrigerant (never checked the High pressure side with a gauge)

I'll probably take it to the shop for that anyway but I want to go informed.
 
I recommend that you get a used Factory Service Manual. I found a downloadable version, many years ago and still use it periodically.
By the way, my MX6 GT had an economy AC setting in which the compressor would cycle on and off.
 
It is the HVAC control board. There's an issue with these protege. I just bang my panel every now and then. My AC doesn't like to work on "2" setting, but works on the other three. Hope that helps.
 
...the misfire is still there, but it's a lot better. at least it doesn't feel like it's going to stall when i'm at a light. coil packs and spark plugs will arrive tomorrow and i'll change them too

Any luck on the misfire/hesitation issue?
 
For the A/C I'd take it to a shop with the tool that takes the refrigerant out and measures it cause to me that sounds like the ac is/was over filled. Normally it would blow hot air in that case tho.
 
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