Bucking @ 3000 rpms under acceleration

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mikkim129

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mazda protege 5
1st time posting
I tried searching but found nothing that actually fixed the problem. I mostly found suggestions but most seem way wrong.

Its my wifes protege 5
Only when the car is warm we will get a bucking/ jerking at 3000 rpms when we are under acceleration. Once we get over 3000 rpms there are no problems. This happens in all gears right at 3000 rpms and when its warm. It feels like it just looses power for a split second and it could happen 1-3 times as we pull through and past 3000rpms
It started a month or so ago and seems to become a little more common.

Heres what I've done since
Changed plugs- didn't help
Replaced muffler- seems it happens more
Tried to find vaccuum leaks and I found none
Check codes and none showed up

Right now I'm having battery issues so I pulled the battery and I guess it will reset the computer.
Other people with the problem are always told to change the coil packs and that never seems to fix it
Any ideas?????
 
I can't see it being EGR... stuck closed would cause CEL and not much else. Stuck open causes CEL too... with mild to severe instability in idle (directly related to how open it sticks)... from 750 all the way up to 5000 it will kind of seem ok.

I think hornsfan's suggestion makes sense... Low cost parts, probably not a waste of money even if they don't directly solve the issue.... I don't have any other ideas at the moment....
 
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When you say under acceleration do you mean full throttle? Does it not happen if you're gently accelerating? What type of plugs do you have? ZFR5F-11 (NGK)?
 
I'm not in favor of EGR either. Symptoms don't match.

I think the noteworthy element here is the rpm, which is right about the torque peak for that engine IIRC. Hesitation/misfires at the torque peak are typically (though admittedly not always) ignition related. Start at the plugs, and wires. If after that you don't have a solution, and still don't have a CEL for a specific cylinder misfiring, the cheapest thing to do is buy 1 good coil pack and swap it one at a time across the engine till you find the uncooperative part.

If this were a distributor based ignition, I'd wonder if that was the issue, but CAS's don't exactly go bad terribly often and that's going to cost you more than plugs and wires, so I'd leave that for later.
 
philrab said:
I'm not in favor of EGR either. Symptoms don't match.

I think the noteworthy element here is the rpm, which is right about the torque peak for that engine IIRC.
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I'm wondering if the timing belt might have slipped a tooth.. or if this problem showed up after say a new timing belt was put on...
It'd probably run pretty bad and set a CEL tho if that was the case... wild ass guess, I have no idea.
 
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no codes? check your air intake boot for rips, you maybe getting un-metered air causing issues, other than that sounds ignition related. is it stick shift or automatic?
 
pmoon00 said:
When you say under acceleration do you mean full throttle? Does it not happen if you're gently accelerating? What type of plugs do you have? ZFR5F-11 (NGK)?
Click to expand...

geez not 100% sure of the types of plugs. I think they were Bosch

The problem started and I changed the plugs. The new plugs are Bosch but I think the old ones were ngk.
I read some where about have the plugs too cold or too hot but it didn't start with the plug change and didn't help after

It wont happen under slight acceleration but it happens under half to 3/4 throttle. Never really got it to WOT
 
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kms1990 said:
no codes? check your air intake boot for rips, you maybe getting un-metered air causing issues, other than that sounds ignition related. is it stick shift or automatic?
Click to expand...
ITs fairly new. I checked it but its only a year or so old.
I also sprayed the sensor thing in either the air intake hose or on the air cleaner cap.
I also sprayed around the whole engine and found no vacuum leaks.
 
ok, i was thinking if auto, it could be the tranny, but manual more than likely not, even though right around 3k rpm is nominal shift point. this honestly sounds ignition related now. just tracing it is the issue. 1 i would change those bosch for ngk iridium (your car will thank you later) i know this is not the cause though. 2 do as above buy 1 new coil and swap between the 2 and see if either changes situation and replace that one and possibly both. check the wires 2 the other 2 plugs as well. then check your throttle body for issues, a good way is get a code scanner with live data and rev it to 3k rpm while watching data and see what engine load, throttle position ect do. how bad is the bucking? is it really hard almost killing engine? or just barely noticeable? or in between? it could be a cam or crankshaft position sensor as well, though those usually set codes and/or cause hard or no start conditions or engine dying while driving but a weak or failing one can cause your issues.
 
I am having the same problem on my Speed Protege. I haven't tried plugs yet, fingers crossed that is what it is. But, i do get the bucking at 3000rpm too. If you figure it out it would be great if you could post your solution.
 
2002 P5 manual

Wavering Idle, some bucking intermittent but more occurrences lately.

Where do you buy that active code reader?
 
How many miles?

Replace your coil packs!

They're 25.99 a piece and probably need to be changed anyways. Mine were shot at 125k but the 01 protege i had before were shot at 90k. they're a common problem and will cause a bucking/misfire. sometimes it wont throw a code and sometimes it will.
 
I have 165K on mine.

I have new Wires that cost a kidney, extra fat from Corksport.
New Plugs, new air filter. I did remove the front air intake dam over the radiator.
 
autozone has the code readers, they are the very expensive ones. run you around $250 so better if you can find someone to borrow from
 
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