Ubel Knubel
Member
- :
- Mazda Protege5
Lean is what those guys are a screaming it looks like. Atleast, that's what the picture is showing! I hope its running better man!
Flav's Mazda Protege5
- Thread starter Flav
- Start date
Ubel Knubel
Member
- :
- Mazda Protege5
Well, there are a WHOLE LOT of things that could be causing the problem. And I mean A LOT. If you happen to have a code reader or scanner, you could check for maybe a code saying that the system is too rich (what happened to me). Meaning that there is too much gas being pumped into the engine and not enough engine to burn it. It's basically like flooding your carburetor after pushing the throttle too much when its not starting. It will settle itself out eventually, just run a tank of gas through and it usually cleans itself up. I'd suggest getting some STP gas treatment to let it clean the injectors so that you will have minimum power restrictions. That's what I did and little ole Carol, (my P5) is running better then when I bought her! I kid you not! Just experiment and test for the most common things is really all you can do :/ Good luck man!
Ubel Knubel
Member
- :
- Mazda Protege5
If I am wrong about the system too rich then let me know so I can be corrected haha. My dad isn't the best at explaining to me what's what when we're reading codes haha!
iamthewheelman
Member
Those plugs look brand new. Most modern cars should be able to go much longer than 35,000kms on a set as well. Also, I have only ever used plugs to "read" an engines running condition on 2-cycles, unless you have a really major issue a plug wont tell you much.
Car isn't having the same problems I reported earlier. However I still do get a small smell of burning oil if I go harder on it than "normal driving"
Can't really do anything about that until I do rip apart the engine..
For the meantime I'm thinking of upgrading the EGR valve, brake & clutch lines to stainless steel lines.
Anyone have any experience with SS lines? Is the difference worth it? My lines are as old as the car I'd say.. and I can really feel the spongey-ness in both brake/clutch pedal. I thought if I'm going to replace these lines to get that firm feel again I may as well just do SS instead of OEM
Thoughts?
Can't really do anything about that until I do rip apart the engine..
For the meantime I'm thinking of upgrading the EGR valve, brake & clutch lines to stainless steel lines.
Anyone have any experience with SS lines? Is the difference worth it? My lines are as old as the car I'd say.. and I can really feel the spongey-ness in both brake/clutch pedal. I thought if I'm going to replace these lines to get that firm feel again I may as well just do SS instead of OEM
Thoughts?
Pimpecoven
Member
- :
- 2002 Mazda Protege5
Flav I have been watching your thread for awhile and just want to say what a beautiful p5 you have! I am completely in love with your rims...
31N007
31N007
- :
- Mazda Protege5
I have a CS SS clutch line. Now, I'm not 100% sure but the feel is a bit stiffer. Not a whole helluva lot though. Plus I think there is/was a small leak in the system as I had issues getting it into gear closer to when I switched the lines out. If you are replacing, I feel you may as well go SS if price is relatively comparable.
Before you teardown, start with the simple stuff. I went balls to the walls and rightfully so, but you may not have to do that. (And I hope you don't either. I did cause I had time to kill...)
Before you teardown, start with the simple stuff. I went balls to the walls and rightfully so, but you may not have to do that. (And I hope you don't either. I did cause I had time to kill...)
What do you mean the simple stuff? Are you talking abut the engine?
And thank you for your input on the CS stuff.. That was the way I was planning on going. I may order the SS stuff tonight.
Thank you, I appreciate the kind words
31N007
31N007
- :
- Mazda Protege5
Yeah. If you think you're burning oil because of something to do with the engine, do the easy things first. PCV valve, other easy things. I tore mine down but was right to do so because my cylinder was scored when a few screws got sucked in from the VICS system... I doubt it will be as bad for you.
Your not the first person I've heard of this VICS problem. I still don't full understand how/what happens. But I did already did replace the PCV valve, topped off the oil. Next oil change I'll be putting in higher grade oil.
Hopefully when I do muster up the time and courage to do the timing belt/head gasket, cam change. I don't find anything too serious.
31N007
31N007
- :
- Mazda Protege5
I'll link you to some pics of how I found my intake manifold to sort of show what happened to me. I should think there is a way to find out if your engine code fell within the recall for the potential issue. What the factory that assembled the engine didn't do was torque the screws down enough that hold the VICS butterflies to the actuator rod. As the engine vibrated, some, or in my case all, of the screws could have unscrewed themselves from the rod. I found out the concept when I was dremeling a bolt that I had threaded into a nut- the nut backed itself out when the dremel was vibrating at the right speed.
http://sdrv.ms/1fjQBxe
Here are some pics of how I found the butterflies. They were covered in oil/ crap and sat in the corner of the intake manifold. I managed to recover 5 of the 8 screws. At least one of them caused the top of my piston to look like the one in the last pic. I have a pic in there of how they should look (all on the rod) To put it this way, I managed to pull the rod out of the hole before I pulled the intake manifold apart because no butterflies were attached. I have scoring on the cylinder walls in 1 and 4. Compression is still probably low, but I can't do much about that now. I sure as hell am not going to take the engine apart again.
I'd say time is all you'll need. A day or two if you work hard and have a pal help you or keep you company. Not sure why you would want to do the head gasket unless you know for sure there's an issue? You'll want to get head bolts if you choose to do the head gasket. I can't remember what other gaskets you will need. IIRC, there's a gasket set you can pick up from OMP that has everything you should need, minus the throttle body gasket, but I'm not 100% sure you'll have to take that off. Either way you do things, I'm sure some more knowledgeable members might be willing to chime in. Do the water pump while you're at it. I haven't had issues with mine, I'm not really sure what potential issues would be. I didn't have the money to spring on a water pump so that's a task for another day (or owner if I sell it this summer)
As far as the timing belt goes, don't make it harder than it seems. Try and find a way to lock the crank in place when you take the belts off and then the cams will have marks on the pulleys. I can post pics of how they should look again, as I asked here when I did mine. Lewis7789 was kind enough to suggest to me that I use the hex-castings on the camshafts (you'll know what they look like when you get around to doing the switch) and two spanners tied together to ensure that the cams are lined up. After that, it's a matter of moving the crank a tooth or so till all the marks line up at TDC (IIRC again). May sound hard, but in reality, it's all relatively easy. If I could do it at 18, you can at (insert your age here). I have faith in you. I had no experience with engines prior to my endeavor. Only mechanical experience I had was taking apart a bicycle hub because I blew the rim up. Think of the engine like a big puzzle. Label things how you see fit when you take things apart. I had no extra bolts when I went to put it all back together. Only casualties I had were a majority of the bolts for the underbody plastics. The pass side is the one I was worried about and that's okay (don't want to leave the accessory belts exposed)
Wow that was a lot.
TL;DR: you can do it. ask around for a hand if you need to
http://sdrv.ms/1fjQBxe
Here are some pics of how I found the butterflies. They were covered in oil/ crap and sat in the corner of the intake manifold. I managed to recover 5 of the 8 screws. At least one of them caused the top of my piston to look like the one in the last pic. I have a pic in there of how they should look (all on the rod) To put it this way, I managed to pull the rod out of the hole before I pulled the intake manifold apart because no butterflies were attached. I have scoring on the cylinder walls in 1 and 4. Compression is still probably low, but I can't do much about that now. I sure as hell am not going to take the engine apart again.
I'd say time is all you'll need. A day or two if you work hard and have a pal help you or keep you company. Not sure why you would want to do the head gasket unless you know for sure there's an issue? You'll want to get head bolts if you choose to do the head gasket. I can't remember what other gaskets you will need. IIRC, there's a gasket set you can pick up from OMP that has everything you should need, minus the throttle body gasket, but I'm not 100% sure you'll have to take that off. Either way you do things, I'm sure some more knowledgeable members might be willing to chime in. Do the water pump while you're at it. I haven't had issues with mine, I'm not really sure what potential issues would be. I didn't have the money to spring on a water pump so that's a task for another day (or owner if I sell it this summer)
As far as the timing belt goes, don't make it harder than it seems. Try and find a way to lock the crank in place when you take the belts off and then the cams will have marks on the pulleys. I can post pics of how they should look again, as I asked here when I did mine. Lewis7789 was kind enough to suggest to me that I use the hex-castings on the camshafts (you'll know what they look like when you get around to doing the switch) and two spanners tied together to ensure that the cams are lined up. After that, it's a matter of moving the crank a tooth or so till all the marks line up at TDC (IIRC again). May sound hard, but in reality, it's all relatively easy. If I could do it at 18, you can at (insert your age here). I have faith in you. I had no experience with engines prior to my endeavor. Only mechanical experience I had was taking apart a bicycle hub because I blew the rim up. Think of the engine like a big puzzle. Label things how you see fit when you take things apart. I had no extra bolts when I went to put it all back together. Only casualties I had were a majority of the bolts for the underbody plastics. The pass side is the one I was worried about and that's okay (don't want to leave the accessory belts exposed)
Wow that was a lot.
TL;DR: you can do it. ask around for a hand if you need to
@kingofspades007 wow I don't know how the hell I missed that last post you posted.. only saw it now. Thanks for all the helpful information. Sadly I still have no done anything I said I previously wanted to do.. I've been far too poor and busy with school lately.
On the plus side.. I did finally find a nice back drop to take some pictures of the car the other day for those who want to see more of the car
On the plus side.. I did finally find a nice back drop to take some pictures of the car the other day for those who want to see more of the car
31N007
31N007
- :
- Mazda Protege5
Neither can I
On top of head bolts, pick up a set of valve cover bolts too. I snapped a few of mine (overtorquing as well as them just getting springy from the years of heat)
I feel ya on the not having time with school and all. I have one class on Mon, Wed, and Fri, but Tues and Thurs make up for the "time" I have to myself. I take the time I have off over the weekends and relax. Wait until a break or something. No need to stress out about not getting the job done in a weekend. I rebuilt my engine over winter break in high school so the course load was far less as well as the break being longer.
On top of head bolts, pick up a set of valve cover bolts too. I snapped a few of mine (overtorquing as well as them just getting springy from the years of heat)
I feel ya on the not having time with school and all. I have one class on Mon, Wed, and Fri, but Tues and Thurs make up for the "time" I have to myself. I take the time I have off over the weekends and relax. Wait until a break or something. No need to stress out about not getting the job done in a weekend. I rebuilt my engine over winter break in high school so the course load was far less as well as the break being longer.
here's a link to a timing belt replacement for our FS engine.
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123796676-How-To-Protege-Timing-Belt-Change
You really should replace your water pump while you're doing your timing belt. The bearing on the pump eventually wears out and starts to leak coolant through it and drip down onto your T-belt. If (and when) that happens the entire time timing belt job has to be done over.
I paid $70 for mine on sale at Canadian Tire you can get it even cheaper online.
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123796676-How-To-Protege-Timing-Belt-Change
You really should replace your water pump while you're doing your timing belt. The bearing on the pump eventually wears out and starts to leak coolant through it and drip down onto your T-belt. If (and when) that happens the entire time timing belt job has to be done over.
I paid $70 for mine on sale at Canadian Tire you can get it even cheaper online.
Here are the working pictures:
as per the timing belt etc..
The plan is (after research yada yada..)
- Timing belt
- Water Pump
- Head Gasket
- Cam Shaft(s?) I have the intake one..might buy the exhaust one as well
- Paint the new valve cover
- Port/polish intake mani (maybe..)
- Some wire tucking
as per the timing belt etc..
The plan is (after research yada yada..)
- Timing belt
- Water Pump
- Head Gasket
- Cam Shaft(s?) I have the intake one..might buy the exhaust one as well
- Paint the new valve cover
- Port/polish intake mani (maybe..)
- Some wire tucking
