Car wars 3 - Return of the Mazda

blackasta · 17th December 2010, 04:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jomz

Some Mazda sad stories.

Worked On a mazda Engine in our lab, A shaft connecting flywheel and Transmission broke (This is in a lab setup, this would not be there on a regular engine) , later came to know that that it was a Mustang power output shaft on a Mazda, and it broke.

Was thinking of a sportscar, Loved the handling of the RX-8, But reviews on the engine!!! It seems like that engine would not make 100K miles forget 200K. Horrible oil consumption and life.

And $3750 for 99 Protege?? I got My 99 accord for $4000 private party. And It had onlu 97K miles (in 2009).

To be frank I see only (in craigslist) toyotas and Honda's which pass 200K miles, Mitsubishi's, Mazda's and Subaru's - I see them in the 100K-150K range and after that I assume they are done. I might be wrong here though.

Interesting.
It's possible for a Mazda engine to share a mustang shaft - mustang is made in the same flat rock, MI plant as mazda 6.

AFAIK oil burning is expected for a rotary engine.

And its really upto ones driving style and maintenance which determines the longevity of an engine - be it jap.

carboy · 17th December 2010, 06:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jomz

And $3750 for 99 Protege??

It's a 2000 Protege, actually.

blackasta · 17th December 2010, 09:07

Stereo installation complete! Finally found the harness from Best Buy - but paid dearly ($20+) for it. Could have got that at around $6-7 online, but I was too eager to wait for another 3-4 days.
The sound from the new HU on stock speakers itself is great.
Plugged in my ipod which immediately was recognized. One can easily do a complete iTunes style seek (by playlist, artist, album etc) and play songs. Lots of options to venture tomorrow.

Old and new HU side by side

Jomz · 18th December 2010, 02:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackasta

AFAIK oil burning is expected for a rotary engine.

I would have lived with oil burning, But there were some seals on the Engine which used to go kaput before 100K miles, requiring an engine rebuild

blackasta · 20th December 2010, 01:56

Just returned from a trip to my uncle's place in Atlanta, GA.
The surfer performed great and passed with flying colors while driving under snow, rain and sun.
Though acceleration is nothing to write home about, it holds steady on interstates (I drove upto speeds of 85 mph), while returning great FE of 35+ mpg.
Handling is equally good under all weather, and braking is steady and predictable. The low stance of the car helps to stick to the tarmac.
I would any day drive this one over the rental corolla/yaris/accent that are offered in economy/compact pricing.
Time to take care of the car - I shall just clean the glass area and interiors today.

Can anyone please suggest good 5x7 front (component) and 6x9 rear (coax ?? or components??) speakers? The factory ones do not stand up to the stuff delivered by my new HU.

blackasta · 22nd December 2010, 22:53

First 'jhatka' of an used car.

Couple of days back I was applying some WD40 to the screeching door unlock handles and door hinges. While testing the front passenger side door unlock handle - it gave up and broke. I was kind of taken back.

Took out the guard assembly by unscrewing the only screw, and tried to super-glue the piece back to the piece still attached to the unlock wire - no luck.

Kept the broken handle and guard-piece in the car, and asked the passengers to tug the wire to unlock the door!

Called up the local Mazda dealer first thing in the morning and he asked for appx $50 for the part and $40 for labor - plus tax. 100 bucks for a plastic door handle!!

Went online and ordered the same part for $20. It arrived in a couple of days.
5 minutes to take out the broken piece still hanging, 2 minutes to attach the new handle, and bingo - it was alright. Just saved appx $80 by DYI technique. The handle is as good as factory fit.

blackasta · 16th January 2011, 04:10

Replaced the engine oil and oil filter myself today. Put in Mobil 1 high mileage 10W30 with Fram xtended guard filter.
Hoisted the front of the car with 2 jacks on both sides, then put in bricks for safety.
Went under the car, and slowly took out the oil drain plug. Being a novice, I did spill some oil, but 98% of oil went into the plastic oil pan that i had placed.
The oil filter is at a very awkward position, and it took some time to loosen it with the help of a cap type wrench.
Replaced and tightened the oil drain plug and put in the new filter (after priming it with some amount of oil).
Then measured and poured approximately 3.7 - 4 quarts of oil in the engine (measuring it with the dipstick a couple of times).
Started the engine, inspected for leaks and drove to walmart to put in the old oil (in a used milk jar) + filter for recycling.
Walmart would have done the change for appx $55, but the joy I got out of this DIY is great.
Going by Mobil web site - recommended first change is again after 3000 miles and then I can go up to 15000 miles. Let me drive for a few days on this oil and I should be able to note the difference between the earlier oil and this one.

Mpower · 24th January 2011, 05:34

Nice. Its a good idea to change the washer in the drain bolt every time you do a oil change. Its usually a crush washer thats used for sealing.

blackasta · 24th January 2011, 10:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mpower

Nice. Its a good idea to change the washer in the drain bolt every time you do a oil change. Its usually a crush washer thats used for sealing.

I cleaned and re used the old washer. Did some googling after your post. I will look out for the crush washer online/at autozone next time.
Also - after doing a round, I parked the car and placed a white towel beneath the oil bolt / filter to check for leaks. None in 4-5 hours. so guess this time I am ok.

BTW the idle in both D/N have become smoother (but this always happens after a oil change - be it mineral or synth). Have to look out for extended period benefits.

blackasta · 16th February 2011, 12:22

Of error codes and duct tapes

Late in January, one fine evening, much to my anguish, the dreaded check engine light came on - cursed myself again.
Took out the actron CP9410 code reader tool, plugged it onto my OBDII and read the code.
It was a P1071 - lean on bank 1.
Now that means the fuel-air mixture is lacking the proper fuel or getting more air. Could be anything from faulty intake to clogged fuel filter.
Reset the code, only it appeared after 2-3 days.
Popped the hood, and started inspecting. Now a air flow issue is easier to diagnose than a fuel flow issue because almost all the intake components are right before your eyes.
After 30 seconds of inspection - noticed a crack in ribbed area of the air intake hose. And another.

Car wars 3 - Return of the Mazda-getimage.jpg

Drove straight to Walmart and bought a roll of automotive duct tape.
Taped the entire ribbed area tightly with the tape (multiple patches), and ensured that no extra crack was there.

reset the code - and no error code for 2 weeks running - yeah!

So the lean mixture was happening due to extra air passing through the cracks, which was to an extent hampering the acceleration.

I figure that the hose should be replaced now that the problem has been isolated, and plan to place an order/look in autozone for the concerned part soon.

SMK_BLR · 16th February 2011, 15:40

Wow.. amazing DIY and analytical stuff! Are you an automobile engineer?

blackasta · 16th February 2011, 22:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMK_BLR

Wow.. amazing DIY and analytical stuff! Are you an automobile engineer?

Nope - just a lowly QA analyst.

lsp · 20th February 2011, 12:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackasta

Nope - just a lowly QA analyst.

..equipped with Google

blackasta · 21st February 2011, 08:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsp

..equipped with Google

Google supports my (read IT professionals') 'rozi roti' - don't take it away from us

BTW - I have ordered the air intake hose from amazon for around 24 USD. The part should arrive midweek, and I must fix it before next weekend so that I can drive to Atlanta and back!

blackasta · 25th February 2011, 05:29

New air intake hose fitted!

The new hose came in via UPS on Wednesday evening. Opened up the package and ensured that the correct thing has been mailed.

Today after having my lunch at home, made up my mind to change the hose.

Step 1: Take out the old hose - pulled out a wire clipped under the hose, pulled out the breather tube, loosened both metal o rings, and wrenched open the (stuck) nut from the PCV valve bracket.

Step 2: Pried out one end of the hose from the air filter box (took some elbow grease and used a flat head screw driver). The pipe was stuck being fitted for a long time to the same place. Then carefully took out the other end from the throttle body.

Car wars 3 - Return of the Mazda-img_20110224_123918.jpg

The old hose taken out

Car wars 3 - Return of the Mazda-img_20110224_123923.jpg

The throttle body.

Car wars 3 - Return of the Mazda-img_20110224_123907.jpg

The old and new hose side by side

Step 3: Put in the new hose by just reversing what I had done to take out the old hose. Slip both ends onto the openings, tighten the o rings, reattach the wire to be clipped in, reattached the breather tube, and bolted in....oh no...
Due to pressure being applied to unscrew it, the PCV valve bracket bolt has sheared. Had to fix that with some aluminium wire and duct tape to cover it up.

But the new hose was set up fine. Fired up the engine and checked the working immediately.

Car wars 3 - Return of the Mazda-img_20110224_125200.jpg

Now the hunt begins for the broken bracket replacement!

17th December 2010, 09:07	#33
blackasta Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: WB 26 Posts: 3,408 Thanked: 2,928 Times View My Garage	Re: Car wars 3 - Return of the Mazda Stereo installation complete! Finally found the harness from Best Buy - but paid dearly ($20+) for it. Could have got that at around $6-7 online, but I was too eager to wait for another 3-4 days. The sound from the new HU on stock speakers itself is great. Plugged in my ipod which immediately was recognized. One can easily do a complete iTunes style seek (by playlist, artist, album etc) and play songs. Lots of options to venture tomorrow. Old and new HU side by side Last edited by blackasta : 17th December 2010 at 09:15.
	() Thanks

20th December 2010, 01:56	#35
blackasta Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: WB 26 Posts: 3,408 Thanked: 2,928 Times View My Garage	Re: Car wars 3 - Return of the Mazda Just returned from a trip to my uncle's place in Atlanta, GA. The surfer performed great and passed with flying colors while driving under snow, rain and sun. Though acceleration is nothing to write home about, it holds steady on interstates (I drove upto speeds of 85 mph), while returning great FE of 35+ mpg. Handling is equally good under all weather, and braking is steady and predictable. The low stance of the car helps to stick to the tarmac. I would any day drive this one over the rental corolla/yaris/accent that are offered in economy/compact pricing. Time to take care of the car - I shall just clean the glass area and interiors today. Can anyone please suggest good 5x7 front (component) and 6x9 rear (coax ?? or components??) speakers? The factory ones do not stand up to the stuff delivered by my new HU. Last edited by blackasta : 20th December 2010 at 01:58.
	() Thanks

22nd December 2010, 22:53	#36
blackasta Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: WB 26 Posts: 3,408 Thanked: 2,928 Times View My Garage	Re: Car wars 3 - Return of the Mazda First 'jhatka' of an used car. Couple of days back I was applying some WD40 to the screeching door unlock handles and door hinges. While testing the front passenger side door unlock handle - it gave up and broke. I was kind of taken back. Took out the guard assembly by unscrewing the only screw, and tried to super-glue the piece back to the piece still attached to the unlock wire - no luck. Kept the broken handle and guard-piece in the car, and asked the passengers to tug the wire to unlock the door! Called up the local Mazda dealer first thing in the morning and he asked for appx $50 for the part and $40 for labor - plus tax. 100 bucks for a plastic door handle!! Went online and ordered the same part for $20. It arrived in a couple of days. 5 minutes to take out the broken piece still hanging, 2 minutes to attach the new handle, and bingo - it was alright. Just saved appx $80 by DYI technique. The handle is as good as factory fit.
	(1) Thanks

16th January 2011, 04:10	#37
blackasta Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: WB 26 Posts: 3,408 Thanked: 2,928 Times View My Garage	Re: Car wars 3 - Return of the Mazda Replaced the engine oil and oil filter myself today. Put in Mobil 1 high mileage 10W30 with Fram xtended guard filter. Hoisted the front of the car with 2 jacks on both sides, then put in bricks for safety. Went under the car, and slowly took out the oil drain plug. Being a novice, I did spill some oil, but 98% of oil went into the plastic oil pan that i had placed. The oil filter is at a very awkward position, and it took some time to loosen it with the help of a cap type wrench. Replaced and tightened the oil drain plug and put in the new filter (after priming it with some amount of oil). Then measured and poured approximately 3.7 - 4 quarts of oil in the engine (measuring it with the dipstick a couple of times). Started the engine, inspected for leaks and drove to walmart to put in the old oil (in a used milk jar) + filter for recycling. Walmart would have done the change for appx $55, but the joy I got out of this DIY is great. Going by Mobil web site - recommended first change is again after 3000 miles and then I can go up to 15000 miles. Let me drive for a few days on this oil and I should be able to note the difference between the earlier oil and this one.
	() Thanks

24th January 2011, 05:34	#38
Mpower Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 10,399 Thanked: 1,735 Times View My Garage	Re: Car wars 3 - Return of the Mazda Nice. Its a good idea to change the washer in the drain bolt every time you do a oil change. Its usually a crush washer thats used for sealing.
	() Thanks

16th February 2011, 12:22	#40
blackasta Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: WB 26 Posts: 3,408 Thanked: 2,928 Times View My Garage	Re: Car wars 3 - Return of the Mazda Of error codes and duct tapes Late in January, one fine evening, much to my anguish, the dreaded check engine light came on - cursed myself again. Took out the actron CP9410 code reader tool, plugged it onto my OBDII and read the code. It was a P1071 - lean on bank 1. Now that means the fuel-air mixture is lacking the proper fuel or getting more air. Could be anything from faulty intake to clogged fuel filter. Reset the code, only it appeared after 2-3 days. Popped the hood, and started inspecting. Now a air flow issue is easier to diagnose than a fuel flow issue because almost all the intake components are right before your eyes. After 30 seconds of inspection - noticed a crack in ribbed area of the air intake hose. And another. Drove straight to Walmart and bought a roll of automotive duct tape. Taped the entire ribbed area tightly with the tape (multiple patches), and ensured that no extra crack was there. reset the code - and no error code for 2 weeks running - yeah! So the lean mixture was happening due to extra air passing through the cracks, which was to an extent hampering the acceleration. I figure that the hose should be replaced now that the problem has been isolated, and plan to place an order/look in autozone for the concerned part soon.
	() Thanks

16th February 2011, 15:40	#41
SMK_BLR BHPian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Bangalore Posts: 50 Thanked: 4 Times	Re: Car wars 3 - Return of the Mazda Wow.. amazing DIY and analytical stuff! Are you an automobile engineer?
	() Thanks

25th February 2011, 05:29	#45
blackasta Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: WB 26 Posts: 3,408 Thanked: 2,928 Times View My Garage	Re: Car wars 3 - Return of the Mazda New air intake hose fitted! The new hose came in via UPS on Wednesday evening. Opened up the package and ensured that the correct thing has been mailed. Today after having my lunch at home, made up my mind to change the hose. Step 1: Take out the old hose - pulled out a wire clipped under the hose, pulled out the breather tube, loosened both metal o rings, and wrenched open the (stuck) nut from the PCV valve bracket. Step 2: Pried out one end of the hose from the air filter box (took some elbow grease and used a flat head screw driver). The pipe was stuck being fitted for a long time to the same place. Then carefully took out the other end from the throttle body. The old hose taken out The throttle body. The old and new hose side by side Step 3: Put in the new hose by just reversing what I had done to take out the old hose. Slip both ends onto the openings, tighten the o rings, reattach the wire to be clipped in, reattached the breather tube, and bolted in....oh no... Due to pressure being applied to unscrew it, the PCV valve bracket bolt has sheared. Had to fix that with some aluminium wire and duct tape to cover it up. But the new hose was set up fine. Fired up the engine and checked the working immediately. Now the hunt begins for the broken bracket replacement!
	() Thanks