1991 Mazda 323 Starting Problems
 

I love my Mazda and it has been good to me up until recently. I've had starting issues with the vehicle since I bought it, but it hasn't been a major problem until recently. I did a major tune-up on the vehicle a couple months ago, and everything has been working great until a week or two ago. I deliver pizzas for a living, so I'm constantly stopping and starting my car. One night, after several hours at work, the car just would not start. It would crank and crank but would not fire. The next day I took the battery to AutoZone. The clerk tested it and said that the readings indicated that the alternator was fine but the battery was bad. I haven't changed the battery a single time in the 3 years I've owned the vehicle, so this made sense. I buy a new battery, put it in the car, and it works fine...for a few days. A couple nights after this, the car starts up fine, I drive to a store, and when I get back out to the car it will not start again. Push starting did nothing also. I continue to try and get it to start, pumping on the gas and all, and eventually it starts. The next night at work, after driving around without problems for hours, the car refuses to start. Another guy from AutoZone comes out, runs a diagnostic, and tells me the alternator is bad. I buy a new alternator, replace the old one, and the car works fine after a jump start. Good stuff. The car works well for a few days, and now I cannot get it to start again. A couple notes: the fuel pump has always been an issue with this thing. We thought the original was a bad fuel pump, so we replaced it. The new fuel pump did not work either, so we thought it was defective. We take it back to AutoZone, get a new one, put it in, no worky. The ONLY time I have heard the fuel pump actually work was when my dad and I bridged 2 wires on the fuel pump relay. When I bridge the wires, the fuel pump works. If I don't bridge, the fuel pump does not work. But for the past few months, even bridging the wires does not make the pump work. Does this mean the fuel pump relay is bad? I'm at a loss with this vehicle. I love it but I keep dumping money into things that are not fixing the problem.

Any and all ideas would be GREATLY appreciated.

have you checked simple things like the fuel pump filter? i am a complete novice in cars. I don't think i can be of any help. But i just bought a 1999 mazda 323, i was having issues with starting. Be it in the morning or after having driven 50 km, it would crank but would not fire. I had to crank and pump on the gas to make it start. Well i don't know if am talking sense, but i removed the fuel pump, it has a filter attached to it..The filter was clean though. But i took a pin and made small holes in it. And till now, my car is starting without any problem. please do not laugh at me, i just shared what i did. I don't know anything in cars.

Thank you
 

Thank you for the response! I have gotten my car running since I posted this thread - and you were right! It was the fuel pump. Although what you're talking about is the strainer, I believe the motor in my fuel pump was defective. This is probably the 4th fuel pump I have gone through since I bought this vehicle...I don't understand why this keeps happening. Hopefully this will help someone with similar issues!

I am glad to hear your problem is solved. Perhaps it's an electronic defect. I was wondering if you could help me. Do you know where i can get maintenance and repair manuals for my car?

thanks for any help.

There will probably be bits of debris in the tank and they are getting picked up by the pump. Check the tank and then check the gauze on the bottom of the pump and check how fine the gause is. If you think the holes are too large try buying more gause with smaller holes.