New to the forum. I have a 92 929 that I'm in the middle of replacing the timing belt, car has 114,000 miles I'm changing the belt due to time not miles. I bought the car in 2003 with 70K and was going to change the belt but after tearing into it a little it was obvious it had been change. I've got quite a unique problem. This has always run pretty good but really doesn't have a lot of power unless you pretty much push it to the floor, this seems unrelated but it is. I aligned the ignition timing marks up to TDC prior to disassembly. when I got to the timing belt and gears the crankshaft timing mark was 4 teeth off (I drove this car into the garage). I was thinking this might explain why the car seemed to be so powerless unless floored, mind you there were no problems maintaining speed or getting up to beyond legal limits. Anyway I aligned the timing marks on the timing belt gears turned it over by hand 4 or 5 times and the marks are still lined up, great reassemble and try to start and nothing, it doesn't pop backfire, or even try to start. I pulled it back apart again aligning the crank pully with TDC prior to disassembly, when I get to the belt it is 4 teeth off according to the crank timing belt marks (this time all of the marks are off because of installing them to the crank gear, if I align the crank gear marks to the block mark they all line up). I guess my questions boil down to these: 1) Does anybody know if there is another crank gear that would fit this car with the timing marks in a different location? 2) Similar to above question is there another harmonic balancer that would fit this car? (the crank position sensor uses a plate on the back side for ignition timing this could throw off the ignition timing). I'm leaning toward the crank timing belt gear being wrong as I don't think the car would even run being 4 teeth off. Thanks in advance for any assistance?

 

The crank gear is usualy off frour teath so there is no interferance with the valves and pistons .I'll double check but im sure mazda has you line it up with the #1 pist not at tdc . I asume you lined it back up this way ? Also you lack of power untill wide open throttle could be due to the intake runner control not working properly . I woul look at the vacume line and acutator rod to see if it posible broke off or is disconected . Let us know what you find

 

Thanks MR83RX-7,

I did some surfing and for the life of me can not remember the web site I found this on, one of those ask a mechanic sites, but the flange on the crank timing belt gear is supposed to be toward the pulley side not the engine side. Turn it around and the timing marks are all correct even the ignition timing mark on the crank pulley pointed at TDC after putting the cover and harmonic balancer back on. Or you can line it up TDC with the ignition timing marks (it'll run that way mines been running for years) but it might throw the next guy who replaces the belt. It kind of looks backward with the flange facing the front of the car but I can't imagine a manufacture would make marks that are supposed to be lined up 4-5 teeth off. Car is back together and running the same as before.

I'm going to attack the intake control as mine has not been working for some time. There's a solenoid that is not working on the right side of the engine that controls the vacuum to the actuator that opens the valve in the intake manifold. The maintenance manual says to slowly run the engine to 4800 rpm and watch to see if it opens, if not check it electrically. Mine didn't pass either test it was staying open all the time. I bypassed the solenoid so it would hold it in the closed position, figuring I rarely run it above 3500, but it didn't change the way it run. With your advice I'm thinking maybe the computer controls it at RPM lower than 4800 under different loads. The reason I didn't change the solenoid is it costs $130 only available new from the dealer. But if it makes a difference in performance it would be worth it. I'll let you know what it does but it'll be a couple weeks or more before I get back to it. Love this car but very expensive to repair. Luckly I do all the work myself just have to deal with parts that are typically twice what other cars are.

On another note I've been chasing a vibration on this one for a couple years. It was vibrating at 55-65 MPH constantly. Put it up in the air with somebody in the car and run it up to 55 to 65 mph, replaced the differential and the vib changed quite a bit but it's still there. The u-joints are tight the driveshaft bearing is tight and smooth. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks again!

 

Yes my intake runner vac line was complelty rotted and cracked . as far as you vibration you've checked the usual suspects like u-joints tires ect ect . Have you looked over all the mounts in the rear subframe and out outer tierods ? I have seen these become an issue but not likely to cause a vibration . The drive shaft could be out of balance or the rear cv axles . Let us know