It's been a while - so long I had trouble finding this place again.

And so I just bought another 626 - a 2002 this time. Florida car. Had to drive all the way to Cumming, Ga to get it. They're getting hard to find with low miles and a 5 - speed... and we all know better than to buy an automatic!

I wore my '99 slap out - sold it still running with 278,000 miles.

This car does not say premium fuel like the '99. I looked on the epa web site and they made 2 models, apparently - one with premium and the other with regular (4 cyl). Mine runs on regular and seems to run better than the '99 would have, but it still likes plus...

So, how do you tell them apart - the regular fuel and the premium fuel? Something in the vin number ... ?

 

Well then, Welcome Back, DigitalMage and Congrats on the new ride!!
You are sure right about the late model 626 and their auto-trans issues.

 

Hi Digi!, welcome back!

I don't have a straight answer for your question. Maybe you find the owner manual or a sticker at the filler....

My son's 97 Protege 1.5L requires 87 octane according to Mazda. However I found out that 89 (mid-grade) makes it run MUCH smoother. We tend to short shift and are able to pull out of 1200 rpm in second gear. With 87 regular this thing would be knocking and hammering a like a village blacksmith.

My suggestion: try it out.

 

Thank you

that may the case, here. but it doesn't hammer or knock. the efi won't let that happen - it cuts the timing back at the first sign of a knock. so it just runs sloppily - without much pep.

today I checked the timing belt (good), put some bosch iridium plugs in and changed the stuff in the transmission.

The plugs were loose in this car, too. I just used teflon tape on the new ones. If they loosen up they still won't leak compression... and they won't loosen up. The tape provides the best anti-seize, as well. People get really mad at me for sharing my "tricks." I don't get 'em out of a book. lol

 

I love innovation, thinking out of the box!
I put in a bigger battery wrapped in insulation (Tanprotege was helpful on the wrap). Extra grounds!
Just check out my intake. It works really well as it's sealed up to hood and i also have a water deflector (pic 3) in front of tire which still lets air pass by. Most intake air comes from front lower grille. Intake is SRI but yet a CAI.

Post up some pics of your stuff!

 

I'm kinda lost in your photos - my car is a 4 cyl.

Down here the 6 has a rep for using a lot of fuel?

I just did my mileage for the first time - 36 mpg. That's with things getting done to it all the time. I need to clear my computer, and start fresh. My '99 often got 42 mpg!

I have a Lexus SC-400 that's my baby. This little car is my daily. I love these cars - they never require me even to lift the hood (once I get 'em going) and they run cheap, Cheap, CHEAP! Fun to drive, too.

The '02 seems to have a lot of in-flight adjustments applied to it. The most irritating thing of all is still here - that awful shifter. Third gear is like, over in the next state... Oh well - can't have everything

 

You are welcome. You know i was embellishing a little bit the protege is protected from serious knocking as well.

That teflon tape idea surprised me. Excellent! And you got up to 42 mpg with the 626. That's outstanding!
I will have to mine the archives for your old posts.......maybe I can unearth a few more tricks of yours.

 

Greased Lightning Engine Treatment. Teflon.

Wonderful stuff but don't over-do it. Every 6 months is my interval. Too much might goo up your oil rings and cause your car to burn oil. Available at O'Riley's auto parts. I put it in the trans (manual) too

 

The last pic was taken from underneath. The grilles in front of the tire in pic 2 are no longer visible up top, so water can not splash up on filter at all when going thru puddles. Since the grille spaces in front of tire are actually on a round surface, and my alum plate being flat and mounted behind it, air does still go thru. The piece of alum plate was mounted with 2 elevator bolts near the top (big wide flat head bolts). Elevator bolts are normally used on the rear roll-up door of large delivery trucks which hold brackets for the rollers.

I almost forgot, I actually have a short video which is easier to see: