mechanic question
 

Hi All,
anyone recommend a good mechanic in the Tucson, AZ area? We have a 2002 Mazda Millenia S (70K)that does need some work if I can't fix a vaccum issue myself.
Thanks in advance.
Jay

RE: mechanic question
 

check that..."vacuum" issue.

RE: mechanic question
 

Jay,
I don't live in Tucson, however, I'd like to submit some suggestions based on my experience. I recently purchased a 1996 S. I talked to and/or visited 6 different shops before deciding on a shop with which I felt comfortable. I looked in theyellow pages and talked to others as to where they received service, as these cars are very expensive to maintain andI was very particular about the level and quality of service.Keep in mind that many companies will tout how many years they've been around; however, the mechanic working on your car may have only 2-3 years experience. So, I would strongly suggest you inquire about the individual experience of the person working on your vehicle. I was fortunate to find a company that advertised the years of experience of each of their mechanics, each had at least 30 years experience and the companyis family-owned. They are members of the Better Business Bureau, AAA, and were singled out as a good place to take your car by the local TV station. I hope this info helps you find a good choice.

RE: mechanic question
 

Thanks Cyberspace...I'm calling our old Honda mechanic for help too. They don't "do" Mazda's, but they may know someone...very reliable people.
A few months past, Kennin helped with a reply about this vacuum issue, and his closing statements mentioned that many mechanic's wouldn't know what they're doing (summerized)...I would agree 100%. It is hard to find good trustworthymechanic's. I was thinking if mayve Babyheuy saw this, he might know someone down here but I have not seen a post from him in some time. We love the Millenia, but I sometimes wished we'd gone the Honda route only because we have a company we've used for 20 years. If I can get the codes to go away, then no worries.
Anyway, thanks again.
Jay

RE: mechanic question
 

vacuum problems on the 2.3 are very common. dont let the motor scare you, it is not that difficult. the challenge is to remove enough stuff to get at the vacuum lines. basically, you pull off the intake, esp the main part right off the compressor. i have several of the magnetic parts trays, and i try to use a different one for each part that i remove. easier to keep track of all the stuff, esp the small stuff like nuts. you can reuse the metal gaskets, just coat them with a thin layer of sealant, i like hylomar. take your time, you will be surprised at how easy it is. then, you will cuss mazda for using cheap plastic tees. i used the tees that i removed from my mitsubishi galant vr4, they are much stronger, and i had a bunch of them lying around. another good option is to get brass tees, they are available from someone on the other millenia forum. the millenia, ESPECIALLY the 2.3, is very low production. most shops have never even SEEN a millenia. while stuff like suspension and brakes is fairly straighforward, like any other car, the miller cycle engine is NOT.

RE: mechanic question
 

Thanks Keninn...I'll give it a go.
Can you offer more info on the tees? Do I need to know the i.d. of the vacuum hose or o.d. barb size of the tees...and if so, can you pass that along?
Then, as for the parts, I'm happy using brass, plastic, whatever you recommend. We keep our cars a long time, so I suppose the brass is the better long term solution. If you can offer a vendor for those, that would be great. I know you said they are aval. from another forum...would I just search for brass vacuum tees? I've tried looking online from some Mazda parts places and have had no luck.
I also thought I read something from B.Heuy or you from a long time ago that all tees were not 90s, but were closer to 45s...will that throw off using a different manufacturers product? I would guess the most important thing is the size to make sure the flow is correct, but what the "h" do I know.
I'll plan on taking a weekend and hit it...after I get the tees. Did you say there are 11 of them I'll need. Might as well replace them all at once eh? Thanks man...I really appreciate the help.
J.

RE: mechanic question
 

only 2 of the tees are actual tees. the rest are more like "Y's". having done this a couple of times, the Y's have never been a problem. the 2 main tees are right under the intake, where it exits the compressor. one of them is almost accessible without removing the intake, you will see this when you do. but the other is buried. i used tees that i removed from my galant vr4, they are way more sturdier. dunno the id, but they are all the same. next time, i use the brass ones.