Hi,

I have ran into a problem and I'm stumped. My car, when I mash the pedal, it starts to jerking and acts like it wants to go dead. It does OK when cold but when it warms up, it is awful. I ran into a problem like this before and I replaced the distributor and it ran fine for the past couple years. I bought the distributor at the salvage yard so I figured it just went out again since it was used. I bought a new distributor this time tho.

This is where I am. It is doing the same thing even after replacing the following parts: Distributor, distributor cap and button (rotor), plugs and plug wires. The plug wires I got at Auto Zone. I used to have a Mazda 323 and Auto Zone wires never lasted in it so I'm not super confident about them. I would think they would last 10 minutes tho.

When I had the trouble a couple years ago, I replaced the coil and module. Someone told me to try them first. Before, the engine light was on and it pointed to the distributor.

The check engine light has not come on when running this time. It comes on when I am about to start the car but that is normal. It is acting the exact same way as before but replacing the same part has done no good at all. I think I have changed about everything spark related. Since there is no check engine code to help, what do I do next?

I'm pretty good at this sort of thing but without a error code, I don't know what else to check. It may be worth noting, the error code didn't come on before until the car was just plain dead and wouldn't even start at all. I just don't want to drive it like it is now since it is running so bad. Also, when it is running really bad, I can smell gas just a little. It acts like it is not firing on all cylinders. It doesn't smell like it is flooding or anything tho.

Ideas? Thoughts? Things to check?

Thanks.

 

It's me again. I done some searching last night and read some in the Haynes book as well. Most of the things in the book just didn't seem like something I would run into. Anyway. One of the things it said to check was the timing belt. It was loose and fairly badly. I got the timing marks lined up but before I did I think it jumped a tooth. Anyway, it was off a couple notches but I'm not certain if I did it while turning it with the wrench or if it was already off a notch. Either way, it was loose.

I worked on getting it tightened up again and it timed back up this morning. The belt itself is in great shape. No tears, cracks or anything that I could see. It isn't supposed to be changed for another 30 or 40,000 miles.

After getting it together enough to drive, I put some gas in it. After I did it, I thought what a idiot. The light was on so I was chicken I would run out. I was headed to the gas station when all this hit the fan. I drove the car up the road a good little piece and while it still acted a little strange, it ran OK. It is much better than it was for sure.

Either the timing belt had jumped a tooth or was just plain to loose for it to get the timing right OR I had some bad gas in the tank.

I'll try to post back in a few days how this is going. I notice a lot of people read my post. Thanks for reading since I know if anyone thought of anything else to try, they would have posted it.

Thanks.

 

Could be something as simple as a clogged fuel filter. It may clog intermittently, depending on whether hot or cold, how the trash might be sloshing around inside it, etc.

Replace it and let us know if that helped.

 

I think it turned out to be water in the gas. I was almost to empty and the weather was sort of nutty. It would be cold, then warm, then cold again. I think it allowed condensation to collect in my almost empty tank. I put about 3 gallons of gas in the car, intended for my lawn mower, and it did run better. It would still do it but not as bad.

This morning, I went to town and picked up some B12. It helps disperse water. I added that then went across town to my usual gas station and filled up. I then drove about 8 or 9 miles towards home. We have a road that has very little traffic on it and I got on it. It's straight and you can see anything coming for a long way. After the coast was clear, I put it in first gear and just floored it. I have a stick shift so I ran up the RPMs pretty good. It never missed a lick. I went from 0 to about 95 before I even left 4th gear. I didn't red line it or anything but if it was going to mess up again, it would have done it then I think. I have to say, that little engine has a HUGE amount of power. I went to 95 in just seconds.

Even tho I replaced a lot of parts and adjusted my timing belt which was really loose, I think it was water in the gas. The timing belt could have been it but I'm leaning to the gas issue.

So if anyone runs up on this thread, before you spend money, check the gas and the timing belt first. At least they don't cost anything. lol Next time, if the engine light ain't on, I ain't replacing sensors until mechanical and fuel issues are checked.

Thanks.

 

Another update. When my gas tank got down kinda low, it started doing the same thing again. It was just as bad as it ever was. Since I done replaced about everything spark related, I knew it had to be gas problems.

I decided to take the advice of someone who posted about the fuel filter while dealing with this. I also wanted to see if there was any water in my gas tank as well. I read somewhere that if there is a good bit of water, you can see it since they don't mix to well. I took out the back seat and removed the fuel pump and looked in the tank. It has like a little metal bowl that the pump sits in and it has a little bit of rust in it but I have seen MUCH worse. The tank itself looked really good. It has very little rust and only just little spots where there is some.

The thing that told it all was when I unhooked the fuel lines tho. I unhooked the pressure side first and left the gas cap tight. I was hoping it would push out some fuel in the lines and it did. It was NASTY looking brown stuff. I don't think it was rust tho since it was a different color from the rust in the tank. I figured the fuel filter was going to be a good move. I put the fuel pump back in the tank but left the pressure line unhooked. I then unhooked the pressure line that comes out of the fuel filter under the hood and took my air hose and blowed a little air through it. I only put about 20 lbs or so of pressure, just enough to clear the lines out good. I had it to run into a old windshield washer jug so I could see it when I got done. It was full of stuff. I didn't see any water but there was plenty of everything else in it. It looked like some very strong tea but not as dark as coke or something. It was a dark brown for sure.

So, I put in a new fuel filter, got the fuel lines cleaned out and gave it a try. I went to the old highway that I was on before and even with a almost empty tank, fuel light was on, it ran like a scalded dog and didn't miss a lick. I did notice a little hesitation when first mashing the gas but I know what that is. While changing the fuel filter, my arm put a little pressure on the air intake hose and it has a crack in it. I wrapped it with electrical tape to keep the dirt out until one comes in. They have to order it from somewhere.

Recap, new distributor, new cap and button, new wires, new plugs, and a new fuel filter with a air intake hose on the way. I'm hoping this will be the last update. I want it to run for a few months while I recover my budget. lol I think my tune-up is done now. Oh, also checked and tightened up the timing belt too.

Some shade tree mechanic I am huh?

 

My daughter has the '94 Protege with the 1.5 engine. I'd like to change the fuel filter on the car but it looks like it would be a royal pain to get to if it's where I think it is. It's pretty dark back behind the engine but there's something mounted on the firewall, back behind the engine, about halfway down. This appears to be the fuel filter but I'm not sure.

Can anyone confirm where the fuel filter is mounted on the '94 with the 1.5 engine and possible detail what parts must be removed to get to it? Any kind of picture or drawing reference would be nice also.

dalek,
Where was the fuel filter on your 1.8 located? How difficult was it to get to?

 

This is how I replaced mine. I removed the battery and got it out of the way. I then loosened the gas cap to release the pressure. The gas cap is VERY important. If you do not loosen it, the pressure in the tank will push gas up through the hose and you will have gas everywhere under the hood. Don't forget that step!!

Once the battery was removed, I used needle nose pliers to pinch the hose clamp and move it out of the way. For me, it was easier to push it toward the filter. Don't drop it later on tho. I then removed the hose and then took the clamp and put it in a safe spot for later use. After getting the hose off, I used a 10mm deep socket and ratchet to loosen the bolts that wrap around the filter. You don't have to remove them on mine, the bracket will lift up and over the bolts. It is slotted.

Once the bracket is taken off the firewall, I pulled mine toward the drivers side of the car. You may need to push yours toward the passengers side. Just depends on if you are a lefty or righty. I took the needle nose pliers again and removed the filter clamp. This clamp stayed on the hose itself. Once that hose if off, you can pull the filter and bracket out. Make a note of how the bracket is mounted. It has small slots that it goes. The filter will only go in one of three ways. On mine, the outlet pipe points away from the bracket where it mounts to the firewall. Make sure you don't put it upside down either.

When you get the new filter in the bracket, put some oil or some light grease on the fittings both inlet and outlet. You really need that part. I tried it without it on mine and I could not get the hose more than about halfway on. I used motor oil and it slid on good.

This is a picture of mine. This filter is black but I used a quartz light to make it easier to see.

http://img291.imageshack.us/i/201001080004scale.jpg/

It is above the brake fluid reservoir and to the right of the intake tube where it goes into the intake. Some may notice the electrical tape on the intake hose too. Still waiting on the new one. You may want to check your intake hose if it is like mine. They usually crack where the bends are, the little accordion looking part. Mine has always cracked the most on the bottom too.

One other thing, be careful around the brake lines. You don't want to bend or move those in any way. If you move them, they are bad to break where they are attached to either the master cylinder or some other point that doesn't move. When finished, it would not be a bad idea, to mash the brake pedal really hard and hold it about 10 seconds to make sure it holds. If it has a leak, that will find it and the pedal will go down. If it goes down, look for brake fluid somewhere. You don't have to have the car running either.

On my car, the fuel pump doesn't not cycle when you turn the key on. You just have to try to start the car until it runs on its own. Some cars when you run out of gas or otherwise get air in the line, you can cycle the key on and off a few times and it will push the fuel up to the engine. My car at least does not do that. According to the book, the fuel pump only comes on when the air flow sensor picks up air flow, the motor is turning basically.

I hope this helps. Post if you need more info. I'll help if I can.

 

Well, it's been a while and here is a update. So far, it has been running pretty good. I think either a cable from the pedal to the throttle body is sticking or something because it hesitates when I mash the pedal but when I turn the throttle under the hood, it doesn't hesitate at all. It is nice and smooth. Other than that, we be jammin !!!

Thanks for all the help. Now I got a new question to ask in another section.