The only thing I can think of is the sensor in the distributor and that is only if yours is like my old 1994 model or really close to it. I mentioned this before but in my distributor it has two sensors. One detects when a cylinder is at the top and fires the coil, which then sends it to the cap and the cap sends it to the right cylinder. The second sensor tells it when the #1 cylinder is at the top. I figure that is also used for the tach.

The only thing about this, you would have to replace the distributor. That is not cheap. They are over $200.00. Since it is fine from coil to plug, I can only figure that the signal for it to fire is not real good. This sounds weird to me. It's just logic on my part. I have never had one have only a section go out like this. I have had to replace this twice on mine and both times, it would not run at all. I would think this would result in a error code but maybe it is enough that the computer doesn't notice it is not as strong as it should be.

Me, I would find a junk yard and buy one and try that. If you are not comfy long term with a junk yard, at least that would tell you if that is the problem and not be so expensive. I found several that were under $100.00 if you want to go that route. I would eliminate anything else tho, seems like you have to me but . . . .

Here is a link that searches a lot of salvage yards.

Used Auto Parts | Used Car Parts | Auto Salvage

Just select your model, what you are looking for and your zip code. Heck, you may find one really close by to you. On my car, there are two kinds but it looks like there is only one for yours. I emailed pics of mine before I bought it since it was about two states away. Yours should be easier tho.

Again, you are looking at it so you will have to use your own judgement. These things can be a hair puller for sure. I would rather mine not run at all and have a good error code as to what is wrong. Having one doing like yours, you just have to replace things until it is fixed then you know the last part did it. Sucks when it is like that.

You may want to bookmark that link. That thing searches a long ways. It starts out close then reaches out if it finds very little or nothing. It's rare that it can't find anything, even for my old 1994 model. Let's not talk about my A/C compressors tho.

 

Just recalled something, if you want to try to replace that sensor itself, much cheaper, let me know. I found one for mine long after I replaced mine and I may have bookmarked it. They may have one that fits yours too. It's just a round black thing with screws in it on mine. Looks easy enough to replace.

Let me know if I need to go dig for it.

 

Thank you Dalek. I'll let you know. I need to see if mine has it. Does the sensor trigger each cylinder at TDC? What about a crank position sensor?

TanProtege, I found the whistle and you'll never guess where it's coming from! It was coming from the MUFFLER. Lol. I got someone to WOT the car at higher rpms and traced it to the muffler! I have no tail pipe coming out of the muffler itself so it's whistling through the hole. The people at the autoparts store came out and was saying they heard a turbo LOL. So that's cool and I'm leaving it.

That being said I'm back to square one with my P1170

 

Blackbolt: I might have mislead you. I thought the 1170 was a "lean code". This is what I found about the P1170:
P1170 is telling you that the signal from the front no.1 heated O2 sensor is not changing, and this could be the sensor itself at fault.

and this:
P1170-HO2s11 Inversion. This is where things get tricky. The heated O2 sensors measure the amount of oxygen in the exhaust stream. This information, along with many other inputs such as coolant temperature and mass air flow, is then used by the computer to determine just the right amount time to turn on the injectors.
If there is a misfire, a vacuum leak, an induction leak or any other reason that the engine is not running correctly, then this code could be set.

Looking at the random misfire code, and based on the fact that the o2 code is bank one rather than bank 2 or both at the same time, I would suspect that your misfiring cylinder(s) are on bank 1.

Obviously this guy was referring to a V6 or V8 engine. Inline engines have only bank 1. And there was a random misfire code along with the 1170.

So if your search for vacuum leaks has no results and your injectors are o.k. then take out that HO2 sensor and test it or replace it with a known good one.

And , no I would never have guessed the muffle would whistle!

 

How to explain this in text. lol Each time a cylinder comes up to the top, that sensor tells the coil to fire. Sort of like when the old style points close. Each cylinder has its own spot on mine. Basically, there are four places in that circle that it detects that it should fire. The second sensor only detects anything once for the #1 cylinder. That said, we have different engines but most engines with electronic ignition have the same thing. Something has to tell the coil to fire either on the crank or the distributor. That's the logical thinking in me.

Thing is, of the failures I have seen, they are usually dead not weak. If it is dead, the engine doesn't run at all. It gets no signal for any cylinder to fire. That sets a code in the computer that it is not getting the signal from the distributor and unless it has a broken wire, blown fuse or something, just replace the distributor and you're off again.

Given the error you do have tho, it seems you have more than one issue. One could fix the other. Then again, that spark sure is weak. It's odd that it is on only one cylinder.

I did some searching, some people call that sensor the crank angle sensor. Basically it tells it to fire the coil at 0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees. So, I guess the same thing could be on the crank for your car? Keep in mind, the crank and cams rotate together just that the cams turn at half speed. Either one can tell the coil when the cylinder is at the top.

I found a picture of this on this page:

92 Mazda protege DX: it wont start at all..runs really ruff - JustAnswer

That is closer to mine than yours but yours is either in the distributor or on the crank. Given the pics I see of yours on parts places, I bet yours is in the distributor like mine. Again, replacing that is a stretch. I just don't know how one cylinder can be weak and it not be a plug, plug wire, rotor or something. That said, you have tried other wires, plugs etc. I just can't see how this sensor can do this. It's also a expensive test.

That help any?

 

Helped alot. Thanks.

I am looking at my Hayne's manual now and I found a break down of what is inside the distributor. It says "Distributor (including camshaft position sensor, ignition control module, and ignition coil)"

I also read that my year has a crankshaft position which tells the PCM the exact angle of the crank.....

Which part of this fires #3? I have no clue. I have a few more things up my sleeve to try, I'll let you guys know.
thanks for ALL of everyone's replies, and thank you very much for this info.

 

Glad it helped. I tend to get a bit chatty at times but sometimes when you read something, you have a light bulb moment and that explains everything. All the muddy water clears up and you have a better understanding of what something does. I been there. I know how it is. It's putting it into text so someone who doesn't know me at all can get inside my mind, as awful as that could be sometimes. lol

I figure your distributor is different in that is may have a newer way to do the same thing. One thing tho, no matter what kind of engine it is, the coil has to know when to fire and the cap has to send it to the right place. It doesn't matter if it is on the crankshaft, the camshaft or whereever, it has to have that timing from somewhere. The only thing that confuses me is this, usually the computer sees that sensor as either on or off not anything in between. In other words, I'm not sure how it can result in a weak spark. Thing is, you have eliminated the only other things I can think of, plug, plug wire for #3 and the cap itself. Everything else is common to the other cylinders and would result in a weak spark on all cylinders. That leaves that sensor or something related to it. I think mine uses what is called a hall effect sensor. If yours uses some sort of light, then maybe it is dirty and a good cleaning with a Q-tip would help. If so, replace that pesky oil seal while at it if that is where the oil came from.

This reminds me of a old saying from my brother. He worked on cars, including race cars, for many many years. You have to have fuel, spark and timing. That you have to have before it will even as much as try to start. Of course, nowadays there is more to it but it is a good starting place.

I just hope you get it running soon. I'd never feel right in another car myself. Heck, I been married and divorced and still have my car. My car seems to stick with me more than anyone else. Maybe I need a Mazda wife?

 

** These pics are of a NEW ONE, not mine **

This thing is called a distributor cap cover or adapter. Mine (not this one) has a crack in it leading to the edge and the crack is right where the #3 wire attaches to the distributor cap. (in this pic it would be the bottom left corner by the hall sensor). It also has a huge metal inside part where if a crack existed the spark could jump to this instead of the distributor cap point because the rotor sits ON TOP of this!!

My distributor works exactly like the one in this video:
Testing Mazda and Mitsubishi distributors - YouTube

At 42 seconds it shows you this disc that passes through the hall sensor and sends a signal to the PCM which sends a signal back to the distributor to fire the coil which then mechanically through the rotor gets sent to the wire. I took that DISC that passes through the hall sensor out and looked at it where it passes for #3, it's fine. The whole disc is fine in fact and looks perfect and not out of round or anything. It has a D shaped cut in the middle of the disc but there is SOME PLAY to where I can adjust it. The play is actually worth a few degrees advance/retard in the signal being sent.

After I put it all back together #3 jumped to the |0|2|0 on my spark test tool instead of being really short but it still isn't very strong and after restarting it, it went down a bit in strength but was still better. So what I did was took that cover with the crack out completely because I could hear it arcing inside the distributor when I opened the gap on my tool to test for strength, and it helped alot!

Not sure what that cover does but I ran the protege without it last night and it never missed or bogged once! The spark is strong and isn't misfiring.

The distributor cap cover isn't available in my local parts stores though car quest may have it, but there isn't one near by so I am thinking of putting some silicone into the crack and over the crack in an attempt to insulate it. The cap cover/adapter has a grounded inside (bottom left portion of this picture, see the silver ring, that's metal ground) so if that plastic is cracked on the top side like mine, it definetely can create a shorter path for the spark going through the rotor. In fact I can hear it jumping inside the distributor when I widen the gap on my tool.

 

I found that part on rockauto.com. The part number is 4D1011 and it is made by AIRTEX / WELLS. About $10.00 not counting shipping. I also found one on ebay, you may not want to know the cost on it tho.

I'd be careful running without that thing. That spark may hit the sensor thing and burn it out. That's a LOT of voltage and I think it is used to 5 volts not several thousand. lol At least you know what it is now. While logic made me suspect that sensor, I still couldn't figure out how it could be the sensor. As I said before, when mine had problems, it was dead and the car would turn over but not even try to start. At least by checking on that tho, you found the real problem.

Told you things like this are hard to figure out. This is one time I hate to be right. I'd be bald by now if I were you.

Liquid electrical tape work on that thing? Maybe? Temporary at least?

 

Super job, blackbolt22 and dalek!