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Mazda 626 Troubles

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  • deyagodeyago Member Posts: 1
    My 2.5L 626 95' gets fuel and spark. Have checked injector resistance. Only code I get is 41 "VRIS 1 Solenoid Valve." New plugs, wires are good, distributor cap and rotor good.
    Gets good spark. Fuel pump passed jumper test.
    Battery, batt cables, and grounds good! Cranks all day just wont start! Please help!
  • kk2482kk2482 Member Posts: 33
    If I'm not mistaken you probably have a major problem with your alternator. I had this happen with my 97 Mazda 626 at about 110,000. I'm trying to narrow down which problem yours relates to. This I know, if it tries to start that tells you there is plenty of juice in your battery. [You'd know if your battery was dead because when you try to turn your key all you'll here is a click.] If you can here it trying to turn over this its not your ignition switch ... I think it's your alternator, possibly your starter? You can take your car to an AutoZone/Wal-Mart and they can pinpoint your problem. If it's your alternator/starter it'll be about $250-500 depending on where you go. I wish you the best of luck.

    Anyone have thoughts on this?
  • mazda626atxmazda626atx Member Posts: 227
    Happy New Years Alcan :)
    Well it looks like the old girl had no problem in the mountains since changing the MAF either. She had her usual power and even had a kick down at 75 MPH on an upgrade. Engine running like a top now.
    Back to my question in post #1933 above would you please look at the 2 links I have posted,because I am a little confused. Is the difference just the manufacturer, or are there different parts in the MONROE versus the KYB kit.They do not have the same name and I do not want to buy the wrong parts when I get back to USA, and then bring them back to Greece to be installed.
    Thanks again
    PGP :)
  • mazda626atxmazda626atx Member Posts: 227
    I am looking at Haynes manual and I do not see any 41 codes at all. Your car is a 95 and should/could have OBDll . Does it ? Also OBDll codes are 4 numbers usually preceded by a P.iN THE obd L RANGE i SEE A 411 WHICH IS Idle Air control valve or circuit. Who is getting the codes and how .Here is what manual says about your symptoms that you have not ruled out :
    fuel tank empty, leaking fuel injectors,faulty fuel pump,pressure regulator etc, fuEL not reaching rail, ignition components damp or damaged , broken loose or disconnected wiring in the starting circuit, loose distributor changing the timing,broken loose or disconnected wires at coilor bad coil, broken or stripped timing belt , defective fuel pump REL;AY AND OR HARNESS AT RELAY. HAVE YOU CHECKED THIS LAST ONE ?
    Hope this helps.
    PGP
  • oregonboyoregonboy Member Posts: 1,650
    Help - my daughter's 1996 626 ES has a burnt-out bulb in the overhead courtesy light and I can't figure how to open the plastic housing to change it. I'm afraid that if may break if I try to pry it open.

    It's really inconvenient this time of year, not having light when you open the door. Anyone have experience or a manual to help us out? Thanks...

    james
  • mazda626atxmazda626atx Member Posts: 227
    According to the manual: interior lights are accesed by removing their covers and extracting the bulbs". The photo in book does not actually show removal of the plastic covers but shows them after removal and shows 3 bulbs "ONCE TRIM IS REMOVED" leading me to think there is no trick to removing it.
    Just be careful and try prying them off at the corner first would be my suggestion. The book also suggests disconnectiung battery or working with door closed so as not to have to handle hot bulbs. Ifyiou disconnect battry always disconnect negative side is suggested.If all 3 are out maybe its a fuse. Actually I would check for a fuse first in any event.
    good Luck PGP
  • mrkelmrkel Member Posts: 1
    What size tool do i need to take off the brake caliper. Is it a torx bit T-40 or a 1/4 hex wrench. I have a Mazda 2000 626.
  • oregonboyoregonboy Member Posts: 1,650
    Thanks atx. I'll give it a try next time that I see her.

    james
  • camarillobrillcamarillobrill Member Posts: 44
    it is a hex but I dont recall the exact size
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    I believe you need to squeeze the sides of the lens and then the plastic clips holding the lens in will pop out. If you just pry or focibly remove it, you may break the plastic clips.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    I have a 99 ES V6 5 speed manual with 134K miles. I had a hesitation problem when the car was relatively new (approximately 30K miles). The problem has been solved permanently by:

    1. Installing new spak plugs and plug wires every 60K miles

    2. Using only premium fuel (name brand like Mobil, BP). This car likes to run on premium fuel. You get better mileage and much better performance, so it comes out even.

    3. Using Chevron Techron injector cleaner about every 4K miles (one Bottle per 10 gallons of gas in the tank).

    4. Cleaning the throttle body and intake manifold EGR passages regularly. There are two EGR passages in the intake manifold just behind the TB. These will eventually get plugged with carbon and you get an "EGR insuffiecinet flow" trouble code (engine check light comes on).

    Every time I go to buy some parts at my local Mazda dealer, I hear people complaining about bad mileage, hesitation, poor performance. And when they ask about what fuel they are using , the answer is alsmost always the same: the cheapest 87 octane they can find. Take my advice: if you have a V6, it will perform much better on premium. Mazda recommends premium in this car. When you use the 93 octane in this car, the following happens: the engine computer is able to advance the ignition timing more before the knock occurs. The knock sensor is tied into the system and prevent the ignition from being advanced too far. When running this car on 93 octane, my fuel economy increased by 2 MPG over using 89 octane (never tried 87 in this car).

    I hope I convinced somebody to try this approach. BTW, replacing the spark plug wires every 60K miles is highly recommended in this vehicle. The reason is that this is double overhead cam engine. The plugs are located deeply inside the head between cams and spark plug lead boots are very long and subjected to extreme heat. As the boots degrade, so does the ignition performance. Use the OEM plug wires.

    At 134K miles my car runs like new, has very strong throttle response, even at high speeds. It is not enough to try 93 octane once or twice - use it all the time, do other things I recommended, maybe have your injectors cleaned professionally. You should see good results in a few months.
  • usernametwentyusernametwenty Member Posts: 1
  • mazda626atxmazda626atx Member Posts: 227
    HI Alcan,
    I got lucky again and the Mazda guy here in Greece removed and pulled the mount apart, and happened to have 3 bearings that were the right ones. He said, and I was watching while they worked (very professional I might add) that the seat and everything else looked fine.
    Heres a case when catching something early saves time and money. My question is do I still need an alignment ?
    Thx again Pal
    PGP :)

    P.S.Car spinning like a top for the time being
  • carlitomcarlitom Member Posts: 1
    How do I convert my Mazda626 wheels and tires that are 15' to 17'. Can the current hubs handle the modification or do I have to change the hub?
  • schnadschnad Member Posts: 1
    Hi,

    my Mazda 626 ( 2.0 i GLX year 95) didn't start properly this morning. The engine turned over, but switched off again immediately. After 5,6 attempts it started, but while driving it startles occasionally, but carries on driving. The idle is slightly rough and I have a funny smell coming from the engine. Any suggestions? I thought about the fuel pump, but then it wouldn't go at all.
    Thank you very much
    schnad :confuse:
  • aphexpusheraphexpusher Member Posts: 7
    I got a lease on a 97 mazda 626 like 2 days ago from a used car lot. god I wish I would have found this website before I did so. it was a desperate situation and I knew forign cars were good so I just went with my instincts. now i have to deal with this. what kind of preventative maintanance would you guys suggest and what should I do if the engine check light is on? also how can I craddle and take care of this tranny to extend its life as long as possible? its got a [non-permissible content removed] tran Im sure after reading these posts. what would anyone suggest I do to keep this cars life up? its mileage is 108k... sgould I get synthetic oil? also does this car need premium or is regulare unleaded gas ok? if it needs better gas then what octane lvl do u suggest? thx for all the help guys...

    need to keep this thing running for as long as possible.
  • aphexpusheraphexpusher Member Posts: 7
    whats the O/D light look like? what does O/D stand for?
  • mazda626atxmazda626atx Member Posts: 227
    Is the tranny auto? Is it a 4 or a 6? If so look into an Imperial or Hayden (SAME CO. NOW) or other brand plate and fin tranny cooler especially if you live in a warm part of the country. I would wait and see how much oil you burn because changing to synthetic or semi synthetic can cause problems in worn engines.
    Also read, read, read and get to know about similar problems in your car, that I hope you do not develop. Also a Hyanes manual at an auto parts store for $20 or so is a good investment IMHO. Also there are other good 626 forums to browse through.
    Best Of Luck
    PGP
  • aphexpusheraphexpusher Member Posts: 7
    its an auto tran and a 4. yeah I think Ill just install some kind of cooling system for it..... I was thinking about a transmission filtering system as well... what do you think? any other modifications to my car to help keep it running would be appreciated. like are there any mods I can do to the other car parts to keep it running longer?
  • aphexpusheraphexpusher Member Posts: 7
    also how should I figure if I can change to synthetic or not? what do you mean check how much oil I burn? can you elaborate?
  • mazda626atxmazda626atx Member Posts: 227
    I mean by oil burned, if you have car filled to proper top limit on dipstick, how many miles will it take to burn (use) ( if it burns at all) a specific amount like one liter. Or even a half a liter because I think the total capacity of your car is 3 1/2 liters or so.If you are not burning (actually using because of friction and heating between moving parts as opposed to dripping from some leak) then the shift to semi-synthetic oil might be ok.
    Some people think synthetic will speed up oil leaks around seals and if you are burning oil might not be a good idea, because it is expensive and you might save your $$ for repairs.
    Do a search in these forums for Oil Burning or leaking if you find that you are doing one or the other, to estabilish which is the culprit.
    PGP
  • aphexpusheraphexpusher Member Posts: 7
    thanx for your help. one more question if you dont mind. where is the O/D light on a mazda 626? what does it look like?
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    My car hs a manual tranmsision, so I do not have an O/D light. I believe the light is on the instrument clusteror on the shift lever itself and O/D apparently stands for overdrive? From all the posts I read, when that O/D light starts flashing, it is an ominous sign, as it usually means an impending transmission breakdown.

    Here is a site to read about some 626 4 cyl auto transmission problems:

    http://www.carsurvey.org/viewmorecomments_review_17103_1.html
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Actually the O/D light is not on the shift lever but on the left side of the instrument cluster. And a flashing O/D light can mean several things, not just "impending transmission breakdown." Here is a good summary, which points out that a flashing O/D light may have nothing to do with the transmission at all:

    http://www.dustbury.com/626/trans.html
  • aphexpusheraphexpusher Member Posts: 7
    which brand of atx cooler is an affordable yet quality part? recomendations anybody?
  • aphexpusheraphexpusher Member Posts: 7
    heard there are filtering systems one could buy for the atx. combined with the atx cooler should make it a great combo for maintaining that tranny.
  • tee_jay2tee_jay2 Member Posts: 1
    I have a Mazda626, obvioulsy, and its starting to do some weird things.

    1. The power windows will work if I open with the driver door open. After that they work fine until I cut the car off.

    2. I have an alarm system on the car and for some reason, it will now only unlock the driver's door. After I open the driver door the rest of the doors will unlock.

    3. When I drive the car in feels like I'm tapping the gas pedal. Its sorta hard to explain in words but if you the RPM dial, it is never constant, it just sorta bounces up and down and I feel that in the car. A few times it gets so bad the car is jerky.

    If you know the solution to any of the please problems, I really don't want to get of my baby.
  • deerwatcher65deerwatcher65 Member Posts: 1
    How do I change the oil pressure sending unit in a 94 626? The dealer I contacted said they use a big crescent wrench when they do it, but this doesn't seem to be working for me.
  • mazda626atxmazda626atx Member Posts: 227
    I have installed an Imperial Maxi cool in mine. It is a plate and fin and was the second from the lagest size (STILL SMALL) Hayden is another hood one, and they are both made by the same company. Just a note , you need to buy another 4 ft of tranny fluid hose , make sure you get that, not fuel hose,and everything else you need is in the kit. Also the store that sells the cooler has the 4 foot length of hose in a package made by the same manufacturer.

    http://www.haydenauto.com/hdoilcoolers.htm

    Search for best prices. I ordered online and saved $10 or more
    PGP
  • mazda626atxmazda626atx Member Posts: 227
    I am looking at sensor in the book. What do you have a 4 or a 6 cylinder. They show a hexagonal nut on both. What kind of problem are you having . Get the right size wrench not a crescent. If its frozen because of age you might want to use some type of rust disolver if its the 6 because it is not mounted flat on engine,and will not drip into engine. Be careful not to let any drip into engine.
    PGP
  • 626turbo626turbo Member Posts: 1
    I bought my 2001 626 LX when it was new. Since then, I have only 80,080 miles on it and here's a list of what has been replaced so far:
    2 transmissions, the fuse box, weather-stripping around the trunk, front windshield (cracked in a wind-storm), codes kept misfiring so it cost me $90 each time I took it to the dealership to get reset because of my warranty, actuator rod inside of the driver's side door (couldn't open from the outside), radio, the A/C swivel vents, and last but not least the rear passenger-side strut. The question here is: "did I buy a lemon?" The answer is of course "yes". But that's okay. Since my warranty expired, I have finally been able to do what I want to under the hood. So far, I've been able to fix my own stuff (since a warranty prevents that sort of thing). Also, I've even tuned, perfected, and added a turbo to my inline 4. It gets about as much power as the V6 model, but I didn't install it for performance, I installed it for two reasons; one, to help save on gas (if used properly), and two, to help when I try to merge or pass vehicles on the highway. Don't worry, I don't have one of those lawnmower mufflers that you see so much of on todays streets. My car is quick and quiet, and it appears stock. I love my 626, it just disappoints me when a person my age at the time (20) buys a brand new car only to have so many proplems with it and can't touch anything under the hood to fix it because of warranty purposes (even the things not covered under warranty, but not notified of until a service bill is issued).
  • mazda626atxmazda626atx Member Posts: 227
    Is it an automatic? Now after 3-4 years of dealing with Mechanics in Greece who could not get codes etc. and I finally think its running pretty good and only 55k miles on it.
    So the question is what type of supercharger did you install and is this 4 basically the same as my 94 4 cylinder? Mine is basically a Ford Probe second generation with a ford tranny. Now that I can access codes I feel confident in playing with it further.
    The mechanics were not really at fault because this car has a bastardized Ford EEC iv diagnostic sytem which is not the same as the Mazda nor the Ford diagnostic system. Only thru diligent work and a little luck did I find out how to get the codes from a site Dali Design that is no longer working.
    Supercharger where and how much?
    Any thoughts to the durability of it in mountainous country ?
    Thx PGP
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    "Now that I can access codes I feel confident in playing with it further."

    Uh-oh... LOL
  • mazdaprob92mazdaprob92 Member Posts: 1
    :sick: 1992 Mazda V6 626 GE Model 5sp Manual 280k on clock :sick:

    Hey guys,

    wondering if someone could give me some advice, have been reading the threads and posts, have read so many similar yet different problems to mine,

    Car runs fine UNTIL under half a tank of petrol,
    you turn a left corner, and car is fine, turn a right corner and cuts out, still idles but no throttle for anywhere between 2-8 seconds? under 1/4 of a tank of petrol car wants to cut out and drops revs causing to stall EVEN in a straight line however but never this problem whist turning left?.

    (makes no difference in applying different throttle pressure around corners or in a straight line)

    have put car on blocks so both front wheels are off the ground (no gravity pull/tank slap) and doesnt do it at all no matter what the fuel tank is holding. have also gone driving with fuel filler cap off whist under half a tank incase of vacuum problem no difference. we think it is one of the following:-

    Fuel Pump in fuel tank, have drained
    fuel tank and no guts or grime in tank clean as a whistle.

    Distributor - seems clean have pulled apart and back together.

    Has anyone heard or expirenced this problem? any advice would be muchly appreciated

    :sick: Cheers shaun :sick:

    spuddy@iinet.net.au or please reply to this forum either way any response will be helpful.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    Hubs have nothing to do with it. You need to get 17'wheels that have the same lug pattern and offset as the original wheels. Then, you need to use lower profile tires to compensate for the increased wheel diameter. This way, you will not get an erroneous speedometer reading.
  • youngsnoog101youngsnoog101 Member Posts: 1
    i have a 98 mazda 626 4 cylinder and i want to know why it keeps making this clunking noise when i make turns and pull off up hill. Its just one distinct clunk when i turned, ANY IDEAS?
  • mazda626atxmazda626atx Member Posts: 227
    ALCAN Buckle Up! You are not out of the woods yet my friend :) LOL
    PGP :)
  • mazda626atxmazda626atx Member Posts: 227
    Have you checked your CV joints? The boots on the axles should be visible on them . See if they are torn and leaking. Is the noise much more obvious, when you turn the wheel and you are parked, as opposed to moving slowly ?
    PGP
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    Oh Lawdy, that's what I was afraid of! How's that bucket of bolts running? Would probably be your best bet to ship me to Greece next time you go and leave me there for a year or two to work out the bugs in your 626. LOL
  • mazda626atxmazda626atx Member Posts: 227
    Actually the old Gal is running pretty well right now.With 55k miles on her I hope to get a few more years out of her.`Considering my wife was ready to chuck her in 2001 with 40K I would say things are looking up.

    And you can see, I am advising the guy a few posts above about his CV joints being the possible culprit. I think I learned that from you.
    Greece Or NYC dinners on me .Getting there is on you LOL
  • msnadiamsnadia Member Posts: 3
    Thank you. I did change the plugs and wires. I had taken my car to the dealer and after charging 90$ they told me that I had put in wrong plugs that I about from the local store. Any ways I did put NGK plugs and wires [local shop]. Also had the fuel filter and air filter replaced [another local shop].
    The guy who worked on plugs told me to use premium gas. So I did that. Went to a couple of gas tanks. I am not sure if I noticed any improvments.

    Anyways this weekend it felt like that the problem is back my hesitated for like 5 second and I think gave the same shock/jerk only once.
    So I took it it the local shop who did check asked me to put another fuel injector and replaced the PVC valve.

    Where do you usually get the Fuel injection service. My dealer told me that they would charge 150$. I read that there are professional home cleaning system…do they work?
  • carhelp101carhelp101 Member Posts: 5
    I was driving during rush hour today on a major interstate trying to merge and my 1999, Mazda 626 shook, and then cut off! I'm thinking it may be either the fuel pump or fuel filter. Any ideas??!!??? Thanks so much!!
  • davec4davec4 Member Posts: 8
    Help! I'm suspecting the problem with a friend's car trouble is the fuel pump relay but I can't determine which of the many relays under the hood is the right relay. A Haynes repair manual is NO help! She drives a 1999 Mazda 626. Can anyone help???
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    According to the illustration on page 01-14-7 of my 1999 Mazda 626 shop manual, the fuel relay is the second relay from the right in the third (closest to the battery) row inside the black fuse/relay box. On the inside of the relay box cover this relay is marked as "circuit relay". There is row of three identical relays right next to the battery (not inside the cover box), but two of these are cooling fan relays.
  • knitwitknitwit Member Posts: 1
    My mazda currently has about 130,000 miles on it. We had the transmission overhauled about a year and a half ago and have been pretty good about regular maintenance. How many miles do you think I can expect out of this car before it dies?? Thanks in advance!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Life expectancy of a modern car should be about 175K-225K if it is well cared for...of course, this doesn't include accident damage ending the car's life. Anything over that is really just borrowed time and you probably don't want to push a car that far. So if you are driving 12K a year, figure 4 years before you get really serious about changing.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    To use a professional injector cleaning method, you must tap into the fuel injection rail and bypass the fuel pump. You need to also pull the fuel pump relay for the duration of cleaning. Yes, some auto parts stores sell pressurized canisters with injector cleaning solution. Unless you have adequate knowledge how to do this, I recommend having a professional do this service. Suggest you try Chevron Techron first. You can buy it for $ 6 a bottle at WalMart. Pour a bottle into about 7 gallons of gas in you gas tank (when you gas gauge shows about half full) then run the tank almost empty. Then, fill the tank with about 7 gallons of gas and add another bottle and run the tank almost empty. Stick with premium fuel - I found that my Mazda likes Mobil or BP best. You may not see the results right away, but over a period of a few months you should. My car was the same way. It took a while to see actual improvement. After two or three consecutive cleanings with Chevron Techron, you should see some better performance. If not, you need professional fuel injector service.

    Also, it is necessary to periodically clean the EGR valve outlet passages in the intake manifold (just behind the throttle body). They clog with carbon with time.
  • mazda626atxmazda626atx Member Posts: 227
    Hi Guys,
    Does anyone think that using this injector cleaner is adviseable in a car that is running well.

    Alcan, Mr Shifright jump right in. I asked my Mazda mechanic in Greece and he thought that you could dislodge or cause a problem in a car thats running fine for 55K miles. If its not broke dont fix it, or can performance be restored in your opinions?
    Thx Guys
    Peter
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    Hi Mohammed LOL

    Pete's advice above is pretty solid. I've never had any problems using injector cleaner on higher mileage cars other than a slightly more noticeable clicking from the injectors as the buildup dissolves fron the pintles.

    The mountain LOL
  • whinkleywhinkley Member Posts: 1
    Me and my wife fought with this one for about 30,000 miles. The problem turned out to be the spark plugs we swapped in at that mileage. We used Autolites, an American brand. After we put these plugs in, we were changing plug wires every 3,000 miles or so, because of symptoms similar to yours. We found a mechanic that told us that American plug brands like Autolite do not last long in the higher rpm 4-cylinder engines, especially if the engine is a foreign makes such as Mazda. He recommended putting in some NGK, Nippendenzo or Bosch plugs along with a new set of plug wires. We bought some Bosch Plus 2s and also exchanged the lifetime plug wires that we had been using from Autozone for some new ones. The new plugs have made all the difference in the world. I keep expecting them to fail, but they appear to have completely solved our problem - no more hesitation whatsoever!
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