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Comments
The fly in this particular ointment is that on most cars, checking the belt to any degree beyond "Yep, there's a belt there" requires just about as much labor as changing the belt in the first place.
And anyway, $265 for peace of mind is, to my way of thinking, a heck of a bargain.
My question is, what exactly did he mean and what does the PCV valve do? And what happens if one doesn't replace the PCV valve when it needs to be done? What damage will it cause, if any?
I just replaced the MAF sensor in my '95 LX (4-cyl). The part cost me $99(at Auto zone) and took about 20 minutes to replace. Your Haynes manual will give you a fairly simple procedure to test and replace this part. If you don't want to mess around with the diagnostic test they outline, just check the MAF's connector for corrosion or other junk that may impede a good connection. If there is no evidence of a poor connection, the part is probably broken. The sensor is located in the air intake system just after the air filter and looks something like a section of flared aluminum pipe with a black chip on the top. Easy fix.
The other device that my be causing your engine light to come on is a faulty O2 sensor. That's also easy to replace. You will need to get a slotted ratchet socket to take the old one out and put in the new one. I got that sensor for $63(at Auto zone) and the slotted socket cost me $20. The O2 sensor is located aft of the exhaust manifold in the lower section of the engine. Use some liquid wrench and make sure the exhaust pipes are hot when you try to take it out. If it's cold, the threading may jam and you could twist the sensor off.
As for the oil level, well, if the crankcase is full of vapor, there's that much less room for actual oil; keeping that stuff out of there also protects the oil from contamination, which is good for the oil and good for the engine.
This part is about as DIY-able as they come, and costs fairly little, so there's no reason not to do it.
1. New tires, struts, an alignment, rear calipers,
rear brake pads, and machined rotors
= $1300
2. New serpentine belts = $150
3. New .02 sensors = $190
4. Major tune-up = $400
5. New CV joints = $330
6. New timing belt, water pump, and PCV valve
= $280
I know that $2650 is a lot of money to invest in a car that only cost me $5775 but I really love my 626 and I want to keep it for a good long time. I just hope that I won't have to spend anymore money on any other major repairs for quite sometime. Wish me luck and happy motoring. Thanks windowphobe6 for all your help and expertise.
This brings the grand total to $3290 instead of $2650. Wow! I can't believe I've invested more than over half of the $5775 that it cost me to buy the car in the first place.
Does anyone think that it was crazy of me to invest $3290 on my 94 626? It's amazing what one will do when they love their car...
It's a 97 626 V4 LX with 75000 miles on it. Everything looks fine except two problems I feel I need to ask gurus here. (1) sitting on the seat, there is a fairly evident vibration going on. Is this normal for 626? The engine sounds fine when I opened the hood. (2) Lack of power when test driving. There are three adults inside while testing.
Thanks
I just got a new 626 (4 cylinder) and have a few questions about it.
1) Is this a "zero interference" engine? If the timing belt breaks will the engine be damaged? I know that I don't need to worry about it for a long time but I am just curious.
2) This is my fourth Mazda, second 626, and I notice on this car I sometimes get a "oil" smell inside the car while driving. It seems to come in through the heating / cooling system. Am I crazy or has anyone else noticed this?
Thanks
Tony
There is another problem after the replacement (which also occurs occasionally before). Now, when I shift from drive to park, the Idle speed will drop largely which almost makes the engine to stall. It doesn't happen at stop light, but only happens with the shift. I don't know whether it's because the computer is relearning after the battery was disconnected when I replaced the MAF sensor.
On the other hand, that much load should take some of the buzz out of it, so if it's really got the shakes, that's another good reason to pass it up.
You sure you don't have an air leak around that new MAF? Nothing screws up idle quite as efficiently as air leaks.
I suppose I could go slash my belt and see what happens, but that might be a bit extreme.
What you're probably smelling is overfill spilling onto something warm. If it doesn't go away in a thousand miles or so, complain.
Does the "fragrance" go away if you set the airflow to Recirculate?
For those keeping score, here's the maintenance so far (five months) for my 2000 LX: oil/filter change, $19; replace wiper blade bent by visiting thug, $17; total, $36.
Last weekend I changed my spark plugs (96' 626 ES-V6), and noticed the first one from the left in the front (when standing in front of the car) was covered by engine oil! What is wrong? Love this baby so much, and can't wait to find out the cause. Any ideas, please tell. Thanks >>>>>>>
Ask, and sometimes, you shall receive. Ask not, and chances are, they will not volunteer to give. Ask, and if they say no -- ask again, but try being meaner about it. Sometimes being mean really works. Good-luck.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
(And no, I didn't actually have this done; I just looked it up.)
Well, as we know, just as easily as things can improve over time, they can also become far more complicated.
But, you're right, the book is what they go by when estimating (although, in reality, it could take more or less time). I stand in amazement.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY - R&I
1979-94
B2000, B2200, GLC, 626......... 3.2
Combinations
*Transmission Assembly - Replace..... .6
*Converter - R&R ........ .1
*Seal, Front Pump - R&R..... .5
*Flywheel - R&R........... .2
Same vehicles, Transmission R&R AND OVERHAUL is 11.8 hours. Which labor guide were you using that quoted 18.1 hours to R&R the trans?
Anyway, the pertinent figure here is 6 hours flat, plus 0.4 if the flywheel has to be replaced also. My apologies for my apparent inability to line up tabular data. (Maybe this is the year I get new glasses after all.)
I suspect Mitchell's is probably closer to the actual time it takes to R&R one of these units, anyway.
That's much closer to what I originally thought it should be.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
In the meantime, I've been poking around some of the steeper grades in this neck of the woods - contrary to popular belief, Oklahoma is not cookie-sheet flat, at least not around where I live - in an effort to provoke untoward behavior from the CD4E. About the only time I really wanted a two-cog downshift and didn't get it was up a narrow two-laner in front of an M-Class Mercedes in a hurry. The Benz ultimately passed me, a whole 100 yards in front of its turnoff, and I suppose it would have been nice to leave Mr I-Want-My-Slurpee-Now in the dust, but you can't have everything with 130 hp.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
The hard fact remains: It's hard enough to get any compensation from MNAO when the tranny goes at 51,000 miles, though it has been done.
By all means, pursue whatever remedies you like. I have a great deal of difficulty imagining, however, a court that would rule that a transmission that failed after seven years or a hundred thousand miles is somehow defective.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
I guess the real question is "How many oil changes did they think you lacked?" If you followed the schedule in the manual, even if someone else performed the maintenance, their position crumbles like a twenty-year-old radiator hose.
There's an "Engine Sludge" thread elsewhere in Maintenance & Repair, but it may cast more heat than light on the subject.
Interestingly, the one thing in Mazda engines you'd think would be most susceptible to damage from sludge - the array of hydraulic valve-lash adjusters - turns out to be absent from the '98 626.
I have a '88 626, 240K, running fine, but the A/C has lost gas during the past 3-4 years.
Looking for a cheap solution for this summer (who knows where this car will be next year) I found an $40 R134 retrofit kit, which seems to be quite easy to use.
1. However, the fine print of the manual in the kit mentions that it may be necessary to replace other components (like the filter/dryer, or the valve) as well.
Do you think I really need to do that for my Mazda, or this A/C is compatible with the new gas.
2. Another thing I cannot understand is that according to the kit application manual I do not need to bleed and evacuate the system. It is OK that it has no more refrigerant, but what about the R12 oil that is probably still in there?
Thanks
Arpad
I have a '88 626, 240K, running fine, but the A/C has lost gas during the past 3-4 years.
Looking for a cheap solution for this summer (who nows where this car will be next year) I found an $40 R134 retrofit kit, which seeems to be quite easy to use.
1. However, the fine print of the manual in the kit mentions that it may be necessary to replace other components (like the filter/dryer, or the valve) as well.
Do you think I rally need to do that for my Mazda, or this A/C is compatible with the new gas.
2. Another thing what I do not understand is that according to the kit application manual I do not need to bleed and evacuate the system. It is OK that it has no more refrigerant, but what about the R12 oil that is probably still in there?
Thanks
Arpad
If you've had 190K miles on the original transmission - you should be damn glad if you ask me...
By the way - there are lots of oppinions on the 1-2 "kick" shift. Did you have it since the beginning or it started just before the tranny died ?
But right now they are intimidating you and you need to take a stronger and more rational position. Your current defense is too weak even though your cause may be very just.