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"I am serious, and don't call me Shirley."
question is, have you MODDED your engine lately, such that the stock clutch can no longer hold the power???
if not, stick with OE is the easiest solution...
obviously install fees depends on labor rate and what kind of deal you're getting from the shop.
both of these are well-known clutch manufacturers that make clutch kits for many cars
When doing a search for new Mazda Parts online, I didn't find that many competing dealers offering their wares at a discount. I chose one dealer in Birmingham who has an internet site advertising the sale of new Mazda parts. Anyone else know of other sites offering discounted new parts?
The part was $56 with shipping, somewhat steep considering the value of my old car. Thankfully, new parts are not needed very often.
1995 Protege LX 5 spd.- still going strong at 172K miles.
If anyone is looking for a cheap driving thrill, then attend the Mazda revitup competition at a city near you. I was at the St. Louis event a couple of weekends ago and had a good time. $40 gets you 10 timed runs in new Mazda 3s and 6s. Eight runs are practice and two are a competition where the fastest time at each weekend event wins an all expense paid trip to the national event at Leguna Seca. I finished 115 out of 906 drivers, not bad for my first try at racing real cars. Oh, and the new Mazda 3 is definitely more fun to drive than my '95 Protege.
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Meade
Any suggestions?
Thanks
Other things to try: clean injectors, clean valves (you might try an extended highway trip to burn-off some carbon deposits first...it's easier).
Meade
Are all pro AC units this weak?
It doesn't take 20 minutes to cool my car, but it has to run on full-blast to overcome the recent heat.
Rented a Neon last week and even do that car was not to my liking its AC rocked. Made me wish that my 2003 Pro ES air had half the power.
BTW, it hit 91 with high humidity Sunday and the a/c worked just fine!
Meade
My '99 Protege has an adequate AC unit. The one in my wife's '03 P5 is fine, if the computer doesn't decide to cycle it off due to competing demands for power. I noticed that it turns off when I ask for more than mild acceleration (as when merging onto roads, passing etc.). I hate when cars try to think for me too much. I guess they decided it would make the power loss due to running the compressor less noticeable. However, it means the AC takes longer to cool the cabin or it blows warm air instead of cool air.
I prefer the fully-manual AC in my older Protege. When I want more oomph (like merging onto the freeway), I turn off the AC myself and then turn it back on after I've got up to speed. The auto-off function in my wife's P5 surprised me. I thought the AC had failed (the button was pushed-in, but the light was off) at first. No wonder my wife thinks her AC sucks (though she maintains she's never noticed it turning itself off while accelerating). I think it works fine when it's on. Of course, her car has a black leather interior, which doesn't help.
Try using a windshield shade and opening the windows until the interior is down to ambient temperature.
What color is your pro?
I hate it when I go into people's houses and they have their a/c just cranked inside so you have to wear your winter sweater to stay warm, I don't understand?
I began to get hot and asked him why he wasn't using his a/c. He then told me that he prefers not to use it, because when he does, the blast of hot air he gets when stepping out of the vehicle makes him sweat once he gets inside wherever he's going.
At first I thought he was insane (like most bosses are, right?) but I began trying his little method -- not leaving the a/c off, but not using it full-blast like I used to. Sure enough, the old f__t was right -- I now prefer getting the car down to a comfortable (not "Antarctic Winter", but comfortable) temperature, then I crank the thermostat up to about 10 or 11 o'clock and set the fan speed to 1 or 2. I stay comfortable, as opposed to having ice form on my legs and arms like I used to do, and when I get out of my car and walk across the street to the office, I don't break out in a sweat like I used to do when I left a 60-degree car and faced a 95-degree rush of air when I left the car.
It works!
(BTW, in case you're gonna use what I just said against me, I will say that I apply the above scenario when I'm wearing a business suit on workdays ... on weekends, when I'm in a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and heading to Home Depot, I turn that baby to Siberian Popsicle and let it freeze my feet to the floor.)
Meade
Being a native Canadian, I never got used to the heat in South Florida and had the Protege A/C on full cold all the time. I thought that the little 1.6L engine would have trouble keeping up with full A/C and the demands of SoFla driving, but it did fine.
Why wouldn't I? I keep my other car's climate control at 67. Every car I've ever owned I've run the AC all year round. I'm comfortable between 60 and 72-73. I don't mind below 60 but I loathe over 75. I moved to San Diego over a decade ago to avoid the miserable heat of the Sierras (over 80 degrees from april thru september) where I grew up.
>>Try using a windshield shade and opening the windows until the interior is down to ambient temperature.<<
Leave the windows down and pop the sunroof. That means the car's just as hot as the outside air. That doesn't solve any problems.
>>What color is your pro? <<
Unfortunately, dark green. If only there'd been a white or silver one available. Cool - temp wise - colors that keep clean for long periods.
"Leave the windows down and pop the sunroof. That means the car's just as hot as the outside air. That doesn't solve any problems"
I think this would solve some problems. Wouldn't it be better to have your car at 80-90F rather than 140-160F+. Its just like an oven in there with the windows/roof closed up. I also have tinted windows and I leave my roof open on vent and part the back window towards the sun. I find this makes a huge difference with the temperature inside the car when I return. But remember, don't leave any windows open if there is any chance of thunderstorms. I've seen it done before.
BTW, no chance of a thunderstorm here. Snowing would be just as likely.
It was 89 when I drove home yesterday and I tested my A/C on full blast. Bone-chilling! Had the thermostat up to 9 o'clock 10 minutes into my ride.
BTW, here's an A/C tip for those of us in hot, humid areas: turn the compressor off and the fan to high about a minute or two prior to reaching your destination. This will help dry out the system so it doesn't sit and "sweat" after you park. That "sweating" causes moisture to stay in the system, which turns to mildew and can make your car smell like grungy gym socks the next time you use the A/C!
Meade
After growing up in the Sierras - evenings and mornings in the 20s, 30s and 40s - once I got to San Diego I stopped wearing jackets. I own one coat and I think it might be in my office closet. Or maybe the guest room closet. Shrug.
1. I am 6-1 and weigh 270 pounds. I'm what they call a "big and tall" guy (with emphasis on "big"). I frequently refer to myself, especially when the administrative assistants in my office complain that "it's sooo coooold in here," as a "well-insulated individual." I tell them they can always put on a sweater or wear long sleeves -- the converse of that is to see me start shedding clothing because I'm too hot. They always agree to let it stay cool after I say that, for some reason.
2. I have a Radio Snack digital indoor-outdoor thermometer -- several of them, in fact. I'm a "weather junkie." On one of Richmond's infamous 95-degree, 100-percent-humidity afternoons two Julys ago (when my Protege was already two years old), I took one of them outside and into my car. Driving down the interstate, I stuck the "outdoor" probe of the thermometer into one of my center dash vents. The air blowing out of my vent was 43 degrees.
Yes, forty-three degrees. This compares with my previous vehicle, a 1994 Mazda B2300 pickup, which could only manage 50 degrees, and my home, a pair of 1996 Rheems (lol), which put out 48-degree air.
I stand behind my "bone-chilling" comment. My Protege blows out air that's more in the refrigerator territory. If yours doesn't, I can only assume that either (a) you don't have yours in recirculate, or (b) your air-conditioning system needs maintenance or repair.
Meade
Food cooks faster in:
1. an oven OR
2. an open bonfire
do u get the point?
when i step on the gas, to rocket out from a standstill in a perfectly straight road, without my hands on the steering wheel, the steering wheel slihgtly favours the right. This is really bugging me.
Would 4 wheel alignment solve this problem??
is this natural with all front wheel cars with this much km so much used??
experts let me know
I wouldn't worry about it unless it's jerking your hands off the wheel. The faster you try to "rocket" from a stop, by the way, the more pronounced it's going to be.
BTW ... What kind of name is "nma"? Some of us like to address each other by name. Please put one in your profile!
Meade
Meade
It's on recirc. So it sounds like another trip to Mazda. Ughh.
Meade
My dealer looked at it and diagnosed the problem: the seal between master cylinder and power brake unit failed. The regional factory rep was there and authorized the repair; however, only parts cost would be covered gratis. Not great, but the sad thing is that the master cylinder is on a national back-order with a one week lead time. ARGGG.
Good thing that the car is still "driveable" according to the dealer... it is just leaking a little fluid out of a seal. I called Mazda NAO and they stated that the factory rep has the final say. Anyone with a similar experience or comments??
MARTIN
BTW, what's the financial damage estimate?
Meade
It may be new strut time.
Anybody had any experience with replacing the struts on their third-generation Protege? What did you get (did Mazda do it or did you take it somewhere else or do it yourself) and how much did you pay?
The car passed state inspection last week with flying colors (whatever those are), and it was then that I made my decision that next May will be when I trade it for a new Mazda3.
Justification:
I figure it won't pass inspection next May because it will need new brakes and tires. It also has a small crack in the windshield that passed inspection this time, but if it widens any, it won't next time, and I don't feel like putting windshield No. 3 in this vehicle. I'm also wondering whether, if I do have worn struts, if I can make do with them (they're just a noise nuisance right now, and only if you listen for them) for a year without replacing them. With the mileage the car will have on it by then (roughly 95,000), I don't think the few things it needs will grossly affect the sheepish trade-in value.
I just had my 60,000-mile service done about 5,000 miles ago, and the timing belt isn't supposed to be changed until 105,000 miles. So next May at 95K looks like the delivery date of my new baby!
Now, should it be Winning Blue Metallic or Screaming Pumpkin Mica?
Meade
I had the dealer do it. Cost per piece was about $135 for each front strut and total labor was about $130 for both plus some time to inspect the brakes while they had the wheels off, plus the coolant flush etc.
I've done shocks before -- other than a little elbow grease there was really nothing to it. I might invest $15 in a Haynes manual to see what's involved -- might be money well spent.
Meade
Good to know...looks like mine will be getting replaced this summer....