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Mazda 626 Troubles

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Comments

  • mrdetailermrdetailer Member Posts: 1,118
    On my 1991 Mazda I just had the Oxy sensor replaced and a Fuel Injection cleaning service that was run on a special machine for about 45 minutes. It has 121 thousand miles. I read in a manual that the sensor should be changed every 60K.

    For the first few minutes it ran a bit rough. But after the car warmed up it quieted right down and has been quieter and smoother ever since. My wife drove it for 100 miles yesterday and was thrilled with the increase in performance.

    On another car that had it's OXY sensor replaced at 170K it increased the average gas mileage from 21 to 26 MPG -- and that's on ethynol.
  • pjsichpjsich Member Posts: 2
    My wife owns a 1996 Mazda 626, 4-cylinder, automatic with about 70k miles on it. It has developed a slight knocking problem. After having only limited success with the after market fuel system cleaners, I thought I would check the base timing. The Mazda is very similar to the Ford Probe and I checked my Haynes manual and it describes the procedure - a key element of which is shorting across the Spout Connector. After some discussions and additional research, I came to realize this is how Ford organizes the ignition system on that vintage vehicle. Trouble is - finding the Spout on the 1996 Mazda. According to Haynes, the 1996, 5 speed transmission version has a pair of pins in the diagnostic connector that can be manually shorted. Prior year vehicles have the ICM integrated with the distributor (and the spout may be easier to find). This model year has the ICM integrated with the PCM - which is difficult to get to. I can't believe that resetting the base timing can be this hard. Does anyone (like windowphobe6) know where I can locate this connector on the 96, 4-cylinder, auto transmission.
  • windowphobe6windowphobe6 Member Posts: 765
    The FS/automatic combo's spout connector comes with a shorting bar in place, which you have to remove; to be honest, I've never even looked for the thing, but that's what it says in the literature. The most likely place for this little dofunny is down in the distributor wiring harness, so if you see a two-wire cable that just seems to be going nowhere - and it has a plastic plug sticking into its maw - you've probably found it. (Checking this on my 2000 proved fruitless; it doesn't even have a distributor.)

    You do have a timing light, right?
  • paul29paul29 Member Posts: 178
    Checked the factory manual for the 97 /626/4cyl/auto. For this combo it appears you need the dealer's diagnostic hookup (NGS set) with this hooked up and set to PID/DATA monitor and record , engine normal operating temp and all electrical loads off , you can then use a timing light to verify timing is within BTDC 6-18 deg. Now if you had the FS or KL manual trans model you can ground the #10 terminal at the data link connector and then measure timing with the light. It also states that "basically, idle speed/ ignition timing adjustments are not necessary for this model" Hope this is of help.
  • pjsichpjsich Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the info on the spout. Two engineers at work (who are also car buffs) tried to help me locate this thing to no avail. It sounds like the shop manual for the similar 97 model confirms that I will never find it. One other thing, if I take the vehicle in to my friendly mechanic's gas station (or Jiffy Lube) and ask them to check the base timing - well, what would they do? I can't imagine they have the Mazda specific diagnostic kit. Would they simply put the timing light on it and claim "they have checked and adjusted the timing". Or would they route me to my expensive local Mazda dealer.

    The knocking isn't too bad. If I periodically fill the vehicle with premium, it keeps it well under control. I reviewed many of the previous messages and noticed some folks suggested an engine clean-out by Jiffy Lube. Also, because of the deep well for the spark plug, I think some have suggested replacing the spark plug wires about now (the 70k mark). Any strong opinions on these options.

    Thanks again for the help
  • mrdetailermrdetailer Member Posts: 1,118
    See #951.

    One of the signs that this treatment was needed was the demand for premium.

    I am really amazed at how much smoother the performance was. We've driven it over 500 miles now, and the engine is smoother and more responsive.

    I would also recommend the Oxy sensor. Recommended maintenence on those is every 60K. You can purchase them for a good price at www.buyoxygensensors.com. Purchase the OEM version to save labor cost, and having to solder one end of the connection.

    I would also recommend having the dealer clean the MAF sensor. My mechanic did it on my son's 1997 for only $35.00. There are details on this procedure in this and the Ford Probe's discussion group.
  • mazdamad1mazdamad1 Member Posts: 5
    Well..... I just got back from mazda and my tranny needs to be replaced....2200.00 !!! It launches ok but seems to slip on 3rd or 4th gear. I have seen limited success on the part of people who have lobbied mazda about this very issue in 626 autos.... Has anyone had any success? I would be happy if they went 50/50 .... Any input would be great thanks!
  • mark38lmark38l Member Posts: 10
    My 98 Mazda 626 with 77,000 miles has had the check engine light on for about 10,000 miles. The light has come off and on starting at approx. 45,000 miles.

    The car has no problems, gas mileage and pick-up is fine.

    Is there a simple way to shut off this light? (fuse removal?)

    Thanks
  • windowphobe6windowphobe6 Member Posts: 765
    This is clearly something that the DaimlerChrysler Five Star board and Ford's Blue Oval certifiers and any other dealer-improvement groups need to look into: why it is that people will do practically anything to avoid setting foot in the dealership once the keys are handed over.

    Dear Mark: Fix your oxygen sensor. That should make the light go off after two or three cycles.
  • w2323w2323 Member Posts: 60
    Hi guys,

    Just wanted to let some of you know that you can get an extended warrenty at sams club, also at some credit unions.

    I'm looking at an extended warrenty 7 years 100,000 miles through sams.

    The one I'm getting is for my Sienna 2001 costs about at 1100 bucks no deductible. You have to call them for pricing on the 100k one its not on their site. To get the site and number just call the number on your sams card.

    This warrenty also includes free rental and towing. I think its a great deal, I havent purchased my car yet but looking at a 626. I dont care what car you own. You should buy a warrenty. one bad ac or trans or engine and it pays for itself.

    Hope this is helpful for some of you guys.
    keep up the posts.
  • windowphobe6windowphobe6 Member Posts: 765
    No deductible? That's fairly impressive. Does it have any blatant exclusions?
  • jerryc5jerryc5 Member Posts: 1
    1994 626, 4 cyl, 5-speed manual tran., 75,000 miles
    While driving at highway speed, engine turns off for 1-2 seconds then restarts. No sputtering on turn off or turn on. Tach goes to zero, no engine lights come on. Has even done this with cruise control on. When engine restartss, cruise control is still activated. Happened to my son twice yesterday afternoon on a 125 mile trip. Happened once or twice a month ago. Then nothing till last week when it happened two or three times. Has not occured on city streets. No starting or idling problems. The event is almost over before you realize something is wrong.
    Help!
  • windowphobe6windowphobe6 Member Posts: 765
    Sounds like the thermal-overload problem that bedeviled the ignition modules on '93s and '94s. (Cruise control makes no difference.) What's really fun is that this sets no codes. If you can find the module separately, you're in luck, but expect them to try to sell you an entire distributor.
  • tro4tro4 Member Posts: 5
    Hey windowphobe6 and other helpful folks -- I have been taking care of my Mom's 626 for a couple of years now, and one thing I want to do is a partial drain and refill of the trans fluid. The car drives fine, no symptoms, but the fluid is starting to turn brown (clear brown, but still brown). She doesn't drive much -- only 29k on the car, and it might shift a little harshly, but I'm probably imagining that.

    I've considered doing a flush, but with such low miles, I want to do the drain 3 quarts and refill first as a cheap experiment. My question is -- where is the drain plug? Is it the plug that requires an allen wrench in the center of the bottom of the tranny? The dealer told me to use the same crush washer as the oil drain plug, but this one on the tranny doesn't appear to have any crush washer on it at all. Is this it, or do I have to drop the pan (not my favorite activity)??

    Oh, and one other thing -- any issues with using Dextron 3? I understand it is compatible with Dextron 2, and OK to blend.

    Thanks!
  • rayfbairdrayfbaird Member Posts: 183
    A drain and fill every 15K with standard, or every 30K with syn should help a lot. I would also use Lubegard. Since it is dark now, I would do a complete flush.

    Too much money for a replacement.
  • windowphobe6windowphobe6 Member Posts: 765
    My shop manual for the GF4A-EL doesn't even mention the drain plug, but then it's the '93 edition, and if Chilton's is to be believed, they didn't start putting drain plugs in these things until, um, 1995.

    At least you have a pan you can drop, unlike those of us out here in CD4Eland.

    Mazda's current recommendation, last I heard, was Dexron II, IIE, or III. Ray's 15k advice for same seems sound enough.
  • tro4tro4 Member Posts: 5
    OK, you guys are giving me courage to drop the pan as a first step (I may still do the flush later). I don't have a shop manual yet, so here are a couple of questions to boost my courage even more:
    1. can you tell me the torque specs for the tranny pan bolts on the GF4A trans?

    2. Is it wise to coat the new pan gasket I will get from the dealer with any permatex or anything else, or just put it on dry?

    3. anything I should look for when I drop the pan to see what kind of condition the tranny is in?

    4. Is there a preferred sequence to torquing he bolts to prevent leaks?

    5. Do I refill the trans through the dipstick (hope so)or is there a filler port on top of the trans (hope not).

    As Roseanne Roseanadana said, "you ask a lot of questions for someone from New Jersey"! So I appreciate the help!
  • windowphobe6windowphobe6 Member Posts: 765
    1. Torque the bolts (both for the filter and the pan itself) to 8.4-10.7 Nm (74-95 in-lb).

    2. Install the gasket as is.

    3. There's a magnet down there to attract ferrous debris; anything you find there is steel. There may be nonferrous material also, probably worn off a band. Small amounts of either aren't worth worrying about, but big chunks should give you pause.

    4. I don't see any prescribed sequence, but I'd do them the way I do lug nuts - don't do two adjacent ones in sequence.

    5. Fill through the dipstick tube. Refill capacity on this thing is 9.3 US quarts.
  • sugarmagsugarmag Member Posts: 10
    Hope someone has got some advice for me. I have a 99 626 ES V6 that I purchased new. I just ran out of warranty in Jan. Of course now I'm having problems with the paint. I noticed last week that the hood & trunk have white spots on them. SOme are just spots, almost like chips, some are what I've heard called "crows feet", where the paint looks like its splitting. I have been EXTREMELY careful w/ my car - its hand washed every week, waxed every 3-4 months, w/ a full detail twice a year. It's also been garage kept up until the last 4 months when we moved. It's dark blue, so this is why I've been so anal about it. And it seems like all this effort was wasted. What can I do, can I do anything to make it not get any worse? Do I have any recourse w/ Mazda? I don't want to have to get a paint job & kill my resale value even more. Please help. I'm going to try & get by the dealer next week, but I didn't have any luck w/ my tranny ghost before so I'm not expecting much.
  • tro4tro4 Member Posts: 5
    Thanks, windowphobe6, for the excellent advice. I was thinking that if I dropped the pan, I would get 3-4 quarts out, and fluid in the torque converter would stay up there. Will I get more than that?
  • windowphobe6windowphobe6 Member Posts: 765
    You can pull the torque convertor out if you're so inclined, but I tend to think that it's more trouble than it's worth.
  • korchmakorchma Member Posts: 12
    Hello everybody,

    I am about to purchase a Mazda Extended Protection Plan (administered by APCO).
    It will cost me $1199 for 6/100000.
    I have 626 auto/4 cyl/2000 with no problems.
    Does anybody have any experience with this kind of warranty?
    Thanks!
  • korchmakorchma Member Posts: 12
    .... it has 46 K now :)
  • mrdetailermrdetailer Member Posts: 1,118
    I would definitely buy it, and then not service it at all.

    I love my Mazda and my son loves his. However, it has a very fussy auto tranny.
  • flamazdaflamazda Member Posts: 11
    626, 4 cylinder 2.0 liter -- any after market one OK, our do we need to use OEM part? Dealer wants $16 for the little piece of plastic here. Thanks
  • mark38lmark38l Member Posts: 10
    My opinion is extened warranties are a waste of money, especially for $1,100.

    Use this as a guideline my 98 Mazda 626 has 78,000 miles. The only maintance other than oil changes has been a clutch and front brake job both at about 55,000 and both would not be covered under any warranty.

    If you still think you want the warranty bargin hunt with other Mazda dealers you can get it for alot less than $1,100.

    hope this helps
  • korchmakorchma Member Posts: 12
    Thanks, guys, for sharing your experience..
    I think I'll buy it this time, it's my first car and I am not sure of what to expect to..
  • mrdetailermrdetailer Member Posts: 1,118
    But don't neglect regular maintenence.
  • ckonnickckonnick Member Posts: 5
    just purchased a new leftover 2001 lx-v6 w/ auto trans (got a bargain). it has 175 miles. i notice a slight hesitation when i get on the throttle relatively hard from coast or stop. im planning on letting it break-in b4 worrying but i am slightly concerned that this car has been sitting on a lot for 2 years and the 175 miles tells me it probably never got "fresh gas". should i be concerned? any ideas otherwise? thanks.
  • ckonnickckonnick Member Posts: 5
    has anyone had any experience with warrantygold.com? they seem to have good prices.
  • bj02176bj02176 Member Posts: 115
    It will not improve, mine did that on a regular basis until I traded it at 6000 miles or so, also had this problem on 1999 Passat,so you are in good company.
  • dardson1dardson1 Member Posts: 696
    She has a 94LX V6 purchased new and has 21,000 miles on the odometer. (no kidding, is that about 250 miles a month?) It's never been in the shop for anything but oil changes. It is clean as a whistle, no dents or dings, the paint looks good and it drives great. In the last month she's had two episodes where the car would not start (after sitting a while), then, later would start. I drove it yesterday. She was sure her son could figure it our...lol. I punched the spunky little V6 into passing gear on the freeway, it responsed perfectly, but when it shifted back into overdrive the engine went dead. I put it in neutral and tried to restart. It would not. Pulled off the road, put it in park, shut everything off, and then hit the starter. Started right back up and couldn't get it to do it again. Somewhere back in this thread I read "Potential issues (with the 93-94 626) includes ....... possible thermal overload in the ignition module (if it dies at high speed and then starts right up after a few minutes, you've got it)." Looks like a duck, sounds like a duck, but is it a duck? Would this relate to a no-start issue as well? She took it to her local garage when the no-start thing happened, and they could not find anything.
  • matcheckmatcheck Member Posts: 2
    I have a 1994 Mazda 626 4cyl. Lately, it's been stalling at stops, due to low idle. It hesitates a bit, then shudders, then dies. I have 131,000 miles on it, and don't want to sink a bunch of money into it. However, I would like to buy some time to find a new car, if that's what I need...anyone have any idea what could be wrong with the car? Appreciate any thoughts, Thanks!
  • rayfbairdrayfbaird Member Posts: 183
    Costs about $100.00. How long since last tuneup?

    Engine should last much longer if you have taken care of it.
  • matcheckmatcheck Member Posts: 2
    At least I PAID for one....I repalced the fuel filter thinking that me be part of the problem, and it looked pretty old. Also replaced plugs and plug wires....the plugs looked fine, not corroded or otherwise. I'll have the fuel injectors cleaned and see if that does the trick, Thanks!
  • windowphobe6windowphobe6 Member Posts: 765
    The weird thing about that ignition-module issue is that it sets no codes. I haven't heard any reports of this being related to a cold-start issue, but it fits the profile otherwise, and as the old country song says, "If the phone don't ring, it's me."
  • dardson1dardson1 Member Posts: 696
    dealer replace the distributor.....I didn't even know cars still had a distributor.....we shall see but he assured me it would cause both the stalling when driving 55+ and the no start problem. All things considered and even though the car has only 21k miles, it has been virtually perfect since Jan of '94. Only in the last year have I noticed it showing it's age. My thought, mom has gotten her use outta this car and it's time for a new one. Any thoughts on the new ones? She loves her eight-years-of-trouble-free-driving Mazda and would do another.
  • windowphobe6windowphobe6 Member Posts: 765
    Well, among other things, they got rid of the distributor, they've stretched the wheelbase a smidgen, they abandoned the hydraulic valve-lash adjusters, 15-inch wheels are now the norm (and 16-inchers the option), and the cupholders are no longer a joke. There were also a couple of nonimprovements: the below-the-steering-wheel vent has been deleted, and there's no longer enough room on the left side of the footwell for a proper dead pedal. Most of these changes were implemented for the 1998 model year.
  • mrdetailermrdetailer Member Posts: 1,118
    There are a lot of improvements when the 2003 models come out. Among them they are getting back to a 2.3 liter engine with a fair amount of new horsepower.

    If you want to increase power and keep the engine running smooth, have a machine clean your fuel injectors.
  • wait777wait777 Member Posts: 2
    To really resolve this problem you have replace the IAC valve. My local mazda dealer did for $600/. My 95 626 has 96,000 miles and I recently had it in for a complete tune-up,replace tires etc., Total bill was 1200 dollars not including the replacement for the IAC valve.(Talk about hurting!). The dealer had the car overnight and gave me a 99 Camry as a loaner. Man what a difference!!!After driving a 626, the Camry feels like a dream in every respect. Even the maintainence cost is low. Till date I have spent $9000 in maintaininng/fixing this car. My 626 has been through every problem I have read so far in this board.Replaced transmission twice by the way.
    I am only hanging on to this junk since it is paid off. However I think it is time to cut my losses. The only thing these cars have going for them are the looks. Really sharp lookin.Other than that - a real piece of cr***. Never judge a book by it's cover. Toyota here I come!!
  • agt_cooperagt_cooper Member Posts: 202
    Sorry to hear about the problems you've had. However, based on many objective measures, the 626 family has a long history of reliability.

    As to the Camry being "like a dream", well, it is 4 years newer than your 626!!! You might have come away with the same impression had the dealer given you a '99 626.

    Anyway, best of luck with whatever you buy...
  • dardson1dardson1 Member Posts: 696
    check out the "engine sludge" thread before you buy a Toyota. I had an 01 Sienna that I hated. That thing buzzed, popped, clicked, rattled, and thumped like an old Dodge Caravan. I never got better than 17+mpg in town on premium fuel (per the book). Had it 19 months and never spent a day not looking for the latest rattle. On top of that, I worried about the sludge problem enough to feel the need to have the dealer do all the oil changes every 3k miles just so I'd have proof the job was done and on record. It meant cooling my heals at the Toyota dealership every few months waiting 1-2 hours for their slow oil changes. What a disappointment.
  • irishalchemistirishalchemist Member Posts: 152
    Dear All,

    I have a four-cylinder 626 from 95 with ~ 79K miles, auto-tranny. I bought it used with 68K a year ago, and it has had quite a bit of stuff fixed/changed (timming belt, CV joints/boots, breaks all around, radiator hose that cracked). Although I have spent some money on it, it is a reliable car, and my wife really depends on it. Furthermore, if I can get as many miles from this one as I did from my previous Mazda (a GLC that I sold with 170K on it and still running strong...), I'll be a happy man.

    A couple of days ago, the CEL light came on for a minute, and then it went out (the light...). My wife drove it for a couple of days, and she tells me that the light hasn't light up for her. However, I got on the car again today, and I figured out when the CEL lights up. If I punch the gas (get it to ~ 3000 - 3500 RPMs, which is something my wife does not do...), the CEL comes on, and then it goes off. I have read some of the messages in the board, and saw that a lot of people had this happening, and that most of the times it's the O2 sensors or the air sensor/meter. Why when you punch the gas??? Anyway, it's fairly DIY, so it this is it, I'll do it this weekend.

    Also, how often does the cooling fan goes on? I cannot remember how often it did last summer, but I think that the thing now goes on a lot more frequently than before (i.e., one out of two times you are in a traffic light, while parking, etc.). Is this normal and I just forgot, or is something getting clogged and the fan has to work overtime due to this. By the way, the engine temperature is fine (rock-solid slightly below 1/2 of the gauge).

    Many thanks in advance,

    Guillermo
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    The fans come on when the radiator gets hot enough to trigger the thermostatic switch OR you have the A/C on. Having the A/C on would include Defrost of course. Keep that in mind when doing your comparison to last year.

    CEL: Dunno about that one other than the fact that a car runs rich when you floor the accelerator and the exhaust temp goes down. It may just be the sudden change in exhaust temp that's getting to your O2 sensor.
  • windowphobe6windowphobe6 Member Posts: 765
    In the case the Maltster describes, the sensor is likely running out of its prescribed range for a brief period; eventually, electrical devices in this environment being what they are, it will be out of range most of the time and the light will stay on more often. I wouldn't worry about it until it does.
  • irishalchemistirishalchemist Member Posts: 152
    Thanks for the explanation on the CEL/fans. Now, I think I DO have to do a tune-up on the thing, as I have a relatively rough idle, some knocking on acceleration, etc., etc. Someone said that this may have caused poissoning of the O2 sensors (unburnt fuel getting to them). Does this sound right? I am meaning to get the codes from the ECU out, but my mechanic can't do it until next week...

    Guillermo
  • windowphobe6windowphobe6 Member Posts: 765
    This is theoretically possible. Of course, you have to fix what's producing the, um, toxins before you replace the sensors, or you'll be replacing a lot of sensors. Pulling the codes will help.
  • mrdetailermrdetailer Member Posts: 1,118
    My son had a problem, and all they did was clean the Mass Air Flow Sensor and the CEL went away. It's been a year now. This had to be done after changing the O2 sensors. A Mazda or Contour specialist knows the procedure.

    Unfortunately Oxygen sensors are a regular maintenence Item. buyoxygensensors.com has great prices for these.
  • irishalchemistirishalchemist Member Posts: 152
    Well, after reading your suggestions and doing some additional 'research', I decided on the the following plan:

    1) Try to get the ECU codes.
    2) Tune-up the thing. Change wires, plugs, etc. This may fix the somewhat rough (low RPM) idle.
    3) See if that takes care of the CEL, and if it does not, change sensors according to results from (1).

    Also, forgot to mention. My car has a known 626 problem, which is oil in the spark-plug wells (the left one looking at the car). This is probably due to the fact that when the timming belt was replaced the mechanic had to re-install it (the timming was off the first time around), and he probably worked 'fast' on it. I heard that tightening the valve cover bolts sometimes helps. I did noticed that the connectors of the plug wires are a little cracked, which is an obvious results of being soaked in hot oil...

    Does this sound reasonable? Any other suggestions on the matter will be greately appreciated.

    Guillermo
  • naz_sparkynaz_sparky Member Posts: 3
    The car has 88700 miles on it. Ran fine after I bought it at 88K miles. Then suddenly the CEL light came on and the engine started to idle erratically. I live at 7000 ft above sea level and the car spent the initial 88K miles down at sea level, could this be causing this problem? The CEL light now stays on and sometimes blinks. Any help will be appreciated.
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