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Mazda 626

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Comments

  • windowphobe6windowphobe6 Member Posts: 765
    Rather a lot of features were changed for '98: heater ducts under the front seats (for passengers in the rear) and the remote release for the gas-tank door were dropped, and the intermittent wipers were simplified (fewer speed settings). These were restored for 2000.
  • skibry1skibry1 Member Posts: 174
    Are we talking about the lever on the floor by the drivers seat...or is there a button on the the plastic fob that
    unlocks doors and trunk lid? Another upgrade in the doubleought was the rear seat arm rest with drink holder
    and stash compartment.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    Yes, the lever on the floor by the driver's seat. My '99 ES V6 has variable intermittent wipers, so I do not think they cut any corners on these. However, for the 99 model, ES V6 standard equipment fog lights and ABS brakes/traction controls were deleted as standard equipment. They still kept the oscilating dash vents and leather wrapped steering wheel/power sunroof as standard equipment. In 2000, or 2001, the standard power sunroof was deleted in the ES V6 models. Also, 2000 and up ES V6 models got 16 inch alloy wheels, instead of 15 inch I have.

    So it is a mixed bag of blessings. They add something, but delete a substantial piece of equipment, such as power sunroof.
  • knownotknownot Member Posts: 3
    I bought a used passenger side powered mirror for $80 dollars. A local salvage yard located it for me.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Yeah, if I had more time I might have gone that route also. But given I had to have the mirror installed and painted also, and the car was undrivable without the mirror (legally anyway), I decided to go the dealer route. They did a very nice job on it anyway.
  • desertroverdesertrover Member Posts: 1
    Hello folks, new here. My wifes Escort finally died and I was seriously thinking about replacing it with a Mazda 626. I have read some good things about the reliability but have read many horror stories about the trannys.
    The car I am considering is a 2001 626 4cyl with 81,000 miles on it. Do I have reason to worry about transmission problems? We live in Phoenix so it is harsh on motors/trannys. Any help would be appreciated we don't have a ton of cash to put in immediate repairs. Is there anything I should watch for on the test drive that might be a clue as to imminent tranny issues.
  • skibry1skibry1 Member Posts: 174
    Check for an extra radiator(for tranny fluid) the previous
    owner may have already installed one...or look for a five
    speed. Our DoubleOught left-leg flexor has been trouble
    free. Good luck
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    If the Mazda transmission cooler hasn't been added yet, insist that be thrown into the deal (costs about $200). The head tech at the dealer where I bought my 626 said they have had good success avoiding auto tranny problems by adding the cooler.

    The other thing to check is to make sure the car has had its 60k servicing. It's a major (and expensive one) and includes timing belt replacement and tranny flush. When I bought my 626 with 84k miles I found out the service had not been done, so I insisted it be thrown in. If you can't find out for sure if it has been done, assume it hasn't (for negotiating leverage).
  • skibry1skibry1 Member Posts: 174
    Hey backy, did you get a chance to SEE your belt?
    I was curious about it's integrity at 84K?
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I didn't bother. I bought the car from a dealer so I just told them I had to have the complete 60k service including timing belt done to seal the deal. There's lots of other things in that service including the tranny flush and spark plug replacement.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    Several things to look for. 5 speed manual ransmission is pretty much bulletproof (at least it is on my car at 150K miles). Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the clutches, as the hydraulic clutch components like the master cylinder and slave cylinder tend to leak internally after so many miles and need to be rebuilt or replaced. When they start leaking, the car will be difficult to shift into the first gear and eventully the clutch pedal will sink to the floor and the car will not be driveable.

    Auto transmissions - as already mentioned, an external cooler is a welcome addition. V6 auto tranmsissions are much better and more reliable units as they are Japanese made and much sturdier.

    As far as 60k timing belt change period is concerned: on the V6 this service is very expensive. I changed my belt at 105K miles and the old belt still looked really good. (Mazda actually uses a 105K miles belt in all 626 cars). All three belt idler pulley bearings (V6 has three of them) were worn out so I replaced the pulleys. But not with Mazda OEM because their prices are outrageous($ 180 per pulley!)Auto Zone sells a complete timing belt kit made by Gates co. which includes all three idlers at a very reasonable price: $100). I still used the OEM Mazda belt.

    I changed the timing belt myself and the cost of parts from Mazda at 20% discount and pulleys from Auto Zone was still about $ 600. But I replaced also the $ 200 tensioner, timing sprockets, all three oil seals, and the water pump. Also, both front and rear valve cover gaskets.
    Which necessitated removal of the intake manifold, And replacing two intake manifold gaskets and the fuel line metal washer.
  • pchildspchilds Member Posts: 1
    Having the same problem. Did you get this resolved.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    Yes. I was wrong in my initial assessment of the problem. The culprit was the leaking (internally) clutch master cylinder and/or clutch slave cylinder. Becuase of this, the clutch would not fully release, making shifting into first gear very difficult. Rebuilding the clutch master cylinder and clutch slave cylinder and bleeding the system solved the problem for good. The problem I had eventually got to the point where the clutch pedal would sink to the floor and the car was not driveable. At this point it was obvious what the problem was.

    Mazda offers rebuilt kits for both the master and slave cylinder for something like $ 20/piece, or you can buy replacement cylinders for $ 110 and $ 70, respectively.
  • saeedabidisaeedabidi Member Posts: 14
    Hello Guys,

    I have 63000 miles on my Mazda 626 LX, 1999 Model 2.5 liter 4 cylinders. I have not yet replaced the timing belt on my car and I was informed by the service people that this is very critical to be replaced. Mazda dealearship here costs around Cd$845.00 (canadian). This is the cost of 60,000 miles service on the car.

    Now I wanted to find out, if I should take this car to mazda dealership or any mechanic should be able to replace the timing belt. The local mechanic has given me a cost of almost half the amount.

    Will greatly appreciate any insight.

    Thank you..........
  • putteringputtering Member Posts: 17
    Yes that sounds good. I would get a slice of pizza with the money saved at thre local mechanic,maybe several pies for the whole team.
  • windowphobe6windowphobe6 Member Posts: 765
    The belt is tricky to get to, but it doesn't require any Mazda-specific tools or anything like that; if your local guy is good, he should be able to handle this.
  • saeedabidisaeedabidi Member Posts: 14
    Thank you. Do you think that if my local guy is not good enough then is it possible that the car timings will be off. Or what exactly this timing belt do, is a very critical part and only experts can handle this thing.

    Thanks again.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    There is no Mazda 626 with a 2.5 liter 4 cylinder engine. 2.0 liter? The 2.5 liter is a V6.
  • saeedabidisaeedabidi Member Posts: 14
    Thank you, I have LX mazda with 4 cylinder for sure, then it is 2.0 liter.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    The timing belt is a VERY critical component. It controls the valve timing in relation to the engine crankshaft.

    A common problem encountered during timing belt replacement on double overhead cam engine (DOHC) with two cam sprockets is that the sprockets must be precisely aligned with the timing marks when a new belt is being installed. The valve spring tension will sometimes cause the sprockets to rotate out of the proper position when the old belt is removed, so one has to line them back up and hold them during new belt installation. One good way to prevent this problem is to use a locking tool, which locks the cam sprockets in place before the old belt is removed. This tool is available from aftermarket suppliers, such as Leslie tools. Unfortunately, it will not work on the V6 models because the sprockets are too far apart.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    You can buy OEM Mazda parts from http://www.albanymazda.com at discounted prices (about 30%-40% off the retail price.
  • caseysdubs1caseysdubs1 Member Posts: 11
    Where can I get this "Tranny Cooler"? I'd need to have it installed as well.

    Thanks alot,
    Casey
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Probably any auto parts store can get one for you. I got mine (for a 2000 626) from the Mazda dealer, and they installed it. Total cost was a little over $200. Have had no problems with the transmission since (about 11 months ago).
  • limboandlisalimboandlisa Member Posts: 6
    anyone have a link to the stereo wiring ? My 1995 626 has had the wires chopped off and I need to put in an aftermarket unit.
    thanks, Limbo
  • vantagemotorsvantagemotors Member Posts: 14
    I don't have a link but I can give you the wiring fom the service manual

    L/H door speaker, blue with yellow tracer and red with blue tracer

    R/H door speaker, blue with black tracer and blue with orange tracer

    L/H rear speaker, green with black tracer and green with orange tracer

    R/H rear speaker, solid green and yellow with green tracer

    constant power wire is blue with red tracer

    acc power wire 'KEY ON" is blue with white tracer

    black is ground

    power antenna wire is yellow with red tracer

    I hope this helps.
  • limboandlisalimboandlisa Member Posts: 6
    wow, thanks for the quick response, will try to install it tomorrow. PEACE!
  • ajhugsajhugs Member Posts: 2
    My car doesn't seem to be getting any gas. When you press on the gas the car just barely putts along. We replaced the fuel filter, but it didn't make a difference. Someone told us we need to replace the Emission Switch? Can someone tell me what exactly that is and is it something we could replace ourselves. Any help is appreciated.
    Thanks.
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    No such animal as an emission switch, but you need to check the fuel pressure at the rail and do a flow test as well.

    The fuel filter was a good guess but it may be something else that's clogged or your fuel pump is failing.
  • r0br0b Member Posts: 1
    hey my name is rob i just bought a 97 mazda 626 it has 127,000 miles on it it had a blown head gasket so i refurbished the head at a performance shop. i found the antifreeze leak it was the water pump so while replacing the water pump i replaced the timing belt and fired her up she started. i brought it to work and ran a diagnostic it came up with camshaft alignment sensor ( the ditributor) o2 sensor ( the one on the exhaust manifold not the down pipe) so i replaced the distributor, cap, rotor, plugs, and wires. the o2 senor ( i got it from a ford probe rather spend 7 bucks than $171 ) and it has a smooth idle but it is very sluggish under acceleration i believe the i am pushing the gas pedal way to far down to get the rpms where they are as well as at one point when i gave it gas more than half throttle it did not accelerate at all! if anyone has any tips or tricks please drop me a line this is my second 626 2.0 and i love it so iam not gonna give up on it my next step is a new airfilter checking for any inake manifold leaks and the fuel system it was sitting there for some time before i bought it
  • hicksduhicksdu Member Posts: 1
    hey i had the same exact problem with my 94 626 i have put so much money into this car but i love it so much its worth keeping.........but what i ended up doing is messing around with it and i unpluged my mass air flow sensor and i would not idle after that but i had all my power back so i dont know what cancels out do to me unpluging it but i works you just have to tweak with it to force it to idle if you figure out anything i would love an email thanks
  • tshoffnertshoffner Member Posts: 1
    Has anyone done this to their 626 and if so, could you pass on your recommendations or directions? I know it's possible, but the path I was taking lead to a dead end.
  • askperryaskperry Member Posts: 21
    I had a similar problem on another car. For me it was a circular plate that covers the crank shaft pulley. It had a notch in it to align the gears when reinstalling the timing belt. I put it on backward, throwing the timing off almost 180 degrees. The car started sluggishly and wouldn't get any faster than about 30mph with gas all the way to the floor.

    I found out after taking everything apart again and inspecting all of my timing marks.

    Good luck.
  • petelinepeteline Member Posts: 8
    As a local commute vehicle, I have just purchased a 1997 Mazda 626 LX with 181,000 Km for $1500. I had a mechanic put it up on the hoist and check things over before making the purchase and he gave it a thumbs up, especially the price! I see from receipts in the vehicle that in July/07 the brakes were replaced all round ($450) and in Oct/06 ball joints, a wheel bearing, other steering related components were replaced ($450). The car seems to be running well and the only requirement is a good set of tires all round.

    Unfortunately there is no owners manual in the car. On eBay, I have a found a well priced 1997 Mazda 626 Cronos manual. I was wondering what the "subtle" difference was between the two vehicles (626 Cronos vs 626 LX).

    Some minor points that I would appreciate if anyone out there with the knowledge could answer:-

    1) The yellow "fill" window washer light is showing on the dashboard - I topped it up to "full", but light still shows?

    2) The A/C doesn't really seem to be working. For next summer, assuming I still have the vehicle, would a coolant refill solve the problem, or after 10 yrs is the A/C system probably in need of more major repairs.

    3) One of the inside courtesy lights in the door, which should come on when the door opens appears burnt out. How do you gain access to change the bulb - does the cover just pop off?

    4) One of of the two black plastic squirt nozzles on the hood for the windshield washer fluid is missing - is that easy to replace?

    5) For the standard 14 inch steel rims on this vehicle, what would the best tire size choice selection be in all season tire? (right now I have a selection of really bad worn tires, some with old studs from last winter)

    5) Given the age (10 yrs) and mileage (181,000 KM or 113,000 MILES)what further maintenance issues would I likely expect to encounter over the next couple of years?

    Thanks, looking forward to hearing anyones input.
  • skibry1skibry1 Member Posts: 174
    If its the former a tranny fluid cooler might be worth a thought.Timing belt replace recommended awhile ago,changed
    ours at 85K and still looked good. We love ours
    our DoubleOught
  • superdman1967superdman1967 Member Posts: 2
    just bought a 95 626 dx for 1600 bux 192k runs smooth.but yes but, turned it off for work and sat for 8 hours ,tried to start it and wouldnt fire up,it has no spark at the dist.i fiddled with some elec wires still nothing ,pulled the cap n rotor off and cleaned ,it fired up.took it home where it sat over night, same problem. any ideas ? is it the ign coil
  • chacha62chacha62 Member Posts: 4
    Well my car is running like its brand new. The problem the whole time I assume was the radiator. We replaced water pump although it was not leaking, radiator cap, thermostat, reservoir. Car still overheating finally the last thing was the radiator and once that was replaced my car has not overheated. I did take it to the dealership for this work, spent oodles of money cause had time belt changed while water pump being replaced. Freeman Mazda was great, they towed in and gave me loaner even with my car way out of warranty. So I am so happy now and cool yipee!!!! Now to replace to the rear bushings..................................
  • superexplodedsuperexploded Member Posts: 4
    Does anyone even have a 626 anymore? Mine didn't make it, but he had a good run. He was an '87 model. A beater to be sure. I bought him with 91,000 miles and drove him until his untimely demise at 232,000. Seven years later. He had long been paid off. There were any manner of suspension problems that kept me guessing, but I learned how to fix almost anything. Now I own an MPV with personality problems, but nothing I can't handle. Frustrates my husband to no end. He doesn't understand. He's a Toyota man. Just curious if anyone was still out there.
  • skibry1skibry1 Member Posts: 174
    is still running strong w/ only 90K.I am so looking forward to joining that 6 digit
    club some day...never thought about the 200K club but that would even be sweeter!
    Check her out http://www.cardomain.com/ride/435244
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Of course! The 626 was around through the 2002 model year. My oldest son has my 2000 626 ES I4 AT at college, so it doesn't get many miles on it except the 400 mile round trip 7-8 times a year. Has about 96k miles on it and is running well. Looks almost new except for a few touched-up scratches, and the driver's seat leather is starting to wear a bit. Bought it a little over 2 years ago with 84k on it. Dealer did the 60k service before I picked it up, so it won't need a major servicing for awhile. So far I've put a transmission cooler on it (no further problems with the tranny after I did that), some rear strut (?) bushings to fix a rear-end squeak, a new driver's side mirror (driver error!), and an actuator for the power locks. And a new DieHard battery last winter. I like how it drives, especially the handling. Good highway car. The I4 is pretty gruff though.
  • chuck1chuck1 Member Posts: 1,405
    Well, six years ago I purchased an '02 Mazda 626 ES/V6. I drove it for business for two years, and then stored it for a year before given it to my teenager who took exceptional care of the car. It had leather, Bose, sunroof, etc. I paid $16,000 for it with less than 5,000 miles on it. The only major work was a new radiator and axle. Other than those two items, just general maintenance.

    I traded it in last month on a brand new ('07) Honda Accord EX-L 4cylinder w/auto.

    They gave me $3,500.00 for the Mazda which with 100,000 miles was still running great.

    But I started a new job (sales-125plus miles a day) and didn't want the major maintenance I knew was coming up. (Timing belt, water pump, tensioner, struts) nor did I have the time to get these things done. If you do the math, you will know that it was a very reasonable cost per month to drive this great car.

    Good luck to those who are still holding on!!
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Seems like a good trade in price for a car with 100k miles.

    I am really surprised you were able to find a brand new '07 Accord I4 still laying around! Must have gotten a really good discount on it, huh?
  • chuck1chuck1 Member Posts: 1,405
    Yes, it was almost $5,000.00 off sticker!
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    It's Tuesday so that means it's Mazda chat time again! Stop in tonight and meet and greet some of your fellow CarSpace members. We'll talk anything and everything Mazda, automotive, and just plain have a good time.

    The Mazda Club Chat is on tonight. The chat room opens at 8:45PM ET Hope to see YOU there! Check out the schedule
  • celticqueencelticqueen Member Posts: 1
    I am possibly purchasing an 89. It's auto w 100K miles & seems to run pretty well no leaking/smoking & is immaculate. Asking price is 1600,and other than the rack&pinion steering(haven't driven one in a LONG time) , it also has a turbo charger. Says Gas mileage is about 32 mpg & that it can really GO! I just need a safe var to get me to and from work, and while I realize an 89 is almost 20 yrs old, I am womdering if there are inherent problems I should look for? Thanks for any input!
  • chuck1chuck1 Member Posts: 1,405
    A turbo wasn't standard for this model year, so this was an aftermarket addition. If it has a turbo it was raced. In addititon with a turbo you have to keep the oil changes at short intervals or risk blowing the turbo. A turbo has the potential to cost over several hundred dollars (if not a thousand) to be replaced.

    Do your self a favor and stay away from any car with a turbo if you are on a budget.

    Good luck!
  • elrlawelrlaw Member Posts: 20
    What is involved in replacing a holed oil pan on a '98 Mazda 626, 4 cyl, manual trans? Does the pan drop straight down? Are there any interferences? Is there any special type of gasket material needed or will stock tubed silicone gasket material work? Thanks!
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    I believe there was an '89 626 Turbo.

    Horsepower (SAE net): 145 @ 4300 rpm
    Torque (lb-ft): 190 @ 3500 rpm

    Many people feel that the power was understated to meet regulations in various countries. Regardless, 190 lb ft of torque in a 2700 lb car makes for $1,600 well spent.
  • chuck1chuck1 Member Posts: 1,405
    Thanks for the correction. I still believe someone on a budget should steer clear of a turbo.

    If has a turbo...there is an increased possibility that the car was driven hard and should not be purchased as a used car by someone on a budget.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    I am 4k miles away from the 200k mark on mine.
  • crvexl2008crvexl2008 Member Posts: 15
    I may be one of only a few hundred left but I am wondering if there is a unique forum for 1988-1992 Mazda 626 owners?
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