Buddy has a problem

[Tech_Greek]

Now, keep in mind, this is not MY car but my buddies.

He had a Mp3, but recently got a Mazdaspeed Protege, it ran fine for a while but Moffit Mazda locally replaced the turbo and some other stuff after it started acting weird with no problem.

Car acted fine for a while, then started acting weird again, at the time my buddy did put on an exhaust tip, and an intake filter (not that big of a deal, right, wrong)...the dealership took it in, charged him a $75 diag fee because he had all these aftermarket mods (like an aftermarket wing haha, it was stock, idiots) and voided his warrenty...now I personally know they cant proove thats what caused it but they didnt want to pursue it in court.

But anyway, his car is know pinging under high acceleration and putting out a pretty good stream of smoke out his exhaust, which to me smells like gas, I was in my galant and kept right on him while he gased to see if I could smell it (he didnt leave me I actually let off, we're not going to count that as a win though, hehe v6 ).

So, I went through the following things, PVC Valve looks fine, the turbo's new so I doubt it's a seal/bearing, the car spools fine and pulls -22 vac at idle.

Moffit tried to blame it on the boost gauge being t-ed into the wastegate's vac/boost line which I thought might have some justice, but I SERIOUSLY doubt the pressure lose in maybe 4 foot of vac line would be enough to make the wastegate open later than it should and kill the motor, they say internal damage.

What do you think? I already made him change his plugs back to stockers (he was using mp3 plugs for some reason, dont ask me), I thought maybe its running rich and so Im making him borrow a buddys wide band...Im not familiar with these cars so im going by general knowledge.

 

[orng1]

These cars run rich stock. Does he have a cat in the exhaust, if not that can count for the car smoking some but not to bad. What color smoke, if you were able to tell. Try and see if you can get a compression check to make sure the motors still healthy. Also could be a leak at boost, which will be harder to find. I have a pin hole on my probe and the car seems to run fine until it reaches anything over 3psi and it runs about 10 stock. so a tiny crack in the piping will cause it to run wierd under boost. Good luck, let us know how it turns out.

 

[Tech_Greek]

(bang) Compression tested it, everything looked great engine health wise.

We took off the intake side of the turbo, no shaft play what so ever, no oil inside of the intake tract/intercooler at all...

BUT, I did look at the valve cover to intake hose, it was cruddy around the outsides which means it's probbaly sending a LOT of oil through there, I told him to put a filter on there and cap off the other side until he gets a catch can.

As far as everything, I don't really see a problem at all with the engine or any connectors...besides one little thing, he has his IAT sensor INSIDE the filter, towards the head light (circle filter) - I HIGHLY recommended he go back to stock in that area but I don't belive the IAT could cause his car to run THAT rich (it burns off the smoke real quick, so it's not oil, it's obviously running rich as hell).

The dealership told him it had an aftermarket tune for nitrious, etc, in the ECU - which to me seems like just another reason for them to deny his warrenty (they told him internal engine damage when they saw he had his aftermarket -- STOCK -- wing [yes they thought it was aftermarket?])

The engine pulls around -23 at idle, which means vacuum wise it's fine, no leaks that I can hear or see or feel...

WHY the hell is it running so damned rich?! (bang)

 

[Puckpimp71]

The previous owner must know something we don't... Our ECU can't be re-tuned by anyone other than Mazda. Go somewhere else and suggest that the SA at Moffitt join Narcotics Anonymous now. Crack is a dangerous habit.

 

[orng1]

I thought no one had been able to tune the ECU yet, those dealer guys suck their just saying s*** because they want to deny the warranty.

 

[Puckpimp71]

I don't get why some dealers are so afraid of warranty claims. It's not like they're not getting paid. Is Moffit even Mazdaspeed certified?

 

[orng1]

I doubt it with them not knowing anything about the car. They probably just read off of a scanner that the car is running rich and just asummed that its set up for some NOS, dumb asses. My dealer told me that they couldn't cover anything since I had an aftermarket boost gauge. I wouldn't have to put a boost gauge if it came with one from the factory. Dealers sux!

 

[ForceFed]

All I know is that there are a lot of ignorant people posting in this thread....before me of course..now go hit your NOS!(shocked)

Get a clue before making a post that really makes you look stupid..your story doesnt even make sense...and the car runs so rich because they ALL DO..Mazda's tune for the Protege Speed SUCKS!
Its a known fact..do your research and go to another dealer with all of your damn Aftermarket parts off....They can and will void warranties for whatever thay feel like for the most part and there's not much you can do to fight them.

 

[mazdaspeed75]

,

He needs to run some sea faom and get it cleaned out real good. Compression fine, pcv could be real dirty. That isnt going to get the promblem solved but he could also get mpi and solve the probelm. (shocked)

 

[Leppy]

I thought I recognized you...

I think you got some bulls*** new guy. Moffit is all about the mazdaspeed aftermarket. I hightly doubt the guy's working there when I got my car would have voided the warrantee...

Tell him Justin says good luck with his car and why isn't he on this forum yet?

 

[Tech_Greek]

They did deny his warrenty and charged him $70 for a diag fee to get his car out...which I thought was stupid but it's not my car.

He doesn't get on the net, period dunno.

ForceFed, I know my way around Forced Induction and engines period - rotary or piston-, I knew what they were saying was bulls*** so I told him to call Mazda North - the point is the only 'aftermarket' item he had on there was his OIL-LESS filter and his exhaust tip that had been welded on.

I also know these cars run rich stock, and have the fuel cut like every other boosted car does, but my question as to WHY it would be running rich under WOT, the ECU usually uses pre-set map's for fuel adjustment under WOT and it doesn't read the O2 sensors, etc.

 

[03MSP]

I also know these cars run rich stock, and have the fuel cut like every other boosted car does, but my question as to WHY it would be running rich under WOT, the ECU usually uses pre-set map's for fuel adjustment under WOT and it doesn't read the O2 sensors, etc.

The MSP ECU does use preset maps, it is those maps that are tuned rich as hell; it's very easy to feel when the car switches to the presets. I am running 4 psi over stock and still get into the 9:1's on my wideband.

 

[Tech_Greek]

So, I'm going to go for the following then;

1) Ignition isn't firing right possibly, which we checked the plugs/wires, they look fine.
2) Fuel Injector Hanging Open / Improper Fuel Pressure...
3) Insufficient Air to mix with stock fuel.

I don't really see any of these being a probaility except for #3, which he does have some stupid cone on the end of the MAFS (yes directly on it), with the IAT Sensor STUCK in the filter literally...