Just got a Protege5 Looking for some help

[wolfy53]

Ok I got the head all back on as well as both cams. I went ahead and replaced the timing belt and water pump. Got everything buttoned back up and running.

Car runs great now! I still have a broken exhaust flange on that elbow pipe between the two cats.

So what was interesting is we had marked everything before we took it off. Then we followed the book to ensure the timing was set. The exhaust cam was one tooth off! I think what happened was the timing belt got too loose, and yes it was very loose. And it caused the exhaust to jump a tooth. This then caused the exhaust valve on cyl 1 to not close fully which burnt the valve. Thoughts?

Also the car has an issue now. It feels like it surges a bit. Meaning when I am driving it feels like I am pushing and releasing the throttle even when I am holding it steady. What would cause this? Could my leak in the exhaust cause this? Or should I go try a different throttle body from the junk yard?

 

[iracemine]

the stock p5 ecu normally has a terrible power curve. Mine does that every day all day. With my race p5 I changed to the mp3 ecu and it went away, but that car is a manual. Also at times I missed a tooth during my many reassemblys and the car would not run, so not sure your theory is right. It just looks like you busted a valve.

 

[ReginaldWagon]

So what was interesting is we had marked everything before we took it off. Then we followed the book to ensure the timing was set. The exhaust cam was one tooth off! I think what happened was the timing belt got too loose, and yes it was very loose. And it caused the exhaust to jump a tooth. This then caused the exhaust valve on cyl 1 to not close fully which burnt the valve. Thoughts?

Also the car has an issue now. It feels like it surges a bit. Meaning when I am driving it feels like I am pushing and releasing the throttle even when I am holding it steady. What would cause this? Could my leak in the exhaust cause this? Or should I go try a different throttle body from the junk yard?

Your timing belt got too loose? Did you check to see if the tensioner is bad?

Have you checked to make sure the throttle body is free and not binding? It may just need some lubricant. I'd also check the throttle cable and make sure that's functioning properly too. I'm not sure about the exhaust causing this, but at idle you would probably notice some other issues if there's a vacuum leak (bad throttle body gasket).

 

[wolfy53]

the stock p5 ecu normally has a terrible power curve. Mine does that every day all day. With my race p5 I changed to the mp3 ecu and it went away, but that car is a manual. Also at times I missed a tooth during my many reassemblys and the car would not run, so not sure your theory is right. It just looks like you busted a valve.

Good to know. Yeah it was just a guess. Not sure. All I do know is that valve was busted and causing some trouble

Your timing belt got too loose? Did you check to see if the tensioner is bad?

Have you checked to make sure the throttle body is free and not binding? It may just need some lubricant. I'd also check the throttle cable and make sure that's functioning properly too. I'm not sure about the exhaust causing this, but at idle you would probably notice some other issues if there's a vacuum leak (bad throttle body gasket).

Thanks for the tips. I did check the throttle cable and throttle body and it is nice and free and clear. No issues at idle it does idle fine. I can have it in park and hold the throttle at 2500 RPM and it will fluctuate between 2200 and 2800. The throttle body gasket is brand new and went on great. I would guess it is fine. A vacuum leak is possible especially when I had a lot of lines off and out. So that is for sure a possibility.

The timing belt was slack and cracked and pretty loose, not sure if it was "too loose" I did replace the tensioner. However the old one and the new one felt the same and the spring was the same as well. So maybe the timing belt wasn't "too loose" just a guess on my part. I am glad I replaced the belt it was original at 162k miles.

Thanks for the tips guys. Looking forward to getting this car back up and running right. Lower ball joints are completely shot. Next hopefully is a white junk yard drivers fender. Then for sure a polish and clean. Exhaust pipe fix. And the change of fluids, check out the brakes and go over everything.

 

[wolfy53]

Oh one other thing. Heater doesn't work. Not sure if it ever did actually. It didn't run but barely when I bought it. I think I got all the air out of the system, maybe its time to flush the heater core. I have driven it around 30-40 miles. It does get warm but barely. I have had cap off running in my driveway until the fans kicked on, then topped off. I have done that 3 times now.

Is there a bleed valve on this vehicle? Any other suggestions?

 

[pasadena_commut]

Oh one other thing. Heater doesn't work.

Check the cables that run from the control unit on the dash. There are little clips that hold them in place, and if the cable comes out of the clip, or the clip lets go of the metal it was supposed to be gripping, then the control cable twists around and goes into the little plastic wheel at the wrong angle so that it does not turn it well or at all, even though the control in the dash still turns. This is a common problem. The "far" end of those cables are visible on either side of the center console just up under the dash. I think I had to take out the glove box to see the one on the passenger side. Once you spot the end of the cable, turn the corresponding control and verify that it moves the attached plastic "wheel" as it should.

 

[iracemine]

check the cables that run from the control unit on the dash. There are little clips that hold them in place, and if the cable comes out of the clip, or the clip lets go of the metal it was supposed to be gripping, then the control cable twists around and goes into the little plastic wheel at the wrong angle so that it does not turn it well or at all, even though the control in the dash still turns. This is a common problem. The "far" end of those cables are visible on either side of the center console just up under the dash. I think i had to take out the glove box to see the one on the passenger side. Once you spot the end of the cable, turn the corresponding control and verify that it moves the attached plastic "wheel" as it should.

x2

 

[wolfy53]

Great. Thanks guys. I will check that out and let you know what I find out.

 

[The_big_dill]

When I rebuilt my intake, I didn't tighten down the intake manifold gasket down properly and had a surging idle as well.

Did you use a new gasket there? If so, did you clean the IM gasket surface well?

 

[wolfy53]

When I rebuilt my intake, I didn't tighten down the intake manifold gasket down properly and had a surging idle as well.

Did you use a new gasket there? If so, did you clean the IM gasket surface well?

Dill

I did use a new gasket and cleaned both surfaces very well. The surge is just at speed and sometime. Never at idle. I did not split or remove the intake. I just unbolted it from the head and Pushed it back out of the way. Thanks for the idea though. I will double check all of the bolts, it is always a possibility that I missed one or didn't get one or more tight.
Thanks!

Now to find some time to work on it... Last night I did get a junk yard run and got a "new" drivers fender, a throttle position sensor and some other stuff. I hope to get a chance to work on it after a few weeks.

 

[The_big_dill]

Dill

I did use a new gasket and cleaned both surfaces very well. The surge is just at speed and sometime. Never at idle. I did not split or remove the intake. I just unbolted it from the head and Pushed it back out of the way. Thanks for the idea though. I will double check all of the bolts, it is always a possibility that I missed one or didn't get one or more tight.
Thanks!

Now to find some time to work on it... Last night I did get a junk yard run and got a "new" drivers fender, a throttle position sensor and some other stuff. I hope to get a chance to work on it after a few weeks.

You sound like a handy guy, so not going to question your ability but just as a check, you did make sure to tighten the intake bolts in the correct order? I know I made this mistake, iirc its inside to out.

But it doesn't sound like thats your issue.

Do you have an old reader that can tell you live sensor information? I would look through the values there to see if you see something out of the ordinary. Specifically look at trims and o2 sensor voltages.

From the multiple proteges I have worked on and have seen people fix, its never been throttle bodies or any sensors attached to the throttle body.

You can also try cleaning your maf if you haven't tried that yet.

 

[wolfy53]

Dill, thanks so much. I haven't had any time to work on this car in the last week with Christmas. But I did drive it and threw a CEL.
Got 2 codes.
P0660 Intake manifold tuning valve control circuit open Bank 1 and
P0421 Warm up catalyst efficiency below threshold Bank 1.

I went ahead and cleared them. The car seems to not be surging as much now. It wasn't much to begin with. I still have that exhaust leak on the down pipe between the two cats. I have ordered a new one.

I still need to go double check all the intake bolts tightness. I did do them up from the inside out.

Thanks for the good tips on the throttle body. I do NOT know these cars that well. It is nice to know what is "typical" on a vehicle. I do not have a live sensor code reader. I wish I did!

I will post up some more once I get a chance to drive it more and fix up the remaining items...

 

[The_big_dill]

P0660 is always the Mitsubishi solenoid on the passenger side of the intake with the white connector. The reason you got it is probably because you went over ~4000RPM. If you want to check that it's the solenoid, switch it with the green connector next to it and see if P0660 goes away and you get a different code instead (should be P2009 IiRC), the other code is probably due to your exhaust leak.

 

[wolfy53]

Thanks so much for the in site. I am planning on going to the junk yard tomorrow to return my old fender and rear hatch. Those both had a $5 core charge... So hey $10 bucks is $10 bucks.

I may grab a solenoid while I am there just in case. Thanks for the specifics on where it is. I believe I see it in these pictures. Is this it?



Anyway here are the pics of my work tonight. I got the "new" junk yard fender on. My old one was dented and scratched pretty bad. Pics hide it pretty good but in the flesh it looks pretty bad. It would have looked really bad once I polished it. $30 in the same color is a good deal. It was off a wrecked 2003 protege. It was smashed pretty bad on the front and the fender was bit tweaked but not to bad. I got it straightened out pretty good. Its much better then the old one for sure!

First was off with the inner fender, the front nose, headlight, side effects, then the fender.
Before:

During



Ever wonder why fenders rust?

Clean them out! You have to take off the inner fender to get to this. But clean it out, prime and paint if needed before it rusts through!

After


Next will be to remove the pin stripe and stickers. Then hopefully soon a good polish, man it needs it. Headlights will be restored as well.

Also got my suspension parts ordered today. Lower control arms and exhaust pipe. Started spraying the nuts and bolts today hopefully that will help get them out easily.

Thanks again for the help with this! Hopefully getting this car back up to snuff.

Oh by the way I found out why I didn't have heat or much of it. It was the heater control cable, the temp one. Clip came off by the motor. I haven't had a chance to check it yet but i am 99% sure its fixed. I will check it out tomorrow. Thank you all so much from saving me the trouble and mess of back flushing the heater core!!!

 

[The_big_dill]

Good to hear you are reviving this beautiful car.

Yes, those are the solenoids, their connectors are being covered by the strut bar.

White is the VICS which is throwing the P0660, nothing major for your car, just makes you lose some low end power because the intake is fully open at all times

 

[wolfy53]

Thanks so much for the help. I went ahead and reset the check engine light I have not had a come back on but I've only got about 40 miles. I went ahead and grabbed another solenoid set while I was at the junkyard just in case. Also I got the rear door lock actuator fixed. Follow the instructions that are on this site.

I do have another good one for sale if somebody wants it. I have pics of the inside as well. I was thinking $20 including shipping to hear in the continental United States.

Oh and my heater works perfectly

 

[pcb]

Here's what the FSM say's about those codes,...

I can post the full diagnostic procedure if you want. if you want.

 

[pcb]

The P2009 code is "intake manifold runner control"

Which for our car is probably this,... which makes sense to me if you swap solenoid connectors,...

 

[The_big_dill]

Red line the car and you will see P0660 come back

 

[wolfy53]

Wow pcb great information! Thanks. I do have a flange broken on that j pipe right before the 2nd cat. I hope that is what is causing my code. However I did drive it about 40-50 miles yesterday mostly highway at 65 mph and the code hadn't come back yet. Also I floored it a few times all the way to redline. And no CEL! I did grab those 2 solenoids just in case.

The car ran better after that drive. I'm hoping that it will do so more after I fix the leak. Thanks again fellas. I know I will have more questions later. Still have to do both lower control arms. And the rear end links. The lcas look pretty straight forward. And the end links are usually easy.
Happy new year