Just picked up a mazdaspeed protege

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korangatang

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2003.5 Titanium Grey Mazdaspeed Protege
Hey everybody. I just picked up a mazdapseed yesterday. I checked the vin an it is the #19th produced, kind cool in my opinion. This is the second one that I've owned. I bought it with a sticking drivers side front caliper and a great deal of rust, and I'm pretty sure there was meth smoked in it from time to time. The paint is clean and the interior cleaned up well even though there was smoke damage on the headliner. It has a steed speed manifold and a corksport exhaust, oh did I mention the axle back was chopped off? I figured id buy the thing considering I only paid $900. and the miles are through the roof at 198k. BUT. There are no leaks. Theres no smoke. No ticks no knocks. AC works. Clutch is good and it doesnt grind at all. Just need to work out all the bugs. My idle was choppy so I checked around and found a few rotted couplings and hoses so i replaced them and while I was at it i relocated the MAF towards the intake. Idle got much better. I changed out the plugs for some new ngks, the ignition coils and wires are new so the entire ignition system is new now. I have no cel's. My main issue is as follows.

NO BALLS. As i accelerate through first i can get to redline, then when i shift into second i can get close to redline but the damn thing just wont accelerate in speedand it feels slow. Towards the top end of 2nd gear it starts to bog and crap the **** out, small backfires ect. I don't believe im hitting fuel cut and the wastegate has been replcade by the previous owner and passes the no-blowby test. it doesnt pull as hard as my previous msp by any means. So,i called the dealer and they can't find that it was in for recall at any point in time for the reflash. I made ana ppt for Tuesday at 9am. Anything I should look for before I get in there there?
 
Boost gauge installed? I would verify the car is building boost and consider a new ignition setup to go with the plugs.
 
hornsfan10609 said:
Boost gauge installed? I would verify the car is building boost and consider a new ignition setup to go with the plugs.
Click to expand...

Boost gauge is installed and I'm seeing it at like 6 psi but it's difficult to get there in any gear other than 2nd. And like I said originally, all of the ignition system is new.
 
make sure you havent blown a vac hose or a hose coupler or something. it should jump to 6 psi almost immediately when you open the throttle. what does it have for intercooler and intake piping? if its stock its very likely the platic pipes have cracks or the stock bypass has failed.

but even so. im not sure what your expecting. in tip top shape an msp is fun but it isn't fast. boost on this car makes the biggest difference from 2.5-4.5k rpm.
 
WHOA there.. lmao.. back up the truck for a second.

Am I the only one that picked up on this?

korangatang said:
\and I'm pretty sure there was meth smoked in it from time to time. \o
Click to expand...

What makes you think someone was smoking meth in this car?? (just curious)

hornesfan.. what did you mean by "new ignition setup"?

you have me wondering about the options now..
 
he prob just means new coilpacks and wires. not sure how you would know someone smoked meth specifically, but thats disgusting lol.
 
"he ignition coils and wires are new so the entire ignition system is new now"

maybe he didn't catch that part.
 
The old owner was definitely on the meth and so was his lady that... Well... Her teeth and skin and everything about her nearly made me vomit. So you guys think the bpv could be the issue? I really don't think that as I can still build boost and it dumps it like it should. I couldn't see the ecu being the only cause for this to run so ******* horrible. I'll have it floored and it won't get past 45-50 going through the gears. It almost feels as if it's entirely too lean.

OOOOO so I checked the gap for the plugs I bought and they come at .44. I was reading somewhere that they should be .28? Let me know if I should close the gap a bit.
 
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NGK ZFR6F plugs are what you need, the parts stores carry the ZFR6F-11 which has a wider gap (.044) and must be closed down to .028"
 
I am running the ZFR6F-11's... Just be careful gapping those plugs.. they really aren't meant to be gapped, and if your not careful, you could damage the electrode. I set mine around .30 and its been okay. I will tighten that gap up on the next set of plugs, once I have the FMIC fully installed.
 
Idk if this is a common issue for MSPs but also check the wires connecting to the coilpacks. Mine were loose and resulted in random losses of power, studderig, and stumbling.
 
Sounds like my car before I got it tuned. haha Hell my car still doesn't run all that fast.

Have we verified that this is not some kind of a vacuum issue? Or a boost leak? I chased one of these issue for a whole day thinking I really mess something up racing a WRX. I check lines over and over. Come to find out I had a coupler that was loose when I boost but when I pulled on pipe it wouldnt move. (That was harder to say than I thought). Car would drive fine putting around town, but once I decided to step on it, then it would run like a dog.
 
OThree.5 said:
I am running the ZFR6F-11's... Just be careful gapping those plugs.. they really aren't meant to be gapped, and if your not careful, you could damage the electrode. I set mine around .30 and its been okay. I will tighten that gap up on the next set of plugs, once I have the FMIC fully installed.
Click to expand...

.028-.030 is the range so that is fine, and the ZFRs are just nickel/copper plugs so you can gap them without damaging them if you are careful. Technically no plugs are meant to be gapped but the more expensive iridium and platinum tipped plugs are more easily damaged when re-gapping them
 
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