Let me introduce myself

[z31jaime]

hello, my name is Jaime. I've been a BIG volvo head for the last few years. Recently My Wife decided she was sick of drive the volvo I got her and picked up a 2002 Protege LX from her brother.

This makes for a new Learning process for me as I've never owned any Mazdas. This learning process was accelerated last week when she got hit by a guy with no insurance who took off. so Now I'm stuck having to fix her mazda. I'm looking for some help with a few issues as well as finding parts to get her back up and running.

#1 before the crash the car was throwning code for Major Evap system leak? Searching online I found no clear solution just a bunch of things to look at which I Have no idea where to start. Any help????

#2 after the crash the car is having issues ideling... i assume some kind of Vaccume line got torn out, its just jumping from 1000RPM to 3000RPM and then back down. If you touch the throttle it just sticks at whatever you put the throttle at for a little bit then eventually comes back down. (please note no damage to the motor components themselves is visibal except the coolant overflow tank.

#3 I found mazdaspeed fenders for it (only ones i could find) but they have the built in lights in them and her car dosn't have them, so I need the pigtails for them.

#4 I need to find a front bumper... I would LOVE to find the OEM one as that would keep me from having to buy the rest of the Mazdaspeed kit to match, but I've had no luck at any yards. All they have are the 99 style bumpers which from what I can tell are different?


Thats really all I need to get the car running. the accident snapped the front driver spindle so I need to hit the Junk yard and pick that up. But i also went ahead and ordered new struts and lowering springs because they needed to be replaced anyways.

ON to the PIX
Before the accident....

After

And just for some background On me... This is what I drive 1995 Volvo 850 turbo Wagon

Its got a laundery list of add ons but to make it short and sweet... 285whp 350torque on an automatic transmission. Lots of exterior custom work.The wagon is daily driven and is on koni yellows and Weitec springs. With various improvements/adjustments to the suspension. I'm a very DIY hands on kind of guy. Being that VOLVO aftermarket is very limited, I've learned to be creative with what I need done.

Well i welcome any input an feed back. Thanks.

 

[concept]

Hello, Jaime and welcome to the Mazda family. I don't have any experience with body work but do know that Rock auto has some great prices for replacement parts for lots of cars, including Mazdas. I just picked up a throttle position sensor for my 89 MX6 GT for $42.
Your Volvo looks to be in great shape. Hopefully, you have no smog laws in FL. Here in CA, it can be tough to increase 4 banger HP significantly without violating smog laws.

 

[z31jaime]

I assume you mean Rock auto, I use them alot for the Volvo parts. Yea FL has no Smog laws however because I work for my Local Police Department I tried to keep everything within Legal FL limits. I do Have a Cat on the Car, Muffler is not loud, bumper hight is within limits, tints etc etc etc. I LOVE going out to the meet and telling all the import guys... my wagon is 100% street legal and I'm still faster than your GSR... Its all a matter of doing things right.

 

[concept]

Yes, that was a typo, all right. I have installed a modified ECU box and cranked up the boost for my MX6 GT but will most likely have to swap in the OEM box and dial down the boost before having the car smogged, this Spring. I am tempted to sell that car and get a Mazdaspeed MX5, although I'd have to teach my wife how to drive a manual tranny, as the GT is an auto. The Protege is a great car and even has side air bags.

 

[z31jaime]

well if anyone bothers to look at this thread ever again, I probably won't be on here much. the forums seems to move really slow for my taste, i'd figure with almost 100 views I'd get more than 1 person with advice/comments, there are other factors which have turned me away from this forum, but rather than turn this into a b**** fest. I'll just leave it at...

Thanks for the help....

 

[CR3 Motorsports]

=( You should post up some pics of what you have recently done so far.

 

[zoom zoom sp20]

Welcome to mazdas247 just keep posting what you do to the car with photos.

 

[IshSonP5]

Lovin that Volvo!!!! For bumpers check ebay, there will definitely be sellers on there with what you're looking for. For your fenders, if you don't want to mess with pigtails and splicing, check http://www.carid.com/2002-mazda-protege-fenders/replace-fenders-2248657.html?utm_source=googlebase_com&utm_medium=comparator&utm_campaign=Google_feed&CAWELAID=1601235207&nid=PLA&%22cagpspn=pla%22&gclid=CNKn2vL5rrQCFYl7Qgodg3EALg and http://www.carid.com/2002-mazda-pro...cagpspn=pla"&gclid=CLT2koP6rrQCFUlxQgodVmEA3w ...As for the erratic idling and sticking pedal...Check the throttle cable itself, It could be bound or knocked off the throttle body from the accident. And it does sound like a vacuum line got released or torn from somewhere. possibly even an issue with the intake itself....Sorry you're turned off by this forum, some people may not have answers....

 

[z31jaime]

=( You should post up some pics of what you have recently done so far.

Umm I did, the car is crashed and I joined looking for help and advice to fix it.... hence my first post.

Welcome to mazdas247 just keep posting what you do to the car with photos.

And thats exactly why I'm turned off by this forum. If I just wanted to make a "build" thread I'd make a cardomain page for it. I came on here looking for help and edvice, not to show off what I have. And can do. I created my thread to #1 introduce myself and to #2 seek the input of what I thought was going to be a community... who would be willing to help. From the amount of views and lack of replies it just looks to me like all this forum cares about is showing pix.

Lovin that Volvo!!!! For bumpers check ebay, there will definitely be sellers on there with what you're looking for. For your fenders, if you don't want to mess with pigtails and splicing, check http://www.carid.com/2002-mazda-protege-fenders/replace-fenders-2248657.html?utm_source=googlebase_com&utm_medium=comparator&utm_campaign=Google_feed&CAWELAID=1601235207&nid=PLA&%22cagpspn=pla%22&gclid=CNKn2vL5rrQCFYl7Qgodg3EALg and http://www.carid.com/2002-mazda-pro...cagpspn=pla"&gclid=CLT2koP6rrQCFUlxQgodVmEA3w ...As for the erratic idling and sticking pedal...Check the throttle cable itself, It could be bound or knocked off the throttle body from the accident. And it does sound like a vacuum line got released or torn from somewhere. possibly even an issue with the intake itself....Sorry you're turned off by this forum, some people may not have answers....

finally someone with a serious responce. #1 I picked up fenders local from Craigslist for $80 for the set, they have the side markers in them so at some point I would like to wire them up, but they don't have the bulb holders or pigtails so I'm gonna need to find that...again being creative from the Volvo game... if I cant find it I'll just wire up some LED's inside and run my own wires and set it off different.

#2 picked up a "regular" bumper at my local pick and pull for $30, took the money I was going to invest in the MSP "clone" look ...and spend it on M2 springs and sensen struts. ordered and new coolant expansion tank, and I'm currently working on pulling smashed front end parts off.

#3 after talking to several members on here the front spindle was going to be between $80 and $150 plus shipping... picked one up at my local pick and pull for $25. found a full black interior swap for $100... but I'm gonna wait on that until I get the car up and running.

#4 in order to get the car taken apart, I had to put zip ties around the strut and spindle to keep the wheel from flopping over so I could pull it into my garage. but I've already started by pulling the grill and I got most of the smashed fender off. Thankfully I was able to pull the parts at the Pick and Pull so I learned real quick how to take it all apart.


Please don't take my replies like me being an A hole, its just that like I said above I came here looking for 2 things... #1 direction and#2 parts.... and I found neather. What I found were people asking more for used parts than ebay new parts. Maybe being in the volvo game so long has brain washed me to be creative/cheap... but I just don't understand why I would pay more for a used mazda part vs a New ebay part.

 

[tweety2300]

Pretty sure you have you use the 99-00 fenders, if I remember it right the 01-03 had an entirely different front end, fenders, inner fenders, hood, bumper, grill, and headlights.

As for the evap leak try replacing the gas cap. Make sure to get it from Mazda as the ones from parts stores don't work at all and if they do not for long. Next time try posting in the p5 section as there's way more traffic through there

 

[z31jaime]

you mean the 01-03 fenders .... this is an 02. so I need that front end.

 

[tweety2300]

O ok I thought you had a 99 for some reason.

 

[z31jaime]

ok so the hit was alot worse than it looked to me. Once I got everything off I noticed the entire front of the car is bent slightly to the passenger side. Still not something thats gonna doom the car, just means its gonna take longer to fix up.

Step one... replace broken spindle...

New on the Left old on the right. notice the top bolt was snapped off.

Then I mounted the front fenders I got on craigslist. they are supposidly "MSP" fenders. @ $40 each I didn't care, they had the marker lights which I always wanted to add to it, so It worked out.
Passenger side

Door lines up, hood.... Not so much.

Then I found the front bumper at my local pick and pull for $25. Best part was, someone had already started to pull it and gave up when one the the bolts stripped. I seriously removed 2 bolts and took it home.

Best example I can give of the damage... this headlight is actually bolted into the frame like it should be. the frame it bent in other places back and to the passenger side.

This is the passenger side, you can see its about 90% where it should be. the light is a little wonky and the bumper and hood don't line up, but that could be the hoods fault.

And just for fun I put the other fender on the car. No bolts, just in place to see how its gonna look once I line everything up.

I traced the High idle issue back to the throttle cable . So I assume when everything shifted over even the motor pulled and the thus pulled some throttle cable with it.

I should add that I worked at a body shop who specialized in "Heavy" collision repair for about a year. Although I'm no expert, I picked up enough to have an idea of whats gonna need to happen. Looks like the Radiator and AC condensor are gonna need to come out, along with the bumper and headlights, and then put it on a frame puller and start getting everything where it needs to be. Unfortunatly I no longer work at a body shop so looks like I'm gonna end up paying someone to do it. Already talked to my buddy and got quoted $600, so thats not bad. Then she can drive it miss matached colors until she is ready for paint.

 

[Installshield 2]

Did you go over the engine mounts, also? If the engine rocked hard enough to bind up that throttle cable, it most likely tore at least one of the ridiculously soft stock mounts...There are 4 of them on these cars, 3 can be seen from above the car...one is against the firewall, under the intake manifold (not far from the throttle body you already went over)...its much easier to see this mount from underneath...

Like your Volvo, there isn't a lot of community left for 3rd gen proteges...but there is a wealth of knowledge in here, it just takes a little time to come out occasionally...sorry if you've 'seen things you don't like' on this board so far, but with technical questions...It'll often take a little time to get them figured out, as they are extremely specific...

Also, no offense, but its not uncommon to have very similar questions from newer members asked on a daily basis...I know the search function on this board is a waste of time for the most part, but many discussions on evap systems, probable causes on vacuum leaks, etc are discussed at length nearly every week.

To start off, simply book mark this:

http://www.floptical.net/mazda/

you'll find almost anything in there you'd ever need for your wife's car...Linked through that site is also the protege FAQ, which is a little dated, but has many common questions and answers...

 

[z31jaime]

Thanks, Yea motor mount by the timing belt is torn. but I'm not gonna replace it until the car is pulled back str8. Otherwise I wont be able to get the new mount on correctly.

Honestly the forum itself isn't bad, I was just turned off by the Price gouging people on here. I asked around for parts on here and was quoted prices 2x-3X more than I can get them at my local Junk Yards. Or used parts being sold for more than they cost new online... and the reason given being "its OEM mazda not aftermarket." To me a used part is a used part, no matter what. I can understand Like in the Volvo community some parts HAVE to be OEM because the aftermarket ones are junk. But a front bumper cover? Plastic is Plastic is Plastic...your Cracked/dented P5 bumper is not worth more than a new ebay bumper just cause its OEM. Its just NOT. And I had MULTIPLE members on here insist it was. So I'll stick to my local scrounging of parts, I think I've made great progress on the car for less than $200. and once its complete it will be a nice daily for the wife.

 

[Installshield 2]

Ah, i see...yeah, i've seen some wild prices on certain things...but its balanced, as you'll often see members with stock parts that are barely used...and they'll simply give them away...

And on that note...You can have my stock timing belt 'front' mount...I only put a few thousand miles on it before i replaced it with a stiffer MSP mount (as well as the rest of them, with awr mounts)...its yours if you want it, just pay shipping...although, i will have to find the damn thing haha. I know its in my basement somewhere...

 

[z31jaime]

WOW seriously????? Hell yea I'd be more than happy to pay shipping on whatever mounts you have. Just PM me a price and I can pay pal your for it right away. Shipping would be to 32822. Again PM me and I;ll get you all the details.

 

[Installshield 2]

Sorry man, for some reason i hadn't subscribed to this thread...so didn't see your reply until i noticed a pm.

I'll find them tonight, have your zip and i'll get you the info.

 

[z31jaime]

Ok so i need motor mount if anyone has some sitting arond let me know...

as of this weekend...

not bad for 1.5 days of work, half an engine hoist, a 1 ton chain hoist, a bunch of wood, hammers, and lots of Wiskey.


Long story short, car twisted the strut tower, so we tied it to one of my parts cars. At one point both the front and rears were tied together and BOTH cars were up on 2 tires from how hard we were pulling. We actually had to do like on a Sail boat and go stand on the ends of the cars to keep them from smacking into each other. in the end I'm happy with how its turned out. I've seen people do MSP swaps on none crashed cars that didn't come out this clean.

Insurance advised car was totaled, private body shop quoted $1000+, buddy at shop quoted $600, total investment on my part... $250

 

[z31jaime]

Ordered new parts.... stay tuned for updates....

new motor mounts, new strut mounts, new struts and lowering springs, new headlights, and then she will be back on the road.