New member!

[sarawr]

Hey everyone! I'm a new member (obviously), and own a 2003.5 Spicy Orange Mazdaspeed Protege.

I joined this forum for many reasons, but the foremost being that the majority of you know what you're talking about, and I would like to pick your brains (be gentle, I just got into cars about 2 years ago and am still learning!)

I'm about to break 150k on Spicy, and she's been doing some weird stuff. For one (and most annoyingly), I can hear a high-pitching "wwhhuuurrrr"ing sound come from my engine. I can hear it when I hit 2nd gear. She's got a rough idle and a cracked radiator, too. Ungh.

How long have your motors lasted you, and what the hell is that sound!? I'm worried she's going to blow soon and I should just get a new car.

 

[Silverspeed2015]

Welcome to the forum! Just to correct you a little the spicy orange and black MSP's are 2003. Laser Blue, Titanium Grey, Blazing Yellow, and Sunlight Silver were the 2003.5 MSP's.

is the car stock? im not sure what the high pitch sound could be, if its possible for you to upload a video that could help tremendously to diagnose

 

[sarawr]

Ooooh. You learn something new every day!

Definitely, I'll try to record it on my way home from work tonight and post it up. Thank you!

 

[Spiced MSP]

welcome to the forum and yeah, a video would really help out

 

[Merrilin]

Welcome! I'm sort of new as well and I don't know too much, but have you ever heard a turbo spool? That could very well be the sound you're hearing. If that's the case it's completely normal. Correct me if I'm mistaken.

 

[kamon8404]

Yeah its hard to say how much life you have left in the car. If it hasn't been beat then you may have tons. If it was beat then you may have next to none, just like every other car. Pics and Vids! ASAP

 

[ScratchNSniff]

Welcome, rough idle could very well be the EGR Valve and most commonly is, it is right on the throttle body and very easy to clean with some brake parts cleaner and an old toothbrush...plenty of threads on here about how to do it...as for the radiator, if you are going to be replacing it be weary that you will have to get a new one either used on here or from Mazda...every other one is a full sized radiator and not a short one that the Speeds came stock with...

 

[sarawr]

I'll be posting the video tonight. It's a little hard to hear, but hopefully at least one of you will know what's wrong with it. My boyfriend wants me to just sell the thing and get something "simple" like an Acura RSX, but I LOVE my MSP.

I'll post pictures after my radiator is replaced. I have a bad crack in it and it's been spewing coolant all over my engine bay. Getting a new one this weekend, though, so I'll clean her out and post her up!

Thanks guys.