newb here, problem, please help! :)

[cole naymark]

Hey everyone. I just signed up here and the forum looks pretty sweet!

I own a 99 Protege 1.8, 5spd trans. (94,xxx miles)

I've done some of the basic maintenance so far...

new front struts
new sway bar links (front)
new air filter (K&N stock replacement)
timing belt
plugs and wires

but I'm getting REALLY BAD....REALLY REALLY BAD gas mileage. I think my last tank was in the mid teens...? I don't drive aggressively and especially not on the last tank I used to make sure my measurement was correct.

This started about 1 month ago and when it started I also noticed every once in a while that at idle (at a stoplight) the car would almost die. Just idle super low for a few seconds then come back up. It still does it ever once in a while and that is the only thing that has changed that I know...

does anyone know why this is? any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a bunch,
Cole

 

[jville]

Fuel filter and fuel system cleaning and i don't mean dump some STP in the ank at next refill. Go to a shop and have them do a service where the pressurize a cleaner into the fuel rail and run it through the injectors/intake. should caus LOTS of smoke out of the tailpipe and a bad stench. that maens it working. ALSO make sure you didn't Over oil your filter.

 

[autoxes]

Try using some Seafoam to clean it out. Afterwards, change the sparkplugs and wires. And change the oil as seafoam loosens dirt paricles.

 

[cole naymark]

ok, do you know how much those full fuel system cleanings cost? that would be a bad idea to get the injectors cleaned anyways...

the filter wasn't over oiled for sure... but good looking out...

My friend suggested the the fuel pressure regulator? I'm just trying to see if there is a common problem with the protege's I don't know about. Thanks a bunch for the suggestions

Cole

 

[jville]

fuel system service: 95.99$ at my shop
filter: 15.00$
Saving you time, effort, and money from throwing parts at it: priceless

 

[cole naymark]

hahahah.... i like that! "Priceless!"

ok, well, that price isn't too bad. Do you think that could contribute to the crappy idle that happens every once in a while too?

 

[jville]

Definitley. I actually had a Infinity G20 come in today with similar issues. Did tha service. Took it out and beat on it a lil to help free up the carbon build up, removed, cleaned, and regapped the spark plugs. replaced fuel filter. took care of her idle and hesitation issue. also check for any vacuum leaks. easy way to do that is grab some parts cleaner and spray around intake tubes/booster hose/any other vacuum lines and listen for the idle to stuble or raise and you found ur leak,

 

[cole naymark]

Thanks, I think i'm going to do that. Then after i'm going to personally clean the EGR. looks like lots of people have had that get gunked up and once cleaned they had no idle problems plus better fuel mileage

 

[downtube]

New here but I just went through similar problems with a 2000 1.6 I just purchased so I'll share my experiences.

Car would intermittently idle low almost stalling. Occasionally it would overcorrect and rev. Here's what I did:

Replaced the air intake boot. It had a crack in the connector going to the intake manifold
Replaced plugs and plug wires
Cleaned the MAF sensor with electrical cleaner (didn't touch, just sprayed)
Removed and cleaned the EGR valve
Unplugged the vacuum port just above the EGR valve

I think the real culprut was the leaking air intake boot. The other changes made it run better, but the problem went away after replacing the boot.

 

[silver_astina02]

Where is the EGR located on 1.6L engine? Thanks.

 

[03protege5.101]

vacuum leak. sounds right. girlfriends focus had the same problem and it was a cracked vac leak in a hose. I changed it and car runs awesome now.....

 

[00protegeracer]

not me. my car still sucks. that y im driving the DA now

 

[chimaera007]

Something else to check

Last year I saw my mileage drop precipitously over a short period of time. I had it up on the lift at the dealers changing my own oil when the guy I was talking to noticed that my back Left tire did not freely spin....not even 1.5 rotations. My caliper had nearly seized; good thing I caught it there and not on the freeway. Anyway, changed the caliper and now I am back up to around 26 or so combined city/highway (still not that great but that's b/c/ of another issue). I was briefly at 13 mpg or so for a week.

 

[downtube]

Where is the EGR located on 1.6L engine? Thanks.

Sorry I didn't see your Q before.

On the intake side of the engine (firewall side), the EGR valve is attached to the intake manifold. Standing in front of the car leaning over the engine, you'll see the top of it just to the left and below the throttle body.

 

[cougar10agREDUX]

do a compression test. what did you gap your plugs to?

get you primary O2 sensor inspected/replaced. if it's bad it'll throw off your a/f ratio. although for it to cause that bad gas mileage, you would have to be running extremely rich which would throw a MIL if the ecu hit the fuel trim's limit. also you would have a big decrease in performance. but it couldn't hurt to have someone inspect it.