ROUGH idle, shifting is off, MPG VERY low.... ive read all forums and tried it all.

[mp5build2013]

Ok, so everyone with a protege seems to have the same problem, however i dont think the solution has been the same for everyone.. or some ppl just THOUGHT they fixed it with something but it came back.. so here it goes.

I have a 02 mazda protege5 2.0

i got the car all messed up, crashed from the front, engine was dirty as hell inside and out and s*** was ripped everywhere. However, after unbending the frame and giving it a nice tune up the car ran pretty good id say.
i did notice that my revs would hesistate for a split second every second or so as my revs went up, for example:
i stepped on the gas and it downshifted but as i watched the rpms theywould go up about 400 n slightly slown down(hesitate in my opinion)and then go up at normal speed again.. and so forth. So i decided to try some things out. i changed the Intake system due to a crack, i replaced it with a wanna be CAI from ebay. i also changed out all wires, coils and plugs. yes, i ****** up and put platinum ones. after i burnt out a coil and melted my cat. conv i bought new coils a new cat. and replaced ngk vs with o.e. copper autolite. well this time the car would hesistate only when taking off from a stop(not as bad as the sputter you get when your Cat. conv. is clogged. cuz thats exaclty what happens when you cat is melted, its clogged untill you give it enough revs to melt it again makng pores when the exaught can pass through. so anyways, i went and removed and completly re-installed the CAI, this time the car would act normal until i hit about 1600 rpms then it would hesistate then. so i cleaned the maf, egr and seafomed it through pcv, master cylinder AND dropped the rest in the tank. it ran like a beauty... until i had to refuel. once i refueled the car began to do it again but randomly this time. i got mad and romved the cat throwing in a header. header was a cheap ebay one so the egr pipe didnt coenside. i blocked off both end of it so it would always be closed. engine still rattles and shifts early and double( or so RMPS say). so i figured it could probably be my MAF since its the only thing i have not changed. even though i have cleaned it many times before. its expensive do i thought id see if anyone can tell me if thats even a possibility. i was talking to an ASE mech. n he said to check the maf by tapping it with a pen while the engine is running and if the rpms or engine move at all its good, if not its bad. well then it hit me... my maf is being held down by ONE crappy, flimsy little metal strip attached to my battery seat. and the back of one of the tubes going into the intake, as well as the filter itslef are always tapping against the metal piece by the brake fliud( pipe) and the chasis of the car( fliter) so is THAT maybe why my MAF readings are all over the place??? and maybe making my air/fuel mixture **** up??? Thanks for looking and hopefully answering! or helping me by poiting at something i have not checked or done already.

 

[protege3690]

u can always purchase a used MAF on the forum for like $20 or so in the for sale section. to test and see if your MAF really is messed up. im assuming the check engine light is not on since u did not mention a CEL at all.

 

[mp5build2013]

cool, i actually was not aware of the used parts store. thank you. as for the CEL yea my bad im at work trying to do this quckly, but yes i do have a CEL. It first started when i melted the cat. once i replaced it i never got the CEL again. However just last week i threw in the headers used hi heat putty to seal the egr pipe holes. and my o2 sensors are zip-tiede to my radiator hose.. hangin in the bay so yea i do have a CEL. but thats where its coming from. Now, do the egr being clogged, or the o2 sensors hanging like that have a big impact? im deff. gonna try to switch out the maf. ive checked for vac. leaks using everything from carb cleaner to a snap-on smoke machine. nothing. sometimes it runs great, then i let go of the gas and when i apply again.. brrrrrrrrr. sounds/feels slugish and rpms bounce as if my tranny slipped.

 

[pcb]

You really need to have at least your first O2 sensor installed. If it's not installed your car goes into limp mode and runs like complete crap. It dumps way more fuel into your engine, completely lacks power and fouls up quickly due to way more fuel. (timing and everything gets changed)

Don't even worry about your MAF until you get your first O2 sensor reinstalled.

(there is the non-fouler trick for the header that eliminates your cell for the second O2 sensor.)

 

[mp5build2013]

ok. well i actually just remembered one of the bolts on the header( the botton one blocking the 2nd o2 sensor hole) blew out so i installed the upstream sensor in that hole.. its were the downstream should go, but it doesnt matter right? there is not cat anyways? but yea i feel the same way about the MAF which is why i decided to ask here before going and buying one just to find out its not the prob. i will make sure to put the first o2 were it goes and bolt the bottom one. ill do it here at work and reply when i get home with a sit. rep.

 

[pcb]

I installed the upstream sensor in that hole.. its were the downstream should go, but it doesnt matter right? there is not cat anyways?

Yea,.. that sounds right.
You really should get your codes read though,... that will tell you where to look and some of them can really affect how your car runs.

Your first O2 sensor is probably the most important sensor on the car,... It really needs to be operating properly.

Your blocked off EGR can cause problems too,...

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123831377-Egr-delete-questions

 

[Matrix]

i got mad and romved the cat throwing in a header. header was a cheap ebay one so the egr pipe didnt coenside. i blocked off both end of it so it would always be closed.

Open the egr pipe back up. You can leave it open to suck in fresh air or put a breather filter on the end, but plugging it completely has been known to cause problems.

Yea,.. that sounds right.
You really should get your codes read though,... that will tell you where to look and some of them can really affect how your car runs.

Your first O2 sensor is probably the most important sensor on the car,... It really needs to be operating properly.

^^this^^

 

[thuzil]

Dude. There is nothing anyone here can do to help your car. Too much to narrow it down!

 

[wolleymp5]

Hmmm have you tried cleaning the IACV? changed filter ? cleaned throttle body? changed your pcv (only like 2$)? You can clean the MAF there is a thread somewhere on these forums that shows how to, and they sell a spray to clean the throttle body and the MAF as well (different sprays of course). Did you do seafoam in oil aswell? if yes did you do an oil change?

I have also read to clear the computer after doing all these fixes so the computer will adjust faster, although it's supposed to readjust itself if you don't but will take longer. I had similar issues, went to advanced auto parts they read the computer and told me the codes (free), then I would do the cleaning/fixes and clear the computer then try it out. The computer is supposed to adjust with in the first 50-100 miles if i'm not mistaken.

Usually if the 'fix' I tried did not work it would work great at first but I could smell the gas burnt (too much) then right after the 30-50 mile marker like clock work it would go to s*** and idle badly sometimes less, sometimes more. I used this to go eliminating the known possibilities, finally changing the EGR took most of it out and changing intake and tune up fixed it.

The EGR being clogged will most likely cause problems if it has never been changed it might also have been recalled like mine. Might be better off changing it. If you're using a cheap filter for the CAI it can also cause problems. My cheap ebay SRI came with a blue filter which worked fine when i fixed all the issues but 8 months down the road caused idle problems. Swapped with a spectre filter,25$ not a K&N but better than ebay filters, and the problems left once again.

Cleaning MAF:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQGSkWEC_u4

Cleaning IACV, same valve as protege i think:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5SWkOLVPww

Throttlebody Cleaning:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHb0g8GOojw

Cleaning EGR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDXKNLv4bF8

 

[mp5build2013]

Dude. There is nothing anyone here can do to help your car. Too much to narrow it down!

too much what? there is only ONE problem. i listed the history of the car so ppl can get an idea of what ive done and havnt. i think you saw a lot of writing and didnt even bother...

 

[wolleymp5]

too much what? there is only ONE problem. i listed the history of the car so ppl can get an idea of what ive done and havnt. i think you saw a lot of writing and didnt even bother...

I call this the problem from hell. There's literally many things that could be causing it. A mechanic suggested he would do trial and error fixes at the expense of my wallet and time lol. It's frustrating hopefully all these tips can help you go down a list of possible issues and eliminate them until you reach the true cause.

 

[pcb]

Get yourself a code reader,... they're as little as $20 in the US.

The ECU will tell you where to start.

 

[protege3690]

Get yourself a code reader,... they're as little as $20 in the US.

The ECU will tell you where to start.

+1 ... otherwise your just playing a guessing game as to what is wrong with your car. but def plug in your first O2 sensor first and then pull the codes from the ecu and report back.

 

[mp5build2013]

ok sorry it took long, school and work are a biotch.

anyways so i was right about my egr valve having nothing to do. i opened up the pipe again with a breather and i began to lose vaccum press. (obviously the valve would open and never close again due to me running a lil rich, cuz i dont have a cat) so i pluged it up again n it went back to how it was(better). i have put all types of scanners on it. but due to me not pulling up any CEL(except for the Co2 sensor missing code) all i can really do is put a obd on it and **** with the engine looking for changes. the odb readings for my MAF are off. sometimes it reads 24.5 at idle you give it a rev and it will drop to 27.4 then again and you get a different reading. i switched out MAF from a junkyard to make sure and it acted the same. i had to get a new battery cuz it died so now im looking at changing out my alternator JUUUUUST in case its not putting out enough volts. (its under about .3) not enough to make a difference i think.. the only thing i have not checked is the injectors, but thats because it does not feel like dirty injectors. even when you get codes and you know somewhat what problems the ECU is having, you still have to play the guessing game. my MAF is reading wrong anyone else wouldve gone and bought a new one when they saw the ODB readings, anyone smart enough would know there is something causing it to happen. i plan on doing an overhaul on it, or atleast re-ringing it. but i want to get this problem fixed. all on its own the performance has got better, a tiny bit but it has. However now i am noticing when idling at a stop SOMETIMES it sputters very quickly as if the rpm's dropped 200 or so for a split second... but never dies. i am taking it apart this weekend once more, this time i think i will be removing my intake and the butterfly valves see if maybe theyre sticking or maybe i can see if my intake valves are dirty and maybe staying open a bit. i will post pics and keep updated now that i started a new semester at school and i have a little more time to spare. thanks guys! i WILL find the problem.

 

[mp5build2013]

oh i forgot! i will be fixing the o2 sensors this weekend, using a fouler. as well as taking it to a muffler shop to get a piece of pipe welded in to connect that egr pipe ..just in case.

 

[mp5build2013]

Fixed! MAF sensor was not positioned correctly, it wasnt catching the air and making the "swirl" effect, as well as the CAI pipes getting too hot because my header is not wrapped yet. so i was running off hot air. i placed the air filter pointing to about the 5 o clock position and pulled it away from the radiator pipe as much as possible. filled up with v power gas and now it runs like a beauty! only thing left is to wrap my headers to keep the bay temp down. basically i was running hot AND air/fuel ratio was off. thanks for all youir help! hopefully someone with the same issues can read this and check their MAF!