What have you done to your P5 today?

[pcb]

The service manager did say it was "dripping," or something to that effect. I do know that it's gooey as I checked it the last time I was under the car.

The description on the inspection printout recommends "Replace engine knock sensor due to oil leak."

It's just the goo dripping. It kinda looks like oil.
The threaded hole it screws into doesn't go all the way through to the engine. There is no oil going to the sensor. It's just mounted to the block to pick up vibrations.

I know that good knock sensors at Rock Auto cost north of $50, but I was a little surprised to see a price tag of $462 for the dealer to do it as it looks bog simple to replace.

Just buy an OEM knock sensor (ignition detonation sensor) online, and install it yourself, if you want OEM.

(The drawings of the parts aren't always correct and they were drawn by 6 year olds with crayons. Lol
Cross reference the part # to make sure.)

 

[pcb]

My knock sensor is also kind of gooey like yours, and has been for several years.

Yeah mine is too. It's been like that for about ten years. I'll bet everybody's is gooey.

I've never seen a code for it, but my mechanic has told me that it needs to be replaced. I was also shocked buy the cost of a new OEM or even decent quality aftermarket sensor. I'm not exactly sure what pinging sounds like, but If you replace that sensor and your pinging goes away, maybe I should do mine as well.

My guess is that when the goo is dripping, the sensor may start to lose accuracy.
It may start to register pings that aren't really there, then the ECU adjusts for it, and that could affect performance.

Or it may not register a ping, so the ECU doesn't try to adjust for it, and the car will keep pinging.

We have a code that monitors the knock sensor circuit, but we don't have a code that monitors the performance of the knock sensor.

I've never experienced pinging, so I don't know what it's like.
I think you both hear it and feel it a bit ?

 

[pcb]

The other recommendation from their multipoint inspection was to fix a leaking left-front axle, and their price to do that seemed quite fair at $276. Note that they can't get their hands on a Mazda OEM axle right now, and would use a third party part so that might be part of the reason that the price seems low.

Where is it leaking from?
If the boots are leaking, you need a new axle.
If it's leaking at the transmission, you need a new oil seal, not a new axle.

My right side axle seal started leaking after having the axle in and out 4 times to replace my alternator.

I paid $184 for the seal and labor.
The axle needs to be removed to replace the seal, and that's a big job on our car.

Don't you have new control arms to install?

You should do all that work at once.
You can ignore an oil leak for a while as long as it's not gushing out.

 

[pcb]

The left front axle is different for the manual transmission.
It looks like it's a much beefier axle, but I have no idea why they would only beef up one side ??

 

[pcb]

The other recommendation from their multipoint inspection was to fix a leaking left-front axle, and their price to do that seemed quite fair at $276.

You should be able to replace the oil seal yourself.
You've done some major work on your car already.
You should be able to pull it off.

You don't need the SST.
You can just carefully tap the new seal into place with just a hammer and maybe a block of wood.
You just have to keep it square.

The seal is about $15.



I don't know which transmission I have but they appear the same to me.
I don't know what the difference is ?

Apparently there was a sticker on the transmission saying which one it was, but mine fell off before I bought the car.

 

[BenjiHoggi]

Yeah mine is too. It's been like that for about ten years. I'll bet everybody's is gooey.




My guess is that when the goo is dripping, the sensor may start to lose accuracy.
It may start to register pings that aren't really there, then the ECU adjusts for it, and that could affect performance.

Or it may not register a ping, so the ECU doesn't try to adjust for it, and the car will keep pinging.

We have a code that monitors the knock sensor circuit, but we don't have a code that monitors the performance of the knock sensor.

I've never experienced pinging, so I don't know what it's like.
I think you both hear it and feel it a bit ?

I wonder if I should try replacing it then. My car makes all sorts of noises and vibrations that I don't understand, but I also tend to be a little too concerned and obsessive with small stuff that probably isn't important.

$150 is steep for a non-essential "fix". I can buy a used OEM one on eBay for like $20 shipped. I don't see any brands I particularly like/recognize on RockAuto though...

 

[katapaltes]

Yeah mine is too. It's been like that for about ten years. I'll bet everybody's is gooey.




My guess is that when the goo is dripping, the sensor may start to lose accuracy.
It may start to register pings that aren't really there, then the ECU adjusts for it, and that could affect performance.

Or it may not register a ping, so the ECU doesn't try to adjust for it, and the car will keep pinging.

We have a code that monitors the knock sensor circuit, but we don't have a code that monitors the performance of the knock sensor.

I've never experienced pinging, so I don't know what it's like.
I think you both hear it and feel it a bit ?

To me, pinging sounds more like a rattle than anything I'd call a "ping." You might be able to reproduce the sound on a normally-working engine by going up a hill and lugging the engine at the same time - or if that's not pinging, it sounds similar to me. Someone here may be able to describe it better.

Where is it leaking from?
If the boots are leaking, you need a new axle.
If it's leaking at the transmission, you need a new oil seal, not a new axle.

My right side axle seal started leaking after having the axle in and out 4 times to replace my alternator.

I paid $184 for the seal and labor.
The axle needs to be removed to replace the seal, and that's a big job on our car.

Don't you have new control arms to install?

You should do all that work at once.
You can ignore an oil leak for a while as long as it's not gushing out.

It's leaking at the boot, so new axle it is. I haven't installed the new LCAs as it's been too damn hot here in Texas. I'll take a couple days off work when it gets cooler and do that. The mechanic with the P5 above said he's on his third set of LCAs. He runs lower-profile tires, has lots of miles, and probably drives in a spirited manner. From his test drive, he said my ball joints weren't too bad.

The left front axle is different for the manual transmission.
It looks like it's a much beefier axle, but I have no idea why they would only beef up one side ??

View attachment 302148

View attachment 302149

Well, I can tell you when I was a teenager and stuck my head under the front of Mom's VW Rabbit (diesel) that one axle was thicker than the other. I didn't understand it either. But I did see a badly-torn boot on the axle, so she took it to the dealer and supposedly they just replaced/repacked the boot.

 

[BenjiHoggi]

The mechanic with the P5 above said he's on his third set of LCAs. He runs lower-profile tires, has lots of miles, and probably drives in a spirited manner. From his test drive, he said my ball joints weren't too bad.

Really? Huh....I replaced my LCAs with new Delphi ones maybe a year and a half ago. I got under there a few weeks back and was super disappointed to see that the rubber bushings were already cracked and worn looking. Common P5 problem? Time for some forum searching!

 

[pcb]

I wonder if I should try replacing it then. My car makes all sorts of noises and vibrations that I don't understand, but I also tend to be a little too concerned and obsessive with small stuff that probably isn't important.

$150 is steep for a non-essential "fix".

It may not even fix anything.
I'm ignoring mine until I notice a problem.

I can buy a used OEM one on eBay for like $20 shipped.

I would worry that it would be an original OEM sensor and they just wiped the goo off. Lol

I don't see any brands I particularly like/recognize on RockAuto though...

View attachment 302156

I don't really know about brands, but at least with RockAuto, it will almost certainly fit and work.
How long it lasts and the quality has more to do with the brand I guess?

 

[pcb]

To me, pinging sounds more like a rattle than anything I'd call a "ping." You might be able to reproduce the sound on a normally-working engine by going up a hill and lugging the engine at the same time - or if that's not pinging, it sounds similar to me.

I have lugged an engine before, and know that sound.

It's leaking at the boot, so new axle it is.

Yeah, you want to get on that pretty quick.
Grease can fling out of the boot, get on your rotors and make a huge mess, then the joint fails fast.

Well, I can tell you when I was a teenager and stuck my head under the front of Mom's VW Rabbit (diesel) that one axle was thicker than the other. I didn't understand it either.

Part of that might be to keep the weight of each axle the same.

I think it was my GLC that had a big rubber weight on the shorter axle to weigh it down.
If one axle is lighter it will have less inertia, it will get more power during acceleration and the brake on that side will grab harder during deceleration.


On our car they use the same axle for both sides on the ZM automatic and standard transmissions.
The FS has that same axle for both sides on the automatic but the standard transmission has a different axle (not necessarily heavier, but stonger) on the left side only.

I don't get it?

 

[pcb]

Really? Huh....I replaced my LCAs with new Delphi ones maybe a year and a half ago. I got under there a few weeks back and was super disappointed to see that the rubber bushings were already cracked and worn looking. Common P5 problem? Time for some forum searching!

The mechanic with the P5 above said he's on his third set of LCAs..., and probably drives in a spirited manner.

What he said, ^^^
That's huge.

If you're pulling G's, you're squashing the hell out of your bushings.
If they get too sloppy, your alignment starts to bend out of wack and you can start to have control issues.
You want your car to feel tight.

(remember that I like to overthink stuff, so don't worry about it too much. )

One thing you might be able to do is replace your bushings with urethane bushings.
Urethane is a much more durable rubber and you might be able to pick your durometer.

The specialty shops should have something.


The guys from down under don't replace their LCA's, they rebuild them.
They press a new ball joint and bushings in.

They just use a hammer and blocks and pound in the bushings and there's a tool to press in and out the ball joint.

They wonder why we keep buying new LCAs...


So you might be able to replace your bushings with something sporty.



I had a new ball joint pressed into my LCA on my 85' 626, and things didn't go smoothly.

He was pressing in the new ball joint and it wasn't flush with the cup.
He just cranked it in and it squared up at the end. He removed the tool and the balljoint fell out.
He bent the damn cup open !!, so then he welded it in there and cooked my new ball joint.
Grease and plastic was boiling out of the top of the ball joint.

It was welded in and I left but a while later the welds broke.
I went to another mechanic where they welded it again, but they were careful, and just did small welds at a time then sprayed it down with water.

They didn't want to weld the ball joint because it's not the proper thing to do, and just wrote "miscellaneous labour" on my receipt.
No warranty. Lol

 

[pcb]

One thing you might be able to do is replace your bushings with urethane bushings.

I found this...
They are urethane.

spf2454k | Front Lower Control Arm Bushing | Mazda Protege 98-04

Front lower control arm bushing for 1998-2004 Mazda Protege. SuperPro control arm bushings are made of high quality polyurethane for a direct OE replacement. In stock! spf2454k

www.suspension.com

 

[pcb]

I found this..

​

Thanks to their good damping properties and excellent load carrying capabilities, Delphi Technologies bushings absorb unwanted vibrations and sound, providing a comfortable and quiet ride, as well as improving vehicle stability and safety. Since bushings are subject to high dynamic stresses day-in, day-out, Delphi Technologies only ever uses the highest quality materials. By carefully balancing the precise quantities of steel and rubber, Delphi Technologies bushings provide the optimum combination of strength, flexibility and noise reduction, tailored to the application they fit. Rubber vs. Thermoplastic vs. Polyurethane - What Is The Difference? Bushing Material Maintenance Free Ride Type Lifespan Noise/Squeak Easier to Install Rubber Replicates OE Polyurethane Very Stiff *Not All Materials Are Offered For All Applications Attention California Customers - WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including Carbon Black, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov. DELPHI TD1065W Specifications Inside Diameter 0.65 IN Length 48.5 mm Outside Diameter 2.91 IN Alternate/OEM Part Number(s): B25D34460 Warranty Information: Limited Lifetime Warranty Details

It looks like your Delphi LCA's use regular rubber.

Urethane appears to last 3 times longer, but doesn't offer original ride quality.

Urethane is harder and transmits road vibrations into your car.

You may prefer that feeling and may like it. (like a go-cart).

You can get all carried away with solid engine mounts and Urethane everything but your eyeballs might start to bounce, your rear view mirror vibrates uselessly, and your fillings will rattle out out your teeth. Lol

Plus,... if you tighten up your LCA's, the vibrations are sent into your steering knuckle and start to pound on your bearings and everything else for that matter.
Everything starts to take a s*** kicking, and you need to upgrade and replace all kinds of components.

Not to mention the cost of having all your fillings replaced at the dentist. Lol


It's your call.
It's a rabbit hole.
Jump in in with lots of money in your pockets. Lol

 

[pcb]

$150 is steep for a non-essential "fix".

If I were you, I'd spend the $115 on new LCA bushings instead.

It may not be an "essential fix" but you get a lot more bang for your buck.
Your bushings sound like they are shot anyway.


My dad used to say, "If it ain't broke, Don't fix it."

I'd say, "Don't worry. I'm sure I'll break something while I'm fixing it." Lol

 

[BenjiHoggi]

If you're pulling G's, you're squashing the hell out of your bushings.
If they get too sloppy, your alignment starts to bend out of wack and you can start to have control issues.
You want your car to feel tight.

Yeah, I'm definitely doing that. I drive the car hard, but I always try to have mechanical sympathy, so no rev-limiter, dumping the clutch, slides, etc. But aggressive turns? Yess.

(remember that I like to overthink stuff, so don't worry about it too much. )

Same. I had better watch out that I don't overthink what you're saying and then reply, or we will have an endless loop of overthinking.

One thing you might be able to do is replace your bushings with urethane bushings.
Urethane is a much more durable rubber and you might be able to pick your duromete

Yes, this is something I have considered. I like to browse eBay for cool mods and then save them to my watchlist, never to be looked at again. But I do have some poly bushings saved that are fairly cheap somewhere in my eBay.

The guys from down under don't replace their LCA's, they rebuild them.
They press a new ball joint and bushings in.

I should have kept my old LCAs so I could work on them in the background and keep driving my car. I would need a press though I think.

It looks like your Delphi LCA's use regular rubber.

Urethane appears to last 3 times longer, but doesn't offer original ride quality.

Urethane is harder and transmits road vibrations into your car.

You may prefer that feeling and may like it. (like a go-cart).

Yes, that's the tradeoff. I don't want to roast my ride quality. The car is comfy enough now for being a small light car, so maybe I could sacrifice a little.

If I were you, I'd spend the $115 on new LCA bushings instead.

It may not be an "essential fix" but you get a lot more bang for your buck.
Your bushings sound like they are shot anyway.

Maybe. Next time I rotate my tires (oh I should probably do that soon) I will check the wear patterns and see what it's looking like. The LCA bushings aren't too bad looking, just lots of little cracks. And to be fair, even when I put the new ones in, I did not feel any difference in sharpness or ride quality, so I'm not sure if I'll improve it again by throwing more money at it.

 

[pcb]

But I do have some poly bushings saved that are fairly cheap somewhere in my eBay.

I should have kept my old LCAs so I could work on them in the background and keep driving my car. I would need a press though I think.

You'd probably need a press for the ball joints, but you could probably just use a hammer and a socket as a "press/cup" for the bushings.

I remember one guy on the forum that was struggling to remove his old bushings, so he put the torch to them and burned them out. Lol

 

[31N007]

Apparently there was a sticker on the transmission saying which one it was, but mine fell off before I bought the car.

The "easy" way I can suggest how to decipher, is, if it's got the FS-DE, it's a G-series transmission. If it's anything else, I think they put the F-series 'box in there.

ProtegeFAQ had a pretty good transmission section that also linked engines with transmissions.

 

[pcb]

The "easy" way I can suggest how to decipher, is, if it's got the FS-DE, it's a G-series transmission. If it's anything else, I think they put the F-series 'box in there.

ProtegeFAQ had a pretty good transmission section that also linked engines with transmissions.

Oh, OK. I must have have the G-series then.

I remember skimming through the two transmission sections in the service manual, and they appeared to be identical.
Perhaps there's internal differences?
I didn't look into it too much.

 

[31N007]

Oh, OK. I must have have the G-series then.

I remember skimming through the two transmission sections in the service manual, and they appeared to be identical.
Perhaps there's internal differences?
I didn't look into it too much.

Internally it looks like "yes" is the short answer. Given the lack of part numbers, I couldn't give you interchange between the two transmissions, but I can say that I think the F-box is "less stout" given the engines the two were attached to.

 

[pcb]

I checked again, and noticed that the front mount bracket is different between the two transmissions...

The bottom picture is the G-series transmission and it looks like a stronger connection to the front mount.




The bolts on the G-series have more torque and are probably bigger bolts...