MX-3.com

Ok, I started a new thread on testing the VAF - that is it's own topic.

For now, I've got my soldering IRON and a GM HEI module and lots of cable - YA-baby!

I wonder if my car will start tomorrow? It's snowing outside.

After ignition coil - still no start.

This thing needs to be in a garage, fixed by someone who has tools, and knows what they are doing.

I do not have tools, I do not have a garage, I do not know what I'm doing.

I've put in a good effort to fix this car. But I have done all that I can.

Can anyone in Calgary help?

To hell with this car! I'm getting rid of it pronto!
500 bucks takes it!

I can't post to the FS thread

have u tried a new starter?

Contact a moderator to get you access to the FS post. Man you've fought the good fight, if I lived near you I'd come over for sure. Anyone up for helping this guy in his home town? I'll reread your post and if i have any suggestions I'll get back to ya. Hang in there.

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Maz ... wsec=Books" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I doubt the car will sell at $500.

Maybe it's a starter. but, gee whiz. that's not something that I can just swap out to test.

The only way out is that way through. - I've been really upset over this. Took a few hours to listen to some Zen MP3 last night. Brother took me out for a beer I'm feeling a little better.


The key is turned.
The fuel pump kicks in.
The starter - I hear that turning.
I crank it.
I stop, cranking the key.
Exhaust can be heard. put put put put put, then silence.

This only happens on a cold start. When the car has not been running.
The car was making a bit of a farty noise last time I drove it.
My brother suggests the VAF - it may be telling the ECU to limit the amount of fuel to inject, by telling the ECU that the air is much colder than it is.
Tested the resistance on two of the pins for the VAF, One for the thermo-sensor at room temperature, I have a reading that is almost off the charts. 18,500 Ohm resistance. Proper reading if the car is at -20
I wonder if this is my problem. I will test this in the cold. Maybe I will get a reading of 110,000 Ohm - I wonder what happens if I just cut this pin and drive for a while?
Or if I just unplug the harness to the VAF.

I've never tried running the car without the VAF plugged in. I thought that it would not start at all.


If a car is starved of oxygen will it make a farty noise?

It still could be many many things.

Try getting your hands on a timing light. Timing can jump spontaneously... if crap falls into the gears for example. Mazda decided to use a rubber gasket... brilliant eh? its happened to me before.

Do you have spark? Pull a lead and just hold it very close to a ground. No plug. You should see it jump, if you can't make it jump at all, no spark. This is hard to do in bright daylight, so have shade or a garage or cloudy day or something.

If you unplug the VAF entirely, it still runs, so stop looking at that.

Almost 0 sensors are used at startup. All the cam sensors are, though, so a fried disty will cause a no-start. EGR won't cause this issue, VAF, O2's, TPS, IAC... any of the regular problem-whores. Mainly just distributor.

Look at this chart:

http://www.mx-3.com/manuals/showimg.php ... F2-014.gif" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
and the next page.

Cold cranking: both cam sensors, throttle position sensor (throttle wide open is dechoke-prevents starting), temp sensor has some effect, but not start-or-not, egr closed(not important), and ignition switch, which is obviously working.

Also, try a spare ECM. They have been known to take a hike too. They're always the last thing to be randomly replaced in Mazda repair manuals. Hard to diagnose the thing that does the diagnostics....

So, make sure your TPS isn't reading dechoke(wide open). Try unplugging that too. It will run with no signal, but not with dechoke.

Ryan,

I really appreciate your help.

: )

k did u replace your ignition coil cause i had the same issue and i replaced that and it works now

Hi i have a similar problem here.

I want to know if anyone can help me. (Sorry about my english i'm in Venezuela)

I have a 1993 Mx3 MT 1.6L SHOC

I recently have a problem with a spark plug, the camera lost the thread and had to send it to do again. to make the story short, the mechanics did a bad job and my distributor was broke up (literally), and the engine light stays on. I changed the distributor but the engine light never goes off.

After about two weeks the car wont start when it gets cold (it get cold about 6 to 8 hours after turn off), so i read all this post and feel like the same thing is happening to me.

When i try to start the car it sound like were short of battery or something electric, losing all the power and don't start, after that i try again about two times and it start fine, when the car turns on it don't keep the idle and i have to keep it pressing the gas pedal to about 2K or 2.5K on RPM. When the temperature get normal all works OK, it keep the idle and turn on fine.

I check the CEL codes and get two, first code 02 (G angle sensor) and second 09 (Coolant sensor), the good mechanics don't want to check my cars because they have a lots of 'easy cake' cars to fix and don't want to do the job on mine because it could be hard and time consuming.

So i want to know if spete701 could solve the problem? and if these codes cold be the problem on the cold-start?

I driving my car every day, i keep trying on the ignition key every morning and every evening when i get to/from work, but i think if this problem could get worse that day when i most need the car?

The way I'm understanding you...

It could be as simple as a battery connection problem. When it doesn't start on you, go out and wiggle the battery terminals and try again.

The G signal is a distributor code, you should look into trying a spare distributor.

The coolant sensor is the green one located on the intake manifold.

Check your intake for leaks, cracked rubber, etc.

Also look up "cleaning throttle body" in the FAQ on this site and try that out.