Need some help bad...

Jarago · Post by **Jarago** » July 4th, 2005, 7:16 pm

I just moved to calgary from NB just in the last month so I'm pretty broke

I checked the car myself with the diagnostics, as well as canadian tire did on canada day...came up with nothing

btw..this was part of my "Car won't start" thread

brought it to the mazda dealer...and I can't believe my ears...

I need a new distributor...to buy and install... $950...doesn't aht sounds like double the price it should be, if not more??

spark plugs..wants to charge me 123 dollars

they said there's an oil drippage...they want 93 to clean it up

front sway bar links... 250 dollars

and a collant temp sensor.. 128 dollars...

is it just me, or does this just sound rediculous? I'm not a car guy (yet, but learning), but what's with these prices? I know dealers mark stuff up...but com'mon...

sorry for the vent, can someone at least give me a bit of feedback or where to get parts around calgary, or anything at all? I'm in trouble

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » July 4th, 2005, 8:20 pm

Thats pretty typical of dealerships.. You can get a remanufactured distributor for your car for around $200 US. Dont get a reman distributor from Autozone. You will regret it if you do. Napa or other retailer. Everything they mentioned you can do yourself.. But its always expensive to have someone else work on just about any car. Best of luck.

Tunes67

neutral · Post by **neutral** » July 4th, 2005, 9:39 pm

Jarago wrote:...btw..this was part of my "Car won't start" thread

brought it to the mazda dealer...and I can't believe my ears...

I need a new distributor...to buy and install... $950...doesn't aht sounds like double the price it should be, if not more??...

Yes be afraid.

Be very afraid and,

run away from that dealership and don't look back.

I don't recall the specifics of what you checked on your "car won't start thread," other than discussing the intake which you checked for cracking - w/none. You can do every single one of those repairs pretty easy. Don't know what's in your area but NAPA sells reliable reman elec. parts and others here will know more. Start simple and cheapest and do the plugs, ignition wires, disty cap and rotor if they haven't been done in awhile. You might need a distributor but maybe not? It's expensive, even remanufactured, so ya wanna be sure. Have you tried testing for spark by taking a plug wire off one sparkplug and cranking the engine while checking for a spark (hold the loose wire-end close to the engine to look for an arcing spark pulse)

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » July 4th, 2005, 9:44 pm

I will add that if your coolant temperature sensor was bad.. it would throw a CEL code. Have you tried pulling codes to see what the ECU is showing wrong?

Just place a jumper wire between TEN and GND on the diagnostic box near your firewall. Get into your car and turn your key to the run position and count any flashes from your CEL. Best of luck.

Tunes67

Jarago · Post by **Jarago** » July 4th, 2005, 9:59 pm

Thanks alot guys

I checked everything in the other thread except for the ground to the battery

I ran TEN to GND, and nothing happened, no error codes, canadian tire did it as well...nothing

I found a dist for 200 bux used, so I'm gettin it tonight and droppin it in the car if I can figure out how. I'll buy plugs tomorrow, and then the car should work I hope.

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » July 4th, 2005, 10:02 pm

Just a quick question... when you get into your car and turn the key to the run position.. prior to starting the car.. your Check Engine Light does come on for a few seconds right? If it does.. that dealership is trying to rip you off.. if it doesnt light up though.. at all.. your CEL may be burnt out. Which would explain why you arent showing any codes.. just a thought.

Tunes67

Jarago · Post by **Jarago** » July 4th, 2005, 10:04 pm

when I turn the key 1 notch just before I turn it over to start, the check engine light stays on, so does the oil light. When I start the car, it goes off (when the car starts) but then I get those idle issues after a few.

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » July 4th, 2005, 10:12 pm

Well then that dealership was definately full of it.. at least as far as the coolant temp sensor. Because that will throw a code if its bad. Best of luck

Tunes67

Jarago · Post by **Jarago** » July 4th, 2005, 10:15 pm

how about the distributor? will that throw a code?

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » July 4th, 2005, 10:20 pm

Not if the coil in the distributor went bad.. for whatever reason there is no code for that.. there are a couple of codes that could show up if other parts of the distributor went bad.. but it is possible for the distributor to be faulty and show no codes.. you can check the online shop manual for procedures on how to check the distributor though. Best of luck.

Tunes67

Jarago · Post by **Jarago** » July 4th, 2005, 10:24 pm

Wow, you rock

thank you for all the information

Flashpoint2 · Post by **Flashpoint2** » July 5th, 2005, 1:37 am

Tunes definitely does rock. Whole lotta good info comes from that guy.

esmacmil · Post by **esmacmil** » July 5th, 2005, 7:16 pm

good advice

Jarago · Post by **Jarago** » July 5th, 2005, 7:24 pm

Where's some help online how to install the distributor? I looked through the online manual, and I saw a drop of info on the dist itself, but no real help on what to do. I have the part beside me, so I'm guessing I'd just look for the samet thing under the hood, unhook it, and hook this up, but is there really anything else I should know?

And yes, tunes just kicks butt

thanks

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » July 5th, 2005, 7:32 pm

Its pretty simple really.. the only thing you really need to take care about is making sure you get the new distributor back in the same position as the old one. Use a metal scribe (or sharp knife tip) and make a mark on valve cover that lines up with something common on both distributors. Take the distributor cap off your old one and note the position of the rotor. When you install your new distributor, make sure the rotor is in the same position and that the housing in lined up with the mark you made on the valve cover.. tighten in place.. plug everything back in and you should be good to go. Cheers

Tunes67

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Need some help bad...

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