MX-3.com

alright boys,
1994 ZE
So this is going to be a little long, but bare with me it'll save questions and we can get right to the problem, maybe
okay. So my car wasn't getting spark until it rolled over for a good 2 seconds, then it would get spark and start. So I did some checking and it came out to be the disty. I took the disty completely apart. There was a black rubber ring that had gotten melted on the pick up magnets in the very bottom of the disty. So I cleaned them all up and put the disty back together again. Now the car starts perfect with no problems, but since then I am getting back fire/lagging when the car is cold or hot. doesn't do it at highway speed cruising along, but it does it when you take off/ shift gears/ and it really does it when you stomp on the gas. I checked for misfire and doesn't see, to be a problem. changed 1 plug wire cause it was broke. checked for vac leak, air leak. its getting fuel. I did a fuel pressure test on it about 2 months ago and it was fine then. keep in mind it wasn't doing this until I cleaned the disty. Im guessing its the disty but to make sure I would like some opinions on this before I go an get a new one. Here is a link of the car acting up under pressure. NOTE: does not do it while idling only driving and under haul. http://youtu.be/p8cPqv_8V1I you can hear it kick in at about 10 seconds to the end of the vid.

Ever check your timing?

no I haven't, I didn't think I would need to with only cleaning the disty up, what ive done ample of times before without playing with the timing.

You need to adjust your timing. Borrow a timing light from local auto parts store and check your timing. Every time you replace distributor you need to adjust your timing.

I have a timing gun. Thanks I will try that. its supposed to be 9-11DG BTDC according to my all data for a 1.8l im assuming it should be the same for the ze?

okay so i timed the car to 9 degree BTDC. adjusted the rpm which i cant get to stay study, but its between 950-1000 at idle. took the car for a test run, and its still doing it. the car has more pick up power. but once you get to about 6500rpm's and hammer on the throttle it starts to backfire like a pig. sounds like a gun coming from the exhaust

Fuel delivery/filter?

6500? Do you rev beyond 7000?

What happens if you start at low revs and hold it WOT to beyond 6500?

Doesnt happen at idle and reving only while driving. Like in 4th gear ill go to about 120-140 the rpms are about 6000 and it starts to happen, I shift into 5th an let off the gas its normal, when I press the pedal hard to the floor it boggs out. Only under pressure, never at idle. Or cruising. Does it sometimes at low rpms when taking off. Sorry its about 5500 rpms

so did you ever pull the covers off btw to physically check timing?

the valve cover, im not sure it would be valve timing if thats what your asking. i jumpered the dia to TEN n GRD, found the mark on the harmonic balancer marked it with yellow chalk got the timing gun, pinched it on Cy 1. loosened the disty bolts. then adjusted the disty ( with help). untill the timing mark was anywhere between 9D-11D BTDC.. Just to add on, i also jumpered ten n gd in dia for codes, my engine light doesnt work, so i jumpered ten n gd an added a led light, im getting no flashes so im assuming no codes. i tested the disty the way alldata shows, but im not getting any reading from he 3plug pin the way they show it. with the Ignition off, alldata shows connect the neg connector to the yellow wire on the 3pin, and pos to the middle, i dont get any readings, if i put neg to blue wire and pos to yellow wire i get a 3.702ohm reading. put neg to yellow pos to red no reading, with the ignition to the ON position neg in yellow,pos in blue i get a 6.30ohm reading.

now testing the coil, blue wire neg to main coil (under the disty cap) i get a 15.06ohms reading. according to all data the reading should be 20-31ohm. think my disty is bad? also been told the studder may be coming from a fuel delivery somewhere sence it only happens when i open the throttle wide open,but also happens while driving slow and shifting gears too. Also will a disty from a 94 mx-6 fit a 94 ze?

update.. just got back from town and now the car is lagging/losing power while cruising not just under pressure anymore.

Sleeper 6 was referring to your timing belt covers, not valve cover.

Yes on the distributor interchange if its from a 2.5L V6.

Definitely get that distributor changed out though for a known good one since I would say its probably

where your problem lies.

okay. i will double check to make sure its from a 2.5l mx-6. i've been thinking it was the disty the whole time. but ive had ample of people telling me it wouldnt be the problem.

If someone even tried to mention TPS I may have smashed my keyboard. Thank f*** that didn't happen. Almost 100% of the time the disty is the cause. Who said it wouldn't be??? They don't know about our disty problems me thinks! I have had ones die with no warning, just try to start in the morning and get nothing. Had 3 die total, one died at birth, one died up a hill and the third died after other major failures very stealthily, which was bullsh** because you fix your timing belts and you wouldn't expect the disty to commit suicide in the process under the radar but oh yes it did!

Definitely try for a good known working disty, if that works then there's your issue. A mazda K series V6 owner should always have a spare disty or HEI + Coil mod.

A full HEI mod is the best answer. Everyone who has not done it should start buying the parts for it at the very least.

I have a complete HEI mod sitting in the garage, it was on my other mx3 that i drove in the winter, I havent installed it on my summer one cause i never wanted to cut into the main wiring for the disty. not to mention i've heard people say there's tons of different ways to hook it up. and i dont wanna start doing it and turn out that its wrong, and slash up some more wires