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it's connected directly to the ECU on a metal bracket

Evo_Spec wrote:it's connected directly to the ECU on a metal bracket

Yep Daninski thought so as well, I think you're both right since I removed that one then reseated the injectors fine.

Might have a bad piston ring though, maaaad smoke on startup(only started it twice though) and an absolutely brutal idle(gonna replace all vac lines today or tomorrow). Gonna pull the plugs do see if they're any dirtier then when I pulled them yesterday(cleaned and tossed them in again).

So I've been having some problems, unseated injector, then a vacuum leak I couldn't track down. I finally figured it out today, I replaced all of the vac lines for the EGR and VICS solenoids which made no difference, but then I realized that one of my VICS solenoids was shot, I replaced it with another spare that Anthony got me. She runs fine now, I had the bottom of my CAI sitting upside down. I drove around without the hood to make sure everything was hunkydory and it was pretty cool to hear the intake like that, every time I let off the throttle it sounded like a BOV haha.









I had a fright thinking that my piston ring(s) were shot because of a couple of starts like this.

And I had some oily plugs too(more fuel then oil as it turns out).

Holy snow angels batman!


Yeah I had my intake like that once it does sound pretty cool

Ugh, so I figured out my vac problem but my charging system problem came back, even with the alty from my BP. I fired teh car up and took it for a spin, was good for a few minutes till when I got to about 5.5k when the charge light came on, had to turn off the lights and stereo to get the car home with the speedo working. Alty pulley as well as crank pulley that runs off of the same belt got very hot after a five minute drive, didn't check the water pump pulley since it's super hard to reach from the top, but I imagine it's hot too.

Alty is good, so no seized pulley there, everything seems to be lined up fine(tensioner is't loose), belt wasn't overtightened. Also, no cooling system problems so I htink the water pump pulley is out of the equation right now too. I think it's the crank pulley but I won't know until I check today.

I haven't driven this thing for six weeks now :'(

If the pulleys are hot it suggests that the belt is slipping. Even though you don't hear any squealing.

I recommend going to the Mazda dealer and getting a factory alternator belt. This has been a problem with the I4 engine for years and from my own experience when I had one, the only solution was to use the factory belt. Don't know why, but no other belt I used ever worker properly. I tried Gatorbacks, and every brand that I could get my hands on and they all slipped and eventually broke. I put a factory belt on and problem solved and never returned.

wytbishop wrote:If the pulleys are hot it suggests that the belt is slipping. Even though you don't hear any squealing.

I recommend going to the Mazda dealer and getting a factory alternator belt. This has been a problem with the I4 engine for years and from my own experience when I had one, the only solution was to use the factory belt. Don't know why, but no other belt I used ever worker properly. I tried Gatorbacks, and every brand that I could get my hands on and they all slipped and eventually broke. I put a factory belt on and problem solved and never returned.

I tossed a gatorback on when I swapped altys and it's still squeaky regardless of tension(I've tried more tension, adequate tension and less tension) so I think you're right. I'll call my closest dealer and see if they can dig one up for me, my previous Gatorback only lasted a year before becoming very worn.

Are the belts made of a different material or are a different width or something?

I did figure out my problem though.

I unplugged my HID ballasts, and now all of the sudden my car runs fine. I haven't put normal plugs in yet so I think it's related either to my HIDs or to my projectors. I'm gonna grab some standard H1 bulbs and try it out tonight, if it's still problematic I'm gonna switch in my stock headlights, I'll figure out the projector situation in warmer weather.

I have a feeling that it might be the projectors since they have relays and connectors that water can reach fairly easily. Theres a good chance that one of the relays or connectors is corroded or causing a short somewhere.

I;ll report back with an OEM belt though, I think I saw a thread where you mentioned the OEM belt thing but I thought nothing of it since it was in the v6 section.

Car died on me. Had to drive about fifteen km using downshifting and the hand brake. Sucked so damn much

Pulled the alty, I'm gonna test it tomorrow although I suspect a bad connection on the alty.

Also found this suckered here.


Any ideas what it is? Unless I have two charcoal canisters it can't be that. This suckered is about the size of my alty too. One vac line runs to some kind of solenoid or something to intake manifold, other end is just broken so I have no clue where it goes. Sits in the passenger rear corner of the engine bay. Anyone know what it is or where it's supposed to go?

That is the charcoal canister...or at least it is "a" charcoal canister. You can tell by the bits on the back that slide into the bracket.

Sigh, workshop manual was no help.

The top line coming from the picture is actually the one that usually faces the bottom. The line has been ripped out so I have got no clue where it goes. I searched through three section for fuel and emissions with no luck. Anyone got any ideas?

And thanks for the info charlie.

The hose sitting on top in the picture...actually the bottom when it's installed in the right orientation is a vent. It doesn't connect to anything.

Ahh I see. I was under the impression it was like the charcoal canisters in my fuel rail and that the vac diagram just didn't include it.

Thanks Charlie, I was getting annoyed from not bring able to find it.

So I took the alternator to get it tested today, passed with flying colours(I was certain it was good but I just wanted to double check). Seems like I've got a bad ground now.

Anyone have any suggestions on specific "trouble" spots for bad grounds? Or any other trouble spots for shorts? If I can find and replace a big one that'd be awesome since I can limp the car home and do all of the rest.