MX-3.com

Hello everybody. I've had a '93 MX-3 GS for a couple of years, and its had many issues in that amount of time. The A/C has never worked right; it will blow hot air in the summer time, and cold air in the winter time. The alternator went out a few months later, followed by the transmission. Radiator was replaced soon after; the EGR valve was replaced along with many other things. The car now has an issue with rough idle and loss of power and acceleration. When you floor the car from a dead stop, it juts revs up but doesn't go anywhere. Also when at a stop, the car has an extremely rough idle. When starting the car, you have to turn the key twice before it starts. Car smells of gas at higher speeds; CEL comes on and off at random times. I've unhooked the O2 sensor for an air intake system, and I'm thinking some of these problems are caused by that. I've tried getting my codes read, but no one in my area has an OBD-1 system I can hook up to. 151k miles.

Please help. I love the car but its driving me crazy. Thank You.

you can read your own codes. Use the search button up top.

You did hook the O2 sensor back up, right?

Technically the car is my friends, but he is computer retarded so I'm trying to help him out. He told me when he did the cold air intake, he didn't hook it up. i immediately told him this was the reason for the poor performance. I'll take a look at it when I see him the next time. I also asked about his timing belt and spark plugs, but he didn't know the answer to either.

Someone should take that poor MX and give it a nicer home.

I agree. I love the car; a go cart with an interior. Makes my Cadillac handle like crap. However, the car has been trouble from the beginning. Everything that can go wrong with a vehicle has happened. I'd love to get it in decent running shape for him though. He deserves it.

I'll give you 1 dollar for it. In today's economy, the US dollar is worth lots of other stuffs in other nations.


Oh wait, the US dollar sucks....so I'll give 2 dolla!

If your friend truly deserves it, then by all means, make like new!
Then I'll offer you 3 dolla.

Read through the V6 FAQ about how to read codes, and get a paperclip and do it.

You need the hoses and plugs on your intake attached or the car won't work right.

O2 sensors should also be plugged in...if they seem to be 1/2 working, take them out and you can try to clean them up w/ carb cleaner. Also check the wiring for broken wires.

Is the VAF installed correctly? Make sure it's not backwards if you have a CAI on...(the push-part needs to face AWAY from the direction of air, so when the engine runs it sucks in the VAF.)


Do these things first, make sure all other plugs are plugged in, then put the car is Diagnostic Mode (same way you read codes) and adjust the idle screw on your Throttle Body until it's idling better. Thats the cheap quick fix, the better way is to clean the throttle body out, takeout the idle screw clean that then reinstall it.

If the EGR is having problems, it can be an easy fix. My car had horrible idle and stall issues that werent related to the throttle body or anything else...it was the EGR.

Take off the EGR valve itself, and get some more carb cleaner, and some small brushes (tooth brushes will melt, best to get an assortment of brushes and pipe cleaners at an autoparts store.) BE GENTLE, but clean out the whole EGR valve. Make sure the bladder thingy works and creates a suction. As you clean you should notice it will work alot better. Mine was frozen in place, but had no holes. If yours has a hole, I don't know if you can repair it - SO BE CAREFUL when cleaning not to damage it.

Oh wow, thanks for the great help! I'll definitely get up with him later and see what we can do about all this.

Thanks!

This wouldn't of happened if it was a muscle car.

But with that amount of neglect, it would get 4 mpg.

First off, I would blame the CEL flashing on and off on faulty O2 sensors.

Always buy OEM (or Bosch) O2's, never cheap aftermarket ones. You'll end up buying your O2's twice.

If he doesn't know about the plugs, replace the plugs, stay away from Bosch plugs at all times. We favor NGK.

is it the air conditioning that doesn't work, or does the heater not work either? will it blow hot air in the winter ever?