Common Problem for me, rare for the internet?

[masteryoca13]

Hey, I have an mx-3 4cyl 1.6, and i drive it every day. The car has a few problems such as dying while driving, and clutch malfunctioning. i have already done a few things to the car since i got it. i have bought and installed a new clutch, i have replaced the sparkplugs, and wires just the other day, i have done an oil change just the other day, i have filled the radiator with water, added clutch fluid.

now, describing the problems, if i'm at a stop light for more than 2 minutes, it'll start idling sporadically rising and falling, then sputter a bit then die. sometimes it does it while im in motion, the whole car jerks a lot like i'm stomping up and down on the pedal (but i'm not) then it just dies. i can still force start it with the clutch, and sometimes it works and behaves for the rest of the day. (It WILL start EVERY TIME after dying in a matter of minutes on it's own.) i have had this EXACT SAME PROBLEM with a mazda protoge. I'm thinking it's either sensors or air control. it doesnt seem to relate to the cars heat. This problem almost never occurs on the highway.

For the clutch problem, if i'm using the clutch pedal at all, it loses pressure gradually and quickly. i must put it in neutral and let off the clutch all the time now to prevent using the clutch when i dont absolutely need to. if i just hold down the clutch, the pedal gets more and more loose in seconds until the entire thing is limp and i cant even use it to start the car, or shift.

so overall, the car is still driveable, just extremely problematic. the car dies every time i go out and starts back up later, often in the middle of the road, which causes cops to tell me i need to move it or tow it.

any help is appreciated, i'm in a real tough spot in this tough world, and this car is all i got left.

[jmdearras]

Clutch sounds like the clutch master cylinder. If it were the slave cylinder, you would have run out of brake fluid by now.

Re:Water in the radiator, might not be a good idea, you need some anti-corrosion protection.

As to the idle, I had something close when I first got my car, it was temp related, I was missing the water pump belt. The car was not drivable at the time, so it never seriously overheated. But the idle was up-down-up-down, until I replaced the belt (as soon as I found it was missing!) but if you needed to add water, you might have a leak, or might not have filled it correctly.

Jim

[Ryan]

what year is it?

[Demonic1]

Yeah, I have the issue with the Clutch Master cylinder too ... I have to get that one replaced soon, the local orielly parts has it for me at $29.99 US. apparently it's a quick easy fix. Also since you'll have to bleed the system afterwards might as well throw the extra 8-10 dollars at a slave cylinder rebuild kit too. (already did mine)

[masteryoca13]

It's a 93.

I found it for 35 (clutch master cylinder) at autozone so that will help. Thx.


Still need to find out why it stalls.

[JCS]

I was having a similar problem on my '93 1.6

I would experience the same jerking issue as if I were burping the throttle, and the car would die. Sometimes it would start back up immediately, other times it wouldn't. After a couple months of that, I went out to start the car and it would crank like crazy but wouldn't fire. Tested everything and I was led to believe it was a bad distributor. So, I replaced the dist. and haven't had a problem since. GL

[masteryoca13]

interesting JCS, ive replaced the ingnition system twice but never replaced the distributor... i should do that whaen i tackle my main problem now.

my car is not drivable! the clutch will not disengage by pedal, ive been told there may be air in the system, so i bought a new master cylinder and reservoir with what little cash i had left, and i pumped dot-3 through it before attaching the pipes to it, (a crude attempt at bleeding i know, but this new cylinder has no bleeder screw, i dont know what to do) the clutch shows no life still. i can confirm that there is no leakage of fluids present, just no pressure on the pedal. maybe there's air in the system outside the cylinder? or maybe the slave cylinder needs attention? i don't know, but i need to find out where the slave cylinder is located on my 93 mx-3 1.6. any ideas?

oh yeah, when i push the brake pedal fluid shoots out of the master cylinder, but when i do it with the clutch pedal fluid barely comes out. could it be another problem? or does the clutch just use less fluid than the brakes?

[Meep]

I have the same issues you describe when stopping the car. The idle will fluctuate wildly and then the engine will die. I've mostly been able to prevent it from dying by adjusting the clutch but its always been an issue during sharp turns (and losing power, I lose power steering which rather sucks). Though, it has never been a problem when driving on the interstate (my weekday commute to work is 30 miles one way). For the life of me, I cannot pinpoint the issue. Good luck pinpointing yours, we may be getting rid of ours shortly because of this and other issues.

[Ryan]

fluctuating idle is 90% vaccuum leak. Check the main accordian tube, and maybe other vac lines that have fallen off, or cracked. Make sure there are caps on all unusd nipples (such as ones used for cruise, if you don't have it)

Also, replace the green temperature sensor with a known good unit. Should be a super cheap part, if not, scrap yard pocket loot.

For the clutch problem:

To start the car, there is a sensor attatched to the pedal that must be disengaged (by pressing the pedal to the floor) in order to start. It has nothing to do with the actual clutch itself. The ECM has nothing to do with the clutch after that switch/sensor.

If your clutch is not disengaging, you either installed your new clutch wrong, your clutch fork fell off, or there is a lot of air in your lines.

You're correct when you noticed the clutch uses less fluid than the brakes.

There must be a bleeder screw on the slave. It wouldn't make any sense at all if there wasn't.

Feel free to replace your fuel filter too. Also, check fuel pressure by removing the high pressure line (trace it back the the filter) and pointing it in a bucket, and jumping F/P and GND in the diagnosis box (with ignition on) (just for a seccond) it should shoot out wildly, not dribble.

[Limegreen mx-3]

Should be a super cheap part, if not, scrap yard pocket loot.

LOL guilty

[red+silver_mx]

I am having the same problem with my 1994 mx-3 i took it to mazda and they told me it was the iac and i replaced that and its still doing the same thing ive replaced the spark plugs dizzy cap and rotor the air filter a new intake tube. just checked engine codes and its the coolant thermosensor. i replaced the coolant thermo sensor and its still acting the same i am getting a new fuel filter to see if that helps

[Ryan]

http://www.mx-3.com/manuals/showimg.php ... _H-005.gif" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


There is a bleeder screw on the clutch slave.... I never realy KNEW, and I knew there were vaccuum bleeders, and the answer was bugging me, so now I know. There is a bleeder.

Lol... I was thinking about this for 16 days...

[jmdearras]

http://www.mx-3.com/manuals/showimg.php ... _H-005.gif


There is a bleeder screw on the clutch slave.... I never realy KNEW, and I knew there were vaccuum bleeders, and the answer was bugging me, so now I know. There is a bleeder.

Lol... I was thinking about this for 16 days...

LOL, I have a new slave cylinder on my back seat, I could have told you!

[Ryan]

I could have looked at any of my cars, too

I find it interesting how things eat at you untill you figure it out