gear heads....

[MaSonZ]

question. Obviously I have a car, and something is puzzling me. When I'm driving I will get a stutter for the vast majority of 3rd, into 4th for a few moments, and occaisionally 5th gear (it is a manual). Also it is a PIT to start, as in it will just about fire then die and do this for around a minute of trying to start it. Only way it will start is if I put it to the wood, or flutter the accelerator. I just changed my alternator, and it has a brand new battery in it. Everything is tight on the alternator. I thought maybe dirty injectors, got some injector cleaner that treats up to 21 gallons of fuel, my car has a 13.2 gallon tank. figure it would clean em real nice have a rich solution of fuel/cleaner. almost half a tank later minimal results on the suttering issue, if any at all, and the ignition issue isnt getting any better (if anything its getting worst...  ) I would rather not have to replace the starter, as I dont have the money and wont have the money for a while. Bringing the car to a shop is out of the question too for the same reason. thoughts? 

[branch37]

when you try to start it, does it crank really slow like the battery is dead? or will it just not fire?  If it just cranks really slow like a dead battery, the starter would be the next place I would look.  If it wont fire, check the spark plugs.

[Shuffler]

Car/year/engine would help.

Your injectors, if severly stopped up, will usually not clean out. Pumping the accelerator on an injected car should have no affect.

If you had water in your fuel tank then adding the fuel cleaner will move it through your fuel system to burn. If you had a lot of water it can make it miss or even hard start.


Post the information above and I'm betting you'll get more possible info.

[Shuffler]

when you try to start it, does it crank really slow like the battery is dead? or will it just not fire?  If it just cranks really slow like a dead battery, the starter would be the next place I would look.  If it wont fire, check the spark plugs.

Good question but it would not cause it to stutter / miss at speed.

[ozrocker]

Fuel pressure sensor?




                                                                                                                        Oz

[branch37]

i was referring to him saying he doesn't want to replace the starter.  But yes you are right.

[zippo]

  Maybe plug wires?...look under the hood at night(carefully) and check for sparks where there shouldn't be any. You can sometimes hear it sparking if your exhaust is quiet enough.   Just a thought.

[clerick]

sounds like a fuel issue. Without make/model/year it's hard to say for certain. Could be a filter, pump, pressure regulator, throttle position sensor... You get the idea.

[MaSonZ]

sounds like a fuel issue. Without make/model/year it's hard to say for certain. Could be a filter, pump, pressure regulator, throttle position sensor... You get the idea.

just replaced fuel pump (before I got my timing belt replaced as I though that was the  cause and dreaded the bill....), went to a mechanic and he said to check my throttle plate or somethin to make sure its clean and told me how to gain access and clean it.

2000 Mazda Protege 1.8L

[saggs]

Generally trying to diagnose modern car problems over the internet is about as effective as doing a colonoscopy by telephone.

You can get a lot of educated guesses, but without actually being there it is pretty difficult to get it right.

[WEZEL]

Being an auto tech for Ford I would guess you have an engine miss under load that's your "stutter" plugs/ wires etc. The starting issue if it cranks normally could be an idle air control valve sticking open, I dont know is Mazda still used some sort of a cold start vale like they use to, could ask a mechanic about that sorry dont know to much about the rice cars.

[infowars]

If the plugs and wires are fairly new then I'd clean the throttle body and carbon off the associated sensors.

[CAP1]

just replaced fuel pump (before I got my timing belt replaced as I though that was the  cause and dreaded the bill....), went to a mechanic and he said to check my throttle plate or somethin to make sure its clean and told me how to gain access and clean it.

2000 Mazda Protege 1.8L

 iac motors can cause these problems. especially the starting problem. they're common and not cheap on the mazdas.

 describe the upper rpm problem a little more specifically? i almost want to think possibly an egr issue.

 when it acts up in the upper gears, are you at partial throttle, light load? does it go away under heavier throttle, or lighter throttle?

 when you crank to start, how does it spin the engine? does it sound normal, with the exception of not starting? if so, it's not gonna be a starter or battery problem.

 have you checked plugs, wires(or coil packs), air and fuel filters?

 if you want, i can pm you my number, and possibly i could be of more help in a live conversation?

[CAP1]

Generally trying to diagnose modern car problems over the internet is about as effective as doing a colonoscopy by telephone.

You can get a lot of educated guesses, but without actually being there it is pretty difficult to get it right.

 they can do that now? 

[Tigger29]

Sounds like a mass air flow sensor issue.  Try cleaning it.  This sensor is located at the air filter box right where the flexible tube connects.  It hangs down and air flows across its small filaments.. or wires which causes a voltage change.  The computer uses this information to calculate how much air is entering the engine.

You should be able to simply remove the air filter box lid and spray these small filaments with Mass Air Flow cleaner spray available at any parts store.

Here is a website that details the process on a Ford Windstar.  The air filter box design is different but the sensor itself should be similar:

http://www.berrysweb.com/clean_your_maf.htm

Fuel injectors almost never get plugged up anymore with the addition of ethanol in most fuels used today.