Got this too. Been getting worse over the last weeks, car started stalling while driving and idles really bad. Car has been hard to start when refilling from almost empty, and gas mileage really sucks. Hope I can find the reason of all this, if not I'm selling the car. I cannot afford to drive an unreliable car.

Got my spark plugs today, doing the install this week-end, with a good MAF cleaning with the CRC stuff and also reverting to SRI for winter, I plan on checking carefully for vacuum leaks and sh*t.

Please let this fix my car. Please...

 

Seems you have to clean up your injectors. Letting fuel level below 1/4 is pretty bad since gas have dirt and your filter and injectors may be filled up with it.

I suggest you take your injectors to clean and ask them for the results. Normally they do tests with flowing capacities before and after cleanup so you can see actually results.

DONT use solvents or such things in Autozone. They will f*ck up your gas system.

 

For New Kid, I did my compression test and my results where
1: 215
2: 210
3: 220
4: 213

My engine has 106k km on it or about 66k miles I think my engine is brand new hahaha.

 

Is it recommended to change filters? I think it's in the tank with the pump, if so I don't feel like playing with gasoline with the weather we had lately..

I've been thinking about the injector cleaning, but being the DIY kind of guy, I wanted to push this to next spring to be able to do it myself. I might even end up buying a rebuilt/new set of injectors so I don't have to worry about getting mine cleaned.

I'm pretty sure my problem is a combination of several things, I'll work one kink out at a time. Thanks for the advice btw.

 

I found my problem! the damn rubber hose connected to the throttle body had a huge tear in it and it was in between the grooves. it must have just happened recently because it wasn't there before!

 

I am also a diy guy. Believe me.. send your injectors to clean up, even if you bought anew pair of them used you should clean them. IF you are a diy then you should be able to remove the fuel rail and the injectors which is the thing that normally costs more. cleaning them shouldn't cost more than 10 dollars per injector.

the fuel filter as far as I know is included inside the fuel pump, so you would need to replace it.

 

I'm not going through all the trouble of doing this to put possibly worst injectors there, I'm having them cleaned for sure if I end up buying used ones. But I work at a parts shop, I have everything at almost cost, so I'll check for already rebuilt ones first.

The spark plugs had no electrode left (see pic), I'm glad I changed them. Two of them were really white also(pic again), sustaining the theory that the injectors are clogged and that I'm running lean.



I also need to install my sender unit for my fuel pressure gauge, I'm guessing timing will be the best then. I want to use some kind of T adaptor, any advice on where it should go?

 

that looks pretty lean, your ECU is likely pulling timing. time for a tune-up for sure

 

Well, spark plugs, air filter and oil change have all been done this week. Anything else I should look into?

 

Does Quebec sell fuel with ethanol in it? That **** clogs up everything. Earlier this year I had to take apart my bikes carb cause it clogged up the needles... here in Alblerta 91 octane doesnt have any ethanol, but I usually use 87 octane with 5-10% ethanol but use an injector cleaner additive every so often. Maybe it'll pay off, who knows.

 

no, just make sure the fuel system is clean, etc. maybe O2 sensors.

 

Yeah, they sell gasoline with up to 10% ethanol everywhere, it's impossible to find regular without it here. I've already had pretty bad batches of gasoline, one only lasted about 175 kms for a full tank (used to do about 600 when I got the car, 400 now that I have air/fuel problems).

The car wont even stay on since I did the spark plugs. I've looked at all the relevant posts regarding this issue, and people who shared my symptoms fixed them by taking off their CAI, which I'll do ASAP. The 2 white spark plugs tells me that I do have clogged injectors, if the problem would be management related, it wouldn't only affect 2 cylinders. If the fuel pressure was too low, it would affect all cylinders, not just two.

I sure hope taking the CAI off and swapping the injectors will fix all my engine problems. ******* car, should have bought a Mazda.

 

Try Subaru or Toyota instead of Mazda lol.

Have you tried resetting your ECU (unhooking battery cables for 15 mins)?

 

Yup, while doing my spark plugs, thought it'd be smart to unplug the battery.

During the relearn, the car would barely stay on.

It revs much smoother now that I changed the spark plugs, but the car still misfires and idles really bad until it dies.

I'm not buying a Subaru, and all Toyotas under 25k are really boring.

My Mazdas gave me the best for my money until now, I wouldn't mind driving another one, or maybe a Crapbalt SS. Why not, they practically give them right now.

 

Fromm 600km to 400km and then to 175km ... that's kind of unbelievable and maybe there is a leak in your gas system. Alcohols may f*ck up rubber hoses and metals.
That could explain your lean spark plugs, your lose in mileage and your poor idle. Maybe the leak is on the injectors O-Ring where they sit in the intake manifold.


About not removing the inyectors from the fuel rail, I've done it before, it takes at most 30 minutes to have them all out. Remove Battery terminals, remove top cover, remove the injector harness, and there are only 2 bolts I think M10 holding the fuel rail down. Remove these bolts and remove the lock on the fuel rail hose and they should be pretty easy to work with.