Help! Engine problems...

[connico]

Actually i did notice that my engine was running a little hot...

Regardless I am taking it to a Mazda Dealer on wednesday and they are going to have a look. Hope they find the issue.

[connico]

So an update.

After a few months of "talking" to the mazda service center and bringing in the car for its 130k Service I convinced them to check the Cam angle sensor and the crank angle sensor, both came up with errors and I am getting them replaced.

I hope this fixs my issues as I've had the coils tested and they came back positive.

Regardless just need to ask you MX5 drivers. How hot does your MX5 get, im starting to notice something strange that I've never experienced before in a car. As im driving along I feel a significant amount of heat around my feet and if i slip my hand down near the area between the passanger seat and parking break there is a far amount of heat as well.

Does MX5 run hot?

[Mr Morlock]

If your heater control is set to off you should not be getting any heat around your feet. I suspect that the control is not shutting off the air flow. There have been some posts on this subject previously.

[bensale]

The heat issue you are describing sounds as if it is caused by a worn rubber shift boots especially if you have heat coming from the transmission tunnel. I assume nb's are the same as na's in regards to this issue. Simple fix, cost me $70 to replace both of mine.

[connico]

If your heater control is set to off you should not be getting any heat around your feet. I suspect that the control is not shutting off the air flow. There have been some posts on this subject previously.

Na I know about this issue and have fixed it by reconnecting the control and ensuring that it stays put, its actually the metal around the area that is getting hot. I sometimes drive barefoot and can feel that the metal where the firewall is, is getting hot from engine heat.

The shift boot is pretty forward from where the end of the handbrake is, its hot there as well.

I've ask mazda to have a look at the heating issue while they replace my Cam Angle sensor and Crank angle sensor ($550 bucks...) and they will get back to me.

Regardless its all good... otherwise ill just get another mx5 and hopefully sell this one, still i've fallen for the crystal blue

[daffyflyer]

Ive had sort of similar from a dirty fuel filter, try hitting the fuel filter with a mallet (no joke!)

[connico]

Its strange but I just got my Crank and Cam angle sensors changed and the car feels different. The power band has changed a fair bit. I thought i was imagining things but iv dríven it around for a few hours and its different. Maybe Im just going crazy.

And when I mean different i don't mean worst I mean less harsh on the acceleration. And its actually quiter on the exhaust??

Someone tell me I'm mad and need my ears checked...

[PUR157]

You're mad and you need to get your ears checked?


Seriously though... after... 130,000kms you say?
It isn't too strange to have those parts to start breaking down... and I'm sure you've read the stories on the forums of peoples cars running horribly with dying crank and/or cam sensors so it shouldn't be too strange that your car is running better!

After the work how is your car running nowadays?

[connico]

So after the $850+$550 service this fortnight I am happy to say that car is running much better.

While it was not a cheap service, the replacement of a Crank and Cam angle sensors have changed the driving experience. I took it for a long run last night and I'm happy to report after 3 hours of spirited driving no more hiccups. The real test will be in summer on a hot day.

While at the shop I also got the a few other things done as well as a normal service as you can see from the 850 that it cost me. Regardless pretty happy with Tom Kerr service.

Going for a Run to St Albans this weekend to test out the car. The roads have been fixed and new tarmac makes the driving experience much smoother. St Albans also has the settlers arms Inn which serves the best fish and chips on the plannet Anyone wanna come?

[KAM]

Its strange but I just got my Crank and Cam angle sensors changed and the car feels different. The power band has changed a fair bit. I thought i was imagining things but iv dríven it around for a few hours and its different. Maybe Im just going crazy.

And when I mean different i don't mean worst I mean less harsh on the acceleration. And its actually quiter on the exhaust??

Someone tell me I'm mad and need my ears checked...

Maybe your not mad.

I've been chasing an intermittent power loss problem see -
http://mx5cartalk.com/phpBB-3.0.2/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=36472
and have replaced my coils and CMP (Camshaft Position Sensor - as per photo posted by JBT)
My engine never died when slowed to idle just ran rough and would usually run ok if I stopped and restarted it.

I too noticed what I thought was a change in the way it delivers its power after replacing the CMP, have dríven it twice since the replacement.
Power feels like it comes on earlier than before and is more linear and revs rise quicker.
Before the replacement it revved ok but felt like it came onto the cams about 4500rpm and pulled harder from there upwards. Now it feels like it comes on about 3000rpm and pulls hard all the way to redline similar to the way our SP23 with VVT engine pulls.
Always felt the SP23 was noticeably quicker in a straight line than the MX5 even though it only has 9KW more and is heavier.
Could simply be a perception because I have changed something but would make sense if the Cam Position Sensor was on its way out the VVT may not have been getting the correct or weak signals hence not advancing the camshaft when it should.
Could also have been a faulty rear coil giving weak spark hence 4 + 1 not running at their optimum even though all spark plugs colour appeared the same.
Might try putting the old CMP back in again and take it for a drive back to back with new and old.

[connico]

Woot maybe I am not mad!!

Or we could both be mad... Still it still feels different, even the other half said that she felt different in the car.. hmm