Help!...feels like my car is starving for fuel

[SandraD]

Hi all... I am hoping someone can give me some solution.
I have a 1998 MK II mx5... With terrible troubles.
1. It takes about 3 or 4 goes to start my car. (cold or warm)
2. If my car does start on the first go... And I accelerate to drive.... the car splutters, (sometimes back fires) and has no power... Until it reaches about 3000 rpm.
3. Once driving the car seems to be ok... Although runs a little rough.
4. Also when driving the car from time to time it has a flat spot when I accelerate quickly.
5. Spark plug leads were burnt through.
6. Car cannot seem to run on regular unleaded fuel.
Recent work performed on car other than usual servicing.
1. New spark plugs and leads.
2. Carbon clean.
3. New air fuel meter and new fuel filter.
4. Timing checked

[SuperMazdaKart]

blocked fuel filter maybe. or fuel pump. or coilpack.

[Mr Morlock]

far too many unknowns. You have not mentioned your stamping ground. It sounds like a job for super MX5 specialist- and there are mechanics around who know the cars. A guy I know was telling me recently how many fuel tanks he has had to drain etc remove due to fuel contamination- not saying that is what is the fault. The KM;s of the car and its history etc may well give a pointer and a check of the diagnostics may indicate specific fault codes.

[Steampunk]

Do simple checks first, ie. any vacuum hoses loose, all sensors connected properly.
Unplug the Mass Air Flow meter connector, spray a little bit of contact cleaner (WD40 or similar works too), scrub it lightly with an old toothbrush and dry it off completely before reconnecting.

If the above fails, I would borrow a set of leads from another car. Even though they are new, it doesn't necessarily guarantee them to work 100%. The leads doesn't have to be from another MX-5 as long as they are long enough just to fit for a test drive.

[SandraD]

Thank you all for your posts....
1... My stamping ground is northern beaches (2103) NSW, if anyone can suggest a mx5 specialist in my area?... As I googled and only found a Mazda specialist in Hornsby.... Which is a good 40 or 50 minutes away.
2.... My car has done around 120,000 km.
3.... Have had suspect tanks of "dirty petrol" and have used the fuel injector cleaning additive... Which appears to ease the symptoms of my car... Think emptying and flushing the fuel tank is a great suggestion... As the recent new fuel filter was changed because it was so "filthy".... So think a total clean and flush of the system is a great start to eliminating causes.
4.... Will also have the air fuel flow meter connection cleaned and checked.


Thanks again for all advise....

[RawSouth]

Thank you all for your posts....
1... My stamping ground is northern beaches (2103) NSW, if anyone can suggest a mx5 specialist in my area?... As I googled and only found a Mazda specialist in Hornsby.... Which is a good 40 or 50 minutes away.

You might want to try TT Auto.

Ive only heard good things about them.

[SandraD]

Ps... I have forgotten to mention an unusual problem I have with my mx5 (1998 mk II)

1. When fuel tank is 1/4 full
2. Making a left hand turn
3. The car faulters and looses power.
4. I have owned my mx5 for about 4 years and it has had this complaint since I purchased it
5. Has anyone come across this problem before?
6. Would anyone have a diagnosis?

Any advise is welcome
Kind regards

[Caffeine]

Ps... I have forgotten to mention an unusual problem I have with my mx5 (1998 mk II)

1. When fuel tank is 1/4 full
2. Making a left hand turn
3. The car faulters and looses power.
4. I have owned my mx5 for about 4 years and it has had this complaint since I purchased it
5. Has anyone come across this problem before?
6. Would anyone have a diagnosis?

Any advise is welcome
Kind regards

The fuel pump draws fuel from the approximate centre of the tank, if you have a low enough fuel level, and you go round a corner fast enough, it cam momentarily starve the pump and hence your engine, of fuel.

You mentioned a new fuel filter being fitted. Which filter was changed? (There are two, a coarse 'sock' style filter attached to the fuel pump, inside the tank, and a fine canister style filter underneath the car just in front of the driver's side rear wheel arch)

If the one in the tank hasn't been changed it may be partially clogged.

Here's a pic of a new vs. old (brown) pump and sock filter:

http://jimsgarage.files.wordpress.com/2 ... =450&h=523

I've seen pics of some that were chocolate brown in colour and covered in sludge. Unlikely that would happen unless the car has been filled with some truly atrocious fuel.

Additionally, has the car even been run on E10 fuel? I don't think the NB8A (your model) can handle E10 and it may have caused portions of your fuelling system to degrade.

[Mr Morlock]

Armed with the info you have I would think a good MX5 technician who can work thru it will find the fault. Not being a Sydneysider I do not have the contacts but someone will The fault your car has would be a blight and the car should be a pleasure to use and drive. Armed with the info you have- well observed and useful - write it down on a summary sheet- and provide this to a repairer. You may certainly not have the car for a few days. You could ring a Mazda distributor or one of the sponsors in Sydney who can point you in the right direction. Caffeine obviously suspects a few prob as well- if a tank is contaminated??
Let us know how you get on

[SandraD]

Thank you all... Your responses are great and most helpful to me.

[project.r.racing]

suspect "dirty fuel" issues and fuel stavation issues. is this not a dead givaway for intank fuel pickup/filter being dirty? as per earlier posts?

if it ain't the leads that are the problem, then it is fuel pressure issue. get in that tank before you do anything else.

[SandraD]

I totally agree.... And will do!

[Steampunk]

Ps... I have forgotten to mention an unusual problem I have with my mx5 (1998 mk II)

1. When fuel tank is 1/4 full
2. Making a left hand turn
3. The car faulters and looses power.
4. I have owned my mx5 for about 4 years and it has had this complaint since I purchased it
5. Has anyone come across this problem before?
6. Would anyone have a diagnosis?

Any advise is welcome
Kind regards

The fuel pump draws fuel from the approximate centre of the tank, if you have a low enough fuel level, and you go round a corner fast enough, it cam momentarily starve the pump and hence your engine, of fuel.
.

but on 1/4 tank? that' still over 10L.
This suggests to me of a problem with the pump assembly, hopefull it's just the in-tank filter. Can you hear any clanking noises? Perhaps the pump may have either come loose or if it was replaced (unlikely for a car with that many km), it was installed incorrectly.

[Caffeine]

but on 1/4 tank? that' still over 10L.
This suggests to me of a problem with the pump assembly, hopefull it's just the in-tank filter. Can you hear any clanking noises? Perhaps the pump may have either come loose or if it was replaced (unlikely for a car with that many km), it was installed incorrectly.

I agree that it's unlikely to be just fuel sloshing around with that much still in there. If the sock filter is dirty or partially clogged it may have some effect.

[kazjim]

1Red5 - mine does the same thing ... 1989 Na6, less than 1/4 tank, hard left ( i think) and it stumbles ....

seems an early design issue

I have a new fuel pump, clean sock, replaced the in-line filter, flushed the lines and cleaned the injectors - the only component i havnt touched is the regulator !

I've had a peep into the tank and yes, it appears as though the baffling could do with some mods....

I"m guessing that later NAs had these aforementioned mods, and this issue only occurs on early machines ....

Cheers
J