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Old November 12th 05, 06:52 AM
junktin
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Default Stuttering and check engine light

In my case, (2000 Miata) it would start up from cold, run like it was
firing on three cylinders, I would attempt to drive off (because I was
always caught like this away from home) and after a few minutes of
belching smoke and jerking along with everyone staring at me, it would
clear and run normally for the next several months. Of course the
engine check light would come on but after a few days would go out. The
dealer checked for codes but found nothing. (And recorded nothing, doing
the check at first for free.) After a year or so (and about 3 incidents)
it finally got worse so that the check light stayed on and by this time
the problem had deteriorated until the cat converter had fouled. The
dealer by this time had caught a "random misfire" code as well as the
fouled cat code and suggested it was a failing coil pack (from their
experience.) I was dubious but paid for a new coil pack (because they
had not recorded the problems earlier there was no record so no coverage
by the just-expired warranty). They waited then to make sure it was
fixed before ordering me a new cat converter (covered by the longer
emissions warranty.) No sign of trouble in several months and I am
starting to regain confidence that they were correct and the problem has
been fixed.

Dave



In article >,
Rusty Cadaret > wrote:

> I feel your pain.
>
> I have a 2000 that is behaving the exact same way. Only mine has been
> doing so for 18 months and has completely died and left me stranded 3
> times.
>
> The first time the O2 sensor was replaced. The check engine light came
> back on 3 days later.
>
> The second time the cam shaft positoin sensor was replaced. The check
> engine light came on 3 days later.
>
> The third time was 2 days ago and I am waiting to hear from the
> dealship now. I hold out some hope that whatever it is really broke
> this time becasue for the first time the car did not restart once it
> had cooled down. The other 2 times it did restart once the engine
> cooled down for an hour ro two.
>
> The whole time the engine ran fine, execpt for the 3 times it stranded
> me. The whole time the check engine light was on a mojority of the
> time, but would go off for a day or so once every week or two.
>
> Anybody else?
>
> Rusty
>
>
>
>
> On Wed, 02 Nov 2005 00:41:28 GMT, Rick Morris >
> wrote:
>
> >Alright, here is my two week update.
> >
> >Car is running fine. Check engine light went off the day after this
> >incident. Have driven 100 miles without the slightest problem. I was going
> >to take the car to the dealer to have them check it out until I found out
> >that hooking it up to the computer to see what codes had been stored would
> >run $99. Found out that I could purchase a new OBD-II scanner for the same
> >price and took the leap. It is a cool thing and comes with a CD that you
> >can install on your computer. The CD has the codes, including manufacturer
> >codes. Anyhow, I plugged in the scanner and found the code that was stored
> >in conjunction with the incident was P1345 which according to my nifty
> >computer program is a "Cyl Discrimination Signal Camshaft Position" code.
> >Any ideas of what might have gone on here? I originally thought it was an
> >onboard computer glitch. Hmmmmm?
> >Anyhow, the car is running fine now and the only other action I have taken
> >is to run a bottle of Techron with the last tank of gas.
> >
> >Ideas??
> >
> >Thanks!!!!
> >
> >
> >
> >On 10/16/05 10:18 PM, in article , "Rick
> >Morris" > wrote:
> >
> >> I was driving my 2001 MX-5 (26K, Red) around with my wife looking at the
> >> Fall colors. The car had been stuck in the garage for close to a month as
> >> I
> >> had a pallet of building supplies blocking it's egress. Anyhow, got it
> >> out
> >> an went for a nice drive. About 1/2 hour into our drive the car started
> >> acting like it was out of fuel. Almost like the ignition was being turned
> >> on
> >> an off. I got to a side street and noted that the car could not rev over
> >> 1,500 rpm without intermittently losing power. The check engine light came
> >> on about that time. The car would idle but revving it above 1,500 rpm
> >> again
> >> caused it to cut power on and off. After about 5 minutes of this, the
> >> whole
> >> ting resolved and the car again drove as it always has. However, the check
> >> engine light remains on now. Again, there are no current drivability
> >> issues
> >> but the check engine light is on. Any ideas of what happened?? I hate to
> >> go
> >> to the dealer but I guess I will need to have them look at it. No problems
> >> ever before with the car. I assumed it was an electronic glitch. There
> >> was
> >> no backfiring, but the on-off power thing was almost like turning the
> >> ignition switch on and off.
> >>
> >> Does one have to go to a Mazda dealer to see what happened or can any
> >> competent independent shop help me??
> >>
> >> Weird!
> >>
> >> Thanks for any suggestions!!
> >>
> >> Rick
> >>

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