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'99 ES stalled on freeway, now idles rough

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    '99 ES stalled on freeway, now idles rough

    My 1999 Protege ES with the 1.8 DOHC engine has about 70k miles on it. The other day, while driving on the highway, the car lost power almost completely and the check engine light came on. The engine kept running, but could only give enough power to go about 5 MPH, and the car jerked like a kid first learning stickshift was driving it (it's an automatic).

    After about 5 minutes the problem went away, and the car ran more or less normally. We drove across town to our mechanic who pulled the code. The code was "cam positioning sensor malfunction," which the mechainc said was inconclusive. Their advice was to drive it around for a while and see if it fails again, which it hasn't.

    Ever since, the idle has been very rough and the engine sounds like crap (like a diesel truck) up to just under 3000 rpm, at which point it purrs like its old self. The engine light has stayed off, however.

    Not quite sure what to suspect; I changed the plugs (which needed it badly, but which didn't solve the problem), and discovered a recall replacment of the ignition coil that needs to happen. Also planning to change the fuel filter in case it's clogged, but am waiting for the Haynes manual I never bothered to get before anything was wrong.

    Is this a known problem? Did the cam position sensor code mean my timing is and continues to be screwed? Just bad gas? Fuel pump problem?

    Any help appreciated.
    Last edited by jackbird; 05-09-2004, 09:47 PM.

    #2
    It could be the cam position sensor, but get that coil replaced ASAP. It'll trigger a blinking check engine light and if you drive it long enough that way, and it doesn't take long at all, it'll burn out the catalytic converter. A bad coil pack would also cause similar symptoms that go away as quickly as they appear- they won't generally linger like your problem is.
    '91 Protege LX
    '99 Miata sport

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      #3
      Yeah it sounds like a bad coil pack to me too. I had a somewhat similar problem on my car and after the coil pack was replaced the car ran perfect.

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        #4
        I should add that the bad coil pack will trigger something like a P0300 code- multiple random misfire. It won't just indicate that the coil pack itself is bad. Do you know exactly what code the mechanic read from your car?
        At least you Protege guys get this fixed for free- even though the Miata has the same basic engine, the same basic coil pack (but with a different part #), and the same coil failures, we Miata owners have to pay for our new coil packs.
        '91 Protege LX
        '99 Miata sport

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          #5
          Originally posted by chrisf
          I should add that the bad coil pack will trigger something like a P0300 code- multiple random misfire. It won't just indicate that the coil pack itself is bad. Do you know exactly what code the mechanic read from your car?
          I don't remember exactly, but I know the code involved the cam position sensor. Looking at the chart, that leaves 5 possibilites, but I'm sure it wasn't input high (0342) or input low (0343). That leaves 0340, 0341, and 0344.

          Hopefully I can get an appointment for the coil tomorrow. Thanks.

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            #6
            Bah - it turns out the coil was replaced by the previous owner already under warranty (at 30k).

            Still think that's the problem? A new coil isn't a cheap part... (although cheaper than a coil plus cat, I guess...)

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              #7
              It was at 30k, now you put 40k on the new one.... Perhaps Mazda uses ****ty coil packs...
              2006 Mazda 3 hatchback manual

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                #8
                The coil should have been a revised part... won't last forever but should be more than 40k. If you didn't have a misfire code, then it's not likely that the coil is your problem.
                '91 Protege LX
                '99 Miata sport

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                  #9
                  Well, if that's not the problem, I would check any kind of coolant temperature sensors. Something that could cause the car to think it's in cold-start, and run way too rich. I don't really know what the cam-sensor does, I don't have one on my car. Is it possible it's making the ignition fire at the wrong time and fuel isn't being burned?
                  2006 Mazda 3 hatchback manual

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