To all Z5 owners, please post here!

[loganss]

I'll look through my documents tonight for the work the Mazda dealership did to fix my car.

I usually always have the accel. pedal to the floor when I drive. Gotta remember that I have a silly automatic.

[brad98]

98 Pro with ~70,000 miles and problem number 1. I have had some mysterious CEL's...but I don't believe it is a problem with any of the cylinders(though I may rethink this later) So far everything that has been said about the rough idle fits my car....

[loganss]

Ok people there was a request for what happened to my car that remedied my low compression and here it is.

10/17/03 * 78,533 miles
I was having trouble starting my car. Took it to dealership. First ignition timing was off 10 degrees, engine decarbonated, but ultimately the diagnosis was low compression in three of four cylinders. I don't know which ones so don't ask. Technichian said this is due to excessive wear on the engine valves.

Cost: $144.74

10/31/03 * ~78,533 miles
Car decided it won't start right so I took it back to dealership. Engine head was removed, valve job was performed , and re-installed. The intake valves were so worn they couldn't be saved/machined.

Cost: $1117.60

After they did this my car didn't sound like new. Lifting noise was definetly louder. And ...

11/25/03 * 78,739 miles
Car still starts rough at times. Totally a random thing. Think it's the fuel pressure regulator so they replaced it.

Cost: $265.15

Before all the people go oh man why'd you do all that, this was a time when I knew very little of what was going on in my car and how much dealerships rip you off. I was also in college so I didn't have time to mess around with my car.

To end this story the bad starting was from a bad fuel pump which some ****ty shop installed before all these dealership visits. I got the fuel pump replaced, for a whole lot cheaper thanks to Autozone, and that fixed the bad start prob. My car still sounds louder than when all this happened (lifter noise) but no more low compression in cylinders. I'm not getting any codes for that.

Moral of this story is Z5 owners should get the BP.

[Intruder]

Moral of this story is Z5 owners should get the BP.

LOL.

[loganss]

so pigeon did any of that info about my car repair nightmare help any

[pigeon]

.... Technichian said this is due to excessive wear on the engine valves......

.....valve job was performed , and re-installed. The intake valves were so worn they couldn't be saved/machined. ....

I mean, looking at myself, you, intruder, and im sure many others who dont even know they have low compression....

me and you are the ones that know for sure that we had the exact same problem....

im willing to bet that intruder is loosing his compression due to a valve, but we cant conclude anything because we're waiting for him to get his compression tester so he could give us updated values.... (and when he's done with the compression test im going to give him more work and ask him to do a leakdown test... hahaha <--- he doesent know that yet but i guess he will now.. lol)

but in all seriousness, that will allow him to conclude if its a gasket/ring-valve seal/or valve problem

**MY** theory is that there is a valve spring problem in selected 2nd gens that causes them to easily heat up and get soft... and eventually burn the valve

because the DAY i took my car racing was the DAY i lost my compression for the second bloody time

it just jumped from cylinder 1 to cylinder 4... and that could just be beause the shop who did the machining did not put the valve springs/retainers back in the correct place that they came from... they sucked ass
if you're even in canada, dont let leitner performance touch your engine

myself and friends did the head removal and installation and diagnosis and whatever, but leitner did the machining

but before i make some wild accusation of the ****tyness of the Z5 valve springs in 2nd gens, im going to wait till I do my bp swap and test my valve spring pressures..... then ask intruder to mail me his springs when he does his swap (with each spring labeled) and i'll pressure test those for him..... and anyone else who had a burnt valve, if they mail me their springs i'll pay for the shipping, and i want to pressure test them

once i have enough proof that i can conclude that there is definitely a chronic valve spring problem, then i'll try to look at vin numbers and manufacturing dates and whatnot, and try to see which similarities our cars have... or what made us have the bad valve spring, and not everyone else

THEN soon as i could figure out which cars have the problem, then i'll make a bold statement warning other z5 owners who fit in the category of valve realted compression problems

Ofcourse, i could be totally wrong or find out stuff along the way that will ruin my plans.... but at this point in time... this is my plan!

Im not sure if i mentioned this before, but the Z5 engine did have service bullitens posted in 95-96 about valve springs BREAKING for cars with Z5's produced between a certain date

it was a recall tho and they remedied the problem
However, that just leads me to believe they didnt put much effort into designing the Z5 valve train

and also, im not sure if i said this before...

but my burnt valve in my car was also an intake valve (i think i originally said it was an exhaust valve... that was a mistake... it is an intake valve)

But yes, the long and short right now is that your information helped
thank you!

[beetle_orange]

pigeon,

this world needs more people like you! i would vote for you if you ran for president.

[Intruder]

pigeon,

this world needs more people like you! i would vote for you if you ran for president.

lol, it would be a tight race between him and Arnold. :p:

[beetle_orange]

i'd still vote for pigeon cuz i dont know arnold.

[CrazyCanuck]

'97

'97 with problem #1...

I thought it may be a dirty IAC so I'm going to clean it when I get a chance.

[pigeon]

'97 with problem #1...

I thought it may be a dirty IAC so I'm going to clean it when I get a chance.

let us know if that worked out for you.. i havent gotten around to doing that yet, but it could potentally work

[txmzdspd2gen]

97' with roughly 71,000 miles..

had 1 and 2 problem..

The ac compressor went bad thats why it was idling bad so got a new clutch and put a net engine temp sensor and problem fix.

misfires...problem...sparkplug was crappy...(BOSCH SUCKS) went back to GOOD OL NGK and every thing runs like new..

[pigeon]

97' with roughly 71,000 miles..

had 1 and 2 problem..

The ac compressor went bad thats why it was idling bad so got a new clutch and put a net engine temp sensor and problem fix.

misfires...problem...sparkplug was crappy...(BOSCH SUCKS) went back to GOOD OL NGK and every thing runs like new..

i wish it was that simple for us... lol
we're all loosing compression
hahaha

[pigeon]

just an UPDATE for intruders car... it was never posted in this thread... not to rub it in his face or anything..lol

but he did the compression test on his car, and it was horrible
hahaha

so ya, we can now conclude intruder has **** compression!

take a gander at this for anyone who cares... its his thread

http://www.wihandyman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12639&page=2&pp=15

[wheresthericego]

i think i found the problem for problem 1. i have had rough idles for some time now, when it seemed to get worse (to the point it would just stall out) i looked under the hood at everysingle gizmo and gadget under the hood. i found why it was stalling. my SRI was coming loose from the throttle body. but aside from that the problem for my car was a pesky little vaccume line on the back of the intake manifold. it has fallen off before and caused some rough idles. so definately it is worth a good look at all your vaccum lines.

Idle before-1500/stalling
Idle after-500/700