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Hatchbacks Mazda 323 Mazda 323
421 messages, Last post on Dec 09, 2009 at 12:39 PM
You are in the Mazda 323 Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
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Replying to: thevine (Dec 16, 2007 1:05 pm) Interesting note for you here. Back in 2000, we bought a new crate engine from Mazda for our 89 after the crank broke on the original engine. Complete from oil pan to valve cover, timing belt cover to rear main seal! All we had to do was bolt on manifolds and a bunch of other small stuff. Price was $2K. That was 7 years ago. We having that thought of rebuilding again when the time comes. If it works well now, why part with it? Especially if you have the know how to keep it working well. The establish service intervals we have for rear wheel bearings is 50K miles and 150K for the front ones. Set your service record markers for that. I do not recommend reusing the front ones after 150K of service. The rear, re-pack and reinstall for another 50K. Trash after 100K of total service. Last note, I learned a lot of my mechanics from reading, talking, success and messing things up! After almost 50 years, you have a lot down pat. Like Banshees coming out of the rear wheel. We thought it was brakes at first, but remember I am here depending on your ears. I feel pretty good I got you in the right area on the car considering how far away I am! I have ever amazed friends diagnosising a valve job by e-mail. No, not genius, just a bunch of carefully asked and hopefully carefully answered questions and guidance. Hashes out a lot of problems, if as you pointed out, someone listens carefully. |
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I was recently given a 1988 Mazda 323 hatchback 1.6 liter FI SOHC engine. It's doing strange things I believe tied into the electrical system. It has 38K original miles. It was making a belt squealing sound that has stopped since driving home 200 miles. Not sure what was causing the belt squeal. The temperature gauge fluctuates between off the charts HOT back down to cold and vice versa. This corresponds with the car shifting back and forth between overdrive and 3rd. Within normal ranges or "hot", it will stay in overdrive. When it goes back down to "cold" on the temperature gauge, it downshifts back into 3rd gear. Also, the front blinkers don't work and neither radiator nor condenser fans kick on. I've thoroughly cleaned the battery posts and clamps and cleaned what appears to be one negative ground connected to the transmission dipstick mount. There appears to be another ground on a brace on the opposite side of the engine which I have not cleaned yet. Anyone have any idea where to look first? |
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Replying to: kujhac (Jan 07, 2008 1:22 pm)
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Replying to: kujhac (Jan 07, 2008 1:22 pm) Look on top of the thermostat housing, the fan thermo electric switch is there that controls the fans. Is it broken or the wire is not connected? I assume that this is an automatic trans? If you unplug this wire, it should turn the cooling fan on. If it comes on, then the rest of the cooling fan system is okay. In order to operate safely, you must verify the engine is cooling properly. There is a possibility as well from long term storage, the fluids have absorbed some water from the air creating extra heat in the transmission. Remote and unlikely. High fluid level on anything including brakes is an excellent indicator of that. Best to change all fluids down later on. The shifting business could well be why the transmission is doing what it does. Question previous owner again on this. Check the turn signal bulbs? Think simple here first. It is possible to bring one back from long term storage, but it takes patience. I mean keep a close eye on that coolant, before you start it each time until that pump and timing stuff has been changed out. That water pump seal fails and your out of an engine if you do not catch it quickly. You have several problems here, the biggest concern is the age of rubber parts. Second is the cooling problem/transmission problem. If you can, question the original owner to see why it was parked. You want to see if this problem was back then or from storage. Bear with me, dealing with some medical stuff. So responses are a bit slow. It is a slow process sometimes putting a long term stored vehicle back on the road. |
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Replying to: kujhac (Jan 08, 2008 7:57 pm)
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Replying to: helenann00 (Feb 01, 2008 10:07 pm) The factory manual I have is for an 87. The shift is controlled by a vacuum diaphragm. Checking with the parts house online also shows one for the 4 speed speed. The hose to it must fit snug on the part and the part must not even leak a little bit or you will have a problem. No pinholes allowed. Given the age of the car, I would check there first. Transmission shops have been caught by me in the past skipping such simple things. I don't see one mentioned in the book, so I wonder if this unit has a throttle valve cable. They have also been known for this kind of fun on some makes and models. This part is located in the front of the transmission down near the oil pan. It will have a vacuum hose attached to it and it screws into the transmission. When you remove it to replace or test, be ready just in case the fluid starts to come out with a new one or some way to plug the hole. If you go to buy one, make sure you get the one for the 4 speed. Total parts cost should be less than $20. |
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Replying to: helenann00 (Feb 01, 2008 10:07 pm) |
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Hello and good day, My daughter has a 93 mazda 323 with the 1.6 litre motor and 238,000 kms (150k miles). I did a head gasket on it about a month ago and then two weeks after that the car would not shift from 2nd to third gear. The linkage is moving ok and the accelerator cables appear to be working ok. What would cause this ? Is it something that I can fix or is it a sign that the transmission will have to be replaced. She can drive it but it is at about 4000 rpms at 100km/h (60 mph). I did notice she has a slight tranny fluid leak but she keeps it topped up (she checks it every time she puts gas in the car). I just drained and refilled the transmission fluid today. I do not believe it will help too much but it can not hurt. Any insight you can provide would be greatly appreciated. The car also has a wiper problem. When you turn off the wipers they stay where they are (in whatever position they are in when you turn them off). If you use squirters the wipers also stay in whatever position they are in. Can you tell me where i can find the part that is doing this so i can get one from the wreckers ?
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Replying to: gwheelr (Feb 23, 2008 7:44 am) Wiper, seems to be a failure in the electrical parking system usually located in with the wiper motor. Rather than replace it, I would time my turning it off to just before the swipe is returning to the low end. By the time your reflexes it it it should be low enough to view the windshield well enough. LKQ junk yards on the net. Many dealers should be able to get it for you or parts houses. Check with O'Reilly's who has many lifetime warranties on parts they sell. Keep a folder and copies of those receipts. Many of my 100K-200K cars have more warranty than a new car at O'Reilly's! People like me are killing the lifetime warranty idea. If you put a new overhauled tranny in, best to go with a lifetime warranty deal. It hurts, but is cheaper than car notes in the long run. Next car you should plan on at least a four speed automatic or a 5 speed tranny to get better gas mileage. Remember that cooler and add on filter will extend you tranny's life making it cheaper for you in the log run. Cheap to run is what I like.Let me pull manual for 89 here to see if any more on 2-3 upshift problem. Will add more later if it has anything. |
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Replying to: gwheelr (Feb 23, 2008 7:44 am) |
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