Hardtop V6 Astina

[edskii]

Hi guys,

Had the car for almost a year and a half, it's almost 150ks on the clock. It's performance has been sweet until recent months I noticed the following symptoms:

1) Once i start the car, "clack clack" engine noise last for atleast for 5 min or until the rev go back to 900rpm. Until last week I used Mobile1 oil and the engine noise is till there however doesn't seem last as long....could it be the piston where the noise came from?? how can i get it fix??

2) This could link to the above problem, after long trip or travel at constant high speed I noticed bad smell like rotten eggs from the exhaust, note that the smoke is NOT blue.

3) coz mine is a V6, DOHC was not built for racing so i don't expect fast acceleration from it but there's a lag in the first and 2nd gear. mine is an automatic. and the gear seems to jerk between 1st and 2nd..... does this mean I have to get a new gear box??? hope not.....

WEll that's all folks, please help coz i really love my astina, hope it could last for another few years before i can afford a new B4. I live in NSW so anyone knows any good mechanic specialise on astina then please inform me. I like to have the problems fix. Thanks in advance

Ed

[CityEnd]

I'm no expert, so if anyone knows, plz correct me..

to answer ur 3) question. the lag could be a result of a leaking gasket, as a result, the sparks can't fire properly/efficently so there is a bit of a 'lag' when u step on the accelerator.

the jerk could be a result of not having enough transmission fluid.

so when was the last time u have the car serviced? did the machanic detect anything wrong with the car?

[JynX]

#1 sounds like tappets. Usually a case of low oil. If you just changed it, the noise will dissapear after a while as the oil coats the internals. Check you oil level.

[BigMal]

The rotten egg smell is normal. Mine does it real bad having a 3inch
exhaust when I fang it around. The mazda's run a bit rich when under
acceleration which is where the smell comes from.

As for the clunking auto 1. Check fluid. 2. Might be time to have the
bands adjusted inside and a service. I dont exactly know what bands
they are but every time I have had a clunking gears and topping the
oil hasn't fixed it, the service has and they have listed on the report
adjusted bands.. Sorry not an auto guy really.

Regards

Mal

[edskii]

thanks guys........btw guys any good mechanics around town that u know of???.....Tom Kerr auto centre.....any of u guys been there b4??

regards,
ed

[nupes]

I bought my hatch V6 from Tom Kerr, althought I've never took it there for service as I live in Canberra

For the startup 'tap tap' noise , I'd say its the tappets or dirty HLAs. This noise is common on these engines. Try changing the oil more frequently

Cheers

Nupes

[BigBoyLemonade]

Rotten Egg smell is bad fuel isnt it?

Low octane I thought

[RUKEEN]

ANSWER FOR NUMBER 1# IS MORE THAN LIKLY GOING TO BE YOUR TAPPETS HAVE U BEEN DRIVING THE CAR HARD FIRST THING IN THE MORING WHEN THE MOTOR IS STILL COLD? THIS COULD OF CUZ IT.

2# I AM NOT TO SURE IT COLD BE SOMTHING SMALL OR SUMTHING BIG GET YOUR FEUL AND AIR MIXTER CHEACK AND SEE WHAT U CAN FIND

3# AS FOR THISI THINK IT IS A RESULT OF A LEAKING HEAD GASKET THE SPARKS CARNT FIRE OFF EFFICENTLY SO YOU MITE FIND A BIT OF LAG WHEN U STEP ON THE ACCELERATOR.

[BigMal]

I could be way off on this but I think there is sulfer in the petrol
to reduce emissions of carbon monoxide by producing sulfer dioxide.
Remember the string about optimax where there was the remark
about it having too much sulfer in it. I also vaguely remember the
guy down at Taren Point that Jim saw about wiring mention about
the problems they had with trying to tune the microtech to meet
emissions that when they reduced the CO reading the S02 would
rocket up. My memory is not working well as I have had a six pack
of Jim beam mixers tonight and would like to know how being able
to touch one's nose and walk a straight line fits into the 0.05 scaling ???
To make matters worse I followed a white Supra all the way home and
couldn't help but say hello and sneeze along with him only slightly
above the legal speed limits.... :twisted:

Mal

[BigBoyLemonade]

I could be way off on this but I think there is sulfer in the petrol
to reduce emissions of carbon monoxide by producing sulfer dioxide.
Remember the string about optimax where there was the remark
about it having too much sulfer in it. I also vaguely remember the
guy down at Taren Point that Jim saw about wiring mention about
the problems they had with trying to tune the microtech to meet
emissions that when they reduced the CO reading the S02 would
rocket up. My memory is not working well as I have had a six pack
of Jim beam mixers tonight and would like to know how being able
to touch one's nose and walk a straight line fits into the 0.05 scaling ???
To make matters worse I followed a white Supra all the way home and
couldn't help but say hello and sneeze along with him only slightly
above the legal speed limits.... :twisted:

Mal

Ahhhh makes sense

[JynX]

Your memory serves correct Mal.

[Mr MX6]

The click clack will be your hydraulic lifters or lash adjusters,
Some times you can fix them up by doing a fairly aggressive oil flush, like 50/50 oil and kero.
Failing that you just have to live with them or replace them..
Have you ever pulled the error codes from the ECU?.. you may have a problem with the TPS or oxy sensors robbing you of power..

[Harry]

I have run Optimax since day one in my 01 SP20 and the Rotten Egg smell is the Optimax.

I tested this once ( the fact that its Optimax) by changing to a tank of BP Ultimate. It was an almost instant change.

Andrew

[Toyboy]

Well i ran optimax for 1½ years straight and didnt have an probs with Rotten egg smells :wink:

[Harry]

Man, you shoudl see the looks I get when I get out of the car. People think I have farted or something! Its embarrasing :oops:

Andrew

[sik astina]

havnt had that problem. all i put is optimax and its been a few years now that i owned the car.

Man, you shoudl see the looks I get when I get out of the car. People think I have farted or something! Its embarrasing :oops:

Andrew

:lol: It wasnt me :lol:

[Mr MX6]

Seriously man pull the error codes you may have a shot o2 sensor..
how 2...

ECU Code Reading

Items required:

6" of cable, insulated, preferably solid core of 2.5mm^2.
A standard LED (Light Emitting Diode) & 1k-ohm resistor (soldered to the cathode/-ve of the LED) or a standard "12V LED".
Method
1. Open the hood/bonnet and locate the black oblong diagnostic connector behind the battery with "DIAGNOSTIC" printed in raised type on the top.
2. Opening this connector, inside the lid is a schematic of the connections. It is possible to scope O2 sensors and various other systems from here but we will be limited to code reading.
Locate the terminals "TEN" & "GND", notice there is a "B+" terminal nearby which is a 30A +12V feed from the battery and no loose strands of wire must touch it.
3. Ensure the ignition is off, the handbrake is applied and the gearbox is in Neutral or Park.
4. Take a piece of Insulated wire, approximately 2.5mm^2, and strip off 1/4"/0.5cm of insulation from each end. Form the wire into a loop about the middle to create a jumper-wire. Solid wire is preferred.
5. Connect this jumper-wire across the connections labled "GND" & "TEN". Ensure no other connectors are connected, and no strands are wandering about if stranded wire is used.
6. Connect the Anode/+ve of the LED+Resistor or 12V-LED to the B+ terminal, and the free resistor end (Cathode/-ve) to the FEN terminal. Ensure that nothing else is connected or accidentally connected as B+ is a 30A 12V supply.
7. Turn the ignition to ON but do not start the car, watch the LED as it flashes out any codes. If it does not flash confirm the connections, if still not flash then you have no codes stored.
8. Codes are flashed out according to the lowest code first, and repeated after a pause of 4 seconds. The format is akin to morse code, in that a short flashes represent 1s and longer flashes 10s. Thus flashes of --- --- - - - - would represent a code of 24 for the (rear) oxygen sensor. Oxygen sensor failures are the most common cause of CELs.
9. To clear codes, disconnect the negative battery terminal for 2 minutes with a door left open or apply the brakes.
10. Turn the Ignition to OFF before removing the jumper wire, and ensure when removing the jumper wire no other connections are touched.
11. If more than one code is present, it can be worth clearing all codes and then checking them again to see which re-occur. It is not uncommon for sporadic codes to appear under certain fault conditions - so requiring them to come back as confirmation is strongly advised.

I can send you a list of the codes ... if you want.. but the ones for o2s are

15 LHO2S inactivation error
17 LHO2S inversion error
23 RHO2S inactivation error
24 RHO2S inversion error

[edskii]

ECU Code Reading !!! wow a bit too advance for me man, but i'll give it a try to locate the error but how can i fix the problem/error once i locate it???? anyone?? also i like to have the car in for a major service any recommendations?? any good garage that specialise with mazda motors?? in NSW??

thanks

[Mr MX6]

Dude it sounds complicated but it will only take like 2 mins..