Help: installed phenolics and engine won't idle

[dorin]

I need your help, and badly so since I now have an MX-3 that won't run. <P>I've just installed the phenolic spacers from Outlaw Engineering and now my engine won't idle. It will start, and I can even drive it (but the check engine light comes on after a couple of minutes of maintaining a steady speed), but it keeps dying at idle. I'm feeling rather depreseed about it and foolish at having attempted to tinker with it myself <P>I have installed the phenolic spacers between the engine block and the intake manifold using the bolts supplied and using the recommended gasket sealant (I did not use any gaskets). I have also installed the phenolic spacer between the intake manifold and the throttle body (yet again using the gasket sealant but without using any gaskets). While I was at it I replaced the valve cover gaskets and I also cleaned the manifold and throttle body since they were covered in oily gunk.<P>After installing everything back I had to readjust the throttle cable and I ended up playing with the indle speed screw (AAS). The only way the car can run is if I tighten the AAS all the way and tension the throttle cable so that it always accelerates the car slightly. This means that the car ends up "idling" (if you can call it that) at 3000+ rpm. And even then it will die from time to time.<P>So I am left with the folowing possibilities:<BR>1. remove the manifold and the throttle body and reinstall the same way hoping that the problem was gasket sealant that wasn't applied properly<BR>2. remove the manifold and the throttle body and reinstall using Mazda gaskets between the engine bolck and the phenolic spacers, between the spacers and the manifold, between the manifold and the throttle body spacer, and finally between the throttle body spacer and the throttle body itself (this seems like gasket overkill, and potentially expensive given the cost of Mazda parts, but it should seal everything properly)<BR>3. give up and tow the car to a garage<BR>4. any suggestions? (PLEASE!!!)<P>So anything you could help me with would be apreciated.<P>thanks,<BR>Dorin<P>P.S.: As a side-note I've also noticed that there is a tube that connects the front and rear valve covers to the air intake in front of the throttle body but after the mass air flow sensor. This thing seems to dump engine oil from the camshafts into my air intake. It's definitely meant to be connected like it is but I don't know what to make of the oil. It seems like there shouldn't be any oil there and that really worries me.

[Zoso124]

WHOA WHOA, Have you moved the TPS sensor yet?<BR>thats you problem dude, are you getting any air in between your gaskets and the heads and intake manny? any sucking noise? spraying some starting fluid down there and see if the engine idle speeds up. But you have to adjust the TPS!<P>Thank god for Rick! <BR> <A HREF="http://www.rs-productions.com/RSP_Motor ... ps/tps.htm" TARGET=_blank>http://www.rs-productions.com/RSP_Motor ... tps.htm</A>

[Zoso124]

oh ya, leave the throttle cable alone, put it back the way it was.

[Ramdao]

My friend you better re-check the vaccum lines it´s very important, also re-set the ECU. by pulling the neg cable from the batt leaving it off aprox 5 min.

[dorin]

Thanks for the advice. I will try adjusting the TPS as per Rick's advice - Rick, are the TPS adjustments, like the number of turns for the AAS, the same for the 1.8L V6 on the MX-3 as for the 2.5L on the Probe/MX-6? - and I've rechecked all the vacuum lines, electrical connections, I've put the throttle cable back to its normal position, and I've reset the ECU. The idle problem is still there.<P>It's also been suggested that I try pulling the computer fault codes from the engine, but I have no idea how to go about it. Any suggestions?<P>I'm still worried that I might not have gotten a proper seal around the phenolic spacers. Any ideas on whether I should try using actual gaskets from Mazda instead of just gasket sealant?

[Zoso124]

The TPS and AIS is all the same equipment. I can garantee this is where your problem lies, you have to adjust the TPS then the screw next, to get it to idle around 640-700 rpms. If your gaskets aren't sealing you'd probably hear it sucking air where ever its leaking, Take a can of Starting Fluid and spray it around the spacer while the engine is idling. SPRAY IT LIGHTLY! If the engine speed increases then you have a leak. BTW - Thats Ricks site, not mine. <BR>