MX-3.com

Here's how it happened. I bought this MX-3 off my manager from work for $1900. The car is a 4cl manual 1992 Mazda MX-3 Precidia with 300k on the engine. 4 days after I bought it, it wouldn't start up. After many unsucceful attempts by my friend. I had to tow it home. I got even more peple to look at the car and they failed so it was hauled into a suggested mechanic to figure out the problem.

He said it needed a new distributor. They installed it and it worked prefectly. For one day. Thats right it wouldn't start again. I had it towed in again for them to fix the problem. They changed the spark plugs and it worked again.

Well, today on my way to do groceries it wouldn't start again. I've almost had it with this car and I think I was sold a lemon. So what should I do at this point? I've already spent over $500 in the first week of owning this car. I cant afford to keep fixing it for much longer.

You payed too much for a car w/ 300k on it.

You could do a BP swap for around $1500-2000 if you want to keep it.

Then you would have a good engine!

However, if you dont want to spend more $$ on it-- get rid of it.

Originally posted by atlantamx3:
You payed too much for a car w/ 300k on it.

I'm assuming that's Canadian dollars? Anyways, if you would have posted on here, we could have told you it was the distributor, and you could have replaced it yourself to save a bunch of money. If he put a rebuild on, there's a tendency to need to go through a couple before you get a good one, depending on where the rebuild was purchased at.

I did post here first. Are you talking about used distributors? I need to go through a few? I don't get what ya mean man. I was also told here that I should buy the car even though it had 300k. I'm just not having any luck with this car whatsoever.

Does anyone know what section of the online shop manual that deals with diagnostic codes? Another thing, which I dont know if is normal is when I turn the key I can hear the fuel pump going. Now thats normal, but it keeps running as long as I have it in the ignition. Is that normal?

<small>[ October 30, 2004, 01:59 PM: Message edited by: Kamikid ]</small>

maybe see if you can return it

well if u remember, i told u not to buy it. others said otherwise. what now? dare i say, I TOLD U SO?

either way. at this point. what can u do? u already sunk monies into. should not take much more to fix but yes it will cost u.
good luck

Sounds like your internal HEI is blowing out... You might consider use Gro's walkthrough http://www.projectmazda.com/howto/hei/index.htm to install a GM HEI module. Parts would cost about $25 total and it's really very easy.

to bad thats meant for a GS and not a RS

D*amnt. Sorry.

It cant be something very complicated whatever it is. I'd say if you really want it to be fixed right bring it to mazda and see what they say it could be. Although it will be alot of $$. Your coil could be gone too so I'd have that checked. get a msd one, there like $80 cdn. I have a blaster ss and I love it. Works great and easy to hook up. Its strange for it to work again after some new spark plugs. Gotta be a wire or something.

I thought about taking it to Mazda themselves to fix it. I talked to this new guy at my work and his dad owns a shop. So hes nice enough to get it towed in for me and he's got all the right diagnosis equipment. I even tried to jumper TEN and GND but the engine light just went out, it didn't flash or anything giving me codes.

Good move - someone you should be able to trust for straight evidence-based info. Keep us posted.

I see you meant 185k miles. Thats still way to much. No offesne but you should know better than to buy a car with so many miles.

<small>[ October 31, 2004, 12:48 PM: Message edited by: Juan's MX3 ]</small>

Originally posted by Kamikid:
Does anyone know what section of the online shop manual that deals with diagnostic codes? Another thing, which I dont know if is normal is when I turn the key I can hear the fuel pump going. Now thats normal, but it keeps running as long as I have it in the ignition. Is that normal?

Can someone please answer my questions?

Thanks.

<small>[ November 02, 2004, 04:36 AM: Message edited by: Kamikid ]</small>