But the compressor's clutch decided to give way last year, what a coincidence, the same year I started to drive it again (as a winter beater) No matter, A/C is no good in the winter. That car has endured the learning experienced (and torture) of both me and my younger sister, it never got in any accidents or had any body work, just a few minor scuffs here and there. Well, last year, for my Mx-3's first winter storage, my parents unofficially handed over the 626 to me, since they don't really need 2 cars, but they use it when I'm not, which is only in the winter or when my Mx-3's in the shop. I bought new winter tires back last fall, and new summer tires and rims in spring (my sister wore them out, that's the second set she worn though, but didnt want to pay for them, so they bought her '93 Prelude). Back in July/August, when my Mx-3 was getting painted, I was driving it and started to notice something weird.
On a way up to a Team Slipstream meet on night, the tranny (it being auto) shited into neutral at anything more than about 150km/h, so i just took it easy. When I arrived at the meet, we saw that I was leaking power steering fluid. "Great" I though, the car's on it's last legs. I topped up the fluid with Lucas additive to stop the leak, on which it did. A week later, the alternator belt snapped and i got it fixed at a nearby Canadian Tire up in Mississauga, but the power steering pump was leaking like a siv since, I though they broke it, too much of a coiincidence. No matter, I drove it without PS for the next 3 weeks. But as the weeks went on, the issues with the tranny got worse, it started to happed at 140, 130 and 120km/h. The problem would worsen if I was going uphill, or provided more wind resistance (open windows/runroof). I tried adding some Lucas additive, but I think it made it worse, cause it started to do it at 110km/h. Man, I was never so affraid to drive on highways, going the speed limit is dangerous on highways. But I struggled on for another week and got my Mx-3 back, more beatufil than ever
As my parents used it for local errands, they started to encouter problems where is had a part time starting, especially after a few days, but it slowly got worse where it would have a hard time starting anytime. We troubleshooted it, relays were flickering, the check engine light and the Power/Econ light were flashing and stuff, we couldn't figure it out, but we did notice it would only start when the tranny Power/Econ lights were steady on. I tell you, with winter quickly coming, and all the money spend on the Mx-3, I have no money to buy a car.Over the next few months, we slowly fixed the PS (after 2 wreckers replacement @ $23), but we were waiting on my mechanic cousin to get moved into his new shop and to get a diagnostic tool and find out any error codes it was making, but the waiting lasted for almost 2 months, until this week, but I'll get to that later. Few weeks ago, another problem arrose, it started to just randomly want to stall when driving, the check engine light goes on, and one case my dad said ALL the dask lights went on.
-So up until now, we got the PS fixed
-New problem: Random stalling
This week (Tuesday), i decided to give it a drive, see what's wrong. While driving it, The hick-up only happened once or twice in the few hours we drive it. The tranny at his point was slipping past 90Km/h (thank god it was an 80km/h road). While we (me and my mom) were out, i decided to take her in and get the tranny fluid (and oil while i was at it) changed, just to see if thats the problem, I don't think my parents ever changed it. We drove it around, it slipped once getting onto the highway just after the fluid change, and we drove it for about 2 hours, I was trying it out, i got it up to 100, 110, 120, pass a car at 140, no problem, so i was getting happy, the tranny issue seems to be fixed.
-So upto now, we have the PS and ATX slippage hopefully resolved.
-Starting and stalling problem still exists
The next day, I gave up waiting for me cousin, made an appointement at the Canadian Tire were my mechanic works (the one who's done everything with my car, including my ZE swap) to get it diagnosed, dropped it off at 1pm. Me and my mom had lunch, wated more time, they needed an hour and came back. My mechanic was very condifent he found the problem, there a corroded connector on the underside of the fusebox in the engine bay that would basically give poor and even loose power to the ecu. He played around with the connector and got it so it wouldn't start at all, perfect! We were worried that the problem was intermitent and they wouldn't have anything to troubleshoot with. We went back out and came back 30min later, the car just got outside, apparently finished.
Drove it home and around town that evening with absolutely no problems
-Used power steering pump: $23
-Oil and transmission fluid change: $122
-Diagnostis and repaired corroded connection: $116
-A 16yr old car, 280'000km's, that went though 2 teenagers and just won't die. Priceless...
Lesson Learned:
-Don't give up on a car, it could be something simple.
-Lucas ATX Addtive = s---
