[sdotbailey]

so, drivin down the freeway today to work. going about 70 in 5th. all of a sudden, the rpm's just start dropping rapidly up down up down up down. the engine light comes on, car basically shuts off, then starts up again on the freeway. mind you this is all at 70 MP fuckin H! i freak. keep going, doesn't happen again, then BAM again. i pull over this time. car is off. i sit there for a sec, turn the key and it doesn't start. wait a few more seconds, then it starts. i only have a mile or so til work so i make it.
ok, so driving home tonight, freaked about my car. going fine, then same things happen. up down up down, car off... finally the car just shuts off and doesn't turn back on. so i slow down a bit, throw it in 4th and let out the clutch, basically a pop start at 55 on the freeway. car goes fine for about 1 minute, then it happens again. same thing. get off the freeway, car dies as i exit the offramp. stuck in the turn lane. wait a minute or so, car starts and make it home no prob.
so, what the fuck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i've never heard or seen anything like this. does anyone have any idea what this could possibly be. i swear to god i'm beginning to hate this car. i should have kept the camaro. anyway, i'm hoping maybe it's something simple and inexpensive like the fuel filter, i'll check tomorrow. it's been on for almost a year i think, i haven't changed it. could it get that clogged? oh, then i noticed my car running warm the whole way home tonight. went up to 3/4 and dropped to half. it usually sits below half. anyway, you got any ideas, cuz this is not what i need right now and i need to get it taken care of asap if i can. please please help. thank you

 

[94MX6pilot audio master]

Check fuel filter, however sounds like Distributor is bad.:ewink:

 

[sdotbailey]

think so? it better not be, i paid a lot of money to get that shit fixed last year and i even paid more to get a part that was "direct" from the manufacturer. i think there's some type of warranty on it. so those are the symptoms huh? what exactly does the distributor do? i know a bit about cars, but nothing too extensive.

 

[Superman]

the ditsy sits at the end of your intake camshaft and basically rotates to send a spark to one of 6 terminals, which end up being your spark plug wires. That is then transfered to your spark plugs. Get the big picture?

Sounds like you either have a bad disty, cap, rotor, some seriously bad plugs. Out in the far field is the fuel filter/fpr

 

[sdotbailey]

i recently shanged the plugs, about 2000 miles ago. couldn't change the dist cap or rotor cuz i didn't have the money so it was a half assed tune up. the disty was replaced last year in dec. the fucker charged me 300 for it because he wouldn't warranty the work or something if i brought the part. prick. i did notice something the other day though. i remember that when i changed the plugs out, the back left plug had oil on it. i figured that couldn't be good. then, the other day i noticed that there was a bit of oil below the front left plug spot, like it rose up and just kind of pooled in that little crevice. think that would have anything to do with it?

 

[94MX6pilot audio master]

i recently shanged the plugs, about 2000 miles ago. couldn't change the dist cap or rotor cuz i didn't have the money so it was a half assed tune up. the disty was replaced last year in dec. the [fizzle]er charged me 300 for it because he wouldn't warranty the work or something if i brought the part. prick. i did notice something the other day though. i remember that when i changed the plugs out, the back left plug had oil on it. i figured that couldn't be good. then, the other day i noticed that there was a bit of oil below the front left plug spot, like it rose up and just kind of pooled in that little crevice. think that would have anything to do with it?

That sounds like a leaking valve cover gasket, it may have contributed to the distributor failure.:urg: i think reman distributors are $160 at autozone or checkers. Check the fuel filter anyways just to be sure. Depending on how many miles you drive, I doubt that the filter is clogged that bad or that the cap, rotor, plugs are worn out after almost a year.

 

[MadBad]

its the disti dude..... get a new one from Distributerking or find a working disti from a junkyard.... I wouldnt drive around coz the disti might shut off permanently anytime.

 

[93MX6nate]

i think i might have the same problem i'll watch this thread for solutions.. and post any if i find them.

 

[Superman]

I am still putting my money on the ditsy. The spark plug oil, if on the tip could be ring blowby

 

[wpendl1]

The oil in the spark plug well is just leaking valve cover gaskets... Blowby is when cumbustion chamber presure leakes by the piston rings into the block.

Usualy when the disty starts to fail, it will just kill the cars engine all together, then will not let you start again until the ignitor cools down. 10-15 minutes or more. Plus when he had his replaced, it was repalced with a newer design. I'm not saying it is not the disty, just saying it is not the common symtoms of failure.

I would point my finger in the direction of an electrical problem of some sort.

The oil in the spark plug wells is a problem, it can deteriorate your spark plug wires, and cause miss fireing, but I've never herd of it making your car die, at least not without permanantly killing the disty.
Possibly a failing VAF sensor?

 

[john101]

That is EXACTLY how my disty went out a couple months ago. And that one was ~1 year old from disty-king. It seems that no one can produce a reliable disty. If they were cheaper, I'd carry one as a spare to prevent being stranded.

My vote is disty.

 

[redwing135]

i also have the same prob with my car we need to get together and make reliable ditsys for our cars! lol

 

[sdotbailey]

hey i appreciate everyone's input. i'm gonna call that asshole mechanic and see what exactly he warrantied. it isn't terribly hard to change a distributor, so i'll probably just buy one and then do it myself. ah, but where is the money going to come from. i love this car. do you guys have lots of problems too? from the outside this thing is beautiful and great but it's the inside that matters. just a buch of small things going wrong, dammit

 

[spictacular]

yea its definetly the disty. i had the same thing happen on my 6. from what ive heard, the only way to properly fix the problem is to get an updated disty direct from mazda.
its cost me about $400 canadian. but i havent had any problems since.

 

[skiingman]

There is nothing outside of electrical failure that will cause the behavior you decribe. Almost guaranteed to be the disty ignitor.

Search for Joe Bialy HEI mod and ye shall be happy.

 

[East Coast MX]

mine was doing the same thing...but when we checked the codes is was my O2 sensors, that was my only code...since i put new ones in i have not had a problem, it only did it on the highway

 

[kurklk]

Had the kindda same problem. I replaced t5he disty wen away...

 

[skiingman]

mine was doing the same thing...but when we checked the codes is was my O2 sensors, that was my only code...since i put new ones in i have not had a problem, it only did it on the highway

Your problem may have "gone away", but you either didn't have the same problem described here or you are merely biding your time until the ignitor fails again.

You can unplug both O2s and drive around just fine, albeit with poorer fuel economy and emissions and ugly part throttle driveability.

 

[urthbound75]

Check your local engine rebuilding shops.Some have used distys in stock for real cheap. Like 50$-75$ bucks. That's where I got my last disty and it was in real good condition. Probably off a more updated model 95 and up.

 

[wpendl1]

Check your local engine rebuilding shops.Some have used distys in stock for real cheap. Like 50$-75$ bucks. That's where I got my last disty and it was in real good condition. Probably off a more updated model 95 and up.

I'm not sure about the 95's but the 96 and 97's are obd2, as well have diffrent connectors on the disty. You will need to get the proper disty. Take your old one as a sample. The diffrence between the original 93 and 94's distys and the newer updated ones are internal only. The ignitor is beefed up so that is it not prone to heate soak failure.
I purchased one from the dealer for my first 93, becasue they had it in stock. However for the 94 I had, I just got a rebuild from Autozone. I know the person who still has it, 2 years latter, he has not had a problem with it.