I installed an Exedy clutch in my 1989 convertible with 105,000 miles; installed all new hydraulics from Mazdatrix; installed a Racing Beat Header, Bonez cat, and Racing Beat cat back; installed new 02 sensor from Rotary performance; installed new engine mounts from Mazdatrix; installed Racing Beat upper and lower radiator hoses and new heater hoses; filled up with new transmission fluid, coolant and oil change.

I got her back on her feet. She started right up. I took her for a drive at 1:00 this morning. She's a little louder than I'd like, but I'm hoping it will grow on me. The clutch hooks up so well that I keep inadvertently spinning the tire.

Here's the bad news. When she starts up, she revs to 3500 and then dies. All the warning lights are on. The alternator/water pump belt broke. There is a black wire grounded to the block at the top of the bell housing that looks like it should have something plugged into it, but I can't find a mate.

I'd hate to have to take it to a shop after doing so much. Little help?

Doug

 

The warning lights coming on are telling you that you have an alternator problem. A broken alternator belt would do that. Secondly, the engine reving up and dying immediately sounds like a vacuum leak and a rather large one. If you can absolutely rule out a vacuum leak then your fuel pump is cutting off. You can jumper the fuel check connector to help keep the pump going if in fact that was problematic. The wire near the bellhousing could be a ground which runs to the firewall right near the wiper motor or there is a condenser that is usually bolted to the slave cylinder that is part of the oil sender/oil pressure gauge circuit. If you use the advanced search feature for the pic of the condenser you will be able to discern if this is what you found.

 

I really appreciate your help, Satch. I posted a picture of the condenser the other day and you helped me out with that. This is a different wire. Thanks again.

Doug

 

I think I found the problem:

I found where the small vacuum line goes. The suspect ground wire is shown. It's actually attached to the bell housing. And the broken 25 year old plastic part which I am going to have to order when I figure out what it is called.

 

The plastic part is called the Thermovalve I believe. And look for a metal clip fastened to the firewall which the Black wire and plug would slide on to.

 

The clip is right by the wiper motor.

 

Do I need the thermovalve? Can I just block off the hole?

 

One of the hoses from the thermovalve runs to the double throttle diaphragm which probably doesn't work after all these years. The second hose runs to the manifold below the valve. What its purpose is I do not know. If need be you could purchase a used one from the parts for sale section rather than forking over the money for a new part.

 

Like satch said, you do not need the thermovalve or the double throttle diaphragm. On both my throttle bodies I have eliminated these, and had no problems afterwords. In the hole the thermovalve leaves, put in a common pipe plug with pipe tape. (I believe it's a 1/4 or 3/8 inch NPT. Don't quote me on that; I've slept since then.) On the throttle body, I put RTV silicone sealant on the hole under the plastic thermowax spacer on the back side of the throttle body. On the front, I threaded the hole left from the butterfly shaft and put a short bolt in it with sealant on the threads to prevent vacuum leaks. And for obvious reasons, cap off the necessary vacuum ports.

 

I cleared the ECU. Check engine light went out and the car ran great. Drove eight miles. Light back on, idling at slightly below 1500 but pulsing to slightly above. Spent today in church and then figure out how to check the codes which I am going to do tomorrow.

 

There's a Green check connector with only an Orange wire right near the lead coil. Ground this wire and w/key to on the error codes will be displayed. Sounds like you're having an OMP issue possibly as the problem of a poor running engine occurs then disappears then reappears once again. A CEL check will confirm this.

And your idle is way too high and should be half of what it currently is.

 

I got lucky! I checked the CEL codes and got an 11. I searched and found out where the air thermosensor is. It was kinda of crushed over. I straightened it out and reconnected it, cleared the codes again and took her for a drive: NO CEL! Car runs fine and idles steady at 900 RPM.

 

Spike too soon. Pulsing idle around 1500 is back. No CEL though.