OK, so my antennae is pretty much stuck (can hear the motor running, but the antennae wont move), so I'm thinking "maybe its the mast". From what I've heard/read, this is pretty much normal behaviour...But because I dont have time to fix it, I said I'll just drop it off at the Mazda near my office and let them deal with it on Monday (today). More on that later....

Then, last night after "kinda racing" going for a coffee on the beach, my Low Coolant light/buzzer come on. WTF ?? I check my coolant, and the overflow tank is half-full (way above the "Max" mark), but the radiator seems to be lacking some coolant (as if the coolant went over to the overflow and stayed there). So I fill up the radiator and return home.

On the way home the buzzer would go on and off for no apparent reason. I'm thinking maybe the cap, maybe the belt, but since no coolant loss was evident, I must be OK as far as the engine or the pump go. No overheating, just the buzzer and that the coolant didnt seem to want to return to the radiator....

Now this morning, I start up the car, and the buzzer goes berzerk immediately. I check the overflow, and its almost full I check the radiator, and its missing some 100ml coolant. So I fill it up, drive pretty normaly to the Mazda shop, and have left it there. Tell them what's up, and also telling them to change the mast.

Now, I dont yet know whats wrong with the cooling system, but the antennae is not fixable The motor is bad, and the new one costs something like 250 bucks. NO WAY I'm ditching the electric motor, and just getting a normal electronic antennae....

Still waiting the verdict on the cooling system. Guy there said they'll change the thermostat, and take it from there. Belts are good, cap works just fine, no apparent leaks, so...

 

Phewwwwww.....

As it turns out, it was just a small hose (lower) with a small leak, and -just in case- I'm changing the thermostat.

The antennae motor is shot anyway, so I'm just buying an electronic one (on the windshield).

Just told the guru there to check the O2 sensor, because I think that's whats wrong with my mpg (very high).

So.....no new engine for me. Yippy...

 

Your eating tons of gas too eh? I drove about 20 miles and burned 1/4 of the gauge...then I drive 25 miles and the gauge doesn't move...hmm. Think about getting a manual antenna (like 10 dollars!)?

 

Just got off the phone with the shop: total cost around 200 euros, for hose, thermostat, o2 (I think...), electronic antennae and a recalibration all-around. I think it should run much better now (and cheaper too...

 

What is electronic antenna, like the ones on hte BMW or what?

 

do you have junkyards over there? when my antenna broke i just went and got one off a junked FC...works perfect now...prob cost $10 US

 

Erik, unfortunately no, I cannt find even ONE stinking performance part for the FC (or FD): even my cone filter is a generic K&N ....but a very good and expensive one

Turns out I didnt get an electronic antennae. The Mazda guy found an electric antennae much like the stock Mazda one, and replaced the whole mechanism. Cost: around 100 euros (thats where the money went).

My O2 is functioning correctly, but as it turns out the timing was WAAAYYYYY advanced. Is it possible for the crank angle sensor to get off its correct settings by itself ? The guy there said that it was correct in the last tune-up (1500km ago), but now it was something like 15 degrees ahead

Is something like this possible ?