Wats up guys. I just got my FD. Seems to run great but if youve read the title im a newbie. Just a few questions. Is there any signs that an engine is about to go? A mechanic at mazdatrix told me even though a car is idling smooth but idling at like 1.3k usually means a blown apex seal. My car after acceleration will start to idle at 1.3k then settle down at about 8-900 rpms. Seems to idle pretty good. Also i was reading one of the buyers guide that the car shouldn't smoke at WOT. My friend said when i was pulling but i wasn't at WOT maybe like 70% there was alot of smoke. I dont know how much is alot since i haven't seen it and it was at night. But mind you i have a dp so i dont know if that plays a factor in the appearance of smoke. Also its supposed to pull smoothly at redline according to the buyers guide. At about 85% i get the 3k hesitation and then around 5.5-6k and up its getting kind chattery. What do you guys think?

 

I have sortof the same problem on my FC but I cured its high idle then jump down to 800rpm by getting a new Throttle Body becouse mine was toast from the junkyard. I havn't had a problem since.

Smoke you say, what colour smoke? how long did the car sit for? Was it after you fisrt started it and drove it your friend said it smoked? My FD I just recently purchased sat for 2 years when I started her up for the first time she smoked like a freight train, I mean it was rolling thick. After about 3 minutes cleared right up and no more smoke. If it did smoke and it was black it just means you are running abit rich thats all.

I heard the 3K hesitation is a problem in the stock ECU, like a flaw in one of the maps from when the primary turbo is switching over to the secondary turbo and something like fuel loss happens right there. Mine doesn't do it so I wouldn't know what it feels like.

You say 5.5-6K it gets chattery? is it crazy vibration or can you be abit more clear on that or make a sound clip of what it sounds like for helping in diagnosing the problem please?

Just my research on the forums is where I got my info from,

Dan

 

Change your plugs and wires out if ytou havent done that yet. since the turbo kick in at 3K if the spark is not strong enough it will have some hesitation.

 

well i let u know about the chattery tomorrow cuz ive only owned the car for about 4 days still getting to know it. I do have a air/fuel meter. I haven't exactly checked during hard acceleration but when under light acceleration it tends to 60/40 rich/stoich

 

If you're engine is blown, you'll know it. It idles like crap, car shakes,etc...

As for the smoke, sounds like it's running rich. are you running a stock ECU, premapped one, or a PFC?

 

definitly replace the plugs first, i had a very similar issue and 4 new plugs later it was fine oh yeah and do the wires too. You will know if a seal is blown...trust me.

 

I agree. The plugs have a very noticable effect on how the engine runs higher up in the revs.

And the "chattering" is usually referred to as "ignition breakup".

 

Yeah changed the plugs and wires, and for the chattery at 5.5-6krpms it is the same problem my car has, pulls up to about 5-5.5 and then chattery until like 6-6.5 then pulls all the way to redline. I read somewhere on here that it is probably the ignition. I plan on getting a XS Engineering ignition and that will get rid of that chattery feeling. It will get a hotter spark to the plugs. And smoke i dont know, over the winter i stored it but started it once a week, everytime i started it up that week it would smoke (white) but then it would go away after it warmed up.

 

You guys suffering "ignition breakup" on a close to stock car should fix the problem instead of applying a band-aid solution like an ignition amp....

 

well now ive changed my description of 5.5k and up acceleration. Its not so much chattering but more vibration. Since engine is rotary shouldn't it pull smoothly to redline?

 

Since you're in Southern California, it shouldn't be too hard to find a local FD owner and compare their car to yours.

Either way, you should replace your spark plugs. They're cheap, and you'll get better mileage and increased power.

-s-

 

There are too many factors to consider a smooth pull all the way to redline. May have to be a bit more specific. Engine retard, ignition break up, sequential turbo problems, ect. An example would be getting vibration from a differential brace that you may not have even noticed was on the car.