ok, it started when i was on the freeway and my low coolant light flicked on and my temp gauge immediatly spiked up. I pulle dover and a person gave me a large jug of water to put in my radiator, since then my low coolant light has been coming on and going off everytime i drive it (its parked now) the Temp will sometimes spike up and then fall without hessitation.
also, a few days later my car would not start. it took me a while to finally get it to crank over and when it did the whole thing was shaking really bad and an insane amount of smoke came out (white) it seemed liek it was running on 1 rotor? after the car warms up the smoke stops. what is my problem? (might be 3 or 4) fouled plugs? sticky thermostat?

 

Is the coolant level dropping? If it is + white smoke, i'd say its a blown seal.

 

=[
a compression test will confirm it

but is there anything else it could be?
and yes coolant level is dropping but i leave puddles.

 

Puddles means that air is getting into your coolant system somehow, either through a leak in the system, or bad seals. Expanding hot air forces the coolant out of the overflow.

If thats not the case you just have a leak somewhere. I dont know why this would cause you're rough idle, so my first suggestion would most likely be the case.

 

hmm, well my car was REALLY low on gas because it was parked for a while and Id just start it and let it warm up. (stupid!) and when it wouldnt start it was super low. I was thinking it was maybe spark plugs? because it starts off rough and once it settles down it smokes really bad for a minute. but once it warms up it runs smooth and perfectly fine. sorry if im not making any sense ive been up for a reallllllly long time. im going to try and do a compression test today. but what else should I be looking for? another thing is that the hose coming from the fill neck for the radiator fluid crack open and got rid of a lot of my coolant. it was cold tho so i dont think i damaged my engine. could it be something as simple as a bad radiator hose/sticky thermstat and needing new plugs? or am I just wishful thinking =]

 

any ideas?

 

did the compression test, but... when I do it, is a sprak plug on the housing I am NOT testing supposed to be removed. and what should the pressure be? ( I have 3 even bounces just unsure how much psi im looking for.)
after talking to someone on the phone im almost certain at this point my turbos are blown. are they both oil and watercooled (wanna think i read that somewhere) that might explain coolant level dropping, or it could just be something like a loose house. any help is appreciated. thank you

 

well is it the poor mans compression test or Mazda compression tester?
Either these will yield different compression #'s

 

uh.. I took an old sparkplug and broke the porcelin off, and brazed a fitting in it. screwed it in the sparkplug hole and had it going to a compression gauge.... j.w what the numbers SHOULD read. I think its my turbos