# 1995 Mazda Protege 1.5 **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** mazda\ **Created:** [February 11, 2013, 8:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1995-mazda-protege-1-5/77294 "2013-02-11T20:11:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kaylabayla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a698b9/32.png) [@Kaylabayla](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Kaylabayla)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 8:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1995-mazda-protege-1-5/77294/1 "2013-02-11T20:11:25Z")
My car will not start sometimes. It is not all the time but I just wanted to know anything that it could be causing the problem. I cleaned the throttle body. that is all i have done to the car so far. ---
**Author:** ![RemcoW](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/remcow/32/2471_2.png) [@RemcoW](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RemcoW)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 9:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1995-mazda-protege-1-5/77294/2 "2013-02-11T21:40:12Z")
With not starting, you mean that it does turn over, right? Are you getting spark? ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 5:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1995-mazda-protege-1-5/77294/3 "2013-02-12T05:20:11Z")
@Kaylabayla Long cranking time? Takes so long that you almost kill the battery? If so, you probably have low compression because your valves are in DIRE need of adjustment. I’ve personally ran into this on my brother’s 1997 Protege 1.5. Same Z5 engine. By the way, the valves were tight, therefore not noisey. ---
**Author:** ![Kaylabayla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a698b9/32.png) [@Kaylabayla](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Kaylabayla)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1995-mazda-protege-1-5/77294/4 "2013-02-12T20:12:41Z")
well it is getting spark I think it might be getting water into it somehow. it does turn over also. like it tries to start but wont. do you know where the ignition coil is on the car ---
**Author:** ![Kaylabayla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a698b9/32.png) [@Kaylabayla](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Kaylabayla)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1995-mazda-protege-1-5/77294/5 "2013-02-12T20:25:19Z")
its only when theres condensation that it wont start. This morning for example,came out side ,no rain but yet condensation all over the vehicle from temperature change over night. When turning the ignition it will crank then kick and attempt to start. Were thinking it might be the ignition coil honestly. ---
**Author:** ![Kaylabayla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a698b9/32.png) [@Kaylabayla](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Kaylabayla)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1995-mazda-protege-1-5/77294/6 "2013-02-12T20:25:51Z")
but the valve thing,next on my list ,ill check it out. ---
**Author:** ![Proac\_fan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/58f4c7/32.png) [@Proac\_fan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Proac_fan)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 8:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1995-mazda-protege-1-5/77294/7 "2013-02-12T20:57:17Z")
I think you are headed in the right direction. Condensation makes the ignition coil work harder to provide enough spark for ignition. If it hasn’t been done recently I’d start by changing plugs and wires. Use good ones too. No AC Delco or Champion plugs for the 'Mazda. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 5:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1995-mazda-protege-1-5/77294/8 "2013-02-13T05:21:03Z")
@Kaylabayla No offense, but you still don’t really know anything. You first need to check spark with a spark tester. That is very easy to do. If need be, check fuel pressure at the rail. If need be, check compression.