OKAY, THIS IS A BIT COMPLICATED SO I WILL TRY TO SIMPLIFY IT. I HAVE HAD SO MANY THINGS REPLACED IN MY CAR (2001 MAZDA 626 LX 4 CYLINDER) INCLUDING THE ENTIRE ENGINE, IT SHOULD BE RUNNING LIKE NEW. HOWEVER, THE MOST RECENT PROBLEMS HAVE NOW ESCALADED AND LEAD TO MY PREFERENCE TO WALK, RATHER THAN DEAL WITH THE EMOTIONAL STRESS. THE STORY: MY CAR’S GAGE STARTED MOVING FROM THE MIDDLE TO THE HOT. IT WOULD SLOWLY MOVE BACK DOWN AS I PARKED AND LEFT IT IDLE. AS SOON AS I WOULD BEGIN TO DRIVE, IT WOULD SLOWLY REACH THE HOT. I CHECKED THE COOLANT RESEVOIR TO FIND THAT IT WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY. MY MECHANIC SAID IT WAS LEAKING COOLANT SO HE REPAIRED IT. LATER I NOTICED WHEN I STARTED MY CAR, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT (WHICH HAS BEEN ON FOR A WHILE WHEN MY CAR WAS RUNNING FINE) BEGAN BLINKING AND THE CAR WOULD SHAKE AND EVEN REV UP FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS WHILE I WAS IN PARK. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD THEN STOP BLINKING AND MY CAR WOULD STOP SHAKING AND SOUNDED NORMAL LIKE “OKAY, I’M READY”. THIS WOULD HAPPEN ALMOST EVERYTIME I STARTED MY CAR AFTER IT COOLED DOWN. ANOTHER MECHANIC I ASKED, SAID THAT THE SHAKING HAD TO BE THE AIR FILTER HOSE EXTENSION BECAUSE HOW DAMAGED IT WAS AND EVERYTHING ELSE SEEMED TO BE FINE AND IN ORDER. WHILE WAITING FOR THE HOSE EXTENSION PART TO BE DELIVERED IN A FEW DAYS, I NOTICED WHILE DRIVING THAT THE GAGE REACHED THE MIDDLE AFTER WARMING UP AND THEN JUST WENT BACK TO COLD AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES OF DRIVING. IT STAYED ON COLD FROM THEN ON, CONFIRMING IT WAS BUSTED. I CHECKED MY COOLANT RESEVOIR TO FIND THAT AFTER ABOUT 100 MILES OF DRIVING IT WAS COMEPLETELY EMPTY AND BROWN (THE COOLANT IS GREEN SO WHY WOULD THE REMNANTS END UP BROWN?). I WENT BACK TO MY MAIN MECHANIC AND HE SAID HE HAD INITIALLY PRESSURE TESTED FOR THE LEAK WHEN HE FIRST REPAIRED IT, BUT FOUND THAT IT STILL WAS LEAKING SO HE REPAIRED THAT AND ONLY CHARGED ME FOR THE GAGE CENSOR REPAIR. I PICKED IT UP AND WENT TO THE STORE ONLY TO COME BACK TO MY CAR THAT WOULD NOT START! THE LIGHTS WOULD TURN ON, BUT IT WOULD DIE BEFORE IT STARTED. I HAD IT TOWED RIGHT TO HIS SHOP. HE CALLED ME TO SAY THAT IT TURNS ON SOMETIMES AND THAT HIS EQUIPMENT IS UNABLE TO READ MY CAR! HE THINKS ITS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. I AM IN HELL. IT SEEMS THAT THE PROBLEMS HAD WORSENED AS I DROVE IT, ALTHOUGH THE MECHANICS HAD BEEN TELLING ME, ALL ALONG, THAT IT WAS PERFECTLY FINE TO DRIVE. NOW WHEN I START MY CAR, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT’S BARELY MAKING IT WITHOUT DYING! I NEED ANSWERS FROM YOU KIND-HEARTED CAR-GENIUSES. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK. IF YOU NEED ANYMORE INFORMATION JUST EMAIL ME AT AREYOUJAZZED@YAHOO.COM THANKS AGAIN, GUYS.
Holy mackeral dude,
I suggest you completely redo this entire post,
- Turn off the caps
- Break down the information into really short paragraphs that are easy to read.
- Proof read the whole thing.
Sorry, it just hurts my eyes to read it.
I’m completely with Jeff. Its practically one of those optical illusions where things start to move around on the screen.
Sorry, that was me in a hurry. Let me summarize. Recently, I had my car repaired for a coolant leak. But, I noticed that after driving for long periods of time, the coolant resevoir was completely empty with brown liquid remnents. If there was no longer a leak and my car didn’t appear to be overheating, where was the coolant going? The worst part is that ALMOST everytime I start my car, after it has cooled down, the check engine light starts to blink and the car shakes, rattles and even revs up for about 30 seconds while I am in park. Then it stops and sounds fine to drive. My mechanic’s equipment cannot read my car, so he cannot find the problem. He thinks that it is something electrical. Another mechanic mentioned that the shaking was because of my damaged air filter hose since everything else looks fine. A few times I have started my car, the lights turned on but it died. Now when I turn it on, it sounds like it’s barely making it to stay alive. Any detailed advice would really help me out! You can also email me at areyoujazzed@yahoo.com for more information.
Why are you taking your car to someone who doesn’t even have the equipment to scan it ? If it is a 2001 Mazda sold in the United States it has a standard OBD II scan system.Go to a real mechanic. Your coolant leak and electrical problems are probably not related but you should get them both diagnosed and get an estimate for repairing both of them before spending money beyond the diagnosis. These can be serious repairs and may exceed the value of the car. You didn’t tell us the mileage or condition.
I hate to say it because a lot of people take this the wrong way. But, it sounds like your problems began with a lack of proper maintenance, and now they are snowballing.
I say this, because you mentioned in the original post that the ‘check engine’ light has been on for a while, but is now blinking. The original cause for the ‘check engine’ light was ignored. A blinking light could mean a severe mis-fire is happening, and you should stop driving and cut the engine off to prevent damage. It could also mean damage is done because of ignoring a ‘check engine’ light.
Also, you mentioned that after the initial cooling system repair, the reservior was stained brown and empty. This sounds typical of a cooling system that has been ignored, and the routine flush-n-fills called for in the maintenance schedule have not been done. This would also explain the multiple leaks you seem to be experiencing. Also, because of the overheating, the head gasket may have been damaged. This would explain the shaky engine and brown staining.
As for the current ‘no-start’ problem, a broke or damaged air hose can definitely cause that. Has it been replaced yet? This car has a Mass Air Flow sensor located on or near the air flter box. If air gets into the car by-passing this sensor due to an air leak, the computer has a difficult time keeping the car in tune. The bigger the leak, the less the computer can handle it. If that big air hose is split wide open, chances are the car will not start.
I would also like to throw in a possible spark plug change and ignition system check. Things that will also cause the engine not to start or run rough.