# I fixed it now its broken

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-fixed-it-now-its-broken/63056>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** mazda, 626\
**Created:** [March 27, 2011, 4:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-fixed-it-now-its-broken/63056 "2011-03-27T16:05:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![canesfanjcb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@canesfanjcb](https://community.cartalk.com/u/canesfanjcb)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 4:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-fixed-it-now-its-broken/63056/1 "2011-03-27T16:05:32Z")

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I changed out the starter yesterday. Now the car starts but only runs for a few seconds. Then it sputters and dies. Please help.

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**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-fixed-it-now-its-broken/63056/2 "2011-03-27T16:10:19Z")

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Why did you change the starter?

A common reason that a car would do this is an inoperative idle air control (IAC) valve. If holding the throttle down just a little will keep it running then its probably the best thing to troubleshoot.

But you could also have a failing fuel pump or failing ignition system components. What year is the car? Mileage? What is the maintenance history? Is the check engine light on?

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**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 4:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-fixed-it-now-its-broken/63056/3 "2011-03-27T16:31:31Z")

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Sounds like your fuel pump only gets power when the key is in the “start” position…Connect a pressure gauge to the fuel rail and observe your fuel pressure during the starting process…

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**Author:** ![impala61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/77aa72/32.png) [@impala61](https://community.cartalk.com/u/impala61)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 7:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-fixed-it-now-its-broken/63056/4 "2011-03-27T19:17:42Z")

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Did you do anything else? Is the ballast resistor still connected properly?