A little over a year ago I was looking for a used car for my wife. I feel we were extreamly lucky to find a ten year Mazda Protege with only 40 K on it. This was a one owner car, the proverbial elderly lady that only drove it to churh once a week.
The only real problem with the car was a rather rough idle. My mechanic maintained that this was typical of Protege’s of this vintage. However we eventually found a crack in the intake manifold.
Replacing the manifold smoothed out the idle for some time. Gradually it idle grew rougher again untill the check engine light came on. This time we discovered that the mass airflow sensor (or manifold air preasor sensor I am not sure which) was malfunctioning.
I had the sensor replaced. The idle smoothed out considerably. I then took the car on approximately a thousand mile road trip. By the time I came back the car was idleing rough again and it feels a little sluggish accelerating from a stop.
My mechanic scanned it but found no codes. He thinks that one of the motor mounts is wearing out. When I put it in neutral the vibration is not as apparent.
I would appreciate any imput on this problem.
Mark