B6 Stutter

[skeeters_keeper]

sounds like a likely cause to me! i assume you've checked your PCV system? if theres really enough pressure to blow by the seal then i would suspect your PCV valve or something isn't working correctly.

If this does turn out to cure the problem we will need to make a sticky out of it (perhaps in a more concise thread though). Props to you for spending so much time on trying to find the problem!!

[kzbill]

no really don't have too much crankcase pressure just a bad seal in the disty. I took it out and it was hard as a rock. it was an old distributor probly 170 thousand mi. and years of sitting. there was a reson for using that disty before when I was diagnosing. No I amgoing to rebuild it for a spare. new seal and bearing at least.

[kzbill]

Still running

[skeeters_keeper]

persistence pays off!!! time to celebrate!!!

[kzbill]

Thank you Nate!
Patience and Persistance, there have been times where I'm sure I didn't sound too Patient. But a Project like this teaches patience.
It teaches lots of other things too. I feel I know the car much better now, there are a couple little, I mean little problems but nothing like I encountered so far. The most major is a lower control arm bushing.
As I sit here, I can only think of small upgrades. Possibly further tuning, I will know after following the fuel mileage for a while.
I still have to build some confidence in the car.
The Net is a great resource! finding the problem on the Mazda 323 site, and the solution, was the most important thing.
The internet, and persistant searching can make anyone seem smart, even me!

[wrestler3025]

Thanks for the find kzbill!!! I switched out my distributor with another, and viola!!! The car ran without ANY issues. It's only been about 30 miles so far, but it would usually do it almost right away. I REALLY appreciate this tid bit of info. I have been dealing with this issue for over a year now. Thank you for the find.

[kzbill]

izz ok

[kzbill]

Finding out there is a difference in Oxygen sensors. the Denso is the O.E. part. the ones with the screen type thingy on the bottom work the best they react faster. I have a Standard motorproducts Oxegen sensor simmilar to the Bosch with the solid tip I have been told by my Guru:

"Be careful with aftermarket O2 sensors, they don’t have the ability to react quickly enough to the changing oxygen level around them. It becomes a snow ball effect between the computer and the sensor….The sensor reacts slow, the computer makes an adjustment, the sensor reacts even slower and before you know it the entire system is hosed up."

hope this helps

[kzbill]

so by being stupid I get smart!

The last throttle body I cleaned up and "checked" (can't check throttle shaft play with throttle closed) had a loose shaft. Must check throttle shaft with throttle open so plate doesn't close in bore and give a false reading.

So I cleaned the original to the motor (90K mi.) and many problems dissappeared including the rich feeling.

it is very close now, may even be oK, must check mileage again.

[kzbill]

No OK but will try a new O2 sensor this weekend. I am stabbing in the dark now
it gets a little better all the time but no cure yet, it ain't the car, its my finding the little problem that is causein the big issues

[funky technician]

wow, you mean it's still quiting randomly?

[kzbill]

well it's not quiting as much but it still screws up it gets better all the time so that is why I think I have more than one issue. I keep trying stuff and eliminating it one by one. it is such a shame the car ran so well before I took it apart and put a lower mileage motor in it. I only have a few possibilities left so I feel good about that. I will also have a very reliable car after I am done for not too much money. I have learned a tremiendous amount about the car and I have learned some more patience and how to persevere.
I know I will eventually get it. it is just a matter of how long.

[kzbill]

It has to be the distributor now. I ordered a new crank/cam optical sensor, should be here this week.

All is good but the cutting out. when it runs it runs real fine!
I am glad I found the optical sensors they come new from china there is a guy in Austraila that is selling them on ebay for $100 au.
+$27.50 shipping.

For some reason they are available outside the country but not here. I guess the "rebuilders" have the market tied up so the average joe can't just buy them.

they replace them regularly in AU/GB/EU but here you have to buy the whole distibutor for a min of about $175 plus shipping and handling.

[kzbill]

I think anyone that has watched this knows how much trouble I have had since I installed my motor. I thought i introduced a problem when installing it cause I didn't know the history of the engine other than little old lady, 90,000. I replaced every sensor, some twice. I had it diagnosed by an expert mechanic but the problem didn't present itself to him. this is what I did today!

I tried a couple little things, routing the spark plug wires away from the distributor pickup wires. good thing!

No help, screwed up within 1/2 mi., so I brought it home and got it to do it in the drive in front of the shop.

It was making this small asthmatic sound, a wheezing, buzzing type of anemic noise.

I pinched off the intake hose to the IAC/ICS assembly and the wheezing stopped!

The valve must not have been closing, just bouncing on the seat or whatever.

I grabbed the "know good" ICS/IAC motor from the shelf 20 min. R&R and off I went test drive it.

All the problems disappeared! it seems totally operational.

Now when the Optical sensor comes I can rebuild my other Distributor so I have a spare.

I hope this is it, all indications are good now, the IAC/ICS was from the unknown motor I put in the car. I kinda suspected that it was a problem I introduced by swapping the motor. but who woulda knowed!
_________________
A work in progress! learning the meaning of patience.
91 L 5spd AZ body reduced to shell and reborn.

[kzbill]

This morning I tried it down the road at a steady 65 it missed a lot then malfunctioned again! but different this time. I got the optical sensor for the distributor in the mail today but didn't put it in cause I thought it was no rush. oh well came home threw the sensor in it and off it went now no missing and no malfunction. that means I had at least two major problems maybe more.
it is hard when the problems have similar symptoms too!
I'll keep posting, so far I am happy with the results.