loss of power, B-6 stumble, you name it gone!

[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!

[kzbill]

oh, by the way, I have made a lot of mistakes along the way. some made it better for a while, and that'll throw ya!
I took it to an expert and to his credit he made it better for a while too. he is very good these festivas are just too old I guess. I bet I spent a couple hundred hours on the web too.
All the things I tried I had symptoms for and the syptoms and fixes were described in the mazda forums too.
That was where I got the distributor fix from. it is a legitamate problem. one I wouldn't have had if someone hadn't of told me to swap the dist. early on. the one I put on had a bad seal. the original was OK.
the rest of the sensors were a good idea to put on just to guaranty longevity. I now also have a large supply of "good knowns"
I hope these posts are helping others too.
Bill L.

[skeeters_keeper]

JEEZ, mate! well, you have a like-new car now! plus all those parts and spares!!!

I think it sounds like it was a combination of a few problems tough, is that what you have concluded as well?

[kzbill]

I think I did have a combination "fubar" but the biggest, and most anoying glitch was the IAC.
It was intermittant and wouldn't happen when it needed to until today.
this was the problem that caused me to replace the MAF needlessly. it also made me invetigate the Distributor which did have an issue with the oil. I also found out how the get the optical sensors from Taiwan. 75-80 dollars depending on quantity.
they are available all over the world but here.
I now have a good running festy b3 the "de-tuner"

[kzbill]

I installed the optical sensor, and even the low speed miss or pop is gone, just like a new distributor.

[kzbill]

It came back,
I always thought it was something with the new motor installation, I installed Copper, non resistance, plug wires, they drove the computer and all the electronics wild with RFI (radio frequency interferance) I put the original wires on and it is fine again.