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Car Forum / Mazda / Mazda Miata / October 2009

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cold idle and mpg

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peter - 24 Oct 2009 19:19 GMT
hi,

i drove my wife's 95 with an eaton s/c to get gas today and it kept
stalling on me.  i know i could just adj the normal idle but i wonder
if there is a cold idle or other winter adjustment?

aslo, the car with a recently rebuilt drive train seems to be gertting
~20 mpg...that seems a tad low, what do you guys get?

thanks,
peter
Annie and Chris Lang - 26 Oct 2009 18:44 GMT
Don't know about the cold idle situation.

We are getting about 37 mpg in our year 2000 1.6 NB over here in the UK.
I guess our Imperial Gallons are a bit larger than US ones but that
seems about normal for ordinary road use.
( It does depend a lot on the roads though, I know I get a lot more MPG
in France where generally the hills are less steep and the bends are
less sharp, hence a lot less braking, gear changing and acceleration. )

Regards
Chris

The message
<39b50132-a9a7-4dac-8041-eafbcd569015@k26g2000vbp.googlegroups.com>
from peter <pmicaza@gmail.com> contains these words:

> hi,

> i drove my wife's 95 with an eaton s/c to get gas today and it kept
> stalling on me.  i know i could just adj the normal idle but i wonder
> if there is a cold idle or other winter adjustment?

> aslo, the car with a recently rebuilt drive train seems to be gertting
> ~20 mpg...that seems a tad low, what do you guys get?

> thanks,
> peter
Tim M. - 26 Oct 2009 19:39 GMT
> hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> aslo, the car with a recently rebuilt drive train seems to be gertting
> ~20 mpg...that seems a tad low, what do you guys get?

Peter, my 52k miles, '97 M Edition 1.8L with 5-speed is getting a
consistant 28mpg on the highway (70-80mph) and 26mpg in stop and go
city traffic, being driven pretty much foot to the floor.  Car is dead
stock.

Tim
Lanny Chambers - 27 Oct 2009 00:49 GMT
In article
<99fe61c0-4cbc-4412-a55c-fe617647d1c8@e4g2000prn.googlegroups.com>,

> > i drove my wife's 95 with an eaton s/c to get gas today and it kept
> > stalling on me.  i know i could just adj the normal idle but i wonder
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> city traffic, being driven pretty much foot to the floor.  Car is dead
> stock.

Mileage of any Mazda seems heavily dependent on how it's driven; kids
with Mazda3s often get only 20, while our 3 sees 30-31 in mixed use and
up to 35 on trips (if we can hold the speed down to 70).

20 isn't that surprising for a supercharged Miata, if the extra power is
used as a matter of habit, especially if the car hasn't been custom
tuned using an aftermarket timing control. Even if you keep your foot
out of it, the S/C will still cost 1 mpg or so just to spin the pulley.
Plus, if it keeps stalling it's obviously not running properly.

Spend some time in the Forced Induction forum at miata.net. Someone
there will have the solution for you.

Signature

Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, MO
'94C

Brian Minto - 27 Oct 2009 19:07 GMT
In a separate email directly to peter, I sent him a jpg image (pretty large
file size but easy to read) of page from Haynes repair manual regarding
miata Intake Air Temperature (IAT) sensor which is part of the mass air flow
sensor. These cars should get better mileage than 20mpg even when
supercharged. I get 28ish highway and city with an automatic transmission.
The IAT may be the problem but I would first clean the throttle body using
spray cleaner ($4) and consider replacing your ignition wires ($40). OEM
type ignition wires seem to last not more than 2 years on miatas before they
degrade badly. If you intending to keep the car, Nology wires are seriously
and noticably better but also cost $125-$175. I like mine that I bought
several years ago. Unfortunately there is only one idle adjuster. The cold
idle is computer controlled based on the IAT sensor. Regrettably, the mass
air flow sensor is pretty expensive ($222 to $895 at RockAuto.com), so let's
hope that is not the problem.

Brian

hi,

i drove my wife's 95 with an eaton s/c to get gas today and it kept
stalling on me.  i know i could just adj the normal idle but i wonder
if there is a cold idle or other winter adjustment?

aslo, the car with a recently rebuilt drive train seems to be gertting
~20 mpg...that seems a tad low, what do you guys get?

thanks,
peter
Lanny Chambers - 27 Oct 2009 23:37 GMT
> Regrettably, the mass
> air flow sensor is pretty expensive ($222 to $895 at RockAuto.com), so let's
> hope that is not the problem.

The MAS might benefit from cleaning, too. An over-oiled foam air filter
element (the Achilles heel of the Eaton system) can contaminate the hot
wire.

Signature

Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, MO
'94C

Brian Minto - 28 Oct 2009 15:50 GMT
Be sure to use a cleaner that specifies that it is compatible with sensors
(about $6), not carb or FI cleaner. I need to clean the MAS sensor wire in
my 2001 Toyota Corolla twice per year to avoid error messages. It also has a
K&N type filter that is cleaned and oiled (and maybe over-oiled).

Brian

In article <gFGFm.10567$U55.4725@newsfe02.iad>,
"Brian Minto" <mintob@shaw.ca> wrote:

> Regrettably, the mass
> air flow sensor is pretty expensive ($222 to $895 at RockAuto.com), so
> let's
> hope that is not the problem.

The MAS might benefit from cleaning, too. An over-oiled foam air filter
element (the Achilles heel of the Eaton system) can contaminate the hot
wire.

Signature

Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, MO
'94C

pws - 28 Oct 2009 23:16 GMT
> Be sure to use a cleaner that specifies that it is compatible with sensors
> (about $6), not carb or FI cleaner. I need to clean the MAS sensor wire in
> my 2001 Toyota Corolla twice per year to avoid error messages. It also has a
> K&N type filter that is cleaned and oiled (and maybe over-oiled).
>
> Brian

I have never cleaned the MAS sensor wire on either the Miata that I
drive or the Camry that I also care for.
In fact, I have never cleaned it on any car.

There are lots of arguments as to the advantages and disadvantages of a
K&N style versus a paper filter.

If the K&N were clearly superior in filtration, yet was also the cause
of fouling the sensor wire, I would probably still go with the paper one
just to avoid getting in there twice a year for a MAS sensor wire clean-up.

As it is, there is a lot of evidence that the paper filter is better to
use, or at least as good, so there is no contest for me.

I did run the JR CAI with the oiled foam filter for about 2 years and
never had a problem with it, (the filter that is, the actual JR CAI unit
was a poorly-made nightmare).
Same with the oiled foam air filter unit I have on my turbo, neither
have ever passed enough oil through to become a problem.

Still, if my turbo would take a paper air filter I would use it and just
replace it very frequently.

XS11E, that makes a re-starting of the dreaded oil thread and the K&N
filter versus paper filter thread in the same month.
Should I go into hiding? ;-)

Pat
XS11E - 29 Oct 2009 01:16 GMT
> XS11E, that makes a re-starting of the dreaded oil thread and the
> K&N filter versus paper filter thread in the same month.
> Should I go into hiding? ;-)

I've already taken out the contract, the guys will find you where ever
you go! <g>

I was surprised that the price, usually a hit is pretty expensive but
they said, "Oh, that guy, we'll do it for $10.00!" <snicker>

Signature

XS11E, Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project:
http://twovoyagers.com/improve-usenet.org/

pws - 29 Oct 2009 02:42 GMT
> I've already taken out the contract, the guys will find you where ever
> you go! <g>
>
> I was surprised that the price, usually a hit is pretty expensive but
> they said, "Oh, that guy, we'll do it for $10.00!" <snicker>

Now that just hurts.......That price seems to slip down all the time.

Pat
Lanny Chambers - 29 Oct 2009 01:34 GMT
> I did run the JR CAI with the oiled foam filter for about 2 years and
> never had a problem with it

You mean, aside from the appalling amount of dirt it passed? The first
time I removed my JR filter element for cleaning, I found a disgusting
pile of crud in the bottom of the airbox. Then, when I cleaned it out, I
could see the cracks around the mounting surface for the aluminum MAS
adapter. Out came the JR, back went the OEM. All it really did was make
a silly "blub-blub" noise at idle, anyway.

Signature

Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, MO
'94C

pws - 29 Oct 2009 02:41 GMT
>> I did run the JR CAI with the oiled foam filter for about 2 years and
>> never had a problem with it
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> adapter. Out came the JR, back went the OEM. All it really did was make
> a silly "blub-blub" noise at idle, anyway.

Hey, hey, you snipped that at the wrong place, the LAST thing I am going
to do is to endorse that POS product.
As far as I am concerned, it is not far from the Vornado in lameness,
and I am ashamed to have shelled out $200.00 and then installed on my
car, even if it was 10 years ago.

Hell, the Vornado probably will not damage the engine the way that
Jackson Racing's Cold Air Induction has done to thousands of Miatas.

Let Jackson Breaking sue me, it is truly squeezing a turnip and they
know that this product is a turd. :-)

What I wrote in the previous post was this, please note the parentheses.

"I did run the JR CAI with the oiled foam filter for about 2 years and
never had a problem with it, (the filter that is, the actual JR CAI unit
was a poorly-made nightmare)."

I hate the JR CAI, absolutely hate it. The thing developed cracks on the
bottom where I could not see them.
When I took the air filter off and saw a pecan tree twig that was at
least 1/16" of an inch across underneath the filter, I could only shake
my head and wonder how many small particles had dusted the engine.

Jackson Breaking Products is what I routinely call them now. I have seen
about 7 or 8 of those JR CAI's close-up, and every one of them that was
over a year old had cracks in it.

If I am looking at a Miata to buy and it has a JR CAI, that is a huge
downside as the engine has probably been dusted, the filter over-oiled,
or both. Most likely a JR CAI will be a deal-breaker since there are
endless models to choose from out there.
It would also make me need to find a new intake immediately, though I
would just order up a Randall unit.
Still more noise change than anything with the Randall CAI, but at least
it is not destructive to the engine and I can see if cracks starts to
appear in the carbon fiber air tube.

I really wonder about the person who designed the JR CAI And thought
that you could mount a plastic air filter box on top of the radiator,
and towards the hotter side of the engine without having trouble with it
becoming brittle and cracking.

I sold my used JR CAI and felt really bad about it, but the buyer could
not wait to get it home to damage his engine with it too.JR XAI SUCKS!

Pat
pws - 29 Oct 2009 02:47 GMT
> Hey, hey, you snipped that at the wrong place, the LAST thing I am going
> to do is to endorse that POS product.
[quoted text clipped - 43 lines]
>
> Pat

Make that, the JR CAI sucks! Also, that was endless used Miata models to
choose from.
The 1990 - 2003, (or so), Miata is so cheap and plentiful that is only
makes sense to find a good one with only the "good" mods, if any.

Pat
Lanny Chambers - 29 Oct 2009 06:26 GMT
> Still more noise change than anything with the Randall CAI, but at least
> it is not destructive to the engine and I can see if cracks starts to
> appear in the carbon fiber air tube.

The Randall tube is on the dirty side of the filter anyway. Mine is a
rather loose fit, and isn't stressed enough to crack. In hot weather
(>80F) it lets me run 89 octane at 14BTDC with no pinging, whereas I
used to need 91 in summer. IOW, it doesn't really add any power, but it
helps prevent loss of power in hot weather. If that makes any sense.

Signature

Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, MO
'94C

pws - 29 Oct 2009 15:09 GMT
> The Randall tube is on the dirty side of the filter anyway. Mine is a
> rather loose fit, and isn't stressed enough to crack. In hot weather
> (>80F) it lets me run 89 octane at 14BTDC with no pinging, whereas I
> used to need 91 in summer. IOW, it doesn't really add any power, but it
> helps prevent loss of power in hot weather. If that makes any sense.

In my opinion, the Randall unit is superior in every way to the Jackson
Breaking Unit, except for the need to cut into the firewall with the
Randall, which is no big deal to me.

I am pretty sure that Jackson Racing hired an engineer from GM to help
design that cold air intake. (that was just for you, Tim). ;-)

Pat
Lanny Chambers - 29 Oct 2009 16:32 GMT
> I am pretty sure that Jackson Racing hired an engineer from GM to help
> design that cold air intake.

Nah, Lucas. The original plans called for Whitworth fasteners. The oil
leaks were tolerable, but they fired him after an argument over cloth
insulation for the MAS wiring.

Signature

Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, MO
'94C

pws - 29 Oct 2009 16:44 GMT
> Nah, Lucas. The original plans called for Whitworth fasteners. The oil
> leaks were tolerable, but they fired him after an argument over cloth
> insulation for the MAS wiring.

LOL! :-)

Pat
Chris D'Agnolo - 30 Oct 2009 01:28 GMT
You crazy mugs!

cd
99BBB

>> Nah, Lucas. The original plans called for Whitworth fasteners. The oil
>> leaks were tolerable, but they fired him after an argument over cloth
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
> Pat
peter - 30 Oct 2009 12:49 GMT
> In article <hcc7lb$6k...@aioe.org>, pws <pwshel...@austin.rr.com>
> wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> leaks were tolerable, but they fired him after an argument over cloth
> insulation for the MAS wiring.

you guys piss me off,  there is nothing wrong with the old brits which
cant be repaired.
for example http://www3.telus.net/bc_triumph_registry/smoke.htm
and just how are you supposed to find your way home, before gps, if it
werent for the hansel and gretel oil trail....jeez

peter:)
Lanny Chambers - 30 Oct 2009 15:40 GMT
In article
<78045ab7-76c5-402f-9546-07a3dde9f23c@a31g2000yqn.googlegroups.com>,

> just how are you supposed to find your way home, before gps, if it
> werent for the hansel and gretel oil trail

Most British cars even have a backup navigation system: when all the oil
has leaked out, you can still follow the trail of parts that have fallen
off.

Signature

Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, MO
'94C

XS11E - 30 Oct 2009 22:10 GMT
> Most British cars even have a backup navigation system: when all
> the oil has leaked out, you can still follow the trail of parts
> that have fallen off.

I've had multiple British cars dating back to the 1950's, all have been
trouble free except for three problems on my last, a Jaguar XJS, but
oddly enough, all three failures were stock General Motors parts!  One
Pontiac shifter cable, one GM AC fuse and one Oldsmobile oil pressure
sending unit...

Signature

XS11E, Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project:
http://twovoyagers.com/improve-usenet.org/

Lanny Chambers - 31 Oct 2009 00:58 GMT
> I've had multiple British cars dating back to the 1950's, all have been
> trouble free except for three problems on my last, a Jaguar XJS

Either they were garage queens, or you lead a charmed life.

My first car, a Jaguar Mark IV, broke an axle easing gently away from a
stop sign. It had only 50k miles on it. Due to the total lack of spares,
I sold it another poor sap who had one in even worse shape. Now, of
course, they're trophies for rich collectors.

My second car, an MGA, broke down on the way home from buying it. It
developed a rod knock a few months later. I had the engine rebuilt, and
the next year it broke a crank cruising at 60 mph. I couldn't begin to
list the daily minor issues that made daily transportation a constant
struggle. I rebuilt a junkyard engine and dumped the MG at 45k before it
could break again.

Both of these cars were well maintained and not abused, but they just
weren't suitable as daily drivers in this country. My third car was a
Mustang, which was still running strong when I gave it to my brother at
80k.

Signature

Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, MO
'94C

peter - 30 Oct 2009 22:45 GMT
> In article
> <78045ab7-76c5-402f-9546-07a3dde9f...@a31g2000yqn.googlegroups.com>,
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> --
teh,heh
snicker, snicker

remember some the brit bike oil systems which were "designed" to be
total loss systems?  the rest just were :).   still 89 % of all brit
vehicles ever registered are still on the road...the rest made it
home...
Chris D'Agnolo - 31 Oct 2009 01:03 GMT
snip;
remember some the brit bike oil systems which were "designed" to be
total loss systems?  the rest just were :).   still 89 % of all brit
vehicles ever registered are still on the road...the rest made it
home...

Peter is ON A ROLL here! Nice work!

Chris
99BBB
miker - 31 Oct 2009 18:15 GMT
<remember some the brit bike oil systems which were "designed" to be
total loss systems?  the rest just were :). >>

They also featured an early version of anti-lock brakes.

miker
Chris D'Agnolo - 31 Oct 2009 01:01 GMT
Peter, Thanks that was a much needed laugh! My gosh, has anyone lasted thru
that entire 'thread'? That was like watching a Monte Python movie, funny as
hell but you can only take sooooo much!

Chris
smoke-free99BBB

On Oct 29, 10:32 am, Lanny Chambers <la...@hummingbirds.net> wrote:
> In article <hcc7lb$6k...@aioe.org>, pws <pwshel...@austin.rr.com>
> wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> leaks were tolerable, but they fired him after an argument over cloth
> insulation for the MAS wiring.

you guys piss me off,  there is nothing wrong with the old brits which
cant be repaired.
for example http://www3.telus.net/bc_triumph_registry/smoke.htm
and just how are you supposed to find your way home, before gps, if it
werent for the hansel and gretel oil trail....jeez

peter:)
peter - 30 Oct 2009 13:08 GMT
> hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> thanks,
> peter

hi,

the car also has a k&n filter, how do i determine if i have over oiled
it?
this car was getting ~28 mpg before rebuild.  i did add a "power box"
fuel management unit from miataMania to eliminate detonation.  i do
not see any way to adjust that unit tho.   i dont think it can be a
vacuum leak as i dont think the car would idle at all if there were a
vacuum leak.

this car is my wife's daily driver so i dont get to is as quickly as i
would like at times so i havent tested the iat, (which looks like it
is the issue),  however, i see that the 1.6's have a trottle dampening
devive, (a dashpot?), and i wonder if i can use one with this car.
the issue i have now is exactly like a 68 mustang w/o a dashpot. ...i
can get the car to the idle position by tweeking the pedel and it will
then idle nicely, but when rpm drops which stopping...well you know.

i'll get to the iat tonight or tomorrow,

thanks,
peter
 
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