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Engine sputters, stalls while driving. Fails to immediately restart.

Tiny
YAMTH
  • MEMBER
  • 1991 MAZDA B2200
  • 2.2L
  • 4 CYL
  • RWD
  • MANUAL
  • 182,683 MILES
My B2200 drives well for the most part but will inconsistently sputter and struggle before stalling while driving as fast as 50km/h. It's possible to maintain it via dropping the clutch, but only helps make it a little further before pulling over. The engine will also fail to turn over immediately afterwards, usually requiring a 15 min break before it'll go again. When first starting the engine it also has the tendency to blow white smoke through the exhaust at high revs.

Since it first occurring I have:

Replaced Fuel filter
Replaced the ignition coil.
Cleaned my vacuum advance to distributor
Sprayed and used carb cleaner.
Ran seafoam cleaner through fuel and carb. (What I have been dismissing the smoke as)
Oil change
Brakes. (Likely irrelevant)

I am at my wits end; if there is any more information I can provide.
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Tuesday, August 30th, 2016 AT 10:16 PM

9 Replies

Tiny
YAMTH
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Well I cleaned the inside of the distributor, as well as replaced the air filter around the carb and that seems to have done the trick. Will monitor the next couple days and repost if anything happens
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Thursday, September 1st, 2016 AT 5:28 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,895 POSTS
Sounds good, I would check the battery because I have seen where the plates will heat up and intermittently short out, then cool down and start working again.

Please let us know what you find so it will help others.

Best, Ken
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Saturday, September 3rd, 2016 AT 12:21 PM
Tiny
YAMTH
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Really appreciate the response.
Changing the air filter has drastically improved performance, but just tonight I had the engine, I guess surge, where I could barely keep it alive with the gas before it powered off while coasting in neutral. I had to park it by the road and leave it for an hour.
I'm planning to change the battery soon as it is, but I definitely think heat is the problem here as the temp was a bit high, and I know I'm leaking coolant fluid. Within the next day or so im going to find a new battery and tighten the rad hose.
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Saturday, September 3rd, 2016 AT 10:05 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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Okay let us know what happens. It kind of sounds like it could be a fuel pump or delivery problem, have you changes the fuel pump lately?
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Sunday, September 4th, 2016 AT 9:02 AM
Tiny
YAMTH
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Still investigating the rad leak so i'll have more info in a day or so.
No I haven't made any changes to my fuel pump.
After successfully driving it home the other night after that hour wait, I actually haven't been able to start my truck successfully. We even tried to bypass the fuel pump by adding gas to the carb directly, engine wouldn't turn over.
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Monday, September 5th, 2016 AT 5:22 PM
Tiny
YAMTH
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Fuel pump is working, rad leak has been taken care of.
Now I don't seem to have any spark, as I haven't been able to start the engine since Saturday.
I pulled the spark plugs and cleaned the oil off them but otherwise they're in fine condition. It started and got home until I parked it on Saturday. Still need to replace the battery but it still gives power and cranks the engine.
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Thursday, September 8th, 2016 AT 6:51 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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Do you have compression?

here is a couple of guides that should help you.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-cranks-but-wont-start

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-test-engine-compression

Let me know what you find

Best, Ken

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Wednesday, September 14th, 2016 AT 4:47 PM
Tiny
YAMTH
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Hey, I wanted to wait a test period to see if it holds up and a week later so far so good.
After testing for electricity going to the distributor, I suspected it was the pickup coil inside the distributor that has been intermittently shorting out. So rather than replacing just that (which was expensive), I sought out a different distributor off an auto wrecker, who had pulled it out of a working 88 Mazda. After replacing the distributor and retiming the camshaft sprocket to TDC; the truck has been running beautifully without a issue.
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Monday, September 26th, 2016 AT 6:15 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,895 POSTS
Glad we could get it fixed please use 2CarPros. Com anytime we are here to help.

Best, Ken
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Monday, September 26th, 2016 AT 8:07 PM

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