1988 Other Mazda Models my truck smells

MUSICIAN88

MEMBER
1988 MAZDA
4 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
200,000 MILES

Thanks in advance! Well, I mostly need help changing an alternator. Maybe not I'll go look again, but, my exhaust is a str8 up James Bond smokescreen and its toxic. It leaves uber-skids of gaseous sludge and makes the neighborhood a purple haze.
Yes, also, do you have a diagram of any sort to show the whereabouts of my alternator? I'm sure I'll figure out what to do; I've changed one before. Just don't know where them crazy japanese put the damned thing. Oh and if your japanese, don't read the last two sentences.

Wednesday, April 9th, 2008 AT 6:13 PM

3 Replies

SERVICE WRITER

MECHANIC
9,123 POSTS

IS the smoke worse when it sets overnight. May be oil leaking past the rings.

Locate your belts and look at each pulley, one of them is the alternater.

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Wednesday, April 9th, 2008 AT 7:52 PM

MUSICIAN88

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Yes, in fact it tends to smell worse from sitting for a couple of days. The smell isn't near the engine at all though, just a purpleish blue haze rocketing from the exhaust pipe. So much for buying from an old family friend, eh. It's spent more time down than up lately what with the alternator/power issues. My front 'tweeter' speaker fell out leaving the pos and neg 'wires' unterminated. Could that be draining my power? Thx btw 4 the info.

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Wednesday, April 9th, 2008 AT 9:03 PM

SERVICE WRITER

MECHANIC
9,123 POSTS

Check for oil leakage onto the exhaust manifold/front pipe area, robably seaping onto it. Potential fire hazard if so.

You'll need a DVOM to check the parasitic draw on the battery. IT should be less than 30 milliamps. IF it's over, pull a fuse one at a time until the draw drops into spec, then start checking that circuit.

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Thursday, April 10th, 2008 AT 5:57 AM