Miata Issues -
its literally making me go crazy. i have this STUPID 1999 mazda miata 1.8l and recently its been doing this stupid thing where it will just not start. like its totally random. yesterday i drove to smiths marketplace and then i got stuck there with my friend because it decided THATS where its not gonna start anymore.
ive gone through and replaced so many of these stupid components. i literally changed my coilpack out in the smiths parking lot this morning. THAT PART COST ME 200 BUCKS!!!!!!! it started, but I DONT KNOW IF IT WAS BECASUE OF MY NEW PART OR NOT!!!!!!! when i first got there, of course i tried to start it before changing anything to see if its just being a silly little car or if its actually just a hunk of metal sitting there. well it DIDNT start, so i went ahead with switching out my coilpack. i switched it in and it STILL didnt start. i pushed down my spark plug wires more and then it started?? i dont know if it started because of me pushing the wires or if it just was being silly.
i have a new fuel pump, fuel filter, injectors, new coil pack (x2 now!!!!), new spark plug wires, new spark plugs, new pcv valve, I DONT KNOW WHATS WRONG!!!! EITHER START OR DONT START, DONT SWITCH BACK AND FORTH ON ME AT RANDOM PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!
i had this p0420 code a little while after i put all this new stuff in. i was chasing a misfire, so thats why i replaced so much to begin with. the first new coilpack seemed to do the trick (along with fuel pump and injectors), but i dont know whats up now. the forums said that p0420 isnt anything to worry about and its just some emissions code, but AFTER READING ABOUT BAD COIL PACKS THEN THEYRE LIKE, "oh yeah bad coil pack will destroy your cat", so im like WHAT?????? why not say that IN THE TRHEAD ABOUT p0420?????!?!?!??!?
now im not really an experienced mechanic my any means. ive done quite a bit to this miata and my truck, but theres still so much to learn about all these systems. with that being said, i was reading about p0420 and i founda video by scotty kilmer. he basically poured lacquer thinner into his fuel tank and i guess it helped his catalytic converter. well i thought i have nothing to lose anymore so i dropped 20 bucks on a gallon of that stuff and poured it in. i drove around for a bit and it kept starting up. i went in for some food then came back out and it still started. so maybe its helping maybe its not, i really cant say because i didnt drive around that much. maybe 10 mins at around 3.5k rpms and 30mph? i was trying to keep the rpms high so i kept it in a low gear. i think tomorrow i will have the blog more updated, so i can try and provide an update by then.
my plan for the night now is to finish work, go to the gym, then drive it around some more. i get fridays off so its a perfect day to troubleshoot (not that i really want to do that though). WISH ME LUCK!!!!! bye for now!!