Questions and Answers

Mazda 626 Diagnostic Connector Q. Mr. Ciulla, I own a 1991 Mazda 626 LX with a 2.2 liter EFI engine and automatic transmission. The car currently has 178,000 miles on it, and I am hoping at least to make it to 200,000. All was well until recently there were two occasions where the car wouldn't start. In these cases, it would not turn over at all with no sound from the starter.

Later, the car would start fine. Finally it wouldn't start and did not until I climbed under and rapped on the starter a few times. So it seemed simple, replace the starter. I have done this and the starter works fine. But I seem to have an additional problem now.

Before I tapped the starter, I realized when I turn the ignition on, the fuel pump starts but never shuts off. I am assuming this is independent of the starter replacement but perhaps something I did when probing around). I believe that once the system pressurizes it should turn off. But maybe I have just never noticed this before?

In any case, the car will start now and will idle okay but backfires somewhat when given gas and it runs very rough with the car shuttering and typically stalls quickly when placed in gear. The smell of fuel is easily detected.

Also, the check engine light comes on when the key is switched on, goes out briefly when the car is started, then re-lights and stays on; up until this problem, the check engine light has never come back on after starting.

I have read the section regarding diagnostic trouble codes but have been unsuccessful in my efforts to retrieve them. Can you clarify which of the connectors is the test connector? I had three connectors that come to a holder on the drivers' side in the engine compartment against the firewall just to the right, from the front, of the wiper motor. There is a white connector has one pin with two wires, yellow with a blue stripe, leading into it.

There is a black connector with three holes, yellow with a green stripe, black, and empty. The last connector is green with six holes, green with a black stripe, red with a blue stripe, white with a yellow stripe, and three empty. Am I in the right place, and which of the wires should be jumped to ground for the procedure?

I am starting my way through the manual but hope that you can assist with focusing my efforts. Any assistance you can provide is greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Chris

A. The Test Connector is a green, one pin connector located in the engine compartment. When grounded, the test connector activates the self-diagnostic system and causes the dash mounted "CHECK" light to flash malfunction codes.

Since there are codes set they will tell us where to start looking for the problem. Right now any guess I make would be just that, a guess. I can be more accurate with solid code numbers.

By the way, you didn't pinch any wires when you put the new starter in, did you?