Questions and Answers

Shaky Mazda 626

Q. I have a few questions about a 1991 Mazda 626 with following specs:

• 4cyl 2.0 liter
• Manual transmission
• 110,000 miles
• Fuel injection
• P/S & A/C
• Rack and pinion steering

The car has a lot of vibration at driving speeds above 50 mph & whenever I brake at 50 mph or above. I don't feel the vibration when I brake or drive below 50 mph. You can feel the steering shake when it vibrates badly. The other problem is in the mornings when I start the car it revs up to about 2500 rpm & when it is warmed up it drops to 1500 rpm. This is the lowest it goes. That seems too high! How can I fix that? Also when I give it gas from a stand still to go it sputters. If you would be so kind and answer all these questions.

Thank you in advance.
Fahim

A. The vibration you're feeling could be a couple of different things. Personally, I highly suspect a front wheel bearing problem. Since you feel it driving and when you step on the brake that would tend to make me rule out a bad or out of balance tire or s warped brake rotor. That's not to say that you couldn't have a bad tire AND a warped rotor, but it is unlikely.

What you can do to check it is to jack up the front wheels. Then grab the top and the bottom of the tire and shake it. (Make sure the car is supported with a jack stand, you don't want the car to fall on your hand. That would tend to ruin ones whole day.) There should be no play. If the tire does shake, then you have a loose or bad wheel bearing. Be sure to check both sides.

The high idle can be caused by a vacuum leak, bad sensor or just needs a simple idle speed adjustment. The sputtering when you take off would lead me to check the fuel injection or the secondary ignition system.

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