Fuel Probs

Ok I've got a problem...got real bad tonight

Here's the deal. About a 2 months ago the truck begin to get hard to start, and smoked when started...white smoke...and smelled of fuel...typical flood smell imo. The hard starting was like this...it would start as norm, but then die immediately, and so I'd have to try and try again....and then learned to just keep the starter going a lil longer and that usually helped. So I bought a rebuild kit for the carb but then was told I should try the fuel injector/cleaner additive to my tank for a bit and see if that would help. Well, I think it did. I didn't seem to have the problem the whole time that stuff was being ran in the tank....for near a month or more.

Fast forward to this week. The other day it once again did the hard starting thing. Then yesterday it was it's worst it's been. Took about 10 tries of the starter to get it going. Then earlier today I swear it died once I had actually already got it in reverse and started out the drive! So tonight I went to Wal-Mart for the STP fuel cleaner and other stuff. When leaving, it once again took about 3 tries to get it started. Stopped on the way home, got 93 octane gas and added a bottle of the sTP to it. All was fine for now.

Decided to stop by a burger joint cuz the wife wanted me too and said
"well I'm turning the thing off" cuz I didn't want to have a hard time starting it again. This is a fix it while you wait kinda joint (like Sonic but wayyyyy better)....old school...What-A-Burger for you N. Carolinians out there ...anywho I sat there about 3 minutes with the truck running and then crap it just died! So I waited on my food, and when it arrived the truck once again took about 5 tries to get it started..but it did start.

Then not an 1/8 mile up the road she died going down the road! I got it started again and then it died almost immediately. So too my suprise attempting to hold the starter going a little longer to get the thing started I learned the truck would run fine as long as I kept the key switch in the "Start" position lol...as soon as I'd let off the switch the truck would die. So on the way home....thank God not too far...When I'd switch gears I'd have to let off the key and press the clutch and change gears basically coasting. Then I'd turn the switch back like as if to start the truck and hold it till I got to a stop sign. Then that whole routine all the way home till I got on my road and of course the truck ran fine up my road lol.

So called my father in law and talked to him. My first thought is the fuel pumps going bad...but isn't it a mechanical pump??? He said his old Courier did a similar thing and it was a clogged fuel filter....but it almost seems electrical to me...which would rule out the pump...because with the switch turned to "start" the truck ran perfect! So any of you ever experience this or have any ideas???????

Thanks,

Gerald

you should check for an itanke manifold /vacum leak u can do this by starting the car and sparying starter fuild around the intake manifold gasket and if the idle raises then thats ur problem 2 dont give a fuel injected car gas when u go to start it , it throws off ur mass air at start 3 ur idle could be too hight it should b around 800 or 1000(if automatic) try ur coilpacks or ur distributer or coil modeluea idk what fuel injected mazdas have b.c mine is carbed but its probly a disty n a a coil check all that an ur plugs baiscly ur hole ignition and last but not least u should replace ur fuel filter but if u do or have in a week or so it kills ur fuel pump if it was clauged b.c its straings ur fuel pump and then when there is no back pressure in the lines ur fuel pump goes out soo check ur fuel system for leaks or loss of pressure u can get a guages to check out that so go over ur hole fuel system it could b a tsp sensor or a bad mass air do u have a solis motis or an ob2 or do u have any check engine lights on ??

o yea check ur igintion when ur key is in the run postion take a volt metter to ur igintion coil and ur fuel pump relay

sounds to me like your igintion switch is gone bad I used to know how to jump it cuase my 86 did not come with one.

ya just replace the ignition switch real quick. it's a cheap fix. try that and go from there. the white smoke may just be condensation in your exhaust. check if your starter is smiling like a grandma will a bunch of missing teef cause you held it in "start" position lol. or did you run the truck using the starter? lol glad you didnt burn it up

off topic but dawg, what kinda exhaust u got, i love the tip, can you get me a rear end pic? -bf

lol Mark. The starter isn't ingaged with the clutch out...or else it would have grinded like crazy and yes damaged it. I'm probably gonna have to hit the yards and grab another switch...dang things are $120+ at Auto Zone.

By jumping it out you mean using like a toggle or somthing?

Fann..it's a full custom exhaust. Flowmaster 1 to 2 pipes, and then I had thm add the 3" tips on and angle them out the side like that. I'll get ya a better pic up latr.

The way the PO had mine set up was you just wraped a wire around 2 wires and bumped anthor one to get it started But its been like 4 years so I cant rember how he had it done

It's definitely the switch. The "on" position's contacts must be messed up cuz to keep it running I have to turn the key back nearer to the Acc part. As long as it's there it's fine, but if I move it further toward On or Start it'll shut it off lol. Anywho I'll hit the yards if it's not raining Friday and pull me one....good chance to see what else I can find out there as well

must be a common problem with mazda's? mine did it as well about a month ago, it had my mind going crazy trying to figure out what the hell the deal was....