I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: Decreased power & intermittent throttle & stalling issue. Garages have said diagnosing what is to them likely fuel/air issue from what may be a hose or other air or fuel handling leak is too complicated for them. They said I should bin the KNN air induction kit, but others have said that it’s in good nick & unlikely the problem.
PLEASE HELP!! (or direct me to somewhere or someone that can) pleasepleaseplease!
Long shot but have you tried cleaning the MAF sensor? I’ve read that filters like K&N’s products that have to be cleaned and oiled with a service kit and can lead to little bits of oil being sucked onto the MAF sensor and make it give dodgey readings.
Yeah the MAF sensor is just behind the air filter, don’t use meths or detergent to clean it, it’s very sensitive and you should only use a dedicated mass air flow cleaner on it.
Coil pack on the way out? Or a tank of very old fuel? My 02 did what you described on a first trip to the filling station after little or no use for quite a long while. (winter then lockdown) its been fine since.
I had a similar symptoms with my 2000 MY mk2, turned out to be coil pack failure. I replaced with aftermarket coil pack from MX5 Heaven near Dorchester. I believe it’s quite a common issue.
Had a problem of engine cutting then running then cutting again didn’t happen first few miles and as the fuel got lower it was worse also going around roundabouts / sharp bends etc. Seems it was debris in the tank I took a mugfull out, everything was fine for about 140 miles then same problem but not so pronounced another half eggcup full taken out also cleaned the pickup filter semi clogged with fine rust powder, I’m just about to put it all back together again, I have a horrible feeling it may need doing again until everything is out, the car had stood unused for 10 years so no big surprise really it’s a simple but nuisance job. If you decide to go down this route I can give you details of how I did it.
Good luck, Dave.
Car has always been in regular use, and I haven’t noticed any difference going around bends, but I might have a look at the pickup filter. Is it readily accessible?
Remove 5 clips holding parcel shelf carpet behind seats, roll/fold carpet back, remove 6 screws from inspection plate and remove, pinch clips on 2 fuel pipes and pull off, pinch electrical connector and pull off, remove 8 small screws, lift out the fuel pump and float assembly avoiding bending the float arm, check the filter for clogging, feel the bottom of the tank for debris, if the tank is empty it’s easy to see too the bottom, I have done a couple of posts about it already, if you want more info from me please just ask, good luck and kind regards Dave.
Not being from the Bristol area I’m afraid I can’t help with a specific garage. However, in the absence of further info, I would check out the good garage scheme and then ring one or two and see what they say. Due to the popularity of the mx-5 there are quite a few garages with mx-5 experience. Good luck.
There is a company SGH&Sons advertising in Club Magazine based in Crews Hole Road, St George BS5 8AY. Say they are specialists in MX5 bodywork, servicing, etc. they maybe able to advise you. I have no experience of this company. Whereabouts in North Bristol are you, it’s a rather big place?
Might be worth checking that the petrol tank breather is not blocked. If it is blocked it can create a vacuum in the petrol tank causing fuel starvation and consequent loss of power, stalling etc.
The giveaway for this one is if its OK to start with but gives problems after a mile or two when the vacuum starts to build up in the tank.
If you then remove the filler cap and hear a rush of air and the car then runs ok again, you have found your problem.