Which temperatures?

The recent temperatures outside were around 30F or as low as 7F. The temperature when the car starts behaving like it's got a vac leak is 173.8F.

I data logged a recent trip to Radford VA when it happened and this is what I have:
(I adjusted the idle to be high so I wouldn't stall out--when the symptoms occur the car idles at about 1200-1500rpm. When the symptoms are not there the car idles at 2000-2500rpm)

At 3478RPM I see:
7.2 Lbs/min
3.0 inHg
AFM Air Temp is 34.2F
Intake Air Temp is 42.1F
Injector P/W is 8.73ms
NB O2 is 0.03 Volts
Coolant Temp 173.8F


I can pull some of the logs I've taken of the car during the symptoms if it would help.

I'm waiting on a garage to open up before I do any more testing.

What color is the smoke on startup?

Coolant seal is a possibility, although, your engine temps should rise if thats the case (unless the car dies before it gets a chance to). Have you had issues w/ coolant level in the radiator lately?

My level in the radiator drops on occasion, but it can be accounted for by the crappy universal recirculation tank I installed to get me through this as it tends to be a little leaky. I have noticed more condensation build up in the filling neck of the oil and in the ventilation hose... The oil itself still looks good (golden brown/black not milk chocolate). Also the fluid in the radiator is pretty clear but there is some strange contaminates that seem to be sticking towards the fill port (black in color). The color on start up is white (at least from what I can tell). It looks similar to regular exhaust but hangs around longer in a bigger plum.

On a side note, I have details on when the engine was installed and by who. The engine was installed by Wayne's Imported Automotive and as far as I can tell was completed on Aug. 6th 1997. They list an entire engine as a part for a cost of 2150 and has the part number of E008-99-008R which I think means it's a re manufactured engine, maybe rebuilt, but I doubt that shop knew about it.

As a side note to discussion is 1997 late enough in the game to have the newer 1 piece Apex seals in it or would it contain the 2 piece Apex seals, or is there just no way to tell until I look at them through the exhaust ports/ break open the engine?

Just break open the engine and look at what's needed and not needed. That would tell you the condition of the engine much better than just guessing. It's better to be sure and make sure you get things right the first time. It's also much cheaper.

If I had a little extra money I would in a heart beat. But I don't so I'm only trying to buy what I need to.

I'm going to be tearing down the car tonight and inspecting the exhaust ports to see what's up. I should know alot more by then.

Alright so I checked the rear rotor. It's not coolant. It's just alot of gas. so much so that it was pushing it into the thermal reactor and half way down the exhaust. It was just a heavy gas mixture with some oil mixed into it. When I checked the coolant it was perfectly clear without and any obvious change in color. The oil looked like oil and not milk chocolate.

So what could cause a huge vacuum leak on the rear rotor? So much so that it effects it at operating temperature?

Well if you said it was fuel coming out, then its probably a stuck injector and not a vac leak at all.


Also, a side note on your engine info. 2150 sounds a bit "cheap" for a reman engine installed, even back in 1997. Remans are tagged and you should be able to see this tag on the front cover area (if looking from the front, it should be visible near the CAS and below the alt, tucked in a little), or possible on the rear iron on the drivers side.

Either way, if you dont see a tag, I'm betting on it being a used motor, bought from a salvage yard and installed. Not that its a bad thing, just something to consider. You may have more miles on that engine than you think...

The only tag I've seen on the engine so far is a stamp that read FR97 on the rear rotor housing. 2150 was just for the engine itself. Not for the install. I don't think it's a reman from Mazda as it has hymlar used (I believe the FSM calls for crisco or some other lubricant to install the water seals).