19th Dec 2004, 23:32

My guess is that you have a malfunctioning fuel pressure regulator valve, a leak in one of your fuel lines near the fuel rail, allowing the fuel rail to depressurize once the pump shuts off, and it takes a little bit to pressurize then start. Or you have a fuel filter that is getting clogged, or something in one of your fuel lines clogging. Or your return line to the tank is blocked.

The first thing you should try is run some real good fuel system cleaner (not the cheap gas station or auto parts store kind). Call a local Mazda dealership, talk to a mechanic, and ask what in their opinion is the best to use. Maybe they have some to sell you. Run that with a tank of high octane gas, they work good together.

If you haven't replaced the fuel filter, go ahead and do so. They are cheap, then run the cleaner.

And if you notice a fuel smell in your car at all, pay attention to if it smells like you have a leak under the hood, or is it coming from somewhere else? If there is a leak, and fuel smell is noticed. Take it to a trusted shop (any shop should do) and have them use a fuel pressure tester, find out where your fuel drop occurs after engine shut off, it shouldn't take long to track down. Make them find out if your pump is pushing full psi, because old pumps sometimes drop off in pressure too, and could be your problem.

If you have exhausted these more common, and cheaper fixes. Then have a shop look into you fuel pressure regulator valve, if it is stuck open, it could be your problem. But if this is the case most times you can dislodge it and get it working with the cleaner if you tried it first. Last, but not least is your fuel return line, have some one flush the line back to the tank to insure no clogs. If you go threw all this and none of the steps help you out then you have a really odd problem. Best of luck, hope I helped you get your little car starting normally.

My wife loves her 92 mx3 to death, been threw just about everything with her car, 287,600 miles on it is why I'm sure!