1995 Mazda Truck intermittent start

Tiny
ALLTIMES
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  • 1995 MAZDA TRUCK
Engine Mechanical problem
1995 Mazda Truck 6 cyl Two Wheel Drive Manual

1995 mazda B2300. Sometimes it will not start. Playing with it I have started it 3-4 times without driving it and then around the 5th time it will not start but it cranks over at what seems a normal speed. Will a bad alternator cause this. The battery has gone dead twice. Have not had the lights on to see if it drains the battery while driving but today after using the air conditioner for awhile it just died at a stop. The battery was dead and it started with a jump. Got it home and while it was running, disconnected the battery ground and it died. Bad alternator? I dont have anything to test the amps with. I would think that the alternator is bad but cannot figure why it starts and then dosent start and then after awhile it will start again, and this is without jumping it.
Thursday, July 3rd, 2008 AT 4:00 AM

7 Replies

Tiny
2CARPRO JACK
  • MECHANIC
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Sounds like the battery or starter. If it doesnt crank then does it could go either way, but if the battery has been dead even though the alt works sometimes one may be messing with the other. This is a good one, have the charging system tested and the battery load tested, Autozone will do this for free I believe.
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Thursday, July 3rd, 2008 AT 10:09 PM
Tiny
2CARPRO JACK
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Sounds like the battery or starter. If it doesnt crank then does it could go either way, but if the battery has been dead even though the alt works sometimes one may be messing with the other. This is a good one, have the charging system tested and the battery load tested, Autozone will do this for free I believe. If it has 12 volts at the small starter wire and wont crank the starter is probably bad
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Thursday, July 3rd, 2008 AT 10:10 PM
Tiny
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It normaly does crank over. I incorrectly said the batt was dead twice. It was just the one time when it died at the red light that it would not turn over or start without a jump. Just like the batt was dead. (Sorry). That one time was when using the air conditioner which I think could drain the batt if the alt was not working. Hence my thought of a possible bad alt.
While trying to check it out I can start it, and turn it back off 3-4 times in a row and then the next time it will not start. Then after trying several tries it will start. While trying this it is cranking over at what seems to be normal speed even when it does not start. I was wondering about the pcm relay or fuel pump relay. Can they stick open and then start working again or do they just go bad and stay bad.
I will have the system checked at auto zone for the batt and alt as suggested. Pehaps I should have the fuel pressure check also? Dont know if a fuel pump going bad will work and then not work or if they just stop working all of a sudden(?).
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Thursday, July 3rd, 2008 AT 11:50 PM
Tiny
COSMORAT
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I have had the same problem with a B4000 in the pass and found it to be intermitt relays. I would be driving down the freeway and it would just cutout. I change a few fuel pumps thinking that was the problem. I also thought it was a bad key switch. It took a while to isolate the problem. In the end it was a bad relay and truck has been fine for 4 yrs since change out.
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Friday, July 4th, 2008 AT 12:51 AM
Tiny
ALLTIMES
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Thanks COSMORAT.
Sure worth a try, and they are cheap enough to change out without worrying about the cost to try.
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Friday, July 4th, 2008 AT 1:42 AM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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Hi alltimes,

The engine stalled when the negative terminal was removed, I suggest testing the alternator.

When the battery condition is good, it will self recharge up to a certain level when left for a while.
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Friday, July 4th, 2008 AT 10:15 AM
Tiny
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Thanks! Will do.
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Friday, July 4th, 2008 AT 10:32 AM

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