Xander6

Check engine light lit up on my 2004 (Automatic) last week, so I had it scanned and got the Code listed above but it was still driving and sounding how it should so I reset the light and went about my business. A few days ago I went to start it up and immediately noticed something different as I turned the key and it took few seconds to fire up. Once it's been started and the RPM's settle, the Check engine light blinks for a few seconds then goes back to solid. The only times I've seen the blinking CEL have been right when the car starts up and also when cruising in the low RPM's. Noticeable power loss overall. From take off to speeding down the highway the acceleration and power just isn't there. Kind of a Rough idle. Also, a certain boggy and "clogged" type sound while accelerating, especially revving into the high RPM's quickly resulting in a spitting type sound When it finnally switches gears. Well now, last night a faint but constant ticking noise started in which my research is pointing me towards it being the SSV which makes sense because of the Error code and everything else. Taking it in for diagnostics today but just wanna first see if anyone in here has had the same problem as I am and could let me know what it was causing it.

RX8Soldier

iTrader: (24)

More info would help. When was the last time you did regular service? Plugs/ wires / coils changed? Do you have any mods? Have you inspected your cat?

How long have you been driving and noticing a cel?

There are plenty of diy threads and videos available here for you to do proper diagnosis and troubleshooting.

ZiG

Ok, so it sounds like you have a ton of problems and judging by how you handled the check engine light, your solution is to ignore them and hope they go away. As you have probably noticed, that isn't really working out for you too well. I suggest you try searching up each problem in turn and looking at the troubleshooting guide.

P0661 is usually the solenoid, but can also be a corroded connection or bad wiring. 661 specifically refers to the solenoid in the middle of the group of three on the back side of the intake manifold. You can get one from a lot of other Mazdas in the junk yard as they were often used as EGR solenoids. The bad news is that's not really related to your other problems by the sounds of it.

Flashing check engine light always means misfire (and SSV does not cause misfire). Have you bothered with any routine maintenance lately? Spark plugs, wires, ignition coils?

Xander6

I bought the car knowing it needed a couple things here and there but this is my project. I had diagnostics tests ran today and figured out exactly what happened. When I looked at the car initially and test drove it a couple times it rode great for a car I was planning to put money into over time anyway. Got it back to the car lot and decided to leave it running for awhile since it was at operating temperature just as one last test. About 10-15 minutes go by, we had just begun the paperwork. Next thing I know is the mechanic comes in from the back and says they'd have to put a new radiator in for me because this one has a small crack in the top left side. Overheated and puked out of the side pressure release all down inside my filter box, even down underneath all over the filter box mount. So I said okay that's fine I'll go across the street to Walmart and kill some time while you get it done, cool no problem. I come back and talk with this car lots "mechanic". They even upped it and installed a brand new radiator just for the trouble. Even told me he installed a new air filter at no cost. All is well and good until I'm having these major power/acceleration issues not even 3 days later. Car was bought "as is" so legally they never had to do anything to the car but they are nice people for sure so they did. But after 3 days there was no taking it back expecting free repairs so I just bit it until payday so I could go get it serviced. Definitely wasn't ignoring check engine lights and for certain not ignoring a misfire CEL. Anyways, mechanic dipshit who installed my new radiator never cleaned up ANY of what the old one leaked out. Needless to say my power and acceleration issues were easily at least 90% cleared up with a simple, ACTUAL new air filter. Yeah, that's right...he never put a air filter in that car. He never even opened the filter box after the old radiator overflowed, didn't clean anything. Wellllll over 3 quarters of that air filter was caked with gunk an inch thick and completely clogged. Like I said, 90% of my power and acceleration issues went away along with the misfire CEL and check engine light. I actually drove pretty hard today and the light hasn't been back as of yet. Still however experiencing the occasional small power hiccup and/or rougher than normal idle but that's about the extent of it. I also got around to checking on the plugs and Wires today as well for the first time since buying the car and I'm not an expert but plugs and wires both NGK and looked like they had been installed and never ran any more than 500 miles, tops. Wires pristine, plugs had a slight brown tint but In A+ condition. So that of course made me check the coils as well. I only checked the first leading coil since it was right there with the filter box taken off. Like I said before, I'm not expert but I've done my fair share of research to know to the naked eye what a bad or going bad cool is gonna look like. The one coil I took out and inspected looked like it was put in the same time as the plugs and wires. However the plain black stock coils but it was very clean. The bottom was still shiny and slick like it just came out of the package, I didn't see a single hint of ware at all in the coils, plugs or wires so that's a huge plus! Came to the conclusion my MAF sensor is going out and I'll need a new radiator reserve tank soon as well. A damn AIR FILTER man. SMH lol but all in all $170 bought me full engine diagnostics, air filter and service, throttle body injection service and cleaning, full clean sensor service package AND labor costs.