Protegé FAQ - General

General Info

Contents
I feel my car jumping around sideways a bit when I'm corning hard, why is this
happening?
What do the different tire ratings mean?
Is there a certain order I should use when I tighten the wheel lugs?
There's so much wind noise when I'm driving my Protegé 5 on the highway, what's
the deal?
Where is this whistling noise coming from when there is a gust of wind?
I hate these annoying automatic seat belts I have. Is there a way I can get
manual seat belts?
What is this "Toyo Cork Kogyo" and "Toyo Kogyo" I sometimes hear about?
What does "Mazda" mean?
What logos did Mazda use in its company history?
What does "MAGMA" mean?
Does modifying a car void the warranty?
Is modifying a car illegal?
On the Japanese webpages, I see people put "PS" for the power readings, this means
horsepower right?
What does the product line-up names from MazdaSpeed mean (A-Spec, etc)?
If I buy genuine Mazda accessories at the local dealership, does that mean I have
a full warranty?
Do all MazdaSpeed parts carry a warranty?
Is it true all OBD-II cars have returnless fuel systems?
What supplies can I order from a Mazda dealer to keep my parts in "factory"
condition?
Who makes the factory fluids?
I need to change/top off my coolant. Since it is green, can I use any "green" colored
antifreeze?
I am carrying a full load in my car. Do I need to be concerned about the tires?

I feel my car jumping around sideways a bit when I'm corning hard, why is this
happening?
What you have experienced is called "crabbing". It happens on all open diff-
erential cars. On some cars it happens more, on others it happens less all
due (mostly) to worse or better suspension setups. What happens with a open
differential is, both drive wheels (in this case with the Protegé, front)
are spinning at different speeds during cornering and it also happens that
the inside wheel starts skidding. A limited-slip differential will over come
this problem and will improve your cornering speed and acceleration. A
limited slip differential applies power evenly to both wheels and helps you
maintain traction better.

What do the different tire ratings mean?
They are used to tell you the safety speed limit of the tire. Going over
that rated speed is dangerous and can cause a blow out (which may cause you
to lose control of the car). A chart of tire speed and load ratings can be
found at http://www.tireguides.com/tip2.html

Is there a certain order I should use when I tighten the wheel lugs?
Yes, there is a certain sequence of which wheel lugs to tighten. Proper
tightening order will ensure proper wheel balance (and not cause alignment
problems). A lug tightening diagram can be found at
http://www.tireguides.com/tip3.html

There's so much wind noise when I'm driving my Protegé 5 on the highway, what's
the deal?
The US spec Protegé 5 features a standard roof rack. While this adds a nice
feature to the car, it also is the source of wind turbulence and noise.
Removing the roof rack should eliminate most of the wind noise and may
improve fuel mileage very slightly.

Where is this whistling noise coming from when there is a gust of wind?
On 3rd generation Protegé's, the top windshield seal plays culprit to the
whistling noise. A TSB was issued to address this problem

I hate these annoying automatic seat belts I have. Is there a way I can get
manual seat belts?
Yes, it is possible. In fact, it is not a very difficult thing to do either.
Have a friend who lives in Canada to get the seat belt assembly, buckles,
mounts, A-pillar plastic trim, upper and lower B-pillar plastic trim pieces.
Just make sure it is the same interior as your car. It is also recommended that you
have your friend go to a Canadian Mazda dealer and order new nuts and bolts.
Knowing the seat belt is a safety device, you want to make sure it is mounted
properly and tightly! Installing will require removal of the motorized rail,
replacement of the A and B pillar trim pieces, and removal of the lap belt.
In goes the manual seat belt assembly in the B-pillar which anchors to
where the lap belt spool was, and replacement of the interior trim pieces.
Make sure you also torque the bolts in sufficiently! You may also want to replace
    the headliner for a proper look as it is also different.

What is this "Toyo Cork Kogyo" and "Toyo Kogyo" I sometimes hear about?
Mazda as it is known now, was a company that made cork in the 1920's. When
the company started producing motorized vehicles, they changed their name to
Toyo Kogyo.

What does "Mazda" mean?
    From what I understand:
    Jujiro Matsuda was the founder of Toyo Cork Kogyo. The name "Mazda" was
    coined when the company first produced automobiles. "Mazda" is the
    Zoroastrian god of life. I believe the name was chosen to represent the
    company's ever moving innovations. It was also done so because "Mazda"
    closely resembles "Matsuda". Mazda is pronounced MA-TSU-DA in Japanese (the
    language lacks the "Z" sound). You may sometimes find candles with the name
    "Mazda" on them. They're related to the actual Zoroastrian religion and not
    the motor company. You should now understand why the Mazda logo from the
    early 90's were used and scrapped due to its difficulty to be recognized.
    The logo did hold meaning, and is actually a symbol of a burning candle.

What logos did Mazda use in its company history?
Here is a nice gallery and explaination page of all the known Mazda logos:
http://members.rogers.com/sofronov/Cars/Mazda/Company/Logos.html

What does "MAGMA" mean?
    Mazda Geometric Motion Absorption. It is designed to distribute impact
    energy more evenly in the event of a collision. The major portion of the
    MAGMA design/structure is the "triple-H" reinforcement beams surrounding
    the cabin area. It is also the source of the excellent chassis rigidity
    enthusiasts and racers demand.

Does modifying a car void the warranty?
Yes and no. Under the Magnuson-Moss act, if the failed part was not caused
by a modified/aftermarket part, then the warranty must be honored. For example,
if your engine blew but you only changed/installed an aftermarket stereo system
(you did not install or modify any other component; your car is stock) which did
not cause the engine to fail, then the manufacturer (Mazda) must honor the
warranty. However, if you change something like the pistons with aftermarket
high compression/performance ones and the engine blows, then you are most
likely out of luck.

Is modifying a car illegal?
This depends on where you live or where your car is registered. Basic bolt ons
should be legal in many areas as long as it passes vehicle emissions/safety
inspections. Again, this depands on what you modify or change in your car.
Please check with SEMA at http://www.enjoythedrive.com for more information.
    For more detailed info, the FTC has setup a page with concise information in full
    guts and glory.

On the Japanese webpages, I see people put "PS" for the power readings, this means
horsepower right?
Not exactly. The PS (Pferdestärke) rating system is German and equates to about
0.98603 HP (horsepower). Use this to compensate/convert these numbers. You
   will also sometimes see torque refered to as kg·m which 1 kg·m equates to about
   7.0896 foot pounds, or Nm which 1 Nm equates to about 0.72321 foot pounds.

What does the product line-up names from MazdaSpeed mean (A-Spec, etc)?
A-Spec is designated as "light tune" tuning part for street use. B-Spec is
designated as "high performance" tuning part which is further "tuned" from an
A-Spec part that is also streetable. The now discontinued C-Spec line is believed
to be "competition ready" parts (while maintaining streetability for Japan only) that
   meant to be for every performance aspect of the car (and intended to be combined
together at once and used as such). The recently added R-Spec (parts which so
   far are only made for the RX-7) is designated as "ultra high performance" tuning
part that is capable for track use however they are still streetable.

If I buy genuine Mazda accessories at the local dealership, does that mean I have
a full warranty?
Maybe. If you got the accessory part installed by the dealer, then you have full
warranty on the parts and labor for the remainder amount (of days) of the vehicle's
warranty. If you got the accessory part and installed it by yourself or by someone
else, then the warranty will only be on the part for 1 year from the date of purchase.

Do all MazdaSpeed parts carry a warranty?
Some MazdaSpeed parts do not carry any warranties. Parts that carry warranties
    are the ones that have a "Blue" or "Green" warranty code. "Orange" code parts do
    not carry any warranty whatsoever. Imported Japanese market MazdaSpeed parts
    do not have any warranties either. "Blue" warranty parts can have the same time
    period coverage as your car, as long as the parts are installed by a dealer. If a
    "blue" warranty part is not installed by a dealer, then there is only a 1 year, 12000
    mile warranty (which ever comes first) on the part. "Green" warranty parts receive
only a 1 year, 12000 mile warranty (which ever comes first) on the parts,
regardless of who installed it. Parts installed on a car that was not approved or
designed for it voids the warranty on those parts.

Is it true all OBD-II cars have returnless fuel systems?
    No, the existance of returnless fuel systems is solely for reduced production costs.
    It is completely unrelated to emissions. The evaporative emissions system is
    responsible for that.

What supplies can I order from a Mazda dealer to keep my parts in "factory"
condition?
     8527-77-739 Silicone (grey) SH780M gasket maker
     1050-77-767 Molybdenum white grease
     GJ21-69-A13 VIN plate rivet
     C003-61-R13 HFC-134a refrigerant (250g)
     C004-61-R13 HFC-134a refrigerant (200g)
     A055-61-K39 ATMOS GU10 (PAG 46) refrigerant oil (60mL)
     C003-61-K39 ATMOS GU10 (PAG 46) refrigerant oil (40mL)
     BC1M-61-K39 SP-10 (PAG 46) refrigerant oil
     FA18-49-270 silicone brake caliper grease (bulk)
     LB51-61-J1X A/C o'ring 10 lot pack (6.9x1.76mm)
     LB54-61-J1X A/C o'ring 10 lot pack (10.8x1.78mm)
     LB56-61-J1X A/C o'ring 10 lot pack (14.0x1.78mm)
     C003-61-J17 A/C o'ring (6.07x1.78mm)
     C004-61-J17 A/C o'ring (14.0x1.78mm)
     C005-61-J17 A/C o'ring (10.8x1.78mm)

     Mazda unfortunately does not sell the automatic transmission pan gasket maker,
     but since Ford is responsible for most of Mazda's automatic transmissions, the
     suitable gasket maker is available from Ford (meets Ford specification number
     WSK-M2G348-A5). Ford service manuals for the Mazda equivilent FN4A-EL
   and FS5A-EL automatic transmissions do not recommend the use of RTV silicone
   sealant which is contrary to Mazda's service manuals as well as what was used to
     assemble the transmissions in the first place! So in otherwords, use the correct Ford
   recommended gasket maker instead of RTV silcone sealant!
     F8AZ-19B508-AB red gasket maker (Ford part number)

Who makes the factory fluids?
     For the most part, it is generally assumed Idemitsu Kosan produces the factory fill
     fluids. For the replacement type fluids sold in the US by Mazda dealerships, CCI
     Automotive Products supplies antifreeze, Idemitsu for certain ATFs, and Conoco/
   Phillips for most oils.

I need to change/top off my coolant. Since it is green, can I use any "green" colored
antifreeze?
     No! Never depend on the color of the coolant alone as indication what type of
     antifreeze is suitable for your car! There are many different formulations out in the
     market and there is no generic or "universal" standard like motor oils or brake fluid.
     Traditionally, antifreeze contains either silicates, borates, or phosphates as the base
     corrosion inhibitor. Mixture of these may cause sediments in your radiator which
     may cause overheating! Recently, most formulations have now switched to an
     "organic" or "hybrid-organic" type additive package for longer service life. These
     are further non-mutually compatible and mixture of the wrong antifreeze may turn
     your coolant into jello! Consult your owner's manual or service manual for the
   correct coolant. If you want to learn more than this simplified explanation, go
     to this page.

     Generally speaking, buy Mazda branded coolant from your local dealer and nothing
     else! It's not worth saving a few dollars buying from the huge confusing selection
   you will find at the parts store only to later find that you damaged your cooling
   system! If you just need to top off a couple of ounces of coolant, you're better off
   using distilled water rather than some generic antifreeze. Always avoid using tap
     water as this will reduce the life of the coolant and also possibly cause build ups in
     the cooling system (particularly in areas where there is hard water, such as Europe).

I am carrying a full load in my car. Do I need to be concerned about the tires?
    Heavy loads in your car will increase tire wear and introduce possibilities of wheel/
    tire damages if you do not increase tire pressures. Vehicle safety regulations in Europe
    require tire pressures to be increased when there are heavy loads in a vehicle. This
    does not seem to be the case elsewhere, which is why no mention of this is found in
    manuals and labeling. To help protect your tires from overheating, prevent tire chord
    damage, and prevent wheel damage, here are the European tire pressures:

Vehicle / Tire	Front (3 persons or less) kPa (kgf/cm²) {psi}	Front (4+ persons/full load) kPa (kgf/cm²) {psi}	Rear (3 persons or less) kPa (kgf/cm²) {psi}	Rear (4+ persons/full load) kPa (kgf/cm²) {psi}
1989-1994 BG 165/80R13 tires	186 (1.9) {27}	196 (2.0) {28}	186 (1.9) {27}	196 (2.0) {28}
1989-1994 BG 155/80R13 tires 175/70R13 82S	196 (2.0) {28}	216 (2.2) {32}	177 (1.8) {26}	196 (2.0) {28}
1989-1994 BG 175/70R13 82H	206 (2.1) {30}	226 (2.3) {33}	186 (1.9) {27}	206 (2.1) {30}
1989-1994 BG 185/60R14 tires	206 (2.1) {30}	216 (2.2) {32}	186 (1.9) {27}	206 (2.1) {30}
1991-1994 BG 4WD 195/50R15	240 (2.4) {35}	245 (2.5) {36}	216 (2.2) {32}	245 (2.5) {36}
1994-1998 BHA 155/80R13 tires 175/70R13 tires	210 (2.1) {30}	240 (2.4) {35}	210 (2.1) {30}	270 (2.7) {39}
1994-1998 BHA 185/65R14 tires	210 (2.1) {30}	220 (2.2) {32}	210 (2.1) {30}	270 (2.7) {39}
1994-1998 BHA 195/55R15 tires 195/60R15 tires 205/50R16 tires	220 (2.2) {32}	240 (2.4) {35}	210 (2.1) {30}	270 (2.7) {39}
1998-2000 BJ models	210 (2.1) {30}	220 (2.2) {32}	210 (2.1) {30}	280 (2.8) {41}
2001-2003 BJ 175/65R14 tires	210 (2.1) {30}	220 (2.2) {32}	210 (2.1) {30}	280 (2.8) {41}
2001-2003 BJ 185/65R14 tires	210 (2.1) {30}	220 (2.2) {32}	210 (2.1) {30}	310 (3.1) {45}
2001-2003 BJ Turbo Diesel	220 (2.2) {32}	230 (2.3) {33}	220 (2.2) {32}	14" tires: 310 (3.2) {45} 15" tires: 290 (3.0) {43}
2001-2003 BJ 195/55R15 tires 195/50R16 tires	210 (2.1) {30}	230 (2.3) {33}	210 (2.1) {30}	290 (3.0) {43}
Mazda3	220 (2.2) {32}	230 (2.3) {33}	220 (2.2) {32}	310 (3.2) {45}
Mazda3 MPS	230 (2.3) {33}	240 (2.4) {35}	220 (2.2) {32}	310 (3.2) {45}

1 person = 75kg [165lbs] (assumed)
When driving at speeds at or above 160km/h (100mph), increase tire pressures by
30kPa (0.3kgf/cm²) {4.3psi} for all pressures listed above.

Do NOT exceed maximum rated pressure written on the tire's sidewall. Be sure to
reduce the tire pressures when you are driving with light loads and/or low speeds.

This tire pressure chart is shown as a guideline only. Mazda nor any persons take any
responsibility for tire failures, accidents, injuries, or death resulting in the use of the
aforementioned tire pressures.

© 2001-2010 Edwin Man et al. All rights reserved. No part maybe reproduced in any format without permission.