Uh oh, my Miata has a miss.

It was running fine last fall when I put it away, and other than being hard to start the 1st time when I fired it up Sunday(which is normal after parked all winter) all has been well until today.

I drove it the 50-miles to work fine, and lunch too, but this afternoon I had to drive an hour away. The trip there was fine, but it didn't want to start 20-min later - just like Sunday, I had to give it some throttle to make it fire, then feather it for 30-seconds before it ran ok. But then everytime I'd stop for a light, about 15-seconds after it returned to idle it would stumble and act like it was going to die. I gave it gas to keep it running, but it kept happening if I let it return to idle.

Any ideas what the likely culprit may be?

what year?

Cam angle sensor? My mazda mpv will act similar sometimes and that was the code that was thrown. Mine acts up when the engine is hot. Sometimes doesnt want to start for a few minutes. Once it does start it will run a little rough for a short while. Will be fine for a few weeks then act up again.

Just throwing it out there.

hopefully someone smarter than me will jump right in with their opinion.

Plugs and wires.

GTO

Just check the short spark plug wire. I forget which number it is, but it's the short one. Make sure it's seated on the plug.

Yea, number 4 pops out sometimes.

Ah cool, will check! Thanks!!!

Good luck and let us know what you find.

What makes those plug wires pop off? The last three sets of NGKs that I've had on my Miata have done this. Its quite annoying.

I think they shrink when it gets cold.

EvanB wrote: Plugs and wires.

QFT. First place to look any time Miatae start running badly.

If that doesn't get it, then look at the CAS.