OCI and cold start stumble on a K-car

[Shaman]

So I am the proud owner of the smallest engined car I have ever owned. It’s a big bore kit bigger than my motorcycle was. It's 660cc, and has no highway gear.

First, OCI
Being that it has no highway gear, and is in it’s highest gear by 40 kmph, I need some suggestions on OCI.

It’s usually driven in town, but there will be a few trips on the highway. Highway means 100 kmph, or around 5K rpms of a 7.3K redline. Any less than that and it’s unsafe, especially in a K, and anymore and I don’t feel comfortable running the car that high.

I have access to American oils, but I won’t be changing the oil, I don’t think, enough to get a good price on the oil (less than 600 yen a pop)

Here are the options. Oil changes will be about 3000 yen for basic oil, or I could step up to syn for probably 2000 more.

What OCI should I be running. The sticker I got says 4000 KMs, and I was told that the oil was changed right before I got it. I don’t think it has been, or the oil got really black in about 300 kms.

I have about 4 oz of LC in it, so it may be the LC getting stuff cleaned. I may bring back a bottle of ARX when I go to the states. FP has been run in both tanks I have put in.

Second, cold start
I am having a cold start problem. When I try to start it in the morning, even with letting the fuel pump prime, she will stumble or die on the first start. If it dies, it will turn over fine the second time and run without issue. I am thinking it is alt or battery because I had some dome light dimming while sitting at McD’s last night with the car running. I will test the alt with my multimeter after school today, but don’t know how to test the battery with just a multimeter.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I want to keep this one until I leave Japan.

 

[Gary Allan]

If it's belt driven ..check the tighness of the belt.

I didn't see a temp reference to your cold start ..nor what weight you're running vs. what's recommended.

Otherwise you had a very detailed post of your operating conditions.

btw- a "K" car to most Americans was a model offered by Chrysler about 20 years ago.

 

[55Test]

Those Kei (i think that's the way it's spelled) cars are pretty neat, what brand or whatever is the one you have?

 

[Shaman]

Cold start isn't really a cold temperature, just that the car and engine are cold, as in not run. Temp would probably at least 50. I don't know the recommended oil weight, but it has 10-40 in it now. I will be trying to find out oil suggestions and capacities when time allows by going to the dealer, but the whole language barrier will be a little problematic.

Well, then I will have to say a Kei-jidosha or Kei-car.

It's a Mazda AZ Wagon, but it is also labelled as a Suzuki Wagon R, and the newer generation is also sold under the Chevy badge.

 

[Gary Allan]

This it?

I couldn't find an image of the engine bay.

 

[Shaman]

That's the second generation, and that almost looks like the wide version. It's also turbo. But, yeah, that's the basics. I will try to get pics this weekend.

 

[Shaman]

wanted to update the OCI stuff. It takes my vehicle about 2 minutes to get up to temp. Usually it is set in it’s way by the time I am out of my neighborhood. I figure there is only about 2 liters of oil in the pan and filter, and maybe a gallon in the radiator and system. The car isn't as wide as a mini, and the radiator is only ha. With the LC in there, or without it, it got dark quick.

I have two belts, one for alt, and one for he AC. The belts don’t seem to be loose. The dizzy cap was making a lot of noise when I got the car hot (up a hill in a 40 hp 1000 lb vehicle will strain the engine). I had some smoking when I stopped to look at it, but I attribute it to the foaming engine cleaner that I put all over the engine bay that afternoon. That night I got a CD player installed, but there doesn’t seem to be a problem with the car running it. I will get it to a shop this weekend hopefully so I don’t have to worry about stranding it.

Can anyone suggest a way to check if the battery is dead. It looks a little old, but I don’t know how to test it, just the alternator at idle. Can someone help me out. I have a digital and analog multimeter.

 

[Shaman]

Battery showed 13V's when cold, and showed 14.6 when running with no accessories on. ALso noticed there is some sludge on my cam lobes. Good thing I got some LC.

 

[Shaman]

Oil got changed, car runs better. The tech said that there was something wrong, but I will find out tomorrow what it is. When I got it home, turned it off, and took off the oil cap to put in LC, there was smoke coming from the engine. Any thoughts?