Loosing power going over hill and hard to start

[JEDI]

2005 mazda3i automatic.

I goto school once a week. To get to school, i pass over a hill. i usually go 65mph (cruise control) and have no problems at 2500 rpm.

lately (last few weeks), my RPM's went up between 3k-4k to get over the hill.

then this week at my work parking lot, i couldnt start my car on the 1st try. it wouldnt turn over. it worked on the 2nd try. this is the 1st time that has happened.

i've always used the same gas station (shell).
my last oil change was 2months ago (2k miles). air filter was changed 4months ago.
spark plugs are 100k miles.

my car manual says the next major maintenance i need is a coolant flush at 60k miles.


What could be the problem(s)?

THX

 

[XZeroII]

What have you been feeding the hampster?

 

[woodie1]

The reason for "my RPM's went up between 3k-4k to get over the hill" is your transmission down-shifted so your engine could produce the necessary power to get over the hill while maintaining a set speed. I suspect a fuel problem but you said, "then this week at my work parking lot, i couldnt start my car on the 1st try. it wouldnt turn over. it worked on the 2nd try." which seems more of an electrical issue.
Has the fuel filter ever been replaced?

 

[jagec]

Wouldn't turn over (as in, you can't even hear the starter motor working), or wouldn't fire (as in, it cranks but doesn't start)?

Because problems that cause a car not to turn over aren't usually related to problems dealing with a loss of power. Unless the engine was starting to seize, in which case it wouldn't turn over on the second attempt.

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: woodie1
The reason for "my RPM's went up between 3k-4k to get over the hill" is your transmission down-shifted so your engine could produce the necessary power to get over the hill while maintaining a set speed. I suspect a fuel problem but you said, "then this week at my work parking lot, i couldnt start my car on the 1st try. it wouldnt turn over. it worked on the 2nd try." which seems more of an electrical issue.
Has the fuel filter ever been replaced?

Why do you say fuel problem because i couldnt get over the hill?

manual says fuel filter never needs to be replaced in my car :Q

Originally posted by: jagec
Wouldn't turn over (as in, you can't even hear the starter motor working), or wouldn't fire (as in, it cranks but doesn't start)?

Because problems that cause a car not to turn over aren't usually related to problems dealing with a loss of power. Unless the engine was starting to seize, in which case it wouldn't turn over on the second attempt.

cranks, but doesnt start.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: JEDI

Originally posted by: jagec
Wouldn't turn over (as in, you can't even hear the starter motor working), or wouldn't fire (as in, it cranks but doesn't start)?

Because problems that cause a car not to turn over aren't usually related to problems dealing with a loss of power. Unless the engine was starting to seize, in which case it wouldn't turn over on the second attempt.

cranks, but doesnt start.

Oh good, that will be a lot cheaper.

If the fuel filter is partially clogged, the fuel system will be able to get up to pressure under low-flow conditions, but the pressure will drop under high-flow (accelerating, hill-climbing). You will percieve this as a lack of power. It would be strange for it to clog in such a new car (<60k miles, yes?), but not impossible if you got some bad gas (not all stations are created equally, even the same brand...I assume when you say "same", you don't mean the same physical station, just the brand).

It might be worth checking out, given that the fuel filter is a cheap and pretty easy to replace part.

When it cranked, did it turn over just as quickly as it usually does, but not fire? Or did it seem sluggish and have trouble turning over?

 

[theeedude]

Sounds like it could be the fuel filter clogged. Change it.