Hi, I need some advice about my Ford Probe (Mazda engine) that has my mechanic stumped. Do you think I've got two unrelated problems or only one?
First, for a long time upon startup in the morning my car has been blowing a huge poisonous cloud of noxious blue smoke. But, unlike most cars that blow blue smoke, it's only upon startup, and only upon the first startup of the day. After a minute or so the exhaust is normal, and it always passes inspection.
Second, my car has been gradually losing power, until it has come to the point where it goes 45 MPH on a flat surface and 15 MPH uphill (including the peak of bridges and coming out of the bottom of tunnels). My mechanci tested the fuel pump, fuel filter, and catalytic converter, and finally concluded that he has no idea what's causing the lack of power.
Two people have suggested to me that a clogged exhaust could be the cause of the power loss. And that got me thinking whether the first problem, of the cloud of noxious smoke upon startup, might be another symptom of a clogged exhaust.
What do you folks think? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!