Mazda Repair: 94 Protoge rough start and dies, mazda protoge, air tube

Question
Thanks Al! I'm afraid my "It can't be that" attitude got me in trouble with this problem. Where I was parked was on a slight decline and my tank was almost on E. I put about a gallon in last night but it still wouldn't start. I figured there was enough fuel in to get it started. Today I put another 4 gallons in and it fired right up. How dumb is that? Thanks for the help though. It could still have a problem but it's running fine now. I know Mazdas have a habit of intermitent problems that seem to go away for a while only to return at the worst possible time. If the regulator was bad, would it work good for a while and act up occasionaly or would it just fail and not work at all?
Thanks
Dan
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-----Question-----
Pleeassee help!
I have a 1994 Mazda Protoge DX sohc and no ac 150,000 mi. My problem is this: I noticed a little very intermitent hesitation recently so I replaced the fuel filter. Ran fine for a while and even seemed better from idle to op speed. Today it was idling nicely while I was talking to a friend. I was leaning against the car and I felt it idling roughly then shut off. I tried for 5 minutes to restart and when it finally started, it shut off again. Let it sit for a while and finally refired it again. This time I took the rpms to about 4,000 and a few seconds later it lost the rpms , sputtered and died. I pulled a spark plug and it had an off white "burn" to it. It's been to long since I wrenched on an engine. Am I getting fuel. I don't think I am but this is the first foreign car I've owned. Some insight before I start buying parts would be awesome. Plugs and wires are about a year old. I just replaced the air filter when I did the fuel filter. HELP!!! It's my only car.
Thanks a bunch and happy holidays.
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first place i would start is removing the air tube, (tube from the throttle body to air cleaner)  inspect it good for any signs of tears or rips, next is pull off the vacume line to the fuel pressure regulator (it on the fuel rail) see if theres any gas in the line, if there is the reg is bad. check those 2 things out first then let me know

Answer
hope that fixed it!  never good to let the tank get below a quarter tank, and no' when the regulator goes bad it stays that way. thanks' i'm always wondering if there's enough gas in the tank  but i dont ask cause you'll get "of course there's gas in it" i know about that!!  most mazda's run ok with the gauge a lil below empty, but maybe someone changed the pump and slightly bent the sender float.always good to keep the pump under fuel to keep it cool