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So, I am horrible at documenting projects or making threads. I figured I should probably write up something about my latest project, as I am finding a lot of conflicting information online. You may remember my last thread, in which I rebuilt a 12A rotary. Everything is still fine and well with that car, it has just become an occasional driver. It's a 1985 Mazda Rx-7, 12A engine with dual weber 36DCD carbs. Has pretty much everything else done to it from suspension to engine.   Sadly, this thread isn't about any rotaries. Changing a waterpump on a rotary isn't exactly difficult anyway. I did help a friend make a 13b turbo AE86 rotorolla, but that is for another time. A few years back, I picked up a new daily driver, a 2010 BMW 335i M-sport. It's got a 3.0L twin turbo inline six, coupled to a six speed manual transmission. BMW tossed their sport stuff all over it, so it certainly sets itself apart from a regular three series. It's also a hoot to drive, the thing is tuned for somewhere around 350-400 horsies and 425 torques. I've spent most of my time fooling around with coding and software on this car. It's really neat that you can program each ecu to have different config and enable new features. I've added things like brake light strobing for stops over a certain G level, to mundane things like rolling the windows up remotely. The BMW has an electric water pump. I am sure it will be a pain to change one day, but today is not that day.   and the standard BMW service shot:  Now where does that leave us. Oh yes. A 1990 Mazda 323 hatchback. This has a peppy 80hp 1.6L 4 cylinder SOHC, coupled to an automatic transmission made of glass. Absolute hoot to drive, just like a gokart.  (I don't even have a picture, I'll take one tomorrow)Years back, this used to be my grandmother's car. It's served the family well and I just can't get rid of it. Unfortunately, this summer, I had some problems with the cooling system. My mother borrowed it, ran it without coolant and it overheated. I don't think it warped the head, I did a chemical test for exhaust gasses in the coolant, a leakdown/compression test etc and they all were okay. I tossed in some new coolant and ran it for a few more weeks.  Disaster struck. I parked the car and saw a huge puddle of coolant on the ground. Taking a closer look, and taking off the accessories, I could see coolant just pour out from between the waterpump and the block. Well poo poo. I guess the engine overheated enough to cook all the soft seals. So yes, this is a thread about replacing the water pump in a 1990 Mazda 323. Let's consult the Mazda Factory Service Manual for what to do:  Oh. Oh dear. This just got interesting. 
Sgt Fox fucked around with this message at 04:08 on Nov 21, 2017 |
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Nov 21, 2017 04:03
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Beverly Cleavage posted:Step one: remove B6.
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Nov 21, 2017 05:10
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So, as you have all guessed, I am swapping a KLZE and a 5 speed standard into the car. Basically a friend was given a trashed 1993 Mazda MX-3 GS (which had the 1.8L K8 V6) which someone had tried to swap a KLDE into and failed. It was then left in a field for five years. Also in the field was a KLZE, which had been pulled from a running MX3 after it was rear ended. This means that I should be able to use the ECU, engine harness and lower motor support from the MX3 to bolt the KLZE into the 323 chassis. I also need to use the MX3 power steering, axels and maybe spindles, along with some other small parts. Over the next few weeks, I'll try to catch up this thread on the progress, as I started this all a couple months ago. Let's look at the different specs. B6 - Stock 323 USA engine. - Iron block - 4 cylinder - 1.6L displacement - 16 valve SOHC - 78mm bore, 83.6mm stroke - 7.8:1 compression ratio - 82 horsies, 90 torques K8 - Stock MX-3 USA engine. - Aluminum split block - 6 cylinder - 60 degree V pattern - 1.8L displacement - 24 valve DOHC - 75mm bore, 69.6mm stroke - 9.2:1 compression ratio - 130 horsies, 109 torques KL-DE - Stock 626/Probe GT USA engine. - Aluminum split block - 6 cylinder - 60 degree V pattern - 2.5L displacement - 24 valve DOHC - VRIS variable intake runners - 84.5mm bore, 74.2mm stroke - 9.2:1 compression ratio - 164 horsies, 156 torques KL-ZE - JDM engine. - Aluminum split block - 6 cylinder - 60 degree V pattern - 2.5L displacement - 24 valve DOHC - VRIS variable intake runners - No EGR from factory - 84.5mm bore, 74.2mm stroke - 10:1 compression ratio - 200+ horsies, 165 torques Basically, for the ZE, they added flat top pistons, different heads and cams, and a better flowing intake manifold. It's considered the best of all the K series engines and seems to be highly sought after for swaps. External dimensions of all the K series engines are the same, so they are not too bad to interchange. The main differences I have found so far is a third coolant sensor, a different distributor (external coil) and the EGR system.
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Nov 21, 2017 22:23
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Seat Safety Switch posted:I've seen some good KLZE MX-3 swaps, but it still strikes me as vaguely insaner than the 323 swap, even though the cars are near as dammit identical. It should be better, as the 323 looks better and is lighter. MX-3 GS: 1,171 kg (2,582 lb), 323 Hatch 910 kg (2,006 lb). The B6 versus KLZE engine weights are within 100-150lbs. I think I'll need to get a fake stuffed cat, a tissue box to put on the hatch tray and a world's best grandma license plate frame to complete the look. wesleywillis posted:Didn't see it mentioned but if you haven't noticed or mentioned it, you'll need the Subframe from a V6 MX3 as well. I do have the subframe, but from what I have heard, I only need the part that bolts directly to the engine/trans mounts. I may also need the spindles, as there can be issues with the MX3 driveshafts being too long. Actually, here is a list of what I have gathered/found online: quote:- KLZE Engine/Intake Sgt Fox fucked around with this message at 21:55 on Nov 23, 2018 |
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Nov 22, 2017 00:51
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So where did we leave off? Oh right, Mazda told me I had to find a KLZE replacement. Luckily I knew where one was: Can you see it? Wasting valuable hay.   So much rust. So much corrosion. Let's take a look at the donor MX-3, who's V6 accessories we will need to scavenge: Beautiful, one owner.  While it might be missing a light, it has two spare tires. Two donuts, what a deal!    Oh the smell. There was both mice and rats living inside the cabin. Even through a mask I wanted to hurl. Hanta Virus, a bonus! Somehow they left the precious engine wiring alone.  Time to strip the thing clean. Since I really didn't know what I was going to need for the swap, I just started removing everything. 
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Nov 22, 2017 03:07
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Hahah, no. Between the rats, mice, wasps and mold, they were loving right dickered. The entire interior went straight in the bin.
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Nov 23, 2017 05:09
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So we left off as I was starting to strip the crusty MX-3. I don't think I've ever had to deal with a car quite as nasty as this one. Living in a field for a few years had really taken a toll on the poor car. Inside and out was covered in mildew, algae, white mold and black mold. At least six wasp nests guarded the car, we must have gone through at least a couple cans of wasp-nuke. The inside was also filled with rat and mouse droppings. As the interior panels were removed, it became apparent that there had been a few nests inside. The stink. My god, the stink in this car. Just absolutely disgusting. Rodent piss, mold, who knows what else festered inside. I could taste it, through a full respirator even. Absolutely unbearable. Even once the car was just a sheet metal shell the smell was just as strong. Luckily, aside from the sound deadening, the animals didn't appear to have chewed through anything. Car as it came on the truck:  Before anyone asks, my friend owns an Izuzu Elf flatbed tow truck. It honestly is the most fun thing. It is also an enabler for hoarding and addiction. Unlike most flatdecks, it is not a rollback. Instead the entire truck tilts, via two hydraulic rams behind the cab. Not too sure on what else, aside from it has a little four cylinder diesel and there is a japanese 24V relay which we are having trouble finding a good replacement for.  Okay, now that is out of the way, back to the MX-3. As I said earlier, there seems to be an awful lot of conflicting information about this swap. The general engine compartment and firewall is supposedly the same between the MX-3 and the 323. The front and rear subframes are also supposedly interchangeable - though bolts may be a little off. Even the 626 subframes have been swapped around by others. In addition, the electrical systems are also compatible. While the engine runs on its own separate harness, it does connect up to either body harness. The MX-3 body harness has a slightly different electric cooling fan setup, as well as a digital speedometer. Some guys have swapped the entire MX-3 harness over into their 323. Since I needed to get the car scrapped and I didn't know exactly what I would need, I did the logical thing and took everything that was bolted to the drat chassis. Engine removed, and subframes held on with only a couple bolts:  Nasty, filthy, horrid interior stripped: (Imagine overwhelming piss smell)   Subframes loaded into the truck:  I even cut off the front end, as I may need to steal the radiator supports:  After it was stripped, it got loaded back onto the ramp truck to take to the scrap yard.  Soon to become a brand new KIA. Guess how much steel I left on the car? $23.50 CAD. Yeah, pretty stripped.
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Nov 27, 2017 22:43
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Yes, it is a Japanese RHD import. Keep in mind, this is the West coast of Canada. Not as uncommon as you would think. This particular truck was imported ten years ago by a guy who sold those minitrucks.
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Nov 28, 2017 16:22
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Yes, I am. Surprised you remember that, I got the last 12A rotor housings Mazda had in North America. That engine is still going strong.
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Nov 28, 2017 18:22
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Since the car was now scrapped, I was left with a mountain of parts. It seems that once you remove the drat things, they occupy twice as much space as the car itself. I did what any normal person would do and spread them thoroughly around. MX-3 Radiator, rad supports, shifter linkage and some splash guards.  MX-3 5-speed, adjustable steering column, intake manifold for a K8 (useless) and an entire cart full of interior pieces, gauges and whatnot.  Box full of RockAuto goodies, entire MX-3 body harness, laundry basket full of original KLZE parts, box full of K8 cams and some axles which won't fit, but would have cost more to ship back in boxes.  Dodge Neon radiator, Mercedes Benz front aux fans, VAF, pedal box, cruise control and fuel sender. Also, a duck.  MX-3 K8 engine harness. This one is an early 92/93, so it has the three coolant sensors wired, just like the KLZE has. This means that technically the ECU driven fan signals should work. Now, you might be asking why is there a Dodge Neon radiator. Well, apparently they will fit quite nicely inside the front nose of a 323 to give me extra room for the V6. A few weeks back, I was able to tag along to the mainland for free, because my pops had business meetings. Normally it would cost ~$80 each way to take the ferry. I spent the day in rainy Chilliwack BC, at the Pick a Part. Its one of the last you-pull junkyards around, and does cheap, flat rate pricing on all parts. I loaded up with two bags of tools, an electric impact, a drill and an electric sawsall. Stupidly useful to bring a saw to the yard, I was able to cut out a rust patch panel from one of the 323 wheel arches. I knew that I would be pressed for time and I would probably get excited and forget some stuff, so I made myself a double sided list with what I wanted, where it was in the yard and a picture of each car.  I got to the yard at 10am. First stop:  1994 Ford Probe. Came with a 2.5L KLDE engine. Basically the exact same engine as the KLZE, minus flat top pistons, heads, cams and intake. I grabbed the ECU, a KL48 (same as the KL55, just Feeerd.). I also took the KL02 VAF (same as the 626, MX6 etc), the engine wiring harness, distributor and the broken clips from my engine. I also snagged the fuel filter bracket, since the 2.5L uses a bigger filter than the 1.8L. Next it was off the the *urgh* Dodge Neons *shudder*. Jesus, there was a lot of them to choose from.  I honestly can't remember which car I pulled the radiator from. It was between 1997-1999 2.0L SOHC. I took the only aftermarket replacement radiator in the yard, figuring it would be in the best shape. Interestingly, all the other Neons still had their factory radiator. Now, I needed a fan to go with the new radiator. I wanted something that would push instead of pull, so I could mount it in front. That seemed to leave me primarily with supplemental AC booster fans. I nabbed a neat small fan out of some 1980's Toyota. I think it was a Corolla fan, judging by RockAuto. It is small and all metal, so it might be a good option. It is only a single speed though. Technically the manual transmission 323s and MX-3s had a single speed fan, while the automatics had a two speed. I am not sure if I will really need a two speed, given I am swapping a manual in.    I also nabbed the fans out of a Merc, a C200 something I think. Pretty serious fans, when I tested them with the M12 battery on the yard, the were pretty much hovering off the hood. Oddly enough, the two cars which had them both had the passenger side not work. I looked at the wiring and they were both two wires, in parallel. Seemed odd to me, I figured at first maybe one was low and one was high. Part numbers of each fan motor was the same as well. I swapped the bad fan out in the yard with a good one, so I ended up with a working dual setup. If I end up using these, I will wire up one fan for low and two for high. After snagging a Volvo fan and relay setup for a friend, a F250 IDM and some other things, I finally had my way with the 323s in the yard. Look at these poor things:   Oddly enough, there were a few standard transmission 323s. I snagged the pedal box, since Mazda EPC shows that it had a different part number from the MX-3 one, a cable driven speedo gear assembly, the manual transmission interior trim and shift knob, and some other small bits. There was one with a brand new ignition switch, so I took that as well. I also used the sawsall to cut out a rear wheel arch, since mine has some rust. I'll either weld it in or use it as a template. On the way out, I noticed this van in the yard:  I had a laugh at the old weathered "Future Parts Donor - Pick a Part" bumper sticker. I guess the sticker was correct. All told, I spent six rainy hours in the yard and $300. Not a bad day. Also, here is an awesome bumper sticker on a Landcruiser Prado we parted out the other week: 
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Dec 11, 2017 20:13
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No, not that I know of. We have a couple yards on the south island, but none are you-pull anymore and are quite expensive. Mostly newer cars too. Are you on the mainland then? I keep watching the Pick-a-Part for one of the rear hatch spoilers which came factory on the 323. No luck yet.
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Dec 11, 2017 22:33
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Like this one:
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Dec 12, 2017 04:05
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That race BG looks pretty sweet. I'm not sure what this car will be like to drive, I worry it might just torque steer everywhere. On a side note, visited a local junkyard today looking for a bracket and the spark plug wire clips which were broken on the klze. Guy behind the counter basically told me that they weren't interested in looking if they even had anything, even after I asked him about specific parts they had listed on car-part.com. That is now the second yard that has told me to gently caress off when I told them what I was putting in and what I was looking for.
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Dec 13, 2017 08:37
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Yeah, the little plastic separators to hold the wires. I am anal, I want this to look as factory as possible. It's the engineer part of me. I woke up last night in a cold sweat, because I realized I have no provisions for a coolant overflow tank. The rad cap on the engine has no overflow nipple and the radiator I was hoping to squish in the front bumper also has no provisions.  I was looking around RockAuto and I found this thing for repairing cracked nipples. I wonder if it would work drilling a hole and using it.  I worry about drilling the stock KLZE metal. I wonder if there is enough oring to seal it correctly, especially on the round surface. The other option I found was this inline one for a Dodge Durango:  The stock rad cap for a durdge is 18lbs. The stock Mazda cap is 13lbs. I would need to find a lower pressure cap which would fit the larger cap size. I could also try jamming a MX-3 radiator into the car, but clearance will be tight. The Neon radiator would have fit perfectly in between the existing front end.
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Dec 13, 2017 23:02
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Seat Safety Switch posted:Doesn't the Probe use some kind of inline "upper" tank like a turbo Subaru does, except it has its own overflow nipple? I didn't think it puked solely off the main rad cap, because the rad was so low. Would it work with the heater core return hose? Take a look at the MX-3 one here: It has a separate fitting and a little tank for it. Hulebr00670065006e posted:What kind of sick engineer argues form over function? An engineer with OCD who wants everything to be just... so.  I really can't wait to get caught up posting the progress. You guys are in for some "what the hell is wrong with him" moments.
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Dec 15, 2017 02:17
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God damnit. I forgot to pull the passenger side motor mount sheet metal bracket. I thought it was the same as the 323's but it is not. The motor will be sideways if I don't get the right bracket. I didn't even notice the thing was removable.  Mazda part# EA03-53-37XE, which is listed as discontinued. God damnit, now what am I going to do? Needs to be the mount bracket off of a 1.8L V6 MX-3. Sgt Fox fucked around with this message at 16:41 on Dec 15, 2017 |
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Dec 15, 2017 16:37
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Sadly the MX3 was crushed back in October. The scrap place does it right away when you drop it off.
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Dec 15, 2017 17:19
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I really appreciate your willingness to help, Pomp. I called pretty much 80% of the junkyards in the province today. Luckily one came through for me and was willing to ship. I can relax now.  The V6 MX-3 are getting rare as hen's teeth.
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Dec 16, 2017 00:24
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Raluek posted:He wants things to look factory, though. I got tired of searching so I just ordered the three clips from Mazda. With my RADL discount at Mazda, they worked out to like $2.50 each.
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Dec 16, 2017 17:44
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You all are thieves and probably the reason why pretty much every junkyard around me won't even let people into their yards. They also have no interest in selling anything small, so its a lose-lose. Made some progress last week on pulling the old B6 motor. Shuffled some cars around and got the 323 up on jackstands.  Look how tiny it is. Barely fills the engine bay. Starting to disconnect everything. Took about two hours to label and disconnect after work over a couple days.  Lets pull the engine:  Hmm, that looks wrong. My biggest issue with this 323 project is that I keep getting drafted to work on other friends projects. This Ferd is being vaporized for its axles, to toss in a 2.3L Turbo Ranger.   There, that's better. Was pretty uneventful. Now, someone educate me on priming a power steering system. Sgt Fox fucked around with this message at 20:52 on Dec 18, 2017 |
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Dec 18, 2017 20:31
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Well so currently the 323 power steering looks like this: and the MX-3 stuff:  So I am currently making a hybrid with the 323 rack, the 323 cooling loop, the MX3 tank, the MX3 pump fittings and the hard/soft line from the cooler loop to the 323 rack hardline. I was thinking to attach the pump and spin it in a drill or something before I put the engine in, bolting the pump to the engine after. Worth it?
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Dec 19, 2017 04:53
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So then, the next question... steering racks. The stock 323 rack is supposed to be 3 turns lock to lock. The MX3 GS rack is 2.7 turns, 15:1 ratio. Supposedly it is a lot nicer. My concern is if I will have trouble with torque steer. Would a rack with a higher ratio, like the 323 rack be preferable? Either way I plan on swapping the front subframe now. The 323 does not have a swaybar, whereas the subframe I took from the MX3 does. I just have to figure out what rack to use.
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Dec 19, 2017 06:31
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Hauled the body harness out the other day. I've been going through it slowly to convert the auto harness to a manual transmission. I'm also matching up the engine harness interconnection plugs, as well as adding some of the 626 features, like the windshield washer fluid level sensor. All I can say so far is its so so so sticky.  I also only have a 1995 MX3 Mazda shop manual/wiring diagram which made it a bit different, given that the 95 added OBD2. AllData has filled in a bit with a 92 diagram, but it is missing a few things. Luckily the local Mazda dealer let me thumb through their shop manual library.
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Dec 22, 2017 18:48
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Applebees Appetizer posted:I have a Protege/323 service manual you can have if I can find it A Mazda one? Sweet, if you find it. Got the harness wrapped back up. Thank god for PVC wiring harness wrapping tape. Way nicer than electrical tape for this.  Interestingly, since this was an early 323, the automatic trans computer was separate from the ecu. This meant that some of the signals, like the speed sensor and the brake switch first went to the auto computer and then to the ecu via different wires on the auto computer plugs. I had to cut and join the two of them to bypass the auto computer plugs essentially. I also had to strip out the clutch pedal starter switch and the clutch pedal switch. Stole the wiring for those from the MX3 harness, running the lines to the appropriate places. The transmission neutral switch is dealt with by the engine harness. The reverse lights were in the body harness. I cut the plug off and spliced into the appropriate wires in the auto trans connectors for these. Everyone complains about the electric fans not working after changing the engine harness. I think I know why. The body harness for a manual trans 323 and a manual trans mx3 have the same circuit for the fans, but where they join to the engine harness is different. Same goes for the speed sensor, and the rear defrost signal. Had to swap around a few pins on the engine to body harness plugs. Back into the body it goes. It looks so empty in here. 
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Dec 24, 2017 18:37
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Applebees Appetizer posted:poo poo I can't find it, it's probably buried somewhere or I got rid of it already. This is the one I had. No worries. I will make do with the 1992 pdf I have. It seems that by 92 they had combined the auto computer and the ecu. I am not sure when they made the change, mine is an early 90 model year (built in 89). Charles posted:Since you don't have PMs, do you have an email you're okay posting? admin foxed.ca
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Dec 25, 2017 02:29
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The V6 is obviously a bit larger and will interfere with the radiator. The stock 323 radiator mounts behind the front rad support/hood latch and has a electric fan pulling from behind. From what I have read, the headers will end up just touching the rad fins. I need to find a different radiator then. It was rumored that a Dodge Neon rad will fit nicely between the front supports. I bought one from the junkyard and figured I would see how it works. It does barely slide down between the headlight supports, but it doesn't clear on the top as it is too high. I was thinking maybe if I made a removable top rad support, I could slide it down from above and then bolt the top support back in. Here it is before I started messing with it:  Time to break out the sawsall:  I then drilled holes to push the rubber lower mounts from the Dodge in the lower support.  And it fit. I was very happy how well it slid in. I was also able to bend the upper dodge mounts and use them in some stock rivnut holes.  I made some plates to bolt the top support back on. I used rivnuts and some spare Mazda bolts, so it matches. Painted them red.   I mounted an old Toyota Corolla or something AC fan. It was designed to push air from the front, was all metal and had nice rubber isolators. Making the mounts for this were a bit of a pain, lots of bending and tapping of holes, but it worked out quite well.  I am quite happy how everything fit together.
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Dec 28, 2017 10:37
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Thanks guys. I was amazed how the stock dodge mounting hardware was able to be adapted. For example: The top radiator bracket, minus rubber (it was on the rad at the time). I cut off the wings and pressed the double bend out to just a 90. It literally lined up to Mazda holes. I now have to deal with the fact I have no overflow fitting on either the engine or the radiator. I found an inline rad cap assembly from a Toyota Yaris which might work well. It uses a small style rad cap, and the Toyota one is 16PSI. It looks like a Mazda MPV also uses the small style and is the correct 13PSI though.
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Dec 29, 2017 18:51
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So, where did I leave off with the engine? Let's jump back a few months. Crusty, greasy corroded KLZE up on the stand:  Broken spark plug wires, rust and corrosion on everything. It looks pretty rough. I did a compression test. All six cylinders were around 220 PSI. That's basically the theoretical maximum of the engine, which is 225 PSI. I was told that the engine only had about 5000 KM on it after it was imported from Japan. Must have been pretty low mileage in Japan as well. Given the good numbers, I figured I would just do soft seals and clean it up. I don't want to remove the heads. Out comes the engine degreaser:    That is looking a bit better. Certainly a lot less greasy. Time to take off the valve covers and see what is inside.   Clean. No sludge or discolouration. Also no scoring or wear on any of the lobes. Confirmed that the heads and the cams both have the KL31 casting number, indicating a KLZE. The intake valve springs are also the larger diameter KLZE springs. More on this later. Flip it over, take off the pan:  Interesting, a factory baffle plate.
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Jan 1, 2018 20:46
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Applebees Appetizer posted:So, ah, just wondering but do you plan on selling this car when you're done? Asking for a friend...... Hah! Decided to start rebuilding the alternator and starter today. Took out the armatures and noticed some deep brush grooves in the alternator. Chucked them up in the lathe and turned them down smooth again. I'll take a needle file and clean between the commutator bars.   Brushes and bearings all look serviceable. Just corrosion and dried grease.
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Jan 3, 2018 03:46
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We don't have mandatory vehicle inspections here. Cops generally don't bother with anyone, unless you drive like a moron and have something that is obviously illegal. I would bet that even with a removable upper rad support, I would still pass a vehicle inspection if I had to have one. Those generally deal with lights, brakes and general serviceability of the vehicle.
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Jan 3, 2018 04:10
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Seat Safety Switch posted:Surely some car must have a bolt-in rad support from the factory? The MX3 kinda did. Breakfast Feud posted:I only bring it up cos I got dinged for a similar but much less well executed setup during a random integrity check stop at the dump. If the cop's not super sharp yours looks factory enough to pass, though! Where in the world was this?
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Jan 3, 2018 05:40
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Parts have been arriving! I think at this point, I have about 14 or 15 rock auto boxes from this project. They shorted me on magnets a few times, which made me very cross. Oddly enough the wholesaler closeout parts from the Florida warehouse arrived in 1990's boxes, crushed and moldy. In the meantime, I've been proceeding with tearing down the accessories and dealing with all that corrosion. I don't have a ton of pictures, but I have a few. The aluminum on the intake was especially bad.   Into the glass bead cabinet it goes. After a couple hours, I had most of the corrosion off. Unfortunately, there was still staining on the aluminum which wasn't coming off with glass bead. I decided it was better than it was and sprayed it with a clear, high heat semigloss.   It will do. Everything laid out in the garage:  A friend found this sweet RX-7 picture when he was cleaning out an attic. I've got to find a good place to hang it. 
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Jan 15, 2018 04:34
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I'll have to keep an eye out for that up here in Canada. Honestly though, I have always preferred glass beaded and cleared aluminum over a sliver paint.
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Jan 16, 2018 16:25
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So, we left off with the intake manifold getting a good cleaning and clearcoat. I turned my attention to the valve covers. They, like everything else were horribly corroded. I've always wanted to have wrinkly red valve covers, so I picked up a can of VHT wrinkle engine paint.  While those dried, I pressure washed all the schmoo off the trans. It also got a coat of high temp clear.  Around this time, summer was coming to an end, and I was running out of light. I bought an outdoor fluorescent fixture and installed it. Made a huge difference.  I had been doing some reading and learned that the KL engines have a few weaknesses in their heads. First, they are known for HLA noise from dirty, sticky adjusters. Second, they have a friction washer, which adds preload on the split gear on the non-belt driven camshaft to take up backlash. I guess over time, this washer wears and starts to spin, making a horrible noise. Mazda corrected this in later engines by adding two tabs which fit into slots in the retaining nut.   The third issue is specific to KLZE engines only. The KL31 head has larger intake valves than the other K series engines. Unfortunately, they had a manufacturing flaw, which creates a weakness and the valve retainers will crack. No one wants to drop a valve. The solution is to swap the smaller diameter springs and retainers from another K series. The smaller springs are also stronger. Most people say to use a KLDE engine, but the parts fiche shows the same parts were also used in the K8. Given that I had a junk K8, it was time to scavenge.   This is one of the more interesting tools I've found recently. Lisle makes this valve keeper remover and installer tool. Basically you place it over the valve, put compressed air into the cylinder and tap the tool with a hammer. The keepers will suck themselves into the tool via a magnet. To reinstall, there is another attachment, which puts the keepers back. Very handy.  Here are all the K8 valve springs and retainers:  KLZE KL31 head:  Cams out:  New valve stem seals:  And a giant mess:  New springs in:  HLA disassembled. To do this, I put compressed air in the small oil charge hole. This caused the HLA to explode apart along with all the gross schmoo. Clean them in parts cleaner, put a light drop of motor oil on them and reassemble. 
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Jan 27, 2018 06:22
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Yes, you can use solid lifters, but there is nothing really wrong with the HLA, provided they are clean.
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Jan 28, 2018 00:55
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So, with the cams back in, it was time to address the water pump. It was looking a little grim.  Some erosion of the jacket from cavitation. Not too bad. Not really much that can be done about this.  Fancy new waterpump. There are two types for this engine, one is $10, the other is $50. This one needed the $50 pump of course.  Waterpump and cam gears installed.  New timing belt on. Interestingly, I noticed when I was disassembling the engine that the belt was one tooth off. I wonder how well that ran...  Now, onto the valve covers.  I think the valve covers turned out quite well. Some more plastic and accessories.    All ready to be mated to the transmission.
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Mar 4, 2018 00:43
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Raluek posted:Hey, you finally got a water pump on an engine! The rest is just reassembly, right? True, the hard part of getting the water pump replaced is now done. 😀
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Mar 5, 2018 01:06
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Now that the engine was sorted, it was time to move onto the transmission. First, a good pressure washing to get the grease off. Next some wire brush work and a bit of soda blasting left me with this.  Not too bad. A little more cleanup and some high temp clear will be in order. There is a problem using the K8 transmission. The MX-3 used a electronic speed sensor, on the transmission. The automatic from the 323 was a standard cable driven unit, with an electronic sensor in the gauge cluster itself. Now, a lot of people just squish the MX-3 cluster into the 323 dash, or go an aftermarket route. I wanted to retain the stock 323 gauges, so this meant I would need to come up with an adapter. Comparing the two sensors, it was clear that while the tooth counts were nearly identical (one tooth different) the mounting and alignment was not anywhere close. I had seen posts of guys who just bolted the other sensor into the hole, but then ended up eventually chewing up the gears. The cable driven style has the mounting outer diameter concentric around the driven shaft. The MX-3 electronic one is off axis. It is also significantly shorter.  MX-3 electronic on the left, 323 cable on the right. I needed to combine the upper cable interface from the 323 with the lower mounting tabs from the MX3. I would also have to convert the inner shaft to accept the cable style. I decided to chuck the MX-3 body up into the lathe and part off the top portion.  I then cut off the upper portion of the 323 sensor, where the cable attaches. I turned down the outside and matched it to the offset bore of the MX3 lower.  I then pressed them together carefully. Cast aluminum shatters easy! I actually ended up ruining one of my MX-3 sensors as I did not notice a step in the inner bore of the body.  Left side is the top of the MX-3 and the bottom of the 323 sensors that I cut off. Right side is the two other halfs pressed together.  There is the body all finished. Now I had to turn my attention onto the shafts. Comparing the two, I noticed I could cut the 323 cable shaft down to the same dimensions of the MX3 shaft, provided I remove a small stepped bit of the drive gear, which didn't even have teeth.  323 cable style on left, MX-3 electronic on right. I cut off the extra and ground a tool to cut the tiny C-Clip groove. It was my first time grinding a HSS blank and it worked really well.  I now needed to replicate the flat spot to accept the MX-3 gear. I don't have a mill, but a friend does.  The finished shaft and turned down gear:  All the components:  Now it was just a matter of reassembly:  There we go. A cable driven speed sensor for a K8 manual transmission.
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Mar 15, 2018 20:53
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The miata speed sensor would not have helped. The speedometer I am using, the 323 one is a mechanical cable driven unit. I think some of the early miatas may have used a cable unit, but from pictures, those look to have the drive gear in the wrong place, much the same as the cable driven 323 unit. Sgt Fox fucked around with this message at 04:00 on Mar 16, 2018 |
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Mar 16, 2018 03:58
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DJ Commie posted:What part number/vendor are you using for the axle seals on the transmission? For some reason I'm having issues finding decent ones for the G series box. Weirdest thing is one of mine is perfect, one is completely torn and trashed. I guess those intermediate shafts really treat their seals well... On the transmission itself, I used BECK/ARNLEY 0523520 for the output shaft seals. The intermediate shaft is a bit of an odd one. No rebuild parts are listed. I used TIMKEN 710223 and TIMKEN 710224 for the seals and SKF 62062RSJ for the bearing. It took me a bit of cross referencing, as the forum posts online list the wrong parts.
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Mar 21, 2018 04:31
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