I go for a Switch and end up with a ZE (pics added)

[wytbishop]

I agree with UncleGreg...the flat top pistons indicate that it is a higher compression engine than the DE's. The KL01 cams may have a slightly lower power rating but my understanding is that they are designed to move the peak torque to a lower RPM for the automatic tranny of the car it was made for...the Eunos 800. The straight neck engine was offered in the MS8 which is the JDM equivalent to the MX-6. It was offered with a manual tranny whcih makes it safer for the peak torque value to occur at a higher rpm...hence the use of the KL31 cams. The north american Millenia engine has square ports, KL01 cams but lower compression so no, it is not a ZE. It's a DE with square intake runners.

There was a thread on probetalk some time back where a guy showed pics of his straight neck, flat top piston ZE with KL01 cams. A combination that no one there had ever seen. The belief is that on the later production number engines Mazda had KL01 cams to use up so they stuck them in.

Some say that if it doesn't have KL31 cams it isn't a ZE and I disagree. It's the compression that has the biggest impact on power.

Please correct me if any of my facts are wrong.

[projectB10]

The straight neck engine was offered in the MS8 which is the JDM equivalent to the MX-6. ........

Please correct me if any of my facts are wrong.

OK as this thread has wandered so far off topic I hope the OP will not take offence.....
Just a small point to note. Not directly related to the "real or detuned spec" debate around the various JDM iterations of the KLZE.

This is a JDM Mazda Infini MS-8.






These pictures are of a very used example of a Jap import sitting in a wrecking yard here in NZ. Looks like the KF motor in this one although the KL-ZE motor is also commonly fitted to this model Jap import.

My point is that the MS-8 is not the same as an MX-6.

Chris

[Daninski]

Gee whiz, I just wanted to share my find with everyone not start WWIII. LOL So I'm back off holidays and unless one of you figured out where I got the motor I'm going back to remove the strut parts for Igor and the brakes for sure as they look new. I'll keep an eye out for any other parts. They have two GS's and three RS's.

I still have to do a compression test and that will tell the tale. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[mymx.3]

What are you saying................"my" car is sick........??

DEB

[mymx.3]

Sooooooooo this ZE is for my car.........an MX from B.C. with a perfect body but the motor has high kms.....right????

So what I'll do is tow it behind my FORD truck and bring it back..and the guys from MX-3.com can put it in for me.........right????


LMAO

DEB

P.S. Nice find!!

[wytbishop]

I'm old. I get confused easily. And I stand corrected.

[Inodoro Pereyra]

I'm old. I get confused easily. And I stand corrected.

Even when he's right (or "almost" right, as there's no such thing as an "Infini"), it still makes no difference as both the Efini MS8 (which in the US was the Mazda 929) and the Mazda Capella (MX-6 in the US) were at some point fitted with the KL-ZE.

[projectB10]

Even when he's right (or "almost" right, as there's no such thing as an "Infini"), it still makes no difference as both the Efini MS8 ....................

Correct....... Mazda Efini MS8 ....is the right spelling... thanks Inodoro

[Inodoro Pereyra]

You're very welcome.
Now we're all on the same page.

[Custommx3]

Color doesnt matter. If you saw the color of my KFZE (Mark can contest to that) it looked BRAND new.

Sorry, I didnt have pics online of the cams but did of the bottom end.



It ran ONE time. Compression was as low as 30/50 and 80 in 3 of the cylinders.

[Mnemonic]

Color doesnt matter. If you saw the color of my KFZE (Mark can contest to that) it looked BRAND new.

I'll totally agree with this statement, you see how pretty Barry's KF looks?

this was mine and had zero problems:

[_-Night-Shade-_]

Hahah, my ZE was quite brown underneath the valve covers but compression was 210 on every cylinder and doesn't burn a drop of oil

[RX8SE3P]

My engine looked brown too.... but it was burning oil like crazy

On the KL31 vs KL01 cams thing (sorry!) I know that the Eunos 800 (non supercharged millenia) uses square port heads. So yes it will most likely have the KL31 head code. Thus head code is not the deciding factor since this engine makes 125KW.

I'm going to agree with hppwdn, KL01 cams are a deal breaker and cannot be called a ZE. I also don't understand how people are stating that the KL01 "ZEs" are making as much power and torque as a KL31 cammed ZE but at earlier revs. Same or even more torque earlier in the rev range for sure but not the same power.

More aggressive cams are going to sacrifice some power from lower in the rev range and add power higher in the rev range. So basically, if you had two exact same KL engines, both with the same IM, same heads, same compression ratio but one had KL31 cams and the other KL01, the KL31 will have more power but it will be higher in the rev range.

That's why they say custom made race cams are "not streetable". Meaning there's so much power up high, that down low it's barely drivable, you'd stall, idle would suck etc. But for racing, you're never going to be below 4-5k rpms so race cams work great.

But still an awesome find by Dan regardless of the cams, it's looks like a decent engine.

[danielmartin]

It provides a lot of capacity, increased efficiency, better in all ZEs today to almost 100% curve has KL01 and KL01 neck cam head, I do not even 100% sure they still have a higher compression . Unless you get a direct from the importer of your neck KL31 cammed Ze you almost buy a good engine with low miles, not more.

[Daninski]

Hahah, my ZE was quite brown underneath the valve covers but compression was 210 on every cylinder and doesn't burn a drop of oil

Ya Igor, sludge will help to boost compression.

So my son is giving me his extremely minty Ford Probe GT, Blue with black leather interior. It's from Alberta so no rust at all, just need a new engine so if I can get the car from Hamilton to Trenton I'll install my ZE into it. I just need a car dolly.