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Sorry for the threadjack, Nd4SpdSe, but I'm just going to say I considered doing the entire hatch in Lexan.
Still thinking about it.

fowljesse wrote:Sorry for the threadjack, Nd4SpdSe, but I'm just going to say I considered doing the entire hatch in Lexan.
Still thinking about it.

Not to sound like a old guy, but lexan is a race car modification, it scratchs really easy and may not be that practical on a street My other street car has a gutted interior, a roll cage and nitrous. If you turn your street car into a race car, you won't like driving it on the street anymore.

IMACHU2 wrote:

fowljesse wrote:Sorry for the threadjack, Nd4SpdSe, but I'm just going to say I considered doing the entire hatch in Lexan.
Still thinking about it.

Not to sound like a old guy, but lexan is a race car modification, it scratchs really easy and may not be that practical on a street My other street car has a gutted interior, a roll cage and nitrous. If you turn your street car into a race car, you won't like driving it on the street anymore.

I'll take a chance with the Lexan, and look into options about protecting it. Possibly, but it's not a daily driver, and it won't be, that's what the Xterra is for. Besides, I'll be putting too much money and work into the Mx-3's motor to put "useless" miles on it for that kind of stuff.

Speaking of which, work's been super slow the last 3 months pretty much, so I'm trying to keep spending down, so no new parts except the upcomming adjustable cam gears. I've applied to a few jobs, but no word on anything yet. If I do hopefully get in, it would be in Burlington, which is a 200 daily drive, so I wouldn't put the Mx-3 through that. Although the Xterra isn't great on gas, I may use that to commute, but it depends. Even with a car that gets 30mpg compared to the Xterra's 17mpg, that's only a $200/month savings, minus probably paying an extra $100/month for a second vehicle, it would take a while for a commuter car to pay for itself, and anything cheap enough that would, might be too old and unreliable to make it worthwhile to make that daily trek...so we'll see.

So with the nice weather, I've been tempted to start working on the Mx-3, and thus I have. Although I did the research, my mechanic did the swap, so I'm taking the initiative and doing this one all by myself...well, maybe with the help of my dad, if he's interested, but that'll be up to him. I've read enough about these cars I should easilly be able to do it all by myself, just a few hickups along the way, like not knowing how and where the drain plug for the rad is.

I started by disconnecting the harness and removing the vacuum lines. I'm labelling the harness as I go. Essentially mostly pointless because I plan on making my own harness from scratch for my Megasquirt, would just be cleaner and easier than splicing my stock harness into it.








Labelling the harness, the only thing I don't know is what this is for. I believe I already got the crank sensor, so I don't think this is it....

Nd4SpdSe wrote: Labelling the harness, the only thing I don't know is what this is for. I believe I already got the crank sensor, so I don't think this is it....

That is the powersteering connector. You will see the wire goes down to the power steering pump

yep i can confirm that i just replaced my power steering pump yesterday.

What does that do? It's not purely mechanical?

I think it's just a pressure sensor used to see if the pump is working or not.

that would be correct!!

Lol, it's disconnected now!

Motor is pretty much ready to be pulled out now. Just have to remove the axles and than unbolt the motor mounts, oh, and one hose for the power steering.

Labelling Plugs is for Sissies, it's like asking for directions. Until we're hopelessly screwed we just don't do it. When it comes time to reinstall it'll all fall into place, if not any one of us can come over and you can use our ZE as a reference. Good Luck Dude

well no elctrical plug is the same so if it doesnt go click then it doesnt go there you will be surprised how nicelly everything will come together.

its too bad your just starting, do you think it will be out anyttime this summer?

Daninski wrote:Labelling Plugs is for Sissies, it's like asking for directions. Until we're hopelessly screwed we just don't do it. When it comes time to reinstall it'll all fall into place, if not any one of us can come over and you can use our ZE as a reference. Good Luck Dude

Sissy?! Pfft! I'm making my own engine harness I'm going full stand-alone with Megasquirt. The only thing the stock harness will be for is so I can get an idea on length, and use the connectors for the sensors. That should be fun to say the least...

projectzemx3 wrote:its too bad your just starting, do you think it will be out anyttime this summer?

I hope. I put things off on the Mx-3 last year, working hard and concentrating to paying off about $15k in debt before working on the car. In reality, it all comes down to money. Things will move quickly if I can some good cashflow. What sucks is that I've been hit by the economy, so work has been sporadic, working only a few days a week, or ever other week, for the last 3-4 months, so technically, I'm about 3 months behind, and I have yet to find out how bad income tax is going to hit me...yay for being self-employed. What sucks is that the money I had saved for it I ended up living on in that time. Mind you, I've got some steady work starting today for the next month or so, so it's big bucks, and hopefully fill the gap between finding a new job, and I've got a line on a few, but nothing yet, and they are hiring! I've even got a friend pushing things on their end. For now I'm just playing it safe just in case, and if things go well, I'll have cash banked to get a good jump...again, if things go well.

The only 2 major parts holding me back is missing the pistons and valves, once I have those I can get things sent of for balancing and machining and balancing and call up the mechanic to start assembling the tranny. I so also want to get the engine bay repained, but it does NEED it, and maybe get the car resprayed. There a worrysome rust spot along the passenger side I need to look into, it was a quick glance i saw while under the car unbolting the exhaust and tranny linkages.

Oh I hope to get the car running this year, but I'm not going to do a rush job and half-a-- it. I've even got an interesting idea on a new rear wing I want to try that I'm going to keep a secret if I can pull it off And with that, I'm also waiting on work on the OR guys getting a Lexan hatch window done. So there's alot on my plate, and even more than what I listed. Oh this is complicated, but it will be a totally different car when she comes out...

Oh, and I can't forget about some of the upgrades I want to get done to the Xterra this year...

Went back to work on the Mx-3 today, had fun. The drivers side axle gave me a hell of a time to come out. What I'm stuck on is that the wheel lug nut lock key shattered trying to remove the nut on the passenger side, so I picked up a nut remover kit. I tried hammering at it with a wrench but it won't budge. I would of used my impact, but I need what it looks like to be a 25mm or 26mm socket. The larger I have and the largest Canadian Tire has is a 24mm

And for more bad news, working in the driver side wheel well, I noticed a rust spot and poked at it...and I got carpet. So now I've got a 2" hole with carpet exposed. I think it's the end for that chassis, so I have to make some decisions:

1- Strip it down and look into getting her patched up. Should be possible, but probably costs more than it's worth.
2- Look for a mint domestic Mx-3 and swap everything over
3- Import a JDM Mx-3, convert it to LHD and swap everything over
4- Import a JDM Mx-3, leave it RHD and swap everything over
5- Sell everything and start a different project. Probably would be an FD
6- Sell everything and get a MazdaSpeed3

The realistic option is 2. Will probably go that way. I may still look into 1, but with just a rolling chassis, it's probably work for nothing. 3 and 4 are only fesabible if I can get a good price on one. I may consider it if I can find one for and under $5000, but I doubt that, and I still think that I can get a good condition domestic one if I'm just patient. 5 would be nice, but I've got too many ideas still left on the Mx-3 to give that up, and I'll get an FD one day I'm sure. 6 was an option as a combination of a commuter and something fun and quick. That's probably not going to happen, but it did cross my mind.

Wait wait - how do you know how bad the rust is? You haven't pulled the carpet yet. Don't go to extremes until you need to! I had a 6" rust hole, but it was the ONLY rust hole on the car (well, except a small one beneach pass. side door) and I got it fixed at a body shop for $150.

If your frame rails are good, and its just body rust in a couple spots, you can fit it!

Hmmmm I don't know what to say Mike... I mean I know you can find a super clean MX3 if you do wait! But then again I would like to see the car out this summer... even if you are my competition.. ahahah