MX-3.com

HI folks,

Anyone know where I can get a reasonably priced timing belt in the UK?

Also I am fitting some digital gauges and wondered if anyone has tried this before?

http://www.dakotadigital.com/Detail.cfm ... roduct.htm

the above link is to the gauges that I am fitting, we have managed to find the indicators, full beam and fuel wire behind the original dials so if anyone can help with how to set up the speedo etc please let me know?!?

Cheers

ScottishDaz wrote:HI folks,

Anyone know where I can get a reasonably priced timing belt in the UK?

Do you have a 4 or 6 cyl? Replacing all the stuff that should be replaced on the 6 is going to cost you no matter what.

thats cool get it done tomorrow £50 for the belt and £100+ vat for fitting. that will do me!

ScottishDaz wrote:thats cool get it done tomorrow £50 for the belt and £100+ vat for fitting. that will do me!

So you're not going to replace all of the idler pulleys, the tensioner, and the tensioner arm? You'll be sorry when one of those breaks and you have to do it all over again. Most people also do the water pump while they're in there.

I like the look of those gauges!

Generally though I'm not sure how practical digital gauges are. One reason gauges are analog is so the driver can get an indication of the status of equipment with a glance. With digital you need to actually look at the numbers displayed and your brain has to comprehend them and translate the status. Theres no green or red sectors in digital and you won't pick up changes out of your peripheral vision.

I think the tacho will move too quickly to be of much use.

If you look at a good digital multimeter you'll see an LCD bar that fills across the screen in an analog fashion to give a quick indication of the reading. (This is particularly important in electrical work where you don't want to get mixed up between say 24.0 volts and 240 volts, which you can, particularly at a glance.) This is pretty much an admission that with analog it is easier to see a rough status.

But digital is much more accurate and certainly looks a lot cooler!

This info probably doesn't matter much being just for a car but I thought I'd throw it in anyway.

lakersfan1 wrote:

ScottishDaz wrote:thats cool get it done tomorrow £50 for the belt and £100+ vat for fitting. that will do me!

So you're not going to replace all of the idler pulleys, the tensioner, and the tensioner arm? You'll be sorry when one of those breaks and you have to do it all over again. Most people also do the water pump while they're in there.

See im not very good with cars so I took it into Mazda and am leaving it their capable hands?!

thanks

WHen it comes to servicing the MX3, Mazda does NOT have capable hands, as far as I'm concerned. Unless the only reputable mechanic in Scotland works for Mazda, you're probably better off at a shop that someone recommends.