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Hello all,
I have a 1997 mazda mx3 which i am aware is obd2, i am really wanting more power bored now of my little 1.8. I can find a 2.5 engine from a ford probe i was wondering what else i would need to do the swap? as it is obd2 would it be easier to swap the hole loom and ecu from the probe rather than trying to use my k8? any advice would be hugely apreciated.

There is an OBD2 guru on this site, I believe by the name of Daninski. But your easiest bet is to go straight across with another OBD2 car. You shouldn't have to change the harness, but you might have to splice another coolant sensor in, correct me if I'm wrong guys????? But that would be your most cost effective route is a KLDE, as well as having less headaches. Just make sure you have the proper VAF/ECU combo for that motor.

Ok so maybe im beter of asking what is the best engine for my swap? How do i go aboout finding one baring in mind im in the UK? and i want the scope for more i have Nitrous on my car at the momment but it is too expensive to use all the time. And the k8 is on its last legs at 140,000 miles. so i need to sought this quickly.

There are many international members on this site, and plenty in the uk. I don't know which cars are equipped with which motors but I'm sure you could find a ZE around there somewhere.

Well, it doesn't matter if it's a KLDE (165/170hp) or a KLZE (198hp) in your case because the setup will be the same, and it depends on what you want to pay for the motor, and how much power you want.

You can't change the ECU on an OBDII Mx-3, you have to stick with what it uses but swap in a KL02 VAF. The OBDII system is alot smarter, and with the VAF, it can adjust better and properly, you just have to hook up the EGR to make it happy.

Don't worry about the coolant sensor, that only for a swap on an OBDI 94+.

Nd4SpdSe wrote: Don't worry about the coolant sensor, that only for a swap on an OBDI 94+.

Thank you for clarifying that nd4spdse! I'm still learning too!

So my stock ecu will self adjust fuel air mix with a new MAF? has anyone done the swap all the swaps i have read about have been obd1? is it basically the same apert from i wont require the probinator chip? and so long as it is an obd2 klze/de engine there shouldnt be any issues?

What about the OBDII KL ECU? Will that not work?

dan031287 wrote:So my stock ecu will self adjust fuel air mix with a new MAF? has anyone done the swap all the swaps i have read about have been obd1? is it basically the same apert from i wont require the probinator chip? and so long as it is an obd2 klze/de engine there shouldnt be any issues?

Indeed, Just need the MAF. You can't use a Probinator, it's for the OBDI ECU's only. The engine doesn't need to be OBDII, if anything, just swap the sensors from the old motor if any are different, I don't remember if they are or not.

Mad Cow wrote:What about the OBDII KL ECU? Will that not work?

Different wiring/pinout, won't work

Dunno why the Probe/MX6 ECU won't work since they are both OBDII like the 1996 MX-3? Are we sure the pinouts and whatnot are different?

When swapping engine in OBDI, any OBDI ECU can be used..... why not the same with OBDII? All the sensors and whatnot are the same.

I don't think there will be a problem with using your current wiring loom. The engine won't matter, engines don't have an OBD - they are just engines with sensors. All you need to do is swap the engine in and wire everything up. All the sensors from the 1997 engine should mate up to your 1996 wiring loom.

Well, my car wasn't OBDII, so I have no experience with it, but as far as I've been told, it's different and doesn't work.

FYI: Depending on where you live, swapping from OBDII to OBDI would cause you to to fail the emission test inspection.

No such thing as OBD1 or 2 engines. The older engines will have an extra coolant sensor right. The only difference is the O2 sensors in the 96-97 manifold vise on the older MX3's its in the exhaust pipe. On that note you only need to use the top two. Once you get the engine to start remove the neg from the battery, hold the brake peddle down for about 15 secs. This will clear the ECU memory. Start the car and let it run for at least 15 mins so the ECU can relearn the new engine. The ECU will correct for the bigger injectors and of course you'll use the KL02 VAF. If you don't have one right now no probs but look at getting one, it works much better.