Steve_SK [MX-3 V6]

[solo_ryder]

Steve. I hope this motor works out! No more oil burning!

[Steve_SK]

Here are promised pictures

One of the heads when removed from the engine:


Close-up:


Cylinder block and pistons:




After cleaning pistons, crankshaft, oil pan, etc.


These are my repaired heads Sweet. Quite a difference compared to the first picture, isn't it?


Wohooo:


Mmmmm NPR piston rings, Nippon head gasket set..


Heads on my cylinder block:


Ready to install camshafts, unfortunately I have not taken pictures, but will do it next time, I am in process of cleaning valve covers now.


I also have a 24-piece set of new HLA (Johnson's) and almost new valves.

In the end I will clean the whole engine from the outside. This is for now..

[solo_ryder]

Looks great man, I am excited for you!

[Steve_SK]

Thank you! I will post videos once the engine is in the car and first started and then after 5000 km. Hope this time it will run like a new engine.

[Steve_SK]

Finally I had my valve covers done - powder coated. I am planning to brush the colour out of the Mazda label, but I am not sure now. The worst thing is that the rear valve cover has a lot of cracks and peaks, probably due to engine overheating (I was told that - but it might be a result of cleaning the cover in hot "bath"). Front cover is fine and I wanted to go "neutral" in colour. I have another set of valve covers which will be powdered in darkred-to-black colour.







I am happy. I can finish my engine! And I am awaiting parts from Jordan so I will also finish my HVAC conversion!!

[Steve_SK]

Finally my car is running again after one year of being repaired.. The engine is almost perfect now, it only has around 30 km after complete rebuild, so I hope there will be no oil burning this time.. I can feel the difference, it has power, it is silent, smooth There are some knocking sounds coming from the timing belt area (belt is new, idlers and tensioner have 40k kms), there's a small cooling water leakage from that area as well, but I will work that out. I will post a video when engine has more kms. I am so happy I have my babe back!

[Steve_SK]

Today I received something I've been looking for since...ages...chrome door handles They come from Mazda 626 GF-series (facelift) and I got 4 pieces for 30 Euro incl. shipping. Two of them have scratches, and another two are perfect!

[ethand]

hey, lookin good there, mate!
just wanted to check, do those handles bolt on straight up, or do they need a little modding?
cheers and good luck with this!!

[Steve_SK]

Hi Ethand,

in this case, this is a direct-fit, no modding needed. That's why I was looking for handles from 626 GF (facelift model with chrome handles in interior). It is model year 2000-2003.

Hope this helps.

[ethand]

awesome, thanks so much! I've looked into the MX-5 ones, but only one wrecker near me had them, and they're not quite a direct fit...
I'll phone around again and see about the 626 handles
Thanks a stack!!

[Steve_SK]

my pleasure let me know if you could get a set, if not, I will search for a set here.

[Steve_SK]

Thanks to my friend Jordan, now I have parts I wanted/needed. I am so happy my MX will get what she deserves.

So here we go:

New disty cap and rotor (Beck Arnley, made in Japan!!)




And here we go!! Electromotors for my electric HVAC conversion, I've been looking for this since 2008 I think, thanks to Jordan my dream comes true! Thank you, Jordan!!


In a week or two, I will start making HVAC conversion, I will upload detailed info and pictures from the whole procedure.

[mikeinaus]

what do you mean HVAC conversion? are you switching to the 94+ button style or making something custom?

[Steve_SK]

yes, i am switching to button (logic-type) HVAC, all within the old-style dashboard.

[Steve_SK]

Today I exchanged disty cap and rotor which I got from Solo_Ryder. I had a lot of smoke coming out of the tailpipe, so I thought it could be disty cap and rotor, since my cables and sparkpugs are new. There's still smoke anyway (when the engine is cold and it's freezing outside), but the smell is veeery different, not that "spicy" for my nose. Maybe I would need another set of wires, but for now I am attaching pictures of old FACET disty cap (2 years old) and old disty rotor (17 years old) .. quiiiite baaad..