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kulluminati777 wrote:About 10 miles from my house we heard a huge bang and clunk under the car like I ran over something and i looked down at the heat gauge and it was on H......

Kinda disapointed that during the test drive that the temp wasn't being monitored.

kulluminati777 wrote:Dan told me the idle was a tad off. so the ECU is making the engine rev up and down "surging" is what its called i guess. It did that when i had first got the ZE in with wagZE but not as bad.

Exactly, if it idles over around 1500rpms, it starts to surge like that.

kulluminati777 wrote:With school coming up I have no time for a POS. I need something that will get me from point A to point B......its not even about point C any more... I dont really care about having a cool, fun car to drive if i never can use it to get where i need to go. Im not going to lie. Swapping in the KLZE was a DISASTER im out alot of ben franks. I know a engine swap is not an nickel and dime operation but come on...its shouldnt of cost this much i have spent a total of almost 5,000 USD and i cant even drive the thing

Especially if you've never done it before (but you had help). I had my parents car while mine was being swapped. You need a back up plan, you never know if your new motor is scrap. It's not a simple endeavor or undertaking to take lightly. Cars a pretty essential.

kulluminati777 wrote:i should have left the K8 in until i found a good ZE that i got from some importer or something.......this engine was in terrible shape. Dan had a LOOOOONG list of things wrong with this thing

That doesn't help, rushing into things doesn't help at all. I gathered my parts over a few months before I was ready (was just missing the KL36 ECU, which came in a few days after)

kulluminati777 wrote:will be the greatest MX-3.com part out in history lol

I'll contest that

In the car, it's not the car's fault, it's poor workmanship. Call it bad luck if you wish, or maybe one of the last straws on the camels back, but

My car's ignition coild decided to go while I was 200km away, just as I went to fire it to leave the campground on the last day (after deciding to spend the afternoon at the beach after packing up) rather than fail while I was nice and close to home. Clutch line colapsed in Wasingston, D.C traffic. On the Xterra 2 years ago, my brand new hydrostatic fan clutch failed and took out my brand new waterpump. Couldn't find the reciept for the clutch but it was cheap, but couldn't warranty the WP cause it was physically damaged. I curced, got the truck towed, arranged a ride to Toronto to finish out day plans, dealt with it and moved on. My new favorite one is 2 weeks before leaving for Xmas leave, my Xterra's front wheel bearing that was replaced in spring disintigrated, and ate the spindle, which cost me $700 to replace everything (plus gas for my cousin for us to get a wrecker spindle an hour a away). s--- happens...

Got a co-worker stressed the heck out this weekend because his g/fs old Mazda3 (his winter beater for his brand new Camaro) needs a new front wheel bearing.

I'm megasquirting the truck this year, and honestly, ya, I'm scared, she's my 365 DD, but I've got expert help up here in Qc, so I'll do it while I have access to that (and only once the 8 on the road for spring; back up plan)

Your modifying a car, there's always the risk. If you need reliability or time to deal with issues, sometimes it's best to leave them until you can later. I've seen it too many times people doing swaps with restricted time frames, that's when things dont' go well.

You can deal with it in many ways. Finish fixing the car (which you may be close and she'll be good, or maybe there's more you'll need to do and get into), or you cut your losses, and buy something else, hoping that that new car isn't a lemon (imagine paying for a 'new' car, than having to spend money on that one after because it's a POS?)

It has been one week and a day now! Update!?!?!

Hope all is well, and if it isn't I know someone who wants that MS spoiler

In all honesty thoe I hope things are going well! No updat thoe makes me feel otherwise thoe :'(

lol i didnt know dan[sac] was on MX3.com........and longer than ive been on. Funny

Yeah thanks for the support and motivation. I mainly write my trials and tribulations here as a type of ``therapy´´ it helps to get some problems off my mind. If i didnt talk about it here this car would already be gone

Yeah nd4spdse rushing things is never good BUT i was led to believe the swap could of happened in 2 days time. I was supposed to do it a week earlier but wagZE had some other stuff he was working on so i had to do it the weekend before school started. if we didnt do it then it would havent of got done until Xmas.

My next rebuild/swap will be WAAAY different. This definitely was
a learning experience that i will not repeat. This engines history is so dodgy its not even funny. The head gaskets were replaced before but i think i already stated that. this power plant only has to last me until im done with school then ill have time to do a full superK type rebuild or ill get another engine and redo that.......take my time just like him and do everything perfect!

Well i am half way into my 2 week challenge. So far its NOT good....kinda


I have been doing alot of home work on probetalk about adjusting the idle and some say the fan trick works some say no use a timing light or it doesnt work and some say that technique is rubbish and i can ONLY do it with the multi meter and feeler gauge....

So i havent touched anything.

I did get my outlaw spacers in the mail see!! I had them on my K8 and really liked the idea of a cooler intake manifold. So i bought another pair as the K8 ones dont work on my ZE...




And i put them on out of boredom yesterday. I plugged everything back in turned it on today and the car is running TERRIBLE....oh wait i forgot to plug in the VAF.......It runs GREAT!!!!!lol

no surging

no idle issue nothing......odd.


It ran perfect all day. Im glad i got rid of that ACT clutch...pulled hard but the judder was soo annoying. Im still getting used to the AWR motor mounts and the Fidanza flywheel but so far so good.

i put a good 30 miles on the car since putting on the spacers and i have no issues. Which leads me to believe the intake gaskets were the issue the entire time but i dont know for sure...we will see after the 2 week challenge

Ok spoke too soon

The car still surges but not that bad or often. Its weird it only does it sometimes after i have been driving around all day. This weekend ill mess with the idle and tps some more then ill give up and take it to a shop. If its more than 100USD (average time for 1 hour of work) then the 2 week challenge is a bust and the car is gone.

Im going to attempt to smog the car tomorrow after school because i just bought a new cat. The car has been in country 3 months and it STILL has no plates

FYI theres like 5 ways to drive a car around with no plates and i have done all of them lol


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I have 5 different SMOG attempts that i will do if one fails ill move to the other. I call it ``ESCALATION OF FORCE´´ Hopefully one of them warrants results

1. new cat and take the KLZE in to smog as is. (tomorrow)
2. K8 manifold + K8 ECU so i can run the EGR on the KLZE that was rigged up to it (if #1. fails)
3. Denatured alcohol in the gas tank (if #2. fails)
4. Beg on my knees because bribes dont work (i tried already)
5. Trade my son for a pass

Also got this photo shop done. I dont know if u guys had seen it of FB or not. i really like it lol

kulluminati777 wrote:Ok spoke too soon

The car still surges but not that bad or often. Its weird it only does it sometimes after i have been driving around all day. This weekend ill mess with the idle and tps some more then ill give up and take it to a shop. If its more than 100USD (average time for 1 hour of work) then the 2 week challenge is a bust and the car is gone.

Yould really part your car out b.c of a surging Idle? Tbh goodluck getting a decent tech not to charge you a flat rate just to look at one of these let alone dust of the manuals and actually get into it. Have to say I'm slightly disappointed if you do.

Im against the ropes bro!

We are looking for something closer to my school but i need to get there everyday so i can graduate top of the class (im a perfectionist like that) and attendance is graded. I need a running car. I already did the calculations. A part out would get me something fairly new off craigslist. Someone was selling a MS protege for 3000. I even had seen a 2009 Mazda6 for 5000. It just stank of smoke and the people selling already had a new car.

Then a nagging wife on top of that who A) hates the car because of all the trouble and B) has to get to work.....you would be doing the same if you were in my shoes


Its a Very tempting route to part out and leave the MX3 community and i mean how much would a mechanic cost? A REAL mechanic (obliviously not me) would have it done in 20 minutes at the most!

Hey Bud, when is exactly is your surging idle thing going on Ie, when braking, operating temp, when you go WOT, etc.

Im having a hell of a time finding it with this head cold I've got but I've got a bit of a hunch of what it might be.

I doubt a part out would get you significant money fast, sure you could pull of bits and pieces that people currentlly have WTBs for but like stuff like your traction control bars, MS wheels and front nose are the kind of things you might need a few weeks to sort out unless its a regional buy, theres also the chance that stuff could get lost in the mail or damaged and then if you've spent a signifcant amount of that money already you might be pooched. A week or two of downtime would be there regardless.

Unplug the IAC, set your TPS/throttle stop screw(multi-meter and feeler gauges, not the ghetto fan method), check that your thermostat isn't stuck closed, and enjoy a butter smooth idle.

If you lived within 100 miles, I'd diagnose and fix it for the cost of gas and a cold beer.

kulluminati777 wrote:Im against the ropes bro!

We are looking for something closer to my school but i need to get there everyday so i can graduate top of the class (im a perfectionist like that) and attendance is graded. I need a running car. I already did the calculations. A part out would get me something fairly new off craigslist. Someone was selling a MS protege for 3000. I even had seen a 2009 Mazda6 for 5000. It just stank of smoke and the people selling already had a new car.

Then a nagging wife on top of that who A) hates the car because of all the trouble and B) has to get to work.....you would be doing the same if you were in my shoes


Its a Very tempting route to part out and leave the MX3 community and i mean how much would a mechanic cost? A REAL mechanic (obliviously not me) would have it done in 20 minutes at the most!

DUDE! I told you I just went through this exact same thing! Just call me and I will help you trouble shoot it. It irritated me on how easy this was to fix.

sounds like your getting closer to the finish line. when did you order those outlaw gaskets? i thought they were closed?

RobMinhas wrote:Hey Bud, when is exactly is your surging idle thing going on Ie, when braking, operating temp, when you go WOT, etc.

Im having a hell of a time finding it with this head cold I've got but I've got a bit of a hunch of what it might be.

I doubt a part out would get you significant money fast, sure you could pull of bits and pieces that people currentlly have WTBs for but like stuff like your traction control bars, MS wheels and front nose are the kind of things you might need a few weeks to sort out unless its a regional buy, theres also the chance that stuff could get lost in the mail or damaged and then if you've spent a signifcant amount of that money already you might be pooched. A week or two of downtime would be there regardless.

The surging is ONLY when im chilling at a light and the car is in neutral. Any other time its mint. Instead of paying a mechanic i think im going to get a multimeter and feeler gauge if this fan trick doesnt pan out when i try it tomorrow.

Also yeah i didnt think about the stuff getting lost and what not. Im getting the meter just because of this thought. Ill keep at it.

MrMazda92 wrote:Unplug the IAC, set your TPS/throttle stop screw(multi-meter and feeler gauges, not the ghetto fan method), check that your thermostat isn't stuck closed, and enjoy a butter smooth idle.

If you lived within 100 miles, I'd diagnose and fix it for the cost of gas and a cold beer.

yeah that would be cool if i had a closer MX3 club like i said before I actually will get a multimeter......

Josh wrote:

DUDE! I told you I just went through this exact same thing! Just call me and I will help you trouble shoot it. It irritated me on how easy this was to fix.

lol I will try and fiddle with it a tad more. You used the fan technique right?

mx3matt wrote:sounds like your getting closer to the finish line. when did you order those outlaw gaskets? i thought they were closed?

yeah close but i wish i could just pass it

I ordered them from there site about a 3 weeks before I heard any word. I thought that they took my money and ran lol. But then i finally got an email and 3 days later they were at my house. So they are still in business. Just business is slow so im sure they only check to see if people ordered something once a month

Ok so just a tad update on my SMOG battle.

I failed again . But the ZE is running alot cleaner then my K8. It has fairly new plugs, wires, fuel filter, catalytic converter and O2 sensors

The ZE is rigged up to use a EGR but i wanted to see if i would pass without one. I didn't pass Emission wise i only had high NOx at 25 mph....I thought the EGR only ran at idle? or is it a all the time thing????

Visually i failed but i have an external coil and HEI. So no news to me. I just thought because I have all my CARB decals they wouldnt care like at my last inspection the smog tech wasnt to worried about that but this one was a little harsh visually. Ill go back the last shop i went too....

My idle is all willy nilly but that is a battle that i am continuing to battle. So no update there

The smog tech said he couldnt check my timing because the car kept cutting off at idle and my PCV was loose and it didnt seal.......well before i took it in there it had no problems but now its all loose. I can pull the thing without even trying so now i have to figure out how to fix that


I also failed the check engine light because im running the KL36 ECU no biggie....... My plan to bypass that is take out the cluster and wire the oil light to the engine light so they come on and go off the same time as usual


I dont understand the High NOx at 25 mph though....

Im going to apply some of the patch ups and go in again before i buy a K8 manifold and switch the ECU´s

Forget the fan "trick", getting that sensor exactly calibrated takes such fine adjustment that the fan method should have never been suggested.

It literally CAN'T get you a perfect setting... That sensor tells the ECU how much throttle you are giving at any given time. Too high and the ECU thinks that you have cruising pressure on the throttle, too low and you can literally be at cruise while the ECU thinks you are idling.

Talk about a nightmare, your fuel maps will be off for your given throttle and RPM, which hurts economy as well as power.

I would only ever recommend the fan method to limp a car home if the TPS fell completely off and you had zero access to the proper tools... A cheap multimeter and feeler gauge can BOTH be had for under $10, and there are numerous guides on this very forum for the correct process. A first timer should be able to do this in 30 minutes, assuming adjustment was way off to begin with...

I hate to rant on and on about this, but the fan method is as ghetto as using superglue in place of gasket maker.

MrMazda92 wrote:Forget the fan "trick", getting that sensor exactly calibrated takes such fine adjustment that the fan method should have never been suggested.

It literally CAN'T get you a perfect setting... That sensor tells the ECU how much throttle you are giving at any given time. Too high and the ECU thinks that you have cruising pressure on the throttle, too low and you can literally be at cruise while the ECU thinks you are idling.

Talk about a nightmare, your fuel maps will be off for your given throttle and RPM, which hurts economy as well as power.

I would only ever recommend the fan method to limp a car home if the TPS fell completely off and you had zero access to the proper tools... A cheap multimeter and feeler gauge can BOTH be had for under $10, and there are numerous guides on this very forum for the correct process. A first timer should be able to do this in 30 minutes, assuming adjustment was way off to begin with...

I hate to rant on and on about this, but the fan method is as ghetto as using superglue in place of gasket maker.

ok then tomorrow after school ill head to the store and get both tools. I also want to invest on a timing light for GP (general purpose)