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Guys, could really use your advice...

Recently got my '93 V6, with no history.
Approaching 70K miles and want to get a service done ASAP.
Have booked it into a Mazda dealer for next Monday, but haven't got €/$/£1Million to spend!

Obviously I'm getting the oil and oil filter changed, air filter, coolant changed and timing belt done, but what else is important?

Not sure what else has been done, the only thing I can see is that there is a date stamp of 1998 on the plug leads, so I must assume the have been changed sometime between 1998 and 2003 (when the lst owner got the car).
I plan to get the brake fluid, power steering fluid and transmission fluid changed H1 2006, but could stretch the budget to get them done now if they were vital.

Your expert advice would be much appreciated as it should save me money and keep the car running!

Timing belt
Water Pump
Timing belt tensioners
(while you have it disassembled- then do the front main crank seal too)
Fuel Filter
Valve cover gaskets
PCV valve
Spark plugs & wires



Nice find, BTW!

Hate to differ from what Perry sais cause he is our club president, but I'd skip on the timing tensioners to save a penny. Second penny to save would be to use a good mechanic instead of Mazda, but our choice. Other than the timing tensioners I'd say Perry has a good list of things to replace to get a good start on making sure the car is ok. I'd also run some fuel system cleaner after you get it back. Changing the brake fluid and power steering fluid is easy, so I'd save that for a weekend project for yourself. Also a radiator flush is a good idea and again easy enough to do yourself. Do it as soon as you get the car back from the service so that you get any crappy build-up before it breaks the new water pump.


Great find and good luck with the car.

if its an automatic change the transmission fluid, and requently. Sorry to jack the thread, but just out of curiosity is the 1.8 v6 an interference engine?

PATDIESEL wrote:Hate to differ from what Perry sais cause he is our club president, but I'd skip on the timing tensioners to save a penny. Second penny to save would be to use a good mechanic instead of Mazda, but our choice. Other than the timing tensioners I'd say Perry has a good list of things to replace to get a good start on making sure the car is ok. I'd also run some fuel system cleaner after you get it back. Changing the brake fluid and power steering fluid is easy, so I'd save that for a weekend project for yourself. Also a radiator flush is a good idea and again easy enough to do yourself. Do it as soon as you get the car back from the service so that you get any crappy build-up before it breaks the new water pump.


Great find and good luck with the car.

I didnt necessarily mean to absolutley change them.. just check them to make sure they are still good, and if they need replacing, then thats the time to do it. Thats all.

If you go with Pat's advice you can also save big $ on a timing belt kit . The're selling for $162.00 & free shipping! Madza will probably charge this price for 1 idler pulley. The kit is available from most online parts suppliers.

Kit Content: KL01-12-205 (BELT); KLY2-12-SJ0 (TENSIONER); KL01-12-740 (LOWER/I DLER); KL01-12-730 (UPPER/IDLER).

Good luck.

BTW the 1.8 is not an interference engine. Believe me, I had my left cam pulley shred the knock pin and no problem!

FlyVFR wrote:If you go with Pat's advice you can also save big $ on a timing belt kit . The're selling for $162.00 & free shipping! Madza will probably charge this price for 1 idler pulley. The kit is available from most online parts suppliers.

Kit Content: KL01-12-205 (BELT); KLY2-12-SJ0 (TENSIONER); KL01-12-740 (LOWER/I DLER); KL01-12-730 (UPPER/IDLER).

Good luck.

BTW the 1.8 is not an interference engine. Believe me, I had my left cam pulley shred the knock pin and no problem!

That's the kit I got when I did my ZE swap, was about $200 CDN

bulaian, it's good deal. I think I'm going to buy a spare kit to keep on hand for next change in about 2 or 3 years.

Thanks guys.

Patdiesel, appreciate what you've said about using a non-Mazda mechanic, but I simply don't trust mechanics in Ireland - they are all cowboys, and more used to fixing farm tractors then V6s!

BTW if any Irish owners know of a good independent mechanic that would know a K8 pretty well then please let me know.

petekav wrote:Patdiesel, appreciate what you've said about using a non-Mazda mechanic, but I simply don't trust mechanics in Ireland - they are all cowboys, and more used to fixing farm tractors then V6s!

Yeah. Like U.S. mechanics are any good. They all b---- about how hard it is to work on a fuel injected car, when fuel injection's been standard on everything for the last 20 years. Then they have no idea what's broken, and just throw money at the problem ..... starting with the most expensive part first .... all the while keeping your car at thier shop for over a month.

Another side not. Check over all suspension and make sure nothing is worn out. ASll bolts are tight also maybe get it oil sprayed or undercoated. Winter is almost here and you don't want it to rust. Maybe get an alignmnet if it pulls to one side or anything.

John

I can relate to what petekav is saying. From experience, if I had to do the timing belt job and I had known what I know know about the shop that did the work I would have gladly done it myself or even bring it to Mazda dealer instead. Not a good idea to simply bring it to any local repair shop.

Lakersfan1, a few of the local shops nearby my town remind me of that old AAMCO Television ad that contrasts their professional services to that of a typical inexperienced local repair shop as a junior mechanic utters and I quote: "OH.. let me do it boss...I always wanted to fix a transmission!" LOL ..Funny, but disappointingly true.

On the other hand, I am confident that there are some good mechanics out there and even a few who really care about the car as much as the owner does. I just got to find one now.

Car is staying with the Mazda dealer for an extra day; it obviously loves it there!

So far I've had the all the belts done, the plugs and filters.
Tomorrow sees a new CV joint, and all the fluids.

Am not looking forward to the bill...

But you are looking forward to Zoom...Zoom... Right