1992blazeredgs - 1992 MX-3 GS

1992blazeredgs · Post by **1992blazeredgs** » August 2nd, 2006, 7:08 pm

As my user name states i am the proud owner of a 1992 blaze red mx-3 gs. I have owned this car since last summer (2005) but have been an mx-3 owner for almost 4 years now. Everything i know about cars i can attribute to my mx-3. When i first bought my mx-3 i didnt even know how to change the oil in a car. Now i am in the middle of rebuilding a klde that i hope to swap in this winter. Its been quite a jorney over the last four years. In this worklog i want to document my engine build and other mods i have in store for the future.
Here is a picture of my mx-3.

The car is pretty stock for now and that is the way i intend to keep her. I prefer the sleeper look. But on to the fun stuff.
I have dreamed about doing the kl engine swap ever since i first read about it on this site 4 years ago. This past winter i finally decided to make that dream a reality when lakersfan1 offered me a free klde bottom end and all i had to do was drive 2 hours up from school and pick her up. That next weekend I was there, and threw the kl into my trunk and drove back to campus, where i tore her apart in the middle of my room this past February. Here are some pictures of what it looked like when i got it.

All and all it wasnt in that bad of shape. Once i tore her down on the middle of my floor i found the very common spun #6 rod bearing. And it turned out that cylinder #3 was out of round. I knew i had alot of work ahead of me at this point.
I finally saved up some money about 2 months ago and took everything to the local machine shop. I had the block bored .20 over, the crank ground down .01 on the mains, and .02 on the rods. I purchased an engine kit from flatlanderracing and a couple weeks ago started to assemble the motor.
Here are some progress photos that lead up to where i am today.

I will keep this worklog up to date including my swap this winter. I also have been keeping an excel spreadsheet with prices of everything. That i will post later to help out others trying to start their project.

Nate

NorCalMX3 · Post by **NorCalMX3** » August 3rd, 2006, 12:04 am

awsome!!!

1992blazeredgs · Post by **1992blazeredgs** » August 4th, 2006, 9:54 pm

Well it finally cooled down yesterday so i was able to get some real progress done today. I got my front head completely disassembled, cleaned, valves lapped, and its ready to go back together. I am cheap so i did not pay the machine shop $35 bucks a peice to hot tank my heads. Instead i bought a $6 jug of acetone and give her a bath myself.
Here are a couple pictures of the head drying off after her bath of acetone, hot water, and dawn dish soap. I think it turned out pretty good in all the important areas. It left alittle of the stubborn carbon in the exhaust port but i am not really worried about it.

Here is a picture of the valve lapping compound and tools i bought. I should bring it to autozone because when i asked them what isle i could find it in, they had no freaking clue what i was talking about. Nobody in the entire store.

Here is one of what it looks like after valve lapping. I was pretty impressed with how well it works. Lapped on the right, not on the left. Sorry the picture isnt that greatest.

Hopefully this weekend i can get the head together and bolted on the block.

1992blazeredgs · Post by **1992blazeredgs** » August 5th, 2006, 9:00 pm

I got my front head put back together and bolted on the block. I am getting more and more excited at how well it is coming out.

Macen · Post by **Macen** » August 6th, 2006, 12:43 pm

Nice work. I'm looking forward to see some more.

1992blazeredgs · Post by **1992blazeredgs** » August 8th, 2006, 9:09 pm

I got the rear head cleaned up and bolted on the block. Heres a quick picture of what it looks like.

1992blazeredgs · Post by **1992blazeredgs** » October 24th, 2006, 7:30 pm

No real big news since last update. I finally got around to installing my oil pressure gauge this past week. Here is a quick picture. Its an autometer electric gauge. I couldnt find a single gauge pod anywhere online so i took one from a 93-02 camero/firebird that i got off ebay for 6 bucks and cut it to size. All and all i am happy with it. Looks good from the drivers seat, but there is a huge gap behind the gauge that can be seen when looking in from the windshield. But it will do for now.

1992blazeredgs · Post by **1992blazeredgs** » April 4th, 2007, 3:04 pm

Its been a while, but things are finally moving again toward swapping my rebuilt klde into my mx3. I still need to order a few more parts but the first of many came today. Brand new hotshot headers for $250 shipped to my door. I couldnt turn down a deal like that.

More to come soon.

Nate

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » April 4th, 2007, 3:46 pm

Wish I had known you were doing the valve lapping.. but here is a tip for the future.. looks like you did a good job with that.. but.. after you are done lapping any given valve seat.. take a dab of prussian blue oil paint and put a thin coat around the valve face.. then ram the valve home into the head.. then take it back out.

If the valve is seating fully & completely.. the transfer of the prussian blue oil paint will be even all the way around the seat. If the transfer isnt complete.. it will also show you the areas you need to work a bit more on. Just a little trick my uncle taught me

Nice work and good luck

Tunes67

1992blazeredgs · Post by **1992blazeredgs** » April 4th, 2007, 4:00 pm

That is a great tip. Wish i had known about it at the time. It will be interesting to say the least, how this motor runs. First time ever rebuilding and i did it by myself.

Nate

1992blazeredgs · Post by **1992blazeredgs** » April 11th, 2007, 1:04 pm

I picked up this timing kit off ebay for 180 bucks shipped. Pretty good deal since i have seen the kit without tensioner for almost 200 bucks, and mazda wants another 200 bucks for the tensioner.

The List of parts is getting smaller and smaller.
- Fidanze flywheel
- South Bend Clutch (not sure which model yet)
- High flow cat
- Flowmaster muffler

Only 3 more weeks of school until the fun starts and i attempt my first motor swap.

Nate

1992blazeredgs · Post by **1992blazeredgs** » June 3rd, 2007, 1:28 pm

Got my valve covers cleaned up and painted.

cstott282 · Post by **cstott282** » June 5th, 2007, 12:38 pm

nice progress so far keep it up

1992blazeredgs · Post by **1992blazeredgs** » June 18th, 2007, 6:09 pm

Fidanza flywheel and stainless steel clutch line.

South Bend Rally Series Stage 1 clutch and pressure plate

Got my intake manifold hot tanked and than i sprayed it black. I think it will look awesome once its on the motor with my valve covers.

If all goes well my k8 is coming out this weekend.

Nate

1992blazeredgs · Post by **1992blazeredgs** » June 24th, 2007, 9:57 am

Before

12 hours, 6 broken bolts, and a broken socket later.....

All and all it was amazingly simple to remove. I only hope putting my new motor back in goes just as smooth.