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I've done a bit of searching on here and I've found numerous posts about engine swaps. I was however wondering if the KL engines in the newer 626's (98-02) would fit in our cars with the same changes that would be done with the 93-97 engines. I can find a lot of the newer engines with very low mileage. So I was hoping that someone knew if this was an option. I have no problem getting an older one but I thought if I could get my hand on one of the newer ones, then why not. So can I do this swap as easily as the older engines or is this just a pipe dream?

They're just as compatible as OBDII motors, maybe the IM won't fit though because it is beefier than the earlier KL IM.

Yes. The KLG4 motor will fit. Check fowljesse's worklog, he has the KLG4 IM on his car. hppdwn has a boosted KLG4 motor in his car (at least I think he still does). It fits, you should search probetalk though to make sure you can get a disty on the motor or how to use the coilpacks that are provided on the motor.

Great. Thats nice to hear. I'll have to check out FJ's worklog. Gotta love the research part of all of this. I guess I should go over to probetalk. I've floated around a bit on there but not actually that much. This is actually a project my father and I are going to work together on. Now to just go searching for everything I need.

Now does anyone have an idea of where I could find a MS08 Curved neck square port manifold?

Get one off a KL Millenia, I've seen plenty in junkyards. But why would you need one?

I think I'd just prefer the curved neck actually. Its not a big deal but it would just work easier with the rest of the set up I already have. This will be my first swap.

Anyone have any suggestions?

You can get a curved neck off a KL millenia or look on PT or wherever, they are always up for sale. KLG4 is the kind of DE motors.

The KLG4 has oval ports, so you'd have to port match a Millenia IM. If you were to do that much work to a G4 IM, you'd get more power than the curve-neck, and could still easily fit a strut bar, even with pheno spacers (which you HAVE to put on). I personally really hope you do the G4 swap. If you put high compression pistons in it, and do some porting, you'd be my hero (and get the power of a ZE)!

It would also make a powerful boost motor because of the solid lifters

Drool..I forgot about the solid lifters.

They must be a PITA to shim tho. The HLA's aren't really a problem unless you're running crazy cams/rpms though.

I'm still mapping out what motor I want to get to build up a solid yet cheap boosted kl.

Imported curve neck is only $600 or so...clean engine, might not hafta do bearings. Would still need to pick up DE cams to get reground, and sell ZE cams. Comes w/ ZE disty which can be sold for $100, plus curve neck mani which can also be sold for 100 (since I have 2 others). Cost is now $400. Sell pistons/rods for more money, unknown.

Junkyard DE from probe/mx6 - 150-200. Would most likely want to get bearings, probably can't sell much from motor. Would need to be hot tanked.

626 klg4 - $200 - solid lifters, so possibly little valvetrain work (don't know the specs). Coil packs are a big plus, as is the better manifold (once you port it). Still need to get cams reground, and probably have engine hot tanked.

Well apparently the KLG4 cams have close to the same spec as a kl01 cam.. the cam lookd alot different to, the lobes are tapered at the top

Actually one of the main points about the engine was the solid litters and the ignition coils. Even if this build takes a while I really want to put in a good effort. I'll most likely dismantle the whole thing myself and give it a good washdown. That's when the slow rebuild will start. I know I won't be able to do it all myself for simple lack of tools. I do however want to see how far I can go myself. I've done a little searching on probetalk and the 626 forum to see what everyone else has done. I think I'm more looking forward to the engine rebuild than what it will do after. Don't get me wrong, I'm totally going to jump up the compression ratio and such. Keeping it N/A. I'm sure big numbers could be achieved but I want usable horsepower. This is after all my winter car.

It's nice in the fact that I worked for Mazda for a while. I can still go back in anytime and chat with everyone. My old boss has been with Mazda for 26 ish years. He said he's actually looking forward to watching me do it. If I need I can always take it into the shop there and work on it. For the immediate future I'm just going to be buying the engine in spring ( for the record a new 2002 626 engine is $11,000 CDN) and then start ripping it apart.

I actually just got into paramedics (from autobody to the human body) and work shift work. 5 days on 5 days off. This way I can really get into it for a couple days without distraction. I've found a couple engines but still need to wait till spring. Hopefully even more will show up by then.

As much as I love my K8 and would love to keep it, economically to get it rebuilt and to find all the pieces for it is insane. Way more options with the KLDE. Personally I'd have loved to supercharged it but with the tiny engine bay I figured this could be a bit more fun. Now I just have to figure out that megasquirt stuff. Lol

With that knowledge, and shop available, you can do something great with it! For a winter car, you'd better put a LSD in. I wish I could help on the project. If I could, I'd take a KLG4 engine, and shave the heads for higher compression, that way you don't add rotating weight. You'd have to have adjustable cam pulleys. The G4 crank is lighter, too, so putting on Higher compression pistons would throw off the balance a little.... not enough to be bad, but with the right balance, you can rev higher.
Good luck, and please keep a worklog

Some good info on KLG4 Cranks:

http://forums.probetalk.com/showthread. ... klg4+crank

I love how there is a guy in that thread who is is all like "So, my buddy has this crank this HAS to be why he beats me in races" he says it like 5 times and almost everyone just ignors him... lmao. Tool. Maybe he just sucks at driving.