Project O-Ren - Now road worthy!

[Beccabob593]

This is my first post and I am on my iphone so please excuse me if I have mistakes on here.

I just bought a 92 Mazda Mx-3 with what I thought was a K8-ZE. The guy that sold it to me says it has a blown head gasket. After I got it I did tons of research and got a head gasket set and everything. Then I start to fix it and I have a sneaking suspicion that it's actually a KF. My boyfriend texted the guy that sold it to me and the guy said he made a mistake and it is either a KF or a KL.

Here is my question if it is in fact a KF how screwed am I in finding a replacement gasket? I searched on here and someone was saying that you could just customize a K8 gasket. Could that work or is that too risky to do? I can't say if it is a DE or a ZE because I am still confused as to how you can tell the difference. I keep reading different things from different people.

[Daninski]

Here ya go, this is in our FAQ section. http://www.mx-3.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=56280

[Inodoro Pereyra]

Hey Becca. Welcome!

If you can, post some pics of the engine. They may help others to identify it, if you can't.

[Beccabob593]

Yeah I skimmed the FAQ before and I didn't look at that KL topic because I highly doubt it is a KL. It has KF01 cams. Here is a pic. I looked at the manifold for hours and went to that barry clark site before and I know it isn't a KL manifold. I have a K8 throttle body. Thanks for the replies btw.

[Inodoro Pereyra]

I've never seen a KF manifold, but that looks like the K8 manifold to me...

I think the easiest way for you to find out would be to look for the engine number, and call the Mazda dealership. They should be able to tell you.

[Beccabob593]

That is a very good idea! I will probably call them this weekend. I am hoping it is a K8 with KF cams just because I already have the head gasket for a K8. I was reading that site that has all the manifolds and the Lantis Type R looks a lot like the K8 apparently. My cylinder heads say K81A1. My fingers are crossed.

[Inodoro Pereyra]

Hmmm...didn't know that.

I would think that, especially if the guy paid a mechanic to do the job, the mechanic won't pay extra to get the engine from an importer, when he can get the engine for peanuts at a junkyard. If that's the case, AFAIK, there are no KF powered cars if the US, so you should have either a K8 or a KL, and if your heads are K8, I think you should be ok.

Either way, let us know how it goes.

[Beccabob593]

Oh I will. I know I will need some help if it is a KF for sure. The guy that sold it to me said that it was imported straight from Japan.

[Mnemonic]

if it is a kf engine, you are going to have some problems getting headgaskets, its going to be faster to have them custom made here in the states (SO DO NOT THROW YOUR OLD ONES AWAY OR DAMAMGE THEM). When I rebuilt my KF it took 3 months to get the headgaskets from Japan...

[Beccabob593]

I never thought to get custom ones. I will have to google it. I have been googling all day. If it is a KF why would someone swap the throttle body to a K8?

[Mnemonic]

if it is a kf then the only reason I can see swapping to a k8 TB is called Laziness. Chances are the mechanic just took the IM from the k8 and TB and parts connected (sans fuel rails) and just swapped it over.

[Beccabob593]

Ugh lazy people shouldn't work on cars. I am going to know for sure if it is a KF this weekend and I will update. I hope that throttle body doesnt mess up the performance of the car.

[Inodoro Pereyra]

I doubt it. It's not like the performance of both engines is so different anyways.
Sometimes is not about laziness, but about money. Some people will sell you the whole engine, while others will specify what's included and what's not. Here in Miami, for example, our local "U Pick" junkyard sells, as the "engine", the whole engine without the intake manifold, headers, accessories, flywheel, or mounts. So, an "engine" will cost you about $150, but if you get the IM and TB, it's more than $300.
As per the engine being "imported directly from Japan", yeah, they all are made in Hiroshima, as far as I know.

[Beccabob593]

I think that guy really didn't know what he was talking about but I don't mind where it came from. I just want it to be something I can work with.

[Beccabob593]

The head bolts have to be replaced don't they. Oh my life. This poor mx-3. It has been treated so bad. There are dings all over the body and oil all in the manifold and all over the engine. Poor O-Ren.