learn alphabet soup, what should i fix, or give up and sell?

[scorpio_vette]

Please Remember that this is my first import, and my first "weird engine" (camshafts belong down in the dungeon, not inside the valve cover. WTF???) that i've contemplated working on.

The Problem I have is a 92 mx3 1.8L manual trans

1) can you guys give me a crash course on your alphabet soup please??? I've been trying to search and read and search and read on every problem i'm having with this car, and I can only seem to understand half of what i'm reading, because the rest of it looks like a bunch of kids texting each other with acronyms. Please explain to me all this DE, ZE, BP, ADD, ADHD, FAA, FBI, CIA, ETC stuff. I'm pretty sure you're talking about car or engine stuff, but I can't seem to figure it out.

2) my car smokes. if it's been sitting a couple days, overnight, or right after decelerating via engine braking. so it's gotta be valve stem seals, or rings.

3) I currently don't have a job, already paid $900 to much for this damn car and had to put replace the rear pads/rotors/calipers, both cv-axles and fluid changes, and it STILL needs 2 tires, 4 wheel bearings/hubs, drivers window switch, seat belt, rear window motor, valve cover and intake gasket, AND now apparently it needs either a engine re-seal, overhaul or replacement, and I only have about $200 left before I'm COMPLETELY broke, and still don't have a car I can drive my son around in.

4) based on reading this forum for all the things mentioned in #3, I've figured out that the 1.8L engine seems to be the bastard child that nobody wants, and swaps for something else that is probably encrypted in that alphabet soup that I can't understand. Can you give me a ballpark figure on what one of these swaps would cost ($100-500, $500-1,000, $1,000+???)???

5) Any advice that you guys can offer to help me out, because I've barely had this car a week, and so far have spend more on this car than I have on the last 4 vehicles that I got for FREE, have spend more time under it, than actually inside of it, and am seriously considering putting it up on craigslist and cutting my losses. I have been looking forward to owning a tuner for a long time, and I'm so sick of this thing already that I'm not sure I ever want anything to do with tuners or front wheel driver cars ever again.

6) also wanted to ask: i've replaced valve stem seals on chevy V8's, Jeep 4.0L straight 6cylinders, and helped a friends with their fords, and those things are EASY to work on, because you just take off the valve cover, and everything is right there. hell my 3 year old could replace valve stem seals on one of those engines. But how the hell are you supposed to replace valve stem seals on these twisted, upside-down-inside-out engines with the camshaft in the wrong place??? If i understand correctly, i have to remove all the timing chain/belt stuff, then remove the camshafts that are for some reason in the wrong place, and then i'm supposed to somehow managed to compress the valve springs and remove the keepers that are INSIDE of a metal cave??? I looked at some pictures that somebody posted on this forum of their heads, and as best as I can tell, I would have to pull out my 4" angle grinder and a cut off wheel to remove all the metal from around the valve springs just to get at them................so...................is there a writeup or something detailing how it's actually done, cuz just looking at those pics, i lost any and all ambition of even wanting to open this motor, let alone trying to fix it.

7) what the hell is with these ungodly ridiculous prices for parts??? first nobody has anything in stock. then it seems that almost every single part starts at $100 and goes up from there (hell on the damn jeeps i don't think any of the parts cost more than $20-40). the only way that I was able to afford to fix as much as I have so far is by buying the cheapest crap I could find on ebay. I mean hummer and chevy 3500 heavy duty cv axles are only $80, but everybody wants over $100+ for these little remote control toy axles. WTH???


sorry for the rant, but i had so much fun driving this hooptie home, and was looking forward to putting many miles on it, and now i really don't think i want this thing anymore. I think i'd almost rather just get me another jeep or V8 truck and not drive anywhere anymore because I can't afford gas. But at least i know how to fix it, and parts are available, cheap and affordable.

[MrMazda92]

Sorry to say it, but I don't currently have the time to go into great detail here...

Firstly, you'll NEED to remove your cylinder heads to get to the valve stem seals.
Once you've done this... Refer to this video for valvetrain dis-assembly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G5v8i0DnBI

As for part purchases... If you're stateside, look for parts from a Ford Probe GT(2.5l V6), it's basically the same engine, and MANY parts will cross over.

These cars aren't "easy" next to domestics or Hondas, but they're well worth the added effort in the garage. If you like the car, watch and learn.. search and read.

Acronyms:
TB = Throttle Body
STS = Short Throw Shifter
IM = Intake Manifold
TPS = Throttle Position Sensor
DE = KLDE, the North American 2.5l V6 made by Mazda, found in various 626, MX-6, Ford Probe vehicles
"ZE" = KLZE, Japanese spec 2.5l V6, slight differences in heads, pistons, IM configuration.
G4 = KLG4, 1998-2002 "KLDE" replacement for the Mazda 626 only.
There's also a DE/ZE hybrid, if you will, sold only in the Mazda Millenia. Not the S trim, that's a KJ 2.3l Miller cycle engine...

Hopefully that clears up a few things for you, I'm sorry to keep it short and blunt.

[Daninski]

OK, go to the auto parts store and buy a bottle or two of that engine stop smoking additive. Friend of mines car was puffing the blues big time. He added two cans and smoking stopped. This will get you going for the time being. Next problem.

[Nd4SpdSe]

First, you're expecing a car that you got for $900 to not need work? Kinda high expectations, it's doable, but you need to do much searching and get lucky. Personally it sounds like you jumped too quick on that car and didn't look at the big picture on what it needs before you bought it. Not sure what you knew at the time or not, but if your finances are that tight, you need to reseach and inspect better. Could of been in a rush for the need for a car, but I've seen it all too often that rushing into the purchase of a car endeding up being something that the person regretted. Could of maybe found one for $1300 that needed little to no work, maybe even one of those rare gems. Personally, for the work that it sounds like it needs, she'd be worth like $500.

It's a Mazda, you can't compare parts to those of especially a Jeep. My old boss used to laught at the price of my stablilzer links on my Mx-3 compared to his same year Cavalier, his were about 1/5 the price. I replaced mine once in the 9 years I owned my car, he replaced his every 2 years....Same on my Xterra vs the others. Could be like a Jimmy/Blazer, replacing ball joints every year or so on a stock stuck, while some guys are running stock ball joints on their Xterra/Frontier with it lifted and have over 250'000k on their truck. Price vs Quality depends. In the short term on being limited on a budget and need to get you car on the road, price hurts, but in the long run, for reliability, and when you don't have the money to fix stuff, and stuff doesn't break, it's nice too.

Ya, the 1.8 is thrown out pretty quick, but the 2.5 is cheaper, more power and more available, so why not? 1.8's were only available in Mx-3's, so because the motors are more scarse, they charge more for them, not realising that the 2.5 bolts in like stock.

KLDE motors run for around $200-$300. From your local Mx-6/Probe/626 w/165hp or the Millenia w/170hp
KLZE motors must be gotten from importers and make 198hp, they run for around $800+

Remember that they squeezed a V6 into a car, smallest v6 at the time, when most were still using 4cyls of the same displacement in the same class. It's a tight fit, but there's much worse out there. They're designed to be compact. It's easier to do something your familiar with. Guaranteeed there's some people ou thtere that could do with their K8 what you could with your Jeep and do in with their eyes closed, and once they'd look at your Jeep motor, complain in a similar fashion.

[fowljesse]

I'll try to go through the abbreviations. It took me a little while to catch on.
DE is short for KLDE, which is the 2.5 liter version of your engine, and is directly swappable into your car.
ZE is short for KLZE, also a swappable 2.5 liter, but higher horsepower.
CAI = cold air intake
IAC = Idle air control
BP is a 4 cylinder engine.
IM = intake maniford
VRIS variable resonance intake system. It works like a trumpet to change the intake runner length, to even the torque curve.
I'll think of more later. If you have others, and Google doesn't help, post them up.

[scorpio_vette]

First, you're expecing a car that you got for $900 to not need work? Kinda high expectations, it's doable, but you need to do much searching and get lucky. Personally it sounds like you jumped too quick on that car and didn't look at the big picture on what it needs before you bought it. Not sure what you knew at the time or not, but if your finances are that tight, you need to reseach and inspect better. Could of been in a rush for the need for a car, but I've seen it all too often that rushing into the purchase of a car endeding up being something that the person regretted. Could of maybe found one for $1300 that needed little to no work, maybe even one of those rare gems. Personally, for the work that it sounds like it needs, she'd be worth like $500.


Ya, the 1.8 is thrown out pretty quick, but the 2.5 is cheaper, more power and more available, so why not? 1.8's were only available in Mx-3's, so because the motors are more scarse, they charge more for them, not realising that the 2.5 bolts in like stock.

KLDE motors run for around $200-$300. From your local Mx-6/Probe/626 w/165hp or the Millenia w/170hp
KLZE motors must be gotten from importers and make 198hp, they run for around $800+

Remember that they squeezed a V6 into a car, smallest v6 at the time, when most were still using 4cyls of the same displacement in the same class. It's a tight fit, but there's much worse out there. They're designed to be compact. It's easier to do something your familiar with. Guaranteeed there's some people ou thtere that could do with their K8 what you could with your Jeep and do in with their eyes closed, and once they'd look at your Jeep motor, complain in a similar fashion.

Again, sorry for the rant. Just got kinda overwhelmed. I understand, that for $900 i won't get a mint car, and wasn't expecting such. I did go over the car and look at things for a bit, but mostly saw what I know not to be a "big deal" on almost every other vehicle i've owned such as valve cover leaks, bad tires, etc..etc.. all things that i could take care of over time. I always tell people to expect to spend upwards to $300+ on maintenance/repairs on top of the purchase price, so I was expecting that. And realistically, I haven't really put much into it. the brakes and CV-axle, are almost a must for every used purchase in my opinion.

It was the smoking+lack of knowledge/understanding of these cars+confusing of cams inside the valve cover+reading that I have to remove timing+dwindling repair funds, that ended up putting me in a panic.

I'll have to start doing some research and learning on the 2.5L swap for down the road. with me doing all the work, and your price (i understand that's ballpark) of $200-300, that actually sounds doable.

Again, you're right, I was panicking due to the lack of knowledge and understand of this "new type" of engine to me. I'm sure that if I spend enough time around them, I'll end up feeling just as comfortable around them as I do my Jeep 4.0L engines (still wish there was more space under the hood though. LOL)


Will post up later with some parts pics, questions and some work i've done today.

[MrMazda92]

Underhood space is a killer. I took a look at a friends Chevy Silverado today, and almost keeled over seeing how easily you could remove ANYTHING in that bay. I fixed a KLZE exhaust leak last week, and it took way too long to drop the downpipes from the exhaust manifolds, to replace a few studs.

Looking in his Truck, it would've taken about 5 minutes total. I love my MX-3, but I do miss my big, noisy, bulletproof Suburban sometimes. Sucker made it 215,000 miles, and the tranny went kaboom. New tranny, ~230,000 miles before it left the family, and I still see it driving around from time to time. People run their mouths about domestic cars and durability... Typically they're the people that abuse their cars from day one. A Honduh will outlast a domestic any day, if you don't change the oil, clean the air filter, lube the suspension, or fix things when they break. No wonder domestics get a bad rap, so many people are excessively lazy, I can't imagine it being any other way!