just bought a mx3....first car EVER!

mycarhatesme · Post by **mycarhatesme** » September 6th, 2005, 5:11 pm

i bought this 1992 mx3 1.6L 5spd. 185000kms

i bought it off an old lady i know, only owner.

i paid 2500 for it.

so anyways....i got a compression test done on my cooling system today and it held 15 psi for about 30 mins, then it dropped to 13psi. obviously im leaking something green outta the bottom of my car when this happend. my temperature guage is reading ok while i drive which is the strange part to me, however, im no car genious, just learning and enjoying it till today.

the mechanic i used told me it would cost 700 bucks to put in a new water pump and timing belt. he said i have to do my timing belt because it has rad fluid on it and it will slip. i just got off the phone with NAPA and they told me it would cost 100.35 for a brand spanking new water pump.

id like to install this water pump myself, since im loving this ride, i really wanna learn.

after saying all that, my question...... is it safe to do this myself? do i need to change the timing belt like the mechanic says? is paying 700 bucks insanly over priced?

any help will be much appreciated, i love this forum, ive been using it to do everything to my car. everyone here seems to love their mazda as much as me, so i made this account. just wanted to say to whoever made this site, good on ya!!! keep it up.

mycarhatesme · Post by **mycarhatesme** » September 6th, 2005, 5:54 pm

that was my first post btw, and if im doing something wrong, please someone tell me.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » September 6th, 2005, 6:19 pm

you dont have to change your belt. now it really depends on the last time it was changed. if you know thats great, if not it might be a good idea to do so since you have it apart. but the water pump is fairly easy to change. you have to pull your belts off and your timming belt idler pullys and your good to go at the pump. but seriously 700 bucks. i cant beleave shops get away with charging so much. 400 maybe 500 i could see. but not 700. for 700 you could get yourself a BP (1.8L) motor from japan. and have someone install it for a couple hundred more, or give it a go for yourself, and have 130 hp motor.

mycarhatesme · Post by **mycarhatesme** » September 6th, 2005, 6:57 pm

josh, thanks for the response, ive been crowded around my monitor waiting for someone to respond.

i live in a small town, and i dont know anyone. there is a CT and a small shop, and the guy at the small shop tried to charge me 50 bucks for a oil change, so i never went back. i dont think he liked my mazda as it is one of only two in town.

i took my car to canadian tire, and they gave me the quote of just under 700. it was like 680 so close enough.

i got the water pump today from NAPA for 100.35.

i havent changed a water pump before, but, im looking forward to trying it.

How would i know if my timing belt is needing a change?

GregoryChristian · September 6th, 2005, 8:55 pm

I would change the Timing belt anyway , since you have to remove the water pump

mycarhatesme · Post by **mycarhatesme** » September 6th, 2005, 9:05 pm

k, im so new to the world of mazda, *cough* i mean cars...but im a quick leaner if i enjoy what im doing, and i love working on my car even though i swear and stuff... my town (listowel, ontario) has no material to read about my mx3, so i have been using this website for most of my problem solving, its been super accurate. some of the users really do have knowledge and some like myself, not so much.

can u tell mazda has me pumped up lol? i feel like im writting a novel

if anyone can post how to change the timing belt, or at least a small guide to help me along the way, im gonna have it tomorrow, so any help would be awesome!

i got a 92 rs sohc 1.6 with ac if that makes any difference at all.

ccreech · Post by **ccreech** » September 6th, 2005, 9:51 pm

I am sure that someone more in tune with the 4 banger can give you a good walk through but there is a great resource on the main page of this website. It is a Mx-3 Shop Manual. That will give you all the info you need at your finger tips so that you don't have to set up your monitor on the roof of your car.

http://www.mx-3.com/index.cfm#

mycarhatesme · Post by **mycarhatesme** » September 6th, 2005, 10:33 pm

good on ya! thanks.

mycarhatesme · Post by **mycarhatesme** » September 6th, 2005, 10:39 pm

since im posting stuff, may as well ask this too....

when i shift from 1st to 2nd, i hear a clunk, i kinda notice the shifting seems to be far spread. any way to tighten this up? and that clunking noise....is that just me spanking my beast into 2nd gear too hard?

mxmaz · Post by **mxmaz** » September 6th, 2005, 10:51 pm

Clunking could be a lot of things. Ball joints, sway bar end links, tie rod ends, just to name a few. As for your shifter, pick up new shifter bushings and it will be like new. They are only a few bucks from the dealer or you could get aftermarket ones on srdperformance.com

ccreech · Post by **ccreech** » September 7th, 2005, 8:35 am

The clunking could also be a bad motor mount. I would guess that this is your problem. The shifter bushings that mazda sells are $25.00 and will break again in no time...Oh and that's $25 if you only buy one set. There are two points that require them...where your shift lever connects to the shift linkage and where the shift linkage connects to the transmission. While you are down there it is a good idea to change "the bushing Mazda never wanted you to change" The third link bushing. SRD is deffinately the way to go. $50 bucks for crappy plastic with no third link VS $37.50 Bronzoil bushings and $24.00 more for the third link. The only disadvantage of SRD is a little more vibration in the shifter when at idle. But you would have to expect that...its metal not a mushy rubber or plastic piece.

This is what my motor mount looked like when I did my swap. If you feel your car jerk a little bit when you hear the knock...it is probably the mount...if not is is probably suspension related.

mycarhatesme · Post by **mycarhatesme** » September 7th, 2005, 1:32 pm

mxmaz wrote:Clunking could be a lot of things. Ball joints, sway bar end links, tie rod ends, just to name a few. As for your shifter, pick up new shifter bushings and it will be like new. They are only a few bucks from the dealer or you could get aftermarket ones on srdperformance.com

i re-did my end links, rod ends, sway bar, and three ball joints, that 4th one better not be going on me, or i'll be raising a little hell. not having a lift at home sucks. ill buy those shifter bushings....this is all so overwhelming....i need a book.

mycarhatesme · Post by **mycarhatesme** » September 7th, 2005, 1:34 pm

short shifter???? reccommended in the mx3??? anyone got any bad stories to tell, or good ones? and how would i change it myself?...i really need a book...

ccreech · Post by **ccreech** » September 7th, 2005, 2:33 pm

Sure, You can put a shorter shifter in anything. I put a Pacesetter Adjust-a-ball in mine from corksport and it sits super low. I love it. No problems whatsoever.

Some people complain that a short shifter makes, the shifter problem that mazda's have, occur faster. (The problem is that the shifter falls down through the floorboard until it rests on the exhaust...or the ground. Fixed here) I think it eventually happens no matter what. Especially the way some people drive

Guilty!

<---------------------shifter-----Transmission----------------->

This should give you a good idea of the bushings. the nut that you see on that bracket is one location for bushings and at the other end of the shift linkage is where the other set goes...Where there shifter attaches.

mycarhatesme · Post by **mycarhatesme** » September 7th, 2005, 4:48 pm

your short shifter looks WAY RAD!!!!! i want that in my ride EXACTLY the same. i bet its great not having to hit your passengers knee when u shift into 5th lol...cause i know my shifter is so long, it feels like im driving a standard school bus sometimes....sorry if i sound dumb, im high lol.