Dark_Rider's Worklog- 1992 MX3 BP Swap Journal (Swap done!!)

[Dark_Rider2k3]

yeah when my stuff was stolen they went through my hatch.. broke the lock and everything.

My setup is actually not bad right now!

Last August I fixed up my setup and it's now the following:

Alpine CDA-9856 head unit
Rockford Fosgate Amp
Dual 12" Memphis subs
Q-Logic dual sub enclosure
Soundstorm F4.400 400 watt/4 channel amp
PowerBass front speakers/tweeters





Since I don't really "blast" the bass, the subs work fine for me. Nothing insane, but it's noticeable. The speakers/tweeters though are just great! I don't have the rear speakers hooked up.. I am still deciding if I want to use them, and if so, if I want to have them on the sides of the back on the trim (another mx'er did that but not sure who..)

[Dark_Rider2k3]

I must admit, it's pretty funny when I re-read my thread, to see how big a car n00b I was a year ago!

My parts list has changed so much and it's mainly from learning and realizing that I don't need to go overboard. If I want to, I can do that at a later date....

So, here is my 99% complete Parts list. I say 99% because I never know if I'm forgetting something...

BP Engine- about $500-600 I paid for it from Pauleatstoomcuh
Kia Sephia Trans, Axles, Intermediate Shaft, and Mounts: $400 (smoke187)
MTX Pedal Assembly, Master/Slave cylinder, lines: $80 (Ryan)
BP ECU (also came with new door trim and V6 Alternator): $300 (Trevo)
Change control rod, extension bar, ball seats, etc.. : $60 (junkyard)
BP Engine harness, MTX dash/ecu harness, Driver PW switch: $100 (Ryan)
Rings, Bearings, Timing kit, Water pump, gaskets, HLA's: $450 (SuperK) (price is w/out shipping)

A few parts above are still pending transactions... here is the list of parts I am going to get afterwords:

Engine oil
Gear Oil
Antifreeze
NGK Spark plugs and plug wires
Distributor, Cap, and Rotor
RTV Silicone Sealant
Some vaccuum hose
Serpentine Belts
Spec 2+ clutch kit
OEM Flywheel


I think that's it! Though if you see something i missed please let me know haha!

Hopefully this list will help someone else out thinking of doing the swap.

[Dark_Rider2k3]

Just decided to upload a few pics of my car since the snow melted and I got the car washed!

[Dark_Rider2k3]

Well today Ryan shipped out my first set of parts:

BP MTX Engine Harness
Short-Throw-Shifter
Driver's Side power window switch

Those will be in soon so thanks to him!!

I also went to a new junkyard today that I had not been to. Had a mint MX-3 4cyl! I didn't get to see if it has the linkage on it.. hopefully it does so that I can take it off it.. It had the shifter boot/knob, and it was attached to the shifter, but the shifter was not connected to anything, and I couldn't really pull the shifter off =/ (and the shifter boot/knob wouldn't come off because the shifter was free spinning around). I also left my tools in the truck, so i didn't feel like running back to get 'em.. I'll either go there next week, or go to this one junkyard that has about 3 MX-3's and see what they got as well.

The car also had a mint sunroof on it. I was tempted to snag the sunroof parts and maybe later on down the road swap a sunroof in. But we'll see what they want for that stuff...

[Sleeper6]

Which yard did you check out? Im looking at driving through at the end of the month and might have to stop in lol. Any ways when you get around to that bp you ought to try runing royal purple, I run that in my 6 and it loves it, no evil valve tap Btw I love the look of the tweeters in the door panel so I might borrow your idea.

[Dark_Rider2k3]

Here are the Pittsburgh yards with MX-3's:

Millerstown Pic-A-Part (I think 2 mx's there)
Maroney's Foreign auto parts (they have 3!)
New Castle Auto Wrecking (1 '92 4cyl with sunroof)

I'm not sure if there are other yards with 'em. But I know most don't... I'll be going to Maroney's within the next week or 2 to get a 94+ a/c compressor and linkage assembly for the manual transmission so if I go there soon I'll let you know what all they have in terms of MX's.

For the engine/transmission fluids I am going to use royal purple. I seen a lot of guys on here using it so.. I'm going to as well haha. Figure I'll use the K&N Oil filter with Royal purple engine oil and the Royal purple based gear lube for the transmission.

The tweeters are great there! I got the idea from a few other Mx'ers on here, and they also sound good there too. Definitely recommend placing them there!

[Dark_Rider2k3]

Got the intake manifold apart. Here are some pics of it. not too dirty:

[Dark_Rider2k3]

Oil pan off! Also glad to see it has the main bearing support plate!

[Dark_Rider2k3]

Okay so a few updates for my weekend.

First, I finished up some wiring i was doing. If you didn't know, my 1.8 bp is a second generation, and the fuel rail harness was totally off. So off, that each INJ was on it's own wire, had an oil pressure switch connector, no FPR connector, and no Water Thermosensor. It did have the VICS, but yeah.. all messed up.

So I made up this diagram:



The diagram moves INJ 1 and 3, and INJ 2 and 4 together, and moves the VICS wire to line up with the VICS wire on the engine harness. It also adds in the FPR + wire, and add the FPR ground wire with the VICS ground wire. I will also be adding in a wire for the thermosensor, and cutting the oil pressure line to use as a water thermosensor ground wire.

So far, I've finished the INJ wiring and moved the VICS. I still have the FPR and Water thermosensor to do.


I also was at the Junkyard the weekend before and got the following:

Rear wiper motor, arm, wiring, washer tank/pump, washer hose/nozzle, and rear mud guards. I painted the mud guards over the weekend just to get them to match each other, but i really need to take them to be professionally painted haha. Get them to match my car. I also Installed the rear washer tank and routed the hose up to above the headliner. I just need the rear hatch and I can install the washer nozzle and hook the hose up to it.


I also gave the car a good cleaning/vacuuming. But more importantly, I got this installed:

[Sleeper6]

you forgot one!

[Dark_Rider2k3]

you forgot one!

You mean on the pedals?

I had those things for a while.. so one has been missing . I'm thinking of getting something of better quality.. but idk what....

[Dark_Rider2k3]

Update for this week:

So Wednesday/Thursday my car was definitely not feeling right.. I knew the transmission was bad (bad shifting), but not THAT bad... and then Thursday night the car finally decided to go.. the transmission banged into gear, and I lost reverse.

I started contemplating what I would do. Should I just park it and leave it for now? Take it to a shop to have them rip the motor/trans out?

After talking to a few friends (mainly Ryan and Trevor from here), I decided I'd do this on my own. I would like to thank them for the support as well as It's going a lot smoother then I imagined.

So I started ripping the interior out. Simple actually.. within 20 minutes I had the ATX shifter out, and the wiring on the interior disconnected.

Then I went to the engine bay. Removed the battery/battery tray and air intake... I then jacked up the car to remove the A/C and P/S (and the belt)... drained coolant.. then removed everything inside the engine bay that needed done.. in fact the only thing I have yet to remove is the speedo cable (and I need to get a long extension to reach it that I don't have).

I ended that night due to rain (after disconnecting the exhaust manifold). Woke up this morning to no rain so started more work.... however this is where I am stuck at.

I removed the tire, and started removing the tie rod end.. banged on the bottom with a hammer.. won't pop out >_>.. okay let's give up on that for now. Moving on:

Stabilizer! Should be simple... right? WRONG! I went to remove it.. the bottom bolt seems seized, and the top bolt free spins! like.. when I go to turn the bolt, the nut it's on moves as well >_>.... ooooooooookay moving on again >_>:

Lower arm! great!.. let's do this.. Go to remove bolt... won't budge... wtf.. okay now I'm getting frustrated and pissed off..

so what do I do? something I shouldn't have... grabbed my impact and tried to take it off.... so what happens? the nut is now stripped >_>


so yeah... that's where I'm at... I'M SO CLOSE TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! UGH!

[Sleeper6]

its not too bad dont get too frustrated. Your tierod will need a seperator ( i call it a pickle fork) you can rent one down the street at advance no biggie, just watch the boot taking it out. As for the sway bar links, get yourself a good 6point box wrench and the allen key in a socket to turn it off, just soak them good and well with some pb blaster. (mine are still a pita even though ive had them on and off a few times) And if the lower bolt is your ball joint just take off the two that hold it to the control arm and spin it out of the way its much easier. Best of luck and dont give up!

[Dark_Rider2k3]

its not too bad dont get too frustrated. Your tierod will need a seperator ( i call it a pickle fork) you can rent one down the street at advance no biggie, just watch the boot taking it out. As for the sway bar links, get yourself a good 6point box wrench and the allen key in a socket to turn it off, just soak them good and well with some pb blaster. (mine are still a pita even though ive had them on and off a few times) And if the lower bolt is your ball joint just take off the two that hold it to the control arm and spin it out of the way its much easier. Best of luck and dont give up!

Okay knew about the separator. Going to get that tomorrow.

what is the allen key in a socket? A bit confused on that one.

Lower bolt = Lower arm.. I guess that's the ball joint.. will check on that tomorrow.

Not giving up per-se.. just took a frustrated break from it.. and with the rain today couldn't do much (was also sick which didn't help my cause)

[_-Night-Shade-_]

Are you sure you're using the right sized sockets? They are pretty big bolts and shouldn't break or strip. Try soaking it with some penetrant. And for a last resort, a torch has never failed me yet on seized items.