Hello from Michigan!

[chapstickaddict]

I'm Allie, and I'm from Michigan's lovely UP. I just bought my MX-3 yesterday.

She's a 1992 GS and she is quite the switch from my lifted Jeep Cherokee! That was the point of buying the Mazda, actually. I like my Jeep, but dang I'm tired having to save up for months in order to drive downstate to visit family. I snagged her for $1500 and the guy met me at the bridge rather than me having to haul all the way to, like, Muskegon. So anyway, I thought I would join up so I could start figuring out what things I need to do to get her running correctly, as there are some small issues here and there.

Photos. Everything is as the previous owner had it. I've only had her a day!

[mitmaks]

Welcome to mx-3.com. Looks like good little project. It should clean up nicely. I'd pressure wash engine to get rid of all that dirt/gunk. Looks like valve cover gaskets are leaking so replacing those would be good idea.

[kulluminati777]

Hey welcome new member. Yeah its safe to rip that tattered sound deadening or flame blanket thing from under the hood. Its not a necessity and you engine bay will thank you later

[chapstickaddict]

Thanks for the tip, mitmaks
I'll hunt those down and add them to the "things to do" list. It's growing by the second, it seems

Right now, I'm working on getting the heat to work. Seems like the thermostat is stuck open, so my engine has been running really cold, and most importantly, it's October in the UP and my hands are freezing.

Also, I've got to do something with that shifter. It's all over the place (like really loose feeling) and it makes it extremely hard to shift properly. I'm thinking about investing in a short shifter, as well, because that bad boy is ridiculously long!

I learned to drive a stick shift on my SO's modded out vehicle, so driving a "stock" 5 speed is a learning experience in itself! I think after we hammer out the small problems it'll be much more fun to drive. And then dealing with the power steering, as well. It doesn't work, but it actually seems like it's actively working against me! I've been doing some searching on the forums for different ideas on these issues (which has been extremely helpful by the way) and appreciate that you all seem to be patient and helpful.

Also, just wanted to thank you guys for posting the repair manual! It was an excellent discovery before I discovered a copy of it in my trunk.

[Surgeonasst222]

Hey hey Michigan owner here!!!

Woot where u live at?

[SuperK]

Heya,
So the shifter is a bit of a pain. What you'll have to do is remove the shifter linkage from underneath the car.

You'll unbolt it from where the linkage attaches to the bottom of the shifter
then unbolt it from where it attaches to the transmission


There are three pivot points.

Two of the pivot points (the shifter end and the transmission end) have removable bolts, you have to remove them and install new shifter bushings.

The third pivot point is NON REMOVABLE but it has shifter bushings that deteriorate.
You have to cut off the third pivot point with a dremel, go to mazda, and purchase another shift linkage bolt on the transmission end (the larger of the two bolts) and matching nut (I got the nut at Ace Hardware for a few cents)

So six shifter bushings, one shift linkage bolt. The larger one on the transmission end.

That's the only way to get rid of the shifter "slop"

Power steering is a bit of a pain. look at the reservoir, make sure that the fluid is not low, and look at the hoses connecting to the reservoir. if you see wetness, then the hoses are leaking, and probably need to be cleaned and new clamps attached.
Otherwise you may just want to replace the pump. Mine went bad as well, and when it's cold it likes to fight with me, I turn it and it turns back, the little nasty bugger.

[SuperK]

Also I see the terrible "double decker" console on your passenger floor. Take that picture down or you're going to get people hounding you to sell it!

[mazda915]

Great find on the mx , also welcome to the form lots of info here so take advantage . Doing a small tune up on the mazda will be a great idea help the mpg . Enjoy and keep us updated

[ganue]

Another "Ally" with an MX-3 in Michigan...well, shes actually in Kentucky at school (with the car) at the moment......

http://mx-3.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f= ... 8&start=63

[chapstickaddict]

So I forgot to turn on reply notifications. I really like the color of her MX3! There's one that color in town but all the paint is peeling off the hood and I get sad every time I see it. There are three in Marquette as far as I know; mine, the sad purple one, and my boyfriend's old Herculiner'd one that was sold to a friend.

SuperK, that silly console thing drives me nuts! It came like that and was filled with Hot Wheels and a plastic dinosaur, so bonus, haha. I got the shifter taken care of, actually, along with a bunch of other stuff! I even got a titanium bushing (or something I can't remember the exact name) out of the deal, as one of them was gross. So obviously the solution was for my SO to machine a new one out of a titanium rod he had lying around. Way better than flowers, in my opinion. I'm posting the last few photos I took to my worklog now. It's like a whole new car with the new short shifter and the fixed power steering. And the timing belt. And new brakes. And rotors. And CV shaft It was a busy weekend. Still need to bolt on the new exhaust, though. Molly is currently without a whole one so you can hear her coming from a ways away.

I still need to do more 'tune-up' sorts of things. Oil change is the soonest, probably, but I feel a lot safer driving around now. Except now it has snowed and I realized I need good winter tires, as my driveway is a challenge.