Steve_SK [MX-3 V6]

[Steve_SK]

Requested pictures. Please note, paint is old and clearcoat is terrible.. this is maximum I could do with it.

















Next year body will be repaired and I'll give it a new paint, plus 3 or 4 clearcoats, of course, until then I will try to repair the front-end properly.

[Daninski]

That pic with the valve cover off is excellant. Shows what an engine with 136,000klm should look like. We could use that pic as a reference when buying a ZE. However I would caution that that pic is probably representative of a 'best case senerio'. Looks like you found a diamond in the rough. Cheers

[Steve_SK]

Daninski, thank you. The engine has its original km's. But after some time it started to take oil, I was asking people why, and I received answer from Mazda dealer, that they didn't have such problems in Germany or Western Europe. It was only known in Central Europe - thanks to our fuel. Anyway, when I removed the pistons, they were like new and cylinders - they even had those honing marks from manufacture! Brilliant. You're right, it was a diamond, but only engine. Car was crashed twice on front, the body is not in perfect shape etc. But I am working on it.

PS: You can use the picture if you want. It will be a privilege for my K8.

[fowljesse]

Soooo nice
Maybe you can buff out the clear coat.. Post a couple pics of the problem, and I can maybe help.

[Steve_SK]

The problem is there are places with very thin layer of clearcoat, when I bought it I used Turtle Wax Color Back, so I removed a part of the clearcoat layer, unfortunately also thin layer on passenger's side door, fender etc. So only way how to make it shine again was to use Turtle Wax with PTFE, it is much better now. But the car needs new paint and clearcoat anyway.

[Steve_SK]

Today I received new HVAC panel, it is logic-type, I will install it instead of my old wire-type. I am so excited about it. Thanks to Daryl from http://www.uk-mx3.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for his time and effort and finding the part for me! Jordan from this forum also had this HVAC for me, maybe little different, the problem were brackets, I needed HVAC with brackets on the bottom and this HVAC have them.

Anyway, later I found out those brackets are just attached to side brackets, so I was wrong again about Jordan's HVAC. So for anybody who wants to transfer logic-type HVAC into their 1991-1993 MX-3's, if you buy one from UK 91-93 MX-3 or from 94-98 MX-3, they are all the same in fact, you only need to add two brackets to mount it into 91' model. Plus motors and wiring..but it is another chapter.



PS: I know there are two knobs missing, but I knew about that before purchase.

[Steve_SK]

This is how the HVAC looks in US-spec centre console. Wonderful! No big gaps like on EU consoles!

[MX3ak]

Nice Worklog You got here Steve! Liked a LOT the work on the EGR and I'll try to do the same to mine.

God Speed on that good old MX-3

[Steve_SK]

Thank you, MX3ak.

Today I had my engine's compression tested and here are results (I forgot if it is in bar, but probably yes)

Cylinder: 1; 3; 5; 2; 4; 6

HOT: 14.1; 14.2; 14.25; 13.6; 13.3; 14.0
COLD: 13.85; 13.8; 13.35; 13.2; 13.6; 13.75

I think it is quite perfect So my oil consumption is caused by damaged valve seals, which I am going to buy in a few days, together with new set of HLA. Probably slightly lower compression readings in left bank are caused by carbon buildup on valves (due to ooil burning), but anyway, this engine is like new!! With 167000 kms on it. I am happy.

Update: Pressures in PSI:

1: 204.49
2: 197.24
3: 205.94
4: 192.88
5: 206.66
6: 203.04

These are for hot engine. BUT I noticed some readings were higher with cold engine, so I think there's some % of mistake in it, there can't be higher compression on cold engine than hot engine. So the 4th cylinder probably has wrong reading/measuring.

[npspears]

Hey Steve, check out this post about cleaning the HLA's. Might save you some money.

http://www.clubprotege.com/forum/showth ... LA+clean

[Steve_SK]

The link doesn't work, unfortunately. I am not registered user there. But thank you anyway, I've heard something about cleaning HLA's, but when I saw mine last september when the engine was removed from the car and they were removed from the heads - some of them had pretty bad circle marks on them, and they are tapping all the time. I am going to exchange valve seals, so I would like to put new set of HLA's there as well. Only the best for my engine. I simply love K8, I had KL-DE in garage with 21k kms, but I never installed it in MX3 and sold it for $300 approx, can't remember now. K8 is my love.

[Steve_SK]

Today I cleaned my MX-3 again, but this time I also cleaned roof trim.. It took 4 hours until I was satisfied, here are results..

1) I cleaned sunroof trim and then I realised "wow, it works great" ... so I decided to continue on the whole roof trim.



2) Removed sunshade, you can see original clean spot.



3) I remved sunroof trim to clean it again and much better. Also tried to clean roof onn some places..



4) Here is the result after the first cleaning..



5) Result after 2nd cleaning and completed interior.





Taken by mobile phone, quality is not perfect. Bigger dark spots are just shadows.

[Mooneggs]

wow that is amazing! what product did you use?

[Steve_SK]

I will take better pics tomorrow. I used something for carpets, something from local manufacturer. But I have more than excellent experiences with Vanish too. I also used very soft brush because I didn't want to damage structure of the cloth plus vacuum cleaner for water, so I could immediatelly "remove" excessive water out of the roof trim.

[OutlaW]

nice ... me drools