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I'm looking into buying a KFZE, yes F not L. Just have a few questions. I'm keeping my transmission (have a 94 GS with a 5spd) and I just wanted to make sure that my clutch and flywheel will work with that engine. I have a decent amount of knowledge about working on cars, but I'm still not sure if I want to undertake this engine swap myself or not. I know a guy that would let me do it at his place and he has all the tools I could possibly need. Thx for any help.

Save yourself the hassle and just get a KLZE or even the KLDE

The KF is crap.

Yes your clutch and flywheel will work, might want to get the flywheel resurfaced before it goes on the KF though

Ok, thanks, my other question was wiring harness? What do I need there? Also what is a good reputable (hopefully cheapest) site to order my engine from?

Atlantamx3- Why do you say it is a hassle? Why is the KF so much worse?

If your doing it as a replacement engine.. the KF is fine.

If you want performace, get a KLZE.


By the time you get a motor and ECU your going to pay a good bit of $$.

For a few hundred more, you will get more TQ, more HP, and you can get all your seals/parts int he states if you have problems.


I had a KFZE, turns out after the swap my rings were bad. I could get the rings/head gaskets, but only from Japan, and only $500+ for JUST those 2 parts. Alot more than I paid for the engine.


I now have a KLZE.

I helped install a KF into a MX-3 here in Atlanta... mnemonic's car.

He dynoed at like 128 to the wheels or something. That was with a set of fully built heads too.


If you are going to go thru the hassle of a motor swap-- especially one thats a direct bolt in/plug & play-- just get the KL-ZE. Paying a few hundred more up front to get 30-40 MORE hp to the wheels (with the KL) is cheaper than trying to make the KF more powerful.


Just my opinion.

Some have been happy with the KF-- but it is just what Barry said- a replacement engine... not a performance one.

The kf engine is plagued with bad luck :S lol im serious.. it gives so many problems. Dont bother with it. TRUST ME get a klde. I know what im telling you! if your head gasket ever dies its almost impossible to get it.. the kf ecu is crappy .. engine runs to rich for my taste.. its powerfull but save yourself the headache. IF you do the swap its the exact same thing as doing klde swap, you need ecu, use k8 vaf. use kfze manifold

atlantamx3 wrote:Save yourself the hassle and just get a KLZE or even the KLDE

The KF is crap.

COLD man.. very Cold... Me now driving a Lantis Type R (yea... the one with KFZE 2.0L, 5speed mtx with LSD, and Electronic Climate Control and 170HP at 7000RPM) It's NOT CRAP, not even in the same neighbourhood with CRAP!! I can give any VTEC riceboys a run for their money (1.6L-1.8L).

heheheh Jared you tell him KF motor is not crap if your looking to do a little bit of hp increase and still keep decent gas miledge.

Perry is right my heads on mine were built and i dropped about 2k into them alone not to mention other parts and HLA cost and what not. I was prepairing my motor for turbo but it got damaged when hurricane ivan hit atlanta. Like Barry i could of easily fixed the motor and probably worked on the bottom end some more but relised that in the long run the motor would cost me alot more money if i ever had any problems because you have to special order parts from japan or australia (btw my phone bill ran about 200 dollars for about 1 hour of talk time). So after the motor was damaged i relised it would just be easier to go with a 2.5 motor as i can get parts in the US for way cheaper.

If you want to do the KFZE motor dont be discouraged to do it. Just relise that if it breaks it will be down for awhile and it will cost a bit of money to fix. But other than that i loved the kfze it power curve though low was nice. It's a good motor for a little bit more power than the k8


As for Hec's problem, he just has issues with his. i never had one problem with mine and both pat and justin drove my car and said though it lacked power it responded pretty well. If you decide to go with the KFZE let me know as i can still get any part for it

Mnemonic wrote:heheheh Jared you tell him KF motor is not crap if your looking to do a little bit of hp increase and still keep decent gas miledge.

Perry is right my heads on mine were built and i dropped about 2k into them alone not to mention other parts and HLA cost and what not. I was prepairing my motor for turbo but it got damaged when hurricane ivan hit atlanta. Like Barry i could of easily fixed the motor and probably worked on the bottom end some more but relised that in the long run the motor would cost me alot more money if i ever had any problems because you have to special order parts from japan or australia (btw my phone bill ran about 200 dollars for about 1 hour of talk time). So after the motor was damaged i relised it would just be easier to go with a 2.5 motor as i can get parts in the US for way cheaper.

If you want to do the KFZE motor dont be discouraged to do it. Just relise that if it breaks it will be down for awhile and it will cost a bit of money to fix. But other than that i loved the kfze it power curve though low was nice. It's a good motor for a little bit more power than the k8

Brian,
KFZE is equally good as per ur mention above. And of course me now looking into the possibility of swapping the KFZE with KLZE, but after I am done enjoying the KF. Mazda didnt make KFZE just to be called crap.. it must be for a reason. But 170HP from an NA engine without variable valve timing is respectable.. and it does has low end torque.. well.. enough for a 1200kg Lantis (323f). If u have ever driven a 1.6L Vtec before u'll know wat i mean.. that's wat i call crap...

you still have one on me that lsd trannsmission, btw where is my quote

dude i drove hectors car.... its pulls alot harder than a K8 but its no ZE..... if your financial status isint all that great ....holla at a de....they are very cheap just dont be stupid on your driving and gas will be great.... i mean i you are you constantly pounding it..... your kf is gonna burn as much gas as a v8...

If you're gonna get a KF, you'll need a KF ecu....., make sure you can find one and factor in the additional cost. Also, KF's with curved neck manifolds are pretty rare, not much point getting a KF and using a K8 manifold IMO

Im waiting for my kf to dia but DAYUM that thing barely has 35 thousand miles and the head and cams are metallic shiny clean... ill proba bly drop ze and leave this engine as replacement? .. and toss the k8 to the wreckers.. the 160 hp version isnt impressive..maybe the 170 yes because of the square ports.. but bleh... round runner kf kinda sucks... its a bad azz daily driver..i have no mechanical problems with it at all. runs strong with the fidanza.