MX-3.com

Hey guys i have a 92 GS 1.8 v6 and i want to know where is the cheapeast yet reliable place to get my motor overhauled. I want it rebuild with all the new seals gaskets etc. Reason for doing this would be to turbo. No sense putting perfume on a pig. Is there any other mod or upgrade that absolutly must be done in this procces. I know thats a big question but all i want a solid engine with a solid turbo set up requiring minimul maintenance afterwards.

My plan is suspension, engine then body. Is there anything else like fans or drive train that i can do to prepare for the engine to be dropped. Just dont wanna buy things that will need to be changed once turbo'd engine put in like a intake and headers.

just get a nice conditioned ZE from an importer they have low miles and in great shape plus ull get added power from it and more potential

Do not waste your time rebuilding a k8 for a turbo, its better off rebuilding a 2.5L or just boosting a KLZE. The k8 motor components just arent strong enough for a substantial gain in HP

What you'll get for turbo-ing a K8 you'll get with just a simple KLZE swap. Plus you've added significantly more weight, as well as adding the complexity and maintenance a a turbo system and tuning, which would affect reliability. Of course an N/A motor will last longer tha a boosted one.

if your looking for cheap, the K8 ain't it. There is no aftermarket support for it because it was only in the Mx-3, and that wasn't a big seller. Althought he KLZE has more hp, the KLDE is available locally, and was available in the Probe, Mx-6, 626 and Millenia, so there alot cheaper, and thanks to the Probe and Mx-6 communities, there is alot of information and alot of modifications to these motors. There is very little information on turboing a K8, although it has been done by a few people, in the end, it's just not worth it...it's cool to try if you want a project car and if you have the time and cash, but I wouldn't

Turbo-ing goes against what your looking at having, a cheap, low maintenance and reliable car. Add the fact that you want to work on a motor with pretty much no aftermarket will force you to go custom, and maybe do some trial-and-error mods, which isn't cheap either. I've had my KLZE for almost 4 years now, she had ticking lifter since day 1, and after some hindsight research, she probably wasn't tell taken care of or high milleage (from the sludge under the valve cover that I didn't know better), but you know what, i've put 100'000 km's on it, I race it, sh sees redline (never beyond) a few times a trip, despite the fact that she does burn oil, she's been a really good reliable and fun car. The only thing which has left me needing a tow was my original slave cylinder, which I understand will eventually die after 15years, and the ignition module inside the stock distributor, which I carried over from my K8 and had easilly over 200'000km on the disty when it died, and I knew it would eventually go and I procrastinated on the HEI mod and I got stuck of course away on a trip (as my luck would go), btu those were original parts, and not related to the motor.

BTW you don't and can't use headers on a turbo car.

Do i smell another klze swap coming my way.LOL

You just need to go for a drive in a strong KLZE mx3 and you will want that. the torque and the throtle response is very nice.....And the exahust note is very nice too.

With the money you spend on boosting the k8 just get a klze and ahve the same power without that turbo. Then maybe down the raod boost the klze. Think logically which is better.

Honestly.. the anwer to all of life's questions is klze swap.


Water pump failing? klze swap

burning oil? ze swap.


Your car will be nothing compared to now. Trust me. Even tho theres alot of us ze people... a ze mx3 is still rare in most towns.

Damn straight! Why bother with a pesky K8?

meh nothing special about the k8 except funness. I loved the powerband on the k8, it didn't make much more but was smooth and pulled in all areas of it. reved to high hell. I tried to blow that up and it just wouldn't go.

I say get a Probe GT/ MX-6 motor for very cheap and rebuild that for turbo. More reliable than a ZE if youre going to boost, and not too bad if you're not turbo.

If you got with a KLZE, make sure to replace the intake valve springs with the ones from a KLDE.

Juans_93_MX3 wrote:If you got with a KLZE, make sure to replace the intake valve springs with the ones from a KLDE.

its not the intake valve springs.. u wanna replace all the RETAINERS as on the straight neck version they have a tendency to crack and drop valves.. although rare it does happen quite a bit

Illa Killa wrote:I say get a Probe GT/ MX-6 motor for very cheap and rebuild that for turbo. More reliable than a ZE if youre going to boost, and not too bad if you're not turbo.

wouldnt necessarily say that.. ZE has lower miles its a better cleaner fresher engine to start with then if u pull one from a probe.. and if your turboing u better be takin the necessary steps and dont cheap out otherwise even on DE it will be very unreliable.. get EMS and once tuned a ZE is just as reliable as a boosted DE plus it takes less boost on ZE to get the power results from the DE.. ppl say a boosted DE is better and safer i find this is a myth unless ur a total jackass and dont do it right than ur just askin for trouble either way

Wow that was alot of very usefull info. Really opened my eyes about the k8. The worry was that i didnt want to have to mess with surrounding components and electronics of dropping a foriegn engine in it. But from what i see by the response you still do use alot of your k8 parts like the disstributor. My answer to this was to find a ford probe 2.5 doner car so it was all there (correct me if im wrong). I do like the thought of the KLZE n/a if its as ballsy as you guys say. I heard there was alot of fake KLZE's out there. Although i know there are post here to help me distinquish that. Is there a reliable place to buy the KLZE and is there a MX-3 guru shop around my area that would be familiar with the swap. One more thing. Why are these engines low milage? Dont they come from like late 80's mx'6's? Ha, thats probably way off right?

Repo wrote:Wow that was alot of very usefull info. Really opened my eyes about the k8. The worry was that i didnt want to have to mess with surrounding components and electronics of dropping a foriegn engine in it. But from what i see by the response you still do use alot of your k8 parts like the disstributor. My answer to this was to find a ford probe 2.5 doner car so it was all there (correct me if im wrong). I do like the thought of the KLZE n/a if its as ballsy as you guys say. I heard there was alot of fake KLZE's out there. Although i know there are post here to help me distinquish that. Is there a reliable place to buy the KLZE and is there a MX-3 guru shop around my area that would be familiar with the swap. One more thing. Why are these engines low milage? Dont they come from like late 80's mx'6's? Ha, thats probably way off right?

There from Japan thats why they are so low mileaged

ya the KL-ZE is from japan the word is anyway but im not sure is they decide if its cost effective to keep the car or engine if it isnt well then engines up for grabs for us and ur in new market there is MANY importers around there.. the biggest one is tiger japanese i personally got mine from jdm engine land by torontos airport i beleive costed 700 cash dam good deal! go to an importer and find an engine that says kl-31 1a1 and kl-31 101 on the heads.. get the straight neck manifold version and swap on a curve neck manifold the curve neck ZE's just dont feel
NEARLY as ballsy as the straight neck version.. and for electronics just use the k8 ecu and DE vaf AND DO NOT TELL ME U LOSE ALOT OF POWER FROM THAT ive tried 31, 36, DE and probinator and they all sucked balls my fav is k8 ecu and DE VAF the high end power is just so nice