Laser Blue Protege5 Build

[misnblu]

Nice find.
Junk yards for me were a form of getting away from all the hassles of life and treasure finding.

So many ideas crept into your head if this would work, that would fit, and discovering something new for something custom on your ride.

I'll hopefully have a chance to go next time I'm home but seeing anything for the Protege will probably be impossible.

As a truck driver covering the 48 states I may see one in a couple of months on the roads so finding one in the local junk yard will most likely be futile.

But it's the adventure of doing so.
Keep us informed on the 626 calipers and that project you're working on.

 

[Coredawg]

Nice find.
Junk yards for me were a form of getting away from all the hassles of life and treasure finding.

So many ideas crept into your head if this would work, that would fit, and discovering something new for something custom on your ride.

I'll hopefully have a chance to go next time I'm home but seeing anything for the Protege will probably be impossible.

As a truck driver covering the 48 states I may see one in a couple of months on the roads so finding one in the local junk yard will most likely be futile.

But it's the adventure of doing so.
Keep us informed on the 626 calipers and that project you're working on.

@misnblu. There are 2 currently in Phoenix area yards, 1 each in PullNSave yards in Gilbert and South Phoenix. Was going to make the drive (3 hours), but not this weekend. They both got in their respective yards in Nov 2025 and both have cold air intakes and other goodies, like maybe the factory foglights it appears. One of them has aftermarket rims, but can't tell what size. If you're going through there, maybe you might want to stop by.

 

[Coredawg]

I might have screwed up. The calipers I got at the yard were from a 2.0 626, not a V6. They look the same as the ones currently on the P5. It is the same car I got the valve cover off of, which doesnt look any different either. Unless the spark plug holes are different diameter, I am not sure what it does for me for a coil on plug conversion. I haven't actually taken the wheel and current caliper off to determine for certain, but I have a sinking feeling I have gained nothing with the salvage yard finds.

 

[misnblu]

You wanting to rid yourself of coil on plug to external coils with actual wires or the opposite?

Calipers may be the same but banjo bolt may be in another location so look for that.
I know the Kia Rio and Accwnt are basically the same but brake calipers fit with the only differences being the location for the banjo bolts on the caliper.

You have the 1.8 or the 2.0?
Keep us posted.

 

[Coredawg]

@misnblu I wanted to go do the coil on plug conversion as in the attached. Also, I read that the 626 calipers bolt on the front, but allow for the larger 626 rotors. But these calipers seem like they might be the same. However, when I search for 626 calipers online, I am never asked to specify V6 model. I am pulling a front wheel tomorrow to compare them to what is on the car.

 

[Coredawg]

You wanting to rid yourself of coil on plug to external coils with actual wires or the opposite?

Calipers may be the same but banjo bolt may be in another location so look for that.
I know the Kia Rio and Accwnt are basically the same but brake calipers fit with the only differences being the location for the banjo bolts on the caliper.

You have the 1.8 or the 2.0?
Keep us posted.

Oh, I have the 2.0

 

[misnblu]

@Coredawg
I see what you're doing and hate to infiltrate this thread with my ignorance of what you have but since you do have the 2 liter motor you must then have this same setup below from OEM factory for your car, yes?

If this is the case then you're using actual coil over plug system for one coil per actual plug.
I see the connectors for the plugs in your picture.

Are you planning on changing the ignition wiring harness to accommodate the would be coil over plug setup?

I've seen posts on other Mazda forums where they've taken coil setups from earlies generation Protege models and run spark plug wires from externally mounted coils.

This has my curiosity up as I had a Chevy Z24 with an OEM coil over that was prone to heat soaking the coils causing weak spark and firing issues.

I made my own external coil pack setup with spark plug wires to the plugs giving increased spark, larger plug gap, and dyno proven more power.
This became all the rage on the j-body.org forums in short time so now you know why I'm asking about your setup.

Thanks

 

[Coredawg]

@misnblu yes, I have exactly that same setup now, down to the blue wires. I want to go this route: 1ZZFE Coil-On-Plug Conversion Harness

 

[njaremka]

Interesting coil setup... Looks like instead of running 2 coils, you'll be running 4. That kit is only for the conversion harness, which really only looks like some connectors and split-wires. Not sure how much you actually gain from that conversion...

As for the calipers, the V6 626 front calipers are the same size as the Mazdaspeed Protege front calipers, and have a bigger rotor. There are some slight casting differences, but that's the basics of it. The 2.0 626 front calipers are the same size as the 2.0 Protege calipers.

 

[misnblu]

Yup calipers are the same as noted.

The 626 rotor is 1.7mm taller than the stock P5 rotor so is it really worth it for the "larger" rotor to be on the car?

Other than that all else is the same.

 

[Coredawg]

Yup calipers are the same as noted.

The 626 rotor is 1.7mm taller than the stock P5 rotor so is it really worth it for the "larger" rotor to be on the car?

Other than that all else is the same.

Hmm. I must have misread the info somewhere. I thought I was going to gain an inch or so in diameter. And that I would have to run 17 inch wheels, which I have, getting them ready to put on. If that is all the difference, why are people calling it a " Big Brake Upgrade"? Was it the Mazdaspeed6 brakes?

 

[Coredawg]

Interesting coil setup... Looks like instead of running 2 coils, you'll be running 4. That kit is only for the conversion harness, which really only looks like some connectors and split-wires. Not sure how much you actually gain from that conversion...

As for the calipers, the V6 626 front calipers are the same size as the Mazdaspeed Protege front calipers, and have a bigger rotor. There are some slight casting differences, but that's the basics of it. The 2.0 626 front calipers are the same size as the 2.0 Protege calipers.

@njaremka thanks for the info. Guess I will be looking for a V6 626.

This is what I found on COP setups: "Coil-on-plug (COP) ignition systems provide superior engine performance and efficiency by placing an individual ignition coil directly on top of each spark plug. Key advantages include a stronger, more consistent spark, increased fuel economy, reduced maintenance by eliminating spark plug wires, and improved timing accuracy for better combustion".

I figured one coil per plug should be better than the coil per 2 plugs setup we have stock. I have the valve cover. I would need to get the harness and the the Toyota coils. But you are right. Will it be worth it in the long run for the cost? We will see if I go all the way through with it. The 626 valve cover was just a convenient opportunity when I bought the calipers I won't actually be able to use now.

 

[misnblu]

@njaremka thanks for the info. Guess I will be looking for a V6 626.

This is what I found on COP setups: "Coil-on-plug (COP) ignition systems provide superior engine performance and efficiency by placing an individual ignition coil directly on top of each spark plug. Key advantages include a stronger, more consistent spark, increased fuel economy, reduced maintenance by eliminating spark plug wires, and improved timing accuracy for better combustion".

I figured one coil per plug should be better than the coil per 2 plugs setup we have stock. I have the valve cover. I would need to get the harness and the the Toyota coils. But you are right. Will it be worth it in the long run for the cost? We will see if I go all the way through with it. The 626 valve cover was just a convenient opportunity when I bought the calipers I won't actually be able to use now.

For the coils you'd have to do some research on each setup.
What's the windings and ratings on the coils along with resistance.

They must be close enough to fire similarly but from my personal experience with my DIS coil conversion I did on my Z24 the spark was much stronger than the original coil on plug setup.

I went from a .028 plug gap for the coil over plug to a .060 with the DIS setup with more power to the wheels.


On the rotors here's the specs I found through RockAuto.
Below is the OEM rotor at 47.4 mm.

Here is the rotor for the 626 V6 at 48.7 mm.

I use RockAuto as a database I can compare between models for engine, suspension, or anything that's interchangeable for my Accent and the Kia Rio is a perfect example of how well it works.

Cross referencing like this saves time and RA has the data which has t steered me wrong yet.

 

[Coredawg]

@misnblu thanks for the info. I will definitely look into the differences.

Now I have another conundrum for the forum. Whenever I am filling up the gas tank, it is not venting to allow me to fill up at full speed. I have to meter the lever on the gas nozzle and it takes me up to ten minutes to fill the tank, with the gas constantly backing up the filler tube and cutting off the nozzle. Has anyone experienced this before and if so, where should I look for the culprit?

 

[misnblu]

Have you checked the vent tube for obstruction or gunked up?

Are you topping off the fuel to the max limit before it overflows?
There may be an evap fuel tank canister adjacent to the gas tank under the car causing your problems.

In the Hyundai community these get clogged from people over filling their tanks and not stopping the first time the pump kicks off.