MZDA WLF Proteg5 "build"

[Riot_Polizei]

Holy smokes, definitely a crappy way to end a day. Good luck on the transmission swap

 

[Anzi]

Holy smokes, definitely a crappy way to end a day. Good luck on the transmission swap

n
Thanks. Got some girls who wanna help me out and who have a little more experience with transmissions than I do, so it*s really a matter of figuring out a day to do it all.

 

[Anzi]

More done today. Removed the valve cover again to do the pot-scrubber baffling trick for the breather and PCV, noticed how much cleaner the inside of my cylinder head was after the engine flushes. Not perfect, but far less crap than before. I*m certainly quite impressed. That said, I*m still waiting on my new clutch and flywheel to arrive, and intend to swap in the 2003 gearbox on Saturday.

 

[Anzi]

Well I swapped the transmission over the weekend. Major pain in the ass, very time consuming, but so worth it. Great to be back in the P5. Also I*m finally getting rid of my parts car. A fellow P5 owner from a Facebook group is likely trading me some cash and a factory tire sub (with all associated bits) for the parts car, and he wants to get it back on the road for his son to drive

 

[Anzi]

Also of note: my oil burning at start is back, though only sort of. It*s intermittent this time. I AM running a seal conditioner in the oil currently, so will see what happens over time. I*m pretty irritated though that this is happening again, after I thought I had fixed the issue. Kinda seeing how it behaves as I daily it again, in case it goes back to how it was before sitting for two weeks.

 

[Anzi]

Installed a factory spare tire sub, wired fully to my aftermarket headunit using RCA cable for the audio signal. Dunno why people s*** so hard on it, it sounds great for what I listen to.

 

[Anzi]

Ordered the MP3 ECU for $98. Since I already have the JDM FSDE, which has no VTCS (as well as more compression and intake cam duration than the US engine), I figure the ECU may provide some gains

 

[grffn]

I gotta hop on that factory tire sub... I have an '02 so I don't think I have that connector so I may have to do the same thing you did.
That ECU is gonna bring some life to your car that's for sure!
Don't know why nobody wanted to comment on this thread so far this month.. I gotchu lol but let's see some pics!

 

[Riot_Polizei]

Ordered the MP3 ECU for $98. Since I already have the JDM FSDE, which has no VTCS (as well as more compression and intake cam duration than the US engine), I figure the ECU may provide some gains

Your new(er) black car came with a JDM FSDE, let alone without VTCS? I only ever knew about the FSZE. Gotta show us what's under the hood sometime, sounds neat.

 

[LankyKiwi]

Got any photos of the spare wheel sub set up? Always interested in how Mazda packages things

Also, +1 for engine pics!

 

[Anzi]

Here*s the engine bay:

Tire sub:

Also swapped out the white gauges for silver, bringing everything on my car aside from the front quarter panels to 2002.5+ spec.

 

[pcb]

I didn't realize the sub fits into the spare tire.

I thought it replaced it.

It's good that you get to keep the spare.

 

[Anzi]

I didn't realize the sub fits into the spare tire.

I thought it replaced it.

It's good that you get to keep the spare.

Just had to flip it over. Actually adds really good depth to what I listen to when wired in to the headunit directly, equalized well, and paired with decent aftermarket speakers. Not overbearing, but definitely there.

 

[Anzi]

Your new(er) black car came with a JDM FSDE, let alone without VTCS? I only ever knew about the FSZE. Gotta show us what's under the hood sometime, sounds neat.

JDM FSDE has the FHS9 cam on the intake, 9.7:1 compression pistons, and no VTCS. Supposedly good for another 10 flywheel hp and 3 lb-ft of torque

 

[Anzi]

Another update: spent $98 on an MP3 ECU, so now I have a better powerband

 

[323]

feels nice doesn't it? still doesn't compare to boost tho lol

 

[Anzi]

feels nice doesn't it? still doesn't compare to boost tho lol

It*s nice how linear the powerband is, though I never had complaints about the stock ECU. I*m mostly taking it easy right now to let the computer figure out my engine and optimize itself, but hopefully then it*ll be a bigger improvement.

 

[Riot_Polizei]

It*s nice how linear the powerband is, though I never had complaints about the stock ECU. I*m mostly taking it easy right now to let the computer figure out my engine and optimize itself, but hopefully then it*ll be a bigger improvement.

It's harder to notice any changes beneath 4.5kRPM and 5kRPM. There's probably a little more gumption down there, but I'm not sure. The biggest advantage of the MP3 ECU is how you can cleanly redline the car now rather than have it choke around 5.5kRPM.

You'll certainly enjoy the benefits on those touge passes you go on--won't have to think about shifting

 

[Anzi]

It's harder to notice any changes beneath 4.5kRPM and 5kRPM. There's probably a little more gumption down there, but I'm not sure. The biggest advantage of the MP3 ECU is how you can cleanly redline the car now rather than have it choke around 5.5kRPM.

You'll certainly enjoy the benefits on those touge passes you go on--won't have to think about shifting

See, I*ve found in the couple pulls I*ve done from low revs/dead stop so far that it has way more gut at the low RPMs, and it isn*t such a distinct feeling of coming in to the powerband. Feels super linear throughout, like the opposite of VTEC lol. That said, it didn*t feel like the car was much quicker or anything, just more refined in power delivery. Will see what happens when the ECU has learned my car for a bit, but I*m not gonna go crazy for the next 100 miles

 

[Anzi]

More s*** done today! I had salvaged the dealer-installed auto-dimming compass/temperature mirror from the white car, and I just got done installing it in my black one. Also getting a new windshield on Friday, which will be nice, since the current one is cracked and pitted to hell.

For those who want instructions on the mirror install:
View attachment MIrror Installation.pdf