First step in a long journey. 97 KLDE in a Protege. New member....new thread.

[bonylad]

Well that was quick. lol

I mean....still hope....but I mean this was me trying to make lemonade outta lemons. The idea of making this is a / was a attempt to at least get something outta this screw fest. I was under the impression I could make it OBD 2 compliant, but would have to go a KLG4 route to do that which means more money etc.....and now I cant swap into an easy to swap chassis, now I would have to get obscure parts from a low production vehicle (MX3 GS) and then get another car to swap this into.

Its too many compromises to make something happen, just for the sake of making it happen. I should have never gotten rid of my DSM. But hind sight...

Im not a die hard Mazda/Ford fan....this deal kinda happened and I thought it would be a cool little car. Guy screwed me. Either way, maybe somebody can get this and make it happen for them. Im still gonna pull the motor and ditch the shell. Who knows?

 

[Keno1542]

Well that was quick. lol

Better to figure it out now then have thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours into the project and then give up on it...

 

[xxxmonoxidechil]

I was under the impression I could make it OBD 2 compliant, but would have to go a KLG4 route to do that which means more money etc.....

Where ever your getting your info from hasnt been the best it seems. You can source a ODB2 setup from any 96-97 KLDE Ford Probe, Mazda MX6, or 626 also. And will be much easier to swap. As the KLG4 stuff your talking about isnt even Mazda sourced, But a Ford design using quite a different setup then the Mazda's used previously, or was used in your protege.

And the only way a KL protege swap is going to cost thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours is if your truly have no clue what your doing. The entire swap can be done under $500, and over a weekend, as has been done by quite a few in the past. Been there, done that.

 

[bonylad]

Where ever your getting your info from hasnt been the best it seems. You can source a ODB2 setup from any 96-97 KLDE Ford Probe, Mazda MX6, or 626 also. And will be much easier to swap. As the KLG4 stuff your talking about isnt even Mazda sourced, But a Ford design using quite a different setup then the Mazda's used previously, or was used in your protege.

And the only way a KL protege swap is going to cost thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours is if your truly have no clue what your doing. The entire swap can be done under $500, and over a weekend, as has been done by quite a few in the past. Been there, done that.

I agree fully. From what I was told, read or misread......the 97 GT isn't fully ODB2 and wont communicate with the Protg. The harness I have has no provision to connect with the DLC. So yeah.

BUT......hope lives on. Read next post.

 

[bonylad]

A little bit of an explanation/apology.

At the point in time of posting I had and still do have a lot of issues I am dealing with. The last thing I wanted to do was have to source obscure parts to make something happen. Turns out not so obscure and easier than I thought to get. So, I have the crossemember on the way, axles and control arms are easier to source than that. So, at this point I am still going on with the project. It was too much to handle at that time and it was a frustrating moment where I threw my hands up in the air and said.....f it.

Cooler heads have prevailed. So, sorry for the quick post...then the whole scrapping idea. It will continue on but more than likely in a ODB 1 Ford Escort/Mercury Tracer......stay tuned!

 

[xxxmonoxidechil]

Yes! Love that update. This swap is one of the simpler ones to do, so it killed me to see someone give up so soon. And as you learned, the real trick to the swap is just finding a MX3 GS donor car to pillage for parts.

 

[bonylad]

Yes! Love that update. This swap is one of the simpler ones to do, so it killed me to see someone give up so soon. And as you learned, the real trick to the swap is just finding a MX3 GS donor car to pillage for parts.

The cross member is on the way. Same guy has the passenger side mount bracket. At this point I'm considering the swap on all available options. Even a 91 to 95 escort which is B chassis.

 

[bonylad]

The guys in feoa say wiring is an issue and the hardest part but no don't see why I can't do what I had planned. I mean use the Klde harness and provide power to it and whatnot and leave the donor harness untouched. Figure out speed and tach as I go

 

[bonylad]

Couldn't get the axle nuts off! So, after a corded and cordless impact, breaker bar with extension.......nada.

So figured since they have to come out and I cant use them with any swap....

Lol........

 

[xxxmonoxidechil]

Thats one way to do it. I use a pickle fork like you use to pop ball joints. It has a tapered end. Just slide the tapered end in between the axles stub, and the trans, then hit it with a hammer. It will pop the axle right out. Its an old shop trick that always works.

For the wiring, Using a KLDE harness is going to be a PITA as they have a ton of BS wires that makes it kinda a b**** to do. Using the MX3 GS K8 harness is much more simple, and an easier swap. You can do it using the KLDE harness from the Probe. Just expect alot more work, and headaches to get it all figured out.

 

[bonylad]

Thats one way to do it. I use a pickle fork like you use to pop ball joints. It has a tapered end. Just slide the tapered end in between the axles stub, and the trans, then hit it with a hammer. It will pop the axle right out. Its an old shop trick that always works.

For the wiring, Using a KLDE harness is going to be a PITA as they have a ton of BS wires that makes it kinda a b**** to do. Using the MX3 GS K8 harness is much more simple, and an easier swap. You can do it using the KLDE harness from the Probe. Just expect alot more work, and headaches to get it all figured out.

Wait....why? I mean with a Protg, at least newer ones you just run that harness and power it....plug the connections up and you basically have two harnesses - one to run the car and one to run the engine. I assume the only issues I would have are - speedo (mechanical or vss) - tach - and that's it? Gauge cluster would get power from factory harness.....so its a matter of getting signals to the cluster that it can use?

 

[bonylad]

Thats one way to do it. I use a pickle fork like you use to pop ball joints. It has a tapered end. Just slide the tapered end in between the axles stub, and the trans, then hit it with a hammer. It will pop the axle right out. Its an old shop trick that always works.

For the wiring, Using a KLDE harness is going to be a PITA as they have a ton of BS wires that makes it kinda a b**** to do. Using the MX3 GS K8 harness is much more simple, and an easier swap. You can do it using the KLDE harness from the Probe. Just expect alot more work, and headaches to get it all figured out.

The trans side popped right out. I tried MULTIPLE times and ways to loose the axle nut.....wouldn't budge. So since I couldn't use them anyhow.....but yeah trans side popped out.

 

[xxxmonoxidechil]

Wait....why? I mean with a Protg, at least newer ones you just run that harness and power it....plug the connections up and you basically have two harnesses - one to run the car and one to run the engine.

You leave your existing chassis harness in place. the only harness you need is the engine side. And the reason is the KLDE harness has alot more involved, when the K8 harness is much more simple without as many relays and such which the KL harness will need to run. Its just to make the entire wiring a much simpler process.

 

[xxxmonoxidechil]

The trans side popped right out. I tried MULTIPLE times and ways to loose the axle nut.....wouldn't budge. So since I couldn't use them anyhow.....but yeah trans side popped out.

Take a long screw driver, and put it in the fins of you brake rotor. Then when you try to break the nut loose, the screw driver will hit the caliper, and stop it from spinning. Then undo the nut. If you dont break the socket, or breaker bar, ask someone else that has some muscle. haha

 

[bonylad]

Take a long screw driver, and put it in the fins of you brake rotor. Then when you try to break the nut loose, the screw driver will hit the caliper, and stop it from spinning. Then undo the nut. If you dont break the socket, or breaker bar, ask someone else that has some muscle. haha

Lol. If you saw me you wouldnt suggest that lol. But yeah mute point. They are out.

 

[bonylad]

You leave your existing chassis harness in place. the only harness you need is the engine side. And the reason is the KLDE harness has alot more involved, when the K8 harness is much more simple without as many relays and such which the KL harness will need to run. Its just to make the entire wiring a much simpler process.

Aaaaaah. I think I am seeing the light now. Thanks!

 

[bonylad]

Well, I should have some more pics up soon.

I will show a pic of the refurbished crossmember and........my recently acquired engine mount bracket! Boom....now mounts and axles which are ebay stuff and voila!