New with a '88 323

[azarashi]

Hello just joined the forums cause this one looks slightly more active then another I was trying.Anyways just wanted to say hi, I am a new owner of an 88 323 hatchback after my truck engined got seized up my dad gave me his 323.

Still getting use to the car after owning it for bout a month now, this is my first time using a manual too so fun times, but I can say I love the little car. It has a lot more torque then I expected and the tires still like to chirp sometimes off the lights.

So I have one big question is that my model is the base 88 and it has no tachometer and this car being only a 4 speed I am not sure the RPM range, or atleast how fast it can go. On the free way I don't feel comfortable pushing it much past 70 cause im not sure if I am pushing it near red line at all.

Also like I said before about the tires, they seem a bit squirrely at times, mostly in the rain more so then any other car I have driven. Not sure if its just the car being so light weight and the torquey little engine, or if its the tires. The tires still have plenty tread and don't look bad though.

Thanks anyways, just wanted to see if I can get any feedback and if I do I will find myself poking back here for more questions in the future since I do plan on working on the car throughout the summer.

 

[Maz94Protege]

Hey, Welcome to the forums and to the mazda family.

I had a 1.8l SOHC 94 protege DX. It was very torquey and could chirp the wheels and spin them so much easier then my friends 93 DOHC 1.8l BP. I believe you have the 1.6 and it is also a very torquey engine. Do you have the DOHC B6T? or non turbo?

Post up some pictures when you can.

 

[sethro_GT]

You could probably do 100 and be ok. You could probably get the tack cluster out of a mercury tracer or 323 at the junkyard for fairly cheap.

Sounds like tires to me, quality of tire makes a huge difference in handling and ride. Perhaps you could find some cheap 15" wheels and get some good rubber to put on em. Though, with larger wheels you will lose some power since they weigh more. Do the struts seem ok too?

 

[azarashi]

Not sure why my dad put a toe hook on it, I cant even imagine what this thing could even pull. But yeah this is the 1.6 non turbo and like I said it is BASE, it has no options on it at all. Even where the clock is suppose to be in the center console is just a little plastic filler piece.

The struts seem ok, they are obviously still old but don't seem horrible. I plan on putting new front brake pads on this next week so I will see when I get the tires off. Along with getting the tires rotated sometime soon.

 

[sethro_GT]

Nice looking and straight, do a little polishing compound on the paint then a couple coats of wax and it'll look new. Don't forget to pick up some floor mats too. Also there is a thread about using stick insulation as sound deadener (cheap alternative to dynamat) in the protege5 forum. These cars have terrible road noise so it would definitely help.

Definitely base, like I mentioned you could get a lot of good stuff from a tracer in the junkyard. I could look in the pull it yard here in Boise, since you're in washington shipping would be cheap.

 

[azarashi]

There is a Pull a part yard near here that I went to to grab a missing piece of trim from my driver side as well as the car at the yard had brand new brake pads so I took those too. But not sure what the tracers dash looks like or anything, googled around and still didn't see much.

I was planning on wax it as well as floor mats, I grabbed some armor all wipes for the dash and it works magic the dash and any vinyl piece looks brand new.

Yah lots of road noise, never thought or knew about reducing it I will look into that thanks.

 

[CorkSport]

Definately chase up a cluster with a tach in it.

If you want 5th gear I think we have a used 5 speed transmission in the shop. If bolts right in.

Derrick

 

[sethro_GT]

I think the tracer dash up to 91 (or 89 not sure) is identical to the 323. The connector tach is there just need the cluster for it.

Take Derrick up on the offer, its a good deal. Then you could check the clutch while you're in there.

 

[azarashi]

I believe the clutch is relatively new, or atleast it feels good. But I will search around for a tracer to see if any junk yards around here have one, at the very least I was thinking of getting one and mounting it.

 

[MazKid]

Hey, nice 323! I have one too. lol

Get a 323 tach gauge cluster, it's plug 'n play. My car is an SE and didn't come with a tach, so I swapped. I can explain how to roll the odometer to your car's actual mileage if you need me to. The Tracer cluster has the typical Ford 85mph speedo and if I remember correctly, only a 5 digit odometer. 323 ones would be EASIER to find aswell. However, if you do find an upscale Tracer, grab the door and rear panels, seats, etc... makes the interior a lot nicer, like mine:

You sure it's an '88? Only '89s had a body-color grill.

As far as speed on the highway... the 4th gear ratio should net you over 100mph. I've had my 5 speed car up to an indicated 110(and it's mechanically stock). When it was a 4 speed auto, it would barely break 100 'cause it wouldn't shift or stay in 4th at WOT, it would just top out 3rd. lol

Wheels and tires... Any 4 lug Mazda 1989 and older is 4X114.3(a few models are 4X110). If you want factory 15"s, you're limited to the '86-'87 626 GT. 14"s in my opinion are a better option. You can use 1st gen RX-7 GSL-SE wheels, '86-'88 RX-7 wheels, '86-'87 626 LX wheels, etc. All look like they belong on a 323. lol

Feel free to post any other questions you have... I'll keep checking this thread. Long live these cars!

 

[sethro_GT]

Or get some stock GT 14", they look good for what they're worth. I Mentioned tracer since there many more of those than 323's around here. I'm going to the PAP today and can check it out.

Hey mazkid did you get those door panels upholstered?

 

[MazKid]

Or get some stock GT 14", they look good for what they're worth. I Mentioned tracer since there many more of those than 323's around here. I'm going to the PAP today and can check it out.

Hey mazkid did you get those door panels upholstered?

Nope, those are the stock Tracer door panels. I had to clean them up a lot but they're like mint.

 

[sethro_GT]

Went to the yard today, no 323 clusters with tachs and only one tracer with a tach. Indeed it only goes to 85 and 8k rpm but still better than no tach. There used to be 4 capri's and tons of tracers, now only one tracer. They're getting rare, time to stock up.

 

[azarashi]

When I have money in the following months I will look into a cluster, right now my priority is tires and I have been looking around craigslist for wheels/rims since much much cheaper to get used ones.

It might be an 89, the registration says 88 while the door sticker says 89.

Also remembered that part of the paint is cracking under the back passenger window (you can see it a bit in the picture if you look). Figured I could look around town for a car painting place,etc and get some quotes, unless anyone has any suggestions. As well as the passenger side mirror has a crack in it as well as the windshield has a crack running along the bottom of it, so gotta look at prices for those as well, the mirror I am sure I can just grab off a 323 at a yard.

Also the car did something weird today, the wipers wouldn't work when I started it up. Would click it up and down and they did nothing, restarted the car and they worked again. I assume some weird electrical issue. Also one time at night switching from high to low beam, the lights turned completely off for a second then came back on.

 

[sethro_GT]

sounds like your combo switch may be going out. All the steering column levers are part of it as a single assembly. May be a loose connection in the column too.

 

[azarashi]

Where is it at so I can check, in the steering column?

 

[sethro_GT]

Yeah, the clam shell (cover) comes off and its right there.

Here's the tracer cluster:

 

[azarashi]

Thats from the tracer right?

 

[sethro_GT]

yeah

 

[azarashi]

Found out the tires were over inflated, probably why my traction was crap in the rain.