What have you done to your P5 today?

[323]

Amazon has the KYB rear right strut mount for sale for only $12, so I ordered one to troubleshoot my clunks on that corner. The other ones (rear left and fronts) seem to be regular price, and I'll order them if this one helps. https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

Rock Auto lists this part (KYB SM5457) as only being compatible with the sedan. I don't know if that's a fitment or firmness issue or if they're just wrong. Amazon seems to think the KYB part will fit a P5, forum member @Inside posted that he ordered this part number, and Rock Auto's page for KYB SM5457 (the one that *doesn't* show compatibility with the P5) lists "BJ3D28380" as the OEM/alternate part number... which is the part number for the actual P5 rear right mount per the parts catalog.

Anyone else used KYB strut mounts in a P5, and if so, did it work out? I replaced the original struts with KYB ones about six years ago.

though it's prolly most likely compatible with each other, i want to say the p5 strut shaft is a bit longer for reasons i don't remember. getting old + lack of sleep = blurry memory.

edit: come to think about it, it should have extra threading to accomodate mounting the seat belt onto the top of the strut.

 

[katapaltes]

though it's prolly most likely compatible with each other, i want to say the p5 strut shaft is a bit longer for reasons i don't remember. getting old + lack of sleep = blurry memory.

edit: come to think about it, it should have extra threading to accomodate mounting the seat belt onto the top of the strut.

Yep, it looks like two of the three bolts on the OEM P5 rear strut mounts are longer, and it is to accommodate two double decker nuts for the retractor brackets (left: B25H-57-99XE, right: B25H-57-92XE) that are perched on top of the strut mounts as seen in two pics here: https://mazdas247.com/forum/t/boring-daily-build.123870720/page-28#post-6693313

Gabriel mount example:

Looking at my KYB part that just arrived, there's not nearly as much difference in length between the two longer bolts and the shorter one; certainly not as much difference as in the pic above or the OEM part shown in the linked pics. I do think there will be enough threading available on the bolts to fully tighten the two upper nuts, though.

As for the *front* strut mounts, does anyone know if the lack of the "white dot" used for caster/camber on aftermarket mounts causes a problem? I'm guessing not, since you'd just use the notch in one of the sides to align the mount instead of that white dot as shown below.

EDIT: Now not sure if that notch can be used for orienting the mount.

 

[RedPanda7]

I saw another p5 on the road and I get excited. I get sad when I them at my local picknpull, but I at the same time that means I still have access to spare parts

PS. is it hard to remove the AC compressor out of a P5? mine's dead and wondering if it's worth the hassle.

Edit: Spelling and Grammar because I'm awful.

 

[BenjiHoggi]

I saw another p5 on the road and I get excited. I get sad when I see p5 at picknpull, but I at the same time that means I get to spare parts.

Haha, I resonate with this. Additionally, I like to browse the local marketplaces for P5s and sedans. I don't need another one, but I like to look at them.

Speaking of, I've been meaning to post this one for a bit - probably the cleanest modified P5 I've ever seen. I got so excited looking at it. Not sure what it sold for but I'm sure it couldn't have been too far off the asking price, and it was sold in only a few days.

2003 Mazda Protege Hatchback 4D

Selling my manual transmission 2003 Mazda Protege5 with 104K miles. I'm the second owner of the car (third, if you count the dealership that the original owner sold the car to and I bought it from)....

www.facebook.com

 

[RedPanda7]

I was recently at Hawaii and I saw a red manual that has very little rust compared to mine- HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!!! I also realize most p5 owners I see on the road doesn't seem to share my excitement.

Is your P5 still your daily driver?

 

[BenjiHoggi]

I also realize most p5 owners I see on the road doesn't seem to share my excitement.

Alas yes, I have found the same. And most of them seem to be just totally beat or being driven by old people. On the flip side, I don't think car people really see the P5 (at least in my experience) as anything other than an old Mazda. Which it technically is, but so is the NA Miata! And people love those. The P5 is fun too!

Yes, definitely a still a daily driver. Couldn't be better illustrated then by the below image, taken this morning. What about your P5?

 

[RedPanda7]

Yes- it is my daily driver.

originally purchased the P5 for $1700 as a temporary car to teach the Mrs. stick shift. The original idea was to eventually buy a Miata. Well the Miata never happened and we still have this car.


Trying to see if I can get 300k out of her (currently at 210)

 

[BenjiHoggi]

That's cool. I love that blue. That would have probably been my first color choice. What a great car for $1700. I paid a little more for mine, but it's spotless underneath and had 143k on the clock. Something tells me I'm overdue for a major failure at just under 180k, but I'm just going to keep babying it and if something gives up, I'll fix it.

 

[RedPanda7]

That's cool. I love that blue. That would have probably been my first color choice. What a great car for $1700. I paid a little more for mine, but it's spotless underneath and had 143k on the clock. Something tells me I'm overdue for a major failure at just under 180k, but I'm just going to keep babying it and if something gives up, I'll fix it.

I just had the timing belt replaced when I took the AC compressor out. Hopefully that's the last thing I need to do for a while. Like you, I'll just drive it gently and see if I can get more years out of this car. There's always stuff I can do/replace, but at this point I only want to replace things that has failed. Otherwise it'll be a never ending list of things to work on.

 

[pcb]

EDIT: Now not sure if that notch can be used for orienting the mount.
View attachment 314031

It's the white dot that you use for orientation.

You can adjust your caster and camber by rotating your strut mount.

If you look straight down at the strut mount on your OEM struts, you'll see that the center of the mount where the strut goes though, isn't exactly in the middle of the mount.

Some aftermarket front strut mounts are centered so you have no caster/camber adjustment.

One guy bought aftermarket complete struts and the stut mount was centered and the shop couldn't get the proper caster/camber, so they had to oval out the 4 holes where the strut mount goes through, to get the proper caster/camber.

 

[reut1]

Yes- it is my daily driver.

originally purchased the P5 for $1700 as a temporary car to teach the Mrs. stick shift. The original idea was to eventually buy a Miata. Well the Miata never happened and we still have this car.


Trying to see if I can get 300k out of her (currently at 210)

if rust didnt take mine I definitely would have gotten it to 300k easily.

 

[Diamond_Dave]

probably the cleanest modified P5 I've ever seen. I got so excited looking at it. Not sure what it sold for but I'm sure it couldn't have been too far off the asking price, and it was sold in only a few days.

2003 Mazda Protege Hatchback 4D

Selling my manual transmission 2003 Mazda Protege5 with 104K miles. I'm the second owner of the car (third, if you count the dealership that the original owner sold the car to and I bought it from)....

www.facebook.com

Are we looking at a 100K miles P5 with STI wheels for $9K?! What is that seller smoking?

 

[BenjiHoggi]

Are we looking at a 100K miles P5 with STI wheels for $9K?! What is that seller smoking?

That's exactly what I said! But it sold within a matter of days, so I couldn't imagine the price was too far off. I'd guess maybe 5-7k.

It definitely has more done than just wheels, but it doesn't look overly modified. I think it's the low miles, 2-owners, and general clean factor that really made me take a second think about the price. It's literally every single modification I would make to my own P5. I bet someone else with some money felt similarly.

 

[katapaltes]

originally purchased the P5 for $1700 as a temporary car to teach the Mrs. stick shift. The original idea was to eventually buy a Miata. Well the Miata never happened and we still have this car.

I was teaching my then-girlfriend to drive stick a couple years ago. She wanted to learn and if she got proficient in the P5, I'd have let her try the Miata. Years ago, I was going to sell the P5 and get a somewhat-practical BRZ, but then realized I could just have two cars and check both boxes that way.

It's the white dot that you use for orientation.

You can adjust your caster and camber by rotating your strut mount.

If you look straight down at the strut mount on your OEM struts, you'll see that the center of the mount where the strut goes though, isn't exactly in the middle of the mount.

Some aftermarket front strut mounts are centered so you have no caster/camber adjustment.

One guy bought aftermarket complete struts and the stut mount was centered and the shop couldn't get the proper caster/camber, so they had to oval out the 4 holes where the strut mount goes through, to get the proper caster/camber.


View attachment 314083

Hi PCB, I replaced the original rear-right mount with the KYB one today. The amount of threading on the new part's bolts was definitely less than the original. But it was sufficient even though Rock Auto didn't approve fitment of KYB SM5457 for the P5, only for the sedan. The original part still looked good, so I don't know how much the new mount will help. I replaced my bump stops alongs with the struts six years ago and now the bump stops are busted again on both rear wheels which may indicate another problem. (Springs? Shocks?) Our roads aren't that bad and I drive "spiritedly" at best/worst. Like an idiot, I didn't test the strut with it removed from the car, but really the car doesn't bounce hardly at all.

I'll wait to see if this one mount helps on the rear-right. If not, I'll give up chasing these clunks, but I'll be content because at least I know I tried. As for front mounts, I'm surprised to hear that some aftermarket ones are not adjustable. As good as the one old rear mount looks, it doesn't make sense to replace an adjustable mount that's in decent shape with an aftermarket, non-adjustable one. Wonder if I should just try and replace the bearings in the front mounts...

Going over medium-sized breaks in the road makes my dashcam think I have been in an accident.

 

[pcb]

My rear strut mount looked fine too, but I replaced it anyway.
It was pretty clunky. Lol

 

[pcb]

... I replaced my bump stops alongs with the struts six years ago and now the bump stops are busted again on both rear wheels which may indicate another problem.

I think it just means that you were using your bump stops A LOT and you just wore them out.
It's not just bumps in the road that compress your struts, hard cornering REALLY squashes them hard.

If your car isn't bouncing then maybe your struts are ok, but they may have lost some damping ability.

Wonder if I should just try and replace the bearings in the front mounts...

That's a good idea.
IIRC, you can also lube/grease them too?
That's not something that I dealt with personally.

 

[BenjiHoggi]

All of this talk of front struts is reminding me that I need to replace mine.

Anybody know what happened to the KYB QuickStruts (I think that's what they were called) on RockAuto? I can only find the base struts without springs or mounts. I don't mind putting everything together myself if I have to though. But if I'm having to buy springs anyways, I'd love to drop the car a tad bit. Man, if I only I could get my hands on some MSP springs...that would be sweet.

Having seen the recent conversations about strut mounts, I'm a little hesitant to replace with aftermarket ones though. I would really hate to mess up my ability to align properly. Thoughts?

 

[pcb]

All of this talk of front struts is reminding me that I need to replace mine.

I replaced my rear struts with Monroe Quik Stuts.
Easy Peasy to install.

Anybody know what happened to the KYB QuickStruts (I think that's what they were called) on RockAuto? I can only find the base struts without springs or mounts. I don't mind putting everything together myself if I have to though. But if I'm having to buy springs anyways, I'd love to drop the car a tad bit. Man, if I only I could get my hands on some MSP springs...that would be sweet.

There are plenty of complete quick struts available from Rockauto...

Having seen the recent conversations about strut mounts, I'm a little hesitant to replace with aftermarket ones though. I would really hate to mess up my ability to align properly. Thoughts?

Get yourself a set of OEM quality struts that can take a 's*** kicking' and some adjustable Camber bolts to straighten up your alignment.

(They don't do Caster bolts though.
I wonder what's up with that ?)

 

[BenjiHoggi]

I replaced my rear struts with Monroe Quik Stuts.
Easy Peasy to install.




There are plenty of complete quick struts available from Rockauto...

View attachment 314284View attachment 314285






Get yourself a set of OEM quality struts that can take a 's*** kicking' and some adjustable Camber bolts to straighten up your alignment.

(They don't do Caster bolts though.
I wonder what's up with that ?)

View attachment 314286

I see. I think I was getting the KYBs mixed up with Monroe. I will take a look at the Monroes. I do hope that the Monroes hold up as well as the OEM struts have. I'm pretty hard on my car and the OEM struts are still good at 180k (unless someone replaced them with new OEM ones, which seems unlikely to me). I'm just fighting with a clunking/creaking noise up front which I'd like to eliminate.

I'm not really planning to lower the car at all, so I'd rather not *have* to do camber bolts. But are they just one of those things that is always better to have than not? They don't seem terribly expensive. I may pick some up just to have them, and if I need to install, I will do so.

 

[BenjiHoggi]

I'm only seeing Monroe QuickStruts for the rear, and I'm doing the front's. Am I just blind or do they not make QuickStruts for the front's? The only Monroe branded ones are the "Roadmatic."