What have you done to your P5 today?

[pcb]

Yeah I did notice your jack-stand just punched through your floor-board.
I've got some metal foil tape to fix it if you need to pass inspection.

My jack stands punched through the bracket where the rear trailing arms meet the frame.

I was supporting it as the FSM said to.

I lost complete interest in my car after that.
Frame damage...

A year later, I had a plate welded in...

But she still won't pass safety.
Unless I spend about $2,000 to fix the structural damage (due to rust)..

 

[tj4fa2003P5]

...It's great economy.
It owes me nothing.

I can't sell it because it won't pass safety.

I can still drive it though.

I'm gonna get 5 more years out of it..
That's my goal...
Then I will kill it. Lol

Careful...If cars could talk, yours might be saying the same thing about you.

My jack stands punched through the bracket where the rear trailing arms meet the frame.

I was supporting it as the FSM said to.

I lost complete interest in my car after that.
Frame damage...

A year later, I had a plate welded in...

But she still won't pass safety.
Unless I spend about $2,000 to fix the structural damage (due to rust)..

Move to Florida - we don't have no stinkin' safety inspections and you'll be good to go as we are a "no fault" state.

 

[tj4fa2003P5]

Ok - So far I removed the pilot bearing from the flywheel while still mounted on the car.

-I didn't have a special bearing removal tool or want to spend a lot of bread buying one so I used the YouTube hack I found below:

Pilot Bearing Removal Using BREAD
(Actually using bread, an undersized bolt close to the diameter of the pilot bearing hole, some electrical tape and a 2lb hammer)

-Some other links I found people used toilet paper, grease, or wet paper towels instead of bread.

 

[BenjiHoggi]

Keep in mind that reverse is hard to get into for all of us.

I'll second this. Takes clutching in/out sometimes to get it in.

-I didn't have a special bearing removal tool or want to spend a lot of bread buying one so I used the YouTube hack I found below:

Pilot Bearing Removal Using BREAD
(Actually using bread, an undersized bolt close to the diameter of the pilot bearing hole, some electrical tape and a 2lb hammer)

You weren't kidding about actually using bread I guess.

Move to Florida - we don't have no stinkin' safety inspections and you'll be good to go as we are a "no fault" state.

It seems like you can drive anything in Florida and nobody will even turn an eye, let alone give an inspection.

 

[RPRP5]

I'll second this. Takes clutching in/out sometimes to get it in.

You weren't kidding about actually using bread I guess.

It seems like you can drive anything in Florida and nobody will even turn an eye, let alone give an inspection.

Why do you think most JDM cars that aren't imported on the up have Florida plates? Florida DMV gives -999 f*cks.

 

[RPRP5]

Keep an eye on your dipstick.
Don't let it go below the Low mark.
There is 1 liter of oil from the low mark to the full mark on the dipstick.

The oil burning starts off slowly and there is no smoke, then it progresses to the point where you burn a quart of oil with every tank of gas and you'll fog out the entire neighborhood.

I started with seafoam just after I got my car in 2009 after joining this forum and reading about the oil burning issue.

Some guys were using synthetic oil and going the recommended 10,000 miles before an oil change and they started to burn oil.

I just use regular Dino oil and change it every 3000 miles along with the seafoam.

I also put a shot in with the gas with every fillup as well, to help keep the injectors and combustion chambers clean.

There are other products available but some "engine flush" treatments are caustic and can eat away at engine seals and such.

You jinxed it. Oil light came on today. It went away on it's own, but I'm not driving my car to work tomorrow and I'm having it checked out on Friday

 

[pcb]

You jinxed it. Oil light came on today. It went away on it's own, but I'm not driving my car to work tomorrow and I'm having it checked out on Friday

Check your oil...

I'm almost positive that the only thing that turns on the oil light is when your oil pressure is too low.

If your oil level is too low, you can suck air from your oil pan causing a pressure drop and turning on your oil light.
You can wreck your engine in seconds if you start sucking air into the oil.

Don't start your car until you check the dipstick.
Add some oil if it's low, especially if there is no oil at all on the dipstick.

 

[RPRP5]

Check your oil...

I'm almost positive that the only thing that turns on the oil light is when your oil pressure is too low.

If your oil level is too low, you can suck air from your oil pan causing a pressure drop and turning on your oil light.
You can wreck your engine in seconds if you start sucking air into the oil.

Don't start your car until you check the dipstick.
Add some oil if it's low, especially if there is no oil at all on the dipstick.

It shut itself off after a few seconds. And I had to turn off my car cause I was getting pulled over at that time. I checked the oil and it's got oil, but it is very dirty.

 

[RPRP5]

Well, I got lucky


After driving it with little to no oil (seriously, nothing was registering on the dipstick when I checked) for God knows how long, I added 2 quarts and a half and it seems to be fine. However, I am keeping my eye on that dipstick (and I'm also not revving my car to 7k anymore)

 

[BenjiHoggi]

Well, I got lucky


After driving it with little to no oil (seriously, nothing was registering on the dipstick when I checked) for God knows how long, I added 2 quarts and a half and it seems to be fine. However, I am keeping my eye on that dipstick (and I'm also not revving my car to 7k anymore)

If your car is still making power at 7K, I want to know your secret. I never rev past 5K because it just sounds terrible and has no top end power at all, and I feel like the motor is about to grenade. I find that most of my power or at least "shove" is in the 3K to 4.5K range, never higher.

 

[RPRP5]

If your car is still making power at 7K, I want to know your secret. I never rev past 5K because it just sounds terrible and has no top end power at all, and I feel like the motor is about to grenade. I find that most of my power or at least "shove" is in the 3K to 4.5K range, never higher.

After 6k there's just nothing there, it just falls flat on it's face.


I bet a KLZE would solve that problem though.

 

[BenjiHoggi]

After 6k there's just nothing there, it just falls flat on it's face.


I bet a KLZE would solve that problem though.

I bet it would too . It's on my list of "mods" to do when it's financially feasible for me and I have another daily.

 

[zer0sum]

The top part of the handle broke on yours too?

I've replaced several too. It's insane.

 

[RPRP5]

I've replaced several too. It's insane.

Apparently they break so much that they're making replacements out of billet aluminum now!

 

[BenjiHoggi]

Apparently they break so much that they're making replacements out of billet aluminum now!

I saw those! Definitely considered buying one, but realized that it's basically a band-aid on the fact that I burn so much oil. Might as well put the money towards a rebuild down the line to fix the inherent issue.

 

[pcb]

I saw those! Definitely considered buying one, but realized that it's basically a band-aid on the fact that I burn so much oil. Might as well put the money towards a rebuild down the line to fix the inherent issue.

You can also get a JDM engine.

In Japan, when a car hits 100,000 KM, they are required to meet original factory specs or something, so a lot of people just get rid of their car.

The Japanese are known for taking REALLY good care of their cars.

It costs about the same as a rebuild, or even cheaper.

 

[BenjiHoggi]

You can also get a JDM engine.

In Japan, when a car hits 100,000 KM, they are required to meet original factory specs or something, so a lot of people just get rid of their car.

The Japanese are known for taking REALLY good care of their cars.

It costs about the same as a rebuild, or even cheaper.

Good point, but I think that also means they take premium fuel because of higher compression. I've done the research on it for the day that my motor inevitably goes, and if it weren't for the fuel thing, I would not hesitate to go with a JDM engine.

 

[pcb]

Good point, but I think that also means they take premium fuel because of higher compression.

My memory is a little foggy on that.
I thought that was for a KL swap, unless that is what the JDM engine is ?

You can also do a "quick and sloppy" ring job, where you leave the engine in the car, remove the top and bottom ends of the engine and replace the rings/pistons without removing the engine.

 

[BenjiHoggi]

My memory is a little foggy on that.
I thought that was for a KL swap, unless that is what the JDM engine is ?

You can also do a "quick and sloppy" ring job, where you leave the engine in the car, remove the top and bottom ends of the engine and replace the rings/pistons without removing the engine.

As far as I understand it:
The KL is Mazda's 60° v6. I think they take premium regardless of config.
The KL-DE is the v6 that came in the USDM Millenia, MX-6 and I think 626, amongst others.
The KL-ZE is the small displacement v6 that came in JDM and other market cars like the Lantis, amongst others.
Obviously the USDM FS takes regular, but the MP3 and MSP take premium. I have read in a few places that the JDM FS takes premium because of higher compression pistons and overall more stringent regulations in Japan, though I haven't dug up any actual sources to prove this.

To be fair, I've never done an engine swap or worked with a KL, so this is just from my reading on here and around the web. Honestly, if I was going to rebuild an engine, my need for perfection would push me to do an entire teardown and rebuild with all new parts. I'd hate to screw something up and have to do it again. But for those who are more mechanically inclined and just need transportation, a quick ring job seems like a good idea for sure.

 

[pcb]

A rebuild or a "quick and sloppy" ring job, are both beyond my abilities, but I'm pretty sure that I could pull off an engine swap.

I did tear into my parts car to pull a piston, but I had no intention of putting it back together.
Even that was a lot of work.