VENOM parts for our cars!

[Intruder]

either way, you're in for a lot of work

that's very encouraging.... lol

thanks man, I'm trying to come up with the best approach.
how long did it take you to fix your engine? I don't have a second car and I go to school...

can this repair be done without taking the engine out?

[pigeon]

lol, sorry, didnt mean to discourage you

hour wise, it took me about 30 hours
i mean, a mechanic would do the same in about 9, i jus am very meticulous and it was my first time ever doing something like that

yes it can be done without taking the engine out
just the top half of it has to come out.... the cylinderhead

but before you tear into it to fix the damage, try to find out what caused the damage
and fix that too

or you could be back at square one in a few months

IF it is the piston rings... which i dont really think.. but it could be

then theres more work involved, cause you have to take them out of the block
hone the block
re-ring the pistons
and put them back in

and that will take more time as well

[Intruder]

does this involve all of the cylinders? can I just fix number 4 and not touch the others?

[Intruder]

but before you tear into it to fix the damage, try to find out what caused the damage
and fix that too

wow, I can't think of what might have gone wrong other than my lead foot...
the engine is weak and I'm pushing it all the time...

I got my car used. I ran a carfax check on it a year after I bought it, and it turned out that the car's previous owner was "a major car-rental company".... iono if that has anything to do with the problem. it was running fine for a year until a year ago a friend of mine said I have rough idle, then I went to the mazda dealership for the 50K mile service and right after the service the CEL came on.... strange, huh?

[pigeon]

you could technically only fix the broken cylinder
but jus getting there is a pain in the ass

and when you're in there, you might as well do the rest cause it doesent cost THAT much more

heres something to think about tho.... you could get a 1.8L engine for a few hundred... an ecu for roughly 200... get the wiring harnesses, pay bruce a few dollars to splice them together, and 1 motor mount

and you could put a 1.8 in there
it'll end up costing a few hundred more (like 300ish) and it'll take a few extra days of work
but it'll be so worth it

and i regret not doing that

it's just back when i had the option, we didnt know all the parts were compatible with the 1.8
now we do

cause bruce is using all his 1.5L parts


and about your car being a rental car... thats horrible, your car probably got driven with almost no gas in the tank a whole lot, got the **** kicked out of it all day, and probably never got warmed up

not to mention neglected on the maintenence

i feel for u bro...

[Intruder]

and about your car being a rental car... thats horrible, your car probably got driven with almost no gas in the tank a whole lot, got the **** kicked out of it all day, and probably never got warmed up

not to mention neglected on the maintenence

i feel for u bro...

it was in excellent condition I tell you...
the engine bay looked like the car wasn't driven at all...
there were no scratches or even chips on the front bumper which suggests that the car wasn't driven on the highway at all (or very little). unless it got a paint job right before I purchased it... but it didn't look like it.

about the swap. I'll have to swap my transmission as well cuz I have an auto. that adds to the equation...
also, where do I look for a BP-DE?

[pigeon]

https://www.car-part.com

they got it all
look at some prices and stuff

i mean, if this was a future option anyways, its a decent idea to do it now
if you never planned on getting a 1.8, you might as well jus fix the problem

[Intruder]

oh, believe me, I planned on it, but the price was a bit too much...
I'm gonna look into it though.
one question - can I run the BP with my current tranny or I have to upgrade it as well?

[Intruder]

I found a couple in my area. There's one for $350, but there's no description of the condition... Is this a normal price for an engine with good miles and in good condition?

1998
Engine
Mazda Protege 1800 (VIN 2 or 4), MT- 43K 2M132 $700

[pigeon]

i think thats roughly how much bruce paid for his
and he jus changed the belts, oil, plugs and all that stuff
when he got his

and apparently its running great

[Intruder]

43K miles?? that's a steal... $700 isn't cheap though.

[Intruder]

one question - can I run the BP with my current tranny or I have to upgrade it as well?

I found this in the FAQ:

FB4A-EL
Used with
BP-DE (96+ BH)
Z5-DE (96+ BH)

so, I guess I can use my current automatic with the 1.8L BP-DE?

[pigeon]

there you go my man
and you need an automatic wiring harness... i think bruce has one, or part of one up for grabs

and an ecu
and you're in business

at the most, you might have to buy 1 motor mount also

but if you feel like undertaking a little project, i think this is an excellent idea
that motor is a good price, and i say at most you'd be spending 1500 at MOST

which isnt bad considering
also, this means you dont have to do it yet
drive this motor till summer time
it'll definately last, jus run like ****

so you'll have more time to get the cash
jus remember you need an automatic harness and an automatic ecu

[pigeon]

where are you in relation to toronto, ontario, canada?

[Intruder]

where are you in relation to toronto, ontario, canada?

very far...
near San Francisco, CA