Project 1988 Mazda Familia GT

[LN323]

Looking good, Kyle. Sorry I missed going to the XXX. Love what you did with the intake pipes. I may need your advice on swapping out a couple of my pieces. Hmmmmm.... the bumper looks vaguely familiar! LOL

Larry

[mazkam]

Look like this project as taken the back seat since the arrival of the Mazdaspeed 3. I really enjoy this the project thread. Do i hear a 323 gt for sale in the not so distant future.

[LN323]

Word. I think he's bailing out on the GT project.... Perseverance might be waning? Hope not!

[FamiliaGT]

lol, not bailing out on anything. Too much time and money invested. It HAS taken a little bit of a delay since I bought the speed 3, and since I just had surgery on my hand, money has gone to other problems...

Ile update this in the near future with some new photos.

[FamiliaGT]

Well, so everyone knows this car is still alive and well, it got a new look. well, more like I stole my friends JDM grill. Well....more like we traded for it. Cars at my folks one state over due to lack of space at my house. Had to make room for a 66' Chevy project.

Pics to come.

[FamiliaGT]

Well, as a late update, spent some time on the GT recently. Finally found my way down the road to CorkSport and picked up my new HKS Boost controller to replace the one I thought was bad. Turns out I was wrong. Originally, I wanted to relocate the Controller and lines into my glove box. That prooved to pose problems. Couldnt get it to go above stock boost. Anyways, I just put it on a short leash by the Exhaust/Turbo. This fixed most of my issues. The rest of it was due to the Catch can I had in the PCV line from Valve cover to turbo inlet pipe. I removed that and tightened down all the lines and couplers on the intercooler pipes. Did well for it. Hits up to 16 lbs and holds down to 14. Would like it to be adjustable to 20 lbs for wiggle room, but that will be fixed later.
Also about a month ago, I ran into some boost issues where the car didnt want to boost passed 14 lbs.... Open Wastegate. Thats right, unplugged. Also wouldnt keep any pressure in the lines while shifting, so it lagged like crazy. Turns out I had a coupler that popped open on the bottom of the upper hard pipes. Out of sight and from the top, looked fine. I was wrong. I ended up replacing the coupler.


In the mean time, I also replaced my vacuum lines with silicone tubing. Looks good, and fixed a minor boost leak.

Also installed the JDM grill as well as my fogs I had removed. Looks good me thinks!







Wheres the switch for the fog lights?


OHHH!! There it is!


...and my blown coupler.

[FamiliaGT]

Also ment to add, I swapped the power windows over from my white 323 GT. That took about a week with 1 er 2 hours a day to do. Much nicer then those silly lookin things you have to turn in circles.

This last weekend was fun too! Comming home in troutdale, I merged onto a main road and right as I merged, what came up on my right? A Modded 350Z. Decided to have fun with it. I slammed through the gears and walked him. Havnt actually raced anyone in a long time. That was fun. He was very cool about it too. Was shocked I was boosted and that an 80's econo box walked his modded coupe.

[LN323]

Also ment to add, I swapped the power windows over from my white 323 GT. That took about a week with 1 er 2 hours a day to do. Much nicer then those silly lookin things you have to turn in circles.

This last weekend was fun too! Comming home in troutdale, I merged onto a main road and right as I merged, what came up on my right? A Modded 350Z. Decided to have fun with it. I slammed through the gears and walked him. Havnt actually raced anyone in a long time. That was fun. He was very cool about it too. Was shocked I was boosted and that an 80's econo box walked his modded coupe.

Nice! Scary that you and I seem to think alike. I have similar fog/driving lights that I happened to have gotten from Pull-a-Part that look almost identical to the ones you have on. Wow.

Good to know your car seems to be running well. About time you got out of the Mazda 3.....

[FamiliaGT]

Who said I got out? *Cough/ and its Speed 3 /Cough*

[Shreve]

The MS3 is a beater compared to your GT. All the GT needs is paint.
Have you put them head-to-head yet?

Your GT was my first introduction to how sweet the BF platform could be. I've been a fan ever since.

[FamiliaGT]

Then I think you need one Matt.

Update coming soon.

[FamiliaGT]

Finally, an Update!

Have some good and bad news about the GT.
In order, Bad News first.
3 weeks ago, I headed over to my folks to swap cars, park the Speed 3 and drive the GT for a while. Well, I jumped her with my jump box and let her sit running while I parked the Speed 3.

I get halfway to the freeway with the car when I notice one of my HID's is out in the reflection of a rear chrome bumper. I look further down to discover my dash lights are very dimm and my blower motor is very slow. My stereo was also blinking on and off. Wondering what the problem was I pull over. Diagnoses confirmed a bad alternator, so I put the jump box back on the car so I had lights to drive home with. Had to keep the hood slightly propped for room for the Jump box. Halfway home (Again!), I encounter a gust of wind while driving 25 mph. This light gust of wind was just enough to force the hood up, and SLAM into my windshield, cracking it in 2 places. Pissed, I shove the hood back down, get it home and park it. Swap cars (Again...) and drive home.

The Good News,

This little incident made me realize she needed some love and attention, which she hadnt gotten in a while. So two days later, come by and pick up the battery to recharge over night at my place. Next day, I put the fully charged battery in the car so I can drive it to work under battery power, which I found out later, the alternator is working intermittently. I had at this point also found a spare alternator I forgot I had hiding in my back shed FULL of my 323 collection of parts. First day at work, I pull the car apart, replacing the alternator and a few missing bolts from when I replaced the starter back in September (I was in a rush at the time!). I also cleaned up parts of my exhaust, and downpipe. Up top, I reinstalled my Oil Catch Can, but relocated it to the driver side, and added a second PCV valve. I also remembered my speedo cable was very dry, so I removed it, cleaned it and lubed it back up. So very quiet and steady now. Also had to replace my hood hinges and windshield cowl which where destroyed when the hood flew up(Thank you Spare Parts Car!!).
Finally I re adjusted timing as I was having issues. Found out I was 12 degrees RETARDED!!!! That would explain ALOT of things. Adjusted to 8 degrees advanced, and now I dont lean out hella crazy like anymore. And she runs SOOOO much better too!

Final day at the shop, I decided to do some cleaning. Ever since I installed my FMIC in Feb. 2009, I had never pulled it off to clean it out, as well as the boost tubes. I pulled the front bumper, then removed the boost tubes, then the intercooler. I set the intercooler sideways leaned up against my tool box for a few hours. Come back, there is some NASTY oil vapor residue and oil in it, probably about a third of a cup worth. The boost tubes where also coated, so I used some Parts cleaner and cleaned everything out so that it was dry. Also polished the intercooler face which was loaded with dirt, grime and road dust. Have a feeling there might have been some unburnt fuel on there too (Thanks Matt!!!..). All back together, shes very happy. Roast's the tires in third gear now at about 15 psi.

Minor stuff I fixed my sticky driver door lock machine I installed with my alarm system in 07. Now it actually works. Also cleaned my door switches which my driver side stopped working due to bad contact.

Pics of damage to come in a few.

[DeeAOne]

Lots of progress is win!

[bomdoutscort]

Nice progress

[FamiliaGT]

lol, yeah, she's been due for a while. If all goes well, Ile have a career change that will yield quite a bit more extra cash to go towards this little baby.

Has anyone ever gone Hi boost/Big Turbo on a B6T yet.......?

Damage as promised.