Mazda MX6 2.5 V6 manual
Discussion
Hi folks, welcome to my £430 ebay V6 sports coupe budget resto/modification thread.
After looking for something cheap and interesting for a while I picked this up as something of an impulse buy on Wednesday evening. I've always liked the MX6 shape, just saw this one on a popular auction website and took a shine to it, fancied something other than an old Jag. It's manual, I like the colour, it seems to drive well all things considered. I've had a car shaped hole in the middle of the garage so thought it needed filling with something to muck about with over the winter. It came complete with 158k on the clock and no history.
One amusing thing is that after buying it and looking at MX6 stuff online I found that this actual car was previously a PH SOTW, so that's a claim to fame...
http://www.pistonheads.com/regulars/ph-features-sh...
These seem quite forgotten cars now, I can't remember the last time I saw one on the road (How many left is saying there's only a few hundred now). They seem quite unfashionable, probably at least partly on account of being wrong wheel drive. It's 165 horse so not exactly fast as such, but it goes well on account of being fairly light for a V6 car at 1260Kg, and the relative lack of power obviously means it's easy to drive to the limits on the road, the V6 rev's to 7800k RPM and sounds great at full chat.
It's a bit of a project as there's a few bits to fix. I'm not going to put much money into it but want to service it, fix the broken stuff, get it looking tidy and do some subtle/basic mod's. Quite fancy snapping on a cheap ebay intake and a back box/fart pipe so it makes a bit more of a row, heh. It could also do with a set of lowering springs as it's riding on stilts at the moment.
After looking for something cheap and interesting for a while I picked this up as something of an impulse buy on Wednesday evening. I've always liked the MX6 shape, just saw this one on a popular auction website and took a shine to it, fancied something other than an old Jag. It's manual, I like the colour, it seems to drive well all things considered. I've had a car shaped hole in the middle of the garage so thought it needed filling with something to muck about with over the winter. It came complete with 158k on the clock and no history.
One amusing thing is that after buying it and looking at MX6 stuff online I found that this actual car was previously a PH SOTW, so that's a claim to fame...
http://www.pistonheads.com/regulars/ph-features-sh...
These seem quite forgotten cars now, I can't remember the last time I saw one on the road (How many left is saying there's only a few hundred now). They seem quite unfashionable, probably at least partly on account of being wrong wheel drive. It's 165 horse so not exactly fast as such, but it goes well on account of being fairly light for a V6 car at 1260Kg, and the relative lack of power obviously means it's easy to drive to the limits on the road, the V6 rev's to 7800k RPM and sounds great at full chat.
It's a bit of a project as there's a few bits to fix. I'm not going to put much money into it but want to service it, fix the broken stuff, get it looking tidy and do some subtle/basic mod's. Quite fancy snapping on a cheap ebay intake and a back box/fart pipe so it makes a bit more of a row, heh. It could also do with a set of lowering springs as it's riding on stilts at the moment.
Edited by MX6 on Wednesday 12th September 12:13
I hadn't heard about MX5 owners putting these engines, KL-DE I believe, into those but that makes sence as an upgrade. I'm enjoying the engine a lot, nice and responsive and sounds great (my daily is a diesel so this is a welcome change).
Yep it's more or less a Probe V6 underneath, I always prefered the MX6 shape but the Probe does have pop-up lights I guess...
Yep it's more or less a Probe V6 underneath, I always prefered the MX6 shape but the Probe does have pop-up lights I guess...
Edited by Mycroft Ward on Thursday 25th January 16:35
Okay well I've been unable to do much work on the MX-6 yet so it's presently languishing outside the house and waiting patiently in abeyance, here's a picture for proof.
I've a space in the middle of the garage now, planning to get in slotted in there so I can muck about with it over t'winter. I've not quite managed it as I've been getting rid of a few unwanted items in there to make more space by turning them into money via ebay.
I've started the procurement of assorted required items. I needed keyring and an uncut key, as it only came with the one (both items 99p plus postage)...
I've no history with the car so will do a full service and tune up. First things first, back to ebay for an oil filter (£3.90), plus the blessed Haynes manual (£11.99)...
I've a space in the middle of the garage now, planning to get in slotted in there so I can muck about with it over t'winter. I've not quite managed it as I've been getting rid of a few unwanted items in there to make more space by turning them into money via ebay.
I've started the procurement of assorted required items. I needed keyring and an uncut key, as it only came with the one (both items 99p plus postage)...
I've no history with the car so will do a full service and tune up. First things first, back to ebay for an oil filter (£3.90), plus the blessed Haynes manual (£11.99)...
Edited by Mycroft Ward on Wednesday 24th January 16:19
I've been having a think about what modifications I want to do. I'm not thinking of anything wild, the main one will to fit lowering springs as it's a little high currently. I've seen a few '6's on RX7 five spokes and like the stance, seem to suit quite nicely. What do you guys think? I'm thinking this sort of thing:
Edited by mx-6 on Friday 27th January 15:10
Okay so I didn't get much time over Xmas to have a go at the car but I've been able to start pouncing about with it over the last couple of weeks so I thought I'd do an update.
I've been able to finally get the MX6 in the garage after clearing out a bit more gubbins, I've also opened up the inspection pit.
I've intermittant starting issues which are annoying. Sometimes after driving the battery doesn't seem to supply enough juice to turn the starter motor quick enough to fire the engine. If I leave it overnight and try again the next day it will start, and there's no problem when using jump leads so the starter motor itself seems okay. I checked voltage at the battery terminals when the engine is running and it shows 14.6V so it appears the alternator is working correctly. I gave the battery a full charge but still the same issue, so I bought another cheapy one online but still the same... Any ideas?
In other news I've had a nose under the car and found the exhaust was rusty with the backbox having a hole, so bought a new cat-back system. It came with the fixings, hangers and gaskets, £68. Also after scanning around for a while I found a nice set of these 16x8" RX7 wheels I like, in anthracite/gunmetal with very good Kuhmo Ecsta 225/50R16 tyres, so bought them, £175. Planning to sell the old wheels to recover some cost.
Looking forward to get these bits on soon. I'm missing wheel center caps plus I need a new set of wheel nuts so those are next on the shopping list..
I've been able to finally get the MX6 in the garage after clearing out a bit more gubbins, I've also opened up the inspection pit.
I've intermittant starting issues which are annoying. Sometimes after driving the battery doesn't seem to supply enough juice to turn the starter motor quick enough to fire the engine. If I leave it overnight and try again the next day it will start, and there's no problem when using jump leads so the starter motor itself seems okay. I checked voltage at the battery terminals when the engine is running and it shows 14.6V so it appears the alternator is working correctly. I gave the battery a full charge but still the same issue, so I bought another cheapy one online but still the same... Any ideas?
In other news I've had a nose under the car and found the exhaust was rusty with the backbox having a hole, so bought a new cat-back system. It came with the fixings, hangers and gaskets, £68. Also after scanning around for a while I found a nice set of these 16x8" RX7 wheels I like, in anthracite/gunmetal with very good Kuhmo Ecsta 225/50R16 tyres, so bought them, £175. Planning to sell the old wheels to recover some cost.
Looking forward to get these bits on soon. I'm missing wheel center caps plus I need a new set of wheel nuts so those are next on the shopping list..
Edited by mx-6 on Wednesday 15th February 12:41
I've been thinking about the issue this afternoon and I think you're right, there must be a voltage drop between the ignition and starter, maybe a bad ground connection to the starter soleniod as you say. It is definitely worse after driving so the heat pushing the resistance up is a good thought, thanks. I will have a go at cleaning up the contacts...
I remember really liking the MX6 when it was launched, the line-up of Japanese coupes was great back then in the '90's. Maxda alone had the MX3, MX5, MX6 and RX7 of course.
Yeah I think I read before it was the smallest around in terms of capacity, 1.8L. I understand it's basically the same engine as the KL-DE in the MX6, some MX3 owners swap in the larger 2.5L unit as a performance upgrade...
Yeah I think I read before it was the smallest around in terms of capacity, 1.8L. I understand it's basically the same engine as the KL-DE in the MX6, some MX3 owners swap in the larger 2.5L unit as a performance upgrade...
Edited by mx-6 on Friday 27th January 11:37
Nice buy 
Watch the rocker cover gaskets, they like to leak and that in turn will foul the HT leads a treat. (The bolts on the rockers are ally, so the hamfisted often over tighten them and snap them, watch for this)
Also, this have the dynamic chambers in the inlet controlled by moving flaps - quite nifty
There is a JDM version with a 200+ bhp version of the 2.5....
Watch the rocker cover gaskets, they like to leak and that in turn will foul the HT leads a treat. (The bolts on the rockers are ally, so the hamfisted often over tighten them and snap them, watch for this)
Also, this have the dynamic chambers in the inlet controlled by moving flaps - quite nifty
There is a JDM version with a 200+ bhp version of the 2.5....
I've been having a look over the car and I do indeed have leaking cam covers so those are on the list of things that require attention. Would be nice to paint the covers at the same time, just to sex up the bay a bit.
I've read about the JDM version recently, with the KL-ZE 200 horse motor that you mention. When I was looking I did see an imported one for sale, it was up for a couple of grand if I recall, they must be rare over here.
I've read about the JDM version recently, with the KL-ZE 200 horse motor that you mention. When I was looking I did see an imported one for sale, it was up for a couple of grand if I recall, they must be rare over here.
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