B6 (late) cam in a B3?

[KingFish]

I have a B6 late version, and was wondering if anyone had used that cam into a stocker?

[KingFish]

I recently got lucky and bought a B6-ME for dirt cheap. However, my car is a carbed 89 and I don't think I will be doing a FI swap so I have little use for it.
Now I remember reading some people have used a B6 cam in the B3, and was curious if anyone knew if the changes in the cylinder head prevent using my ME cam in a 89 carbed? (I have a HLA valve train installed)

[BigElCat]

Dr Dan from St Louis recently machined the fuel pump lobe on a B6 cam to work his fuel pump. I don't know if this will help you out.

What is a B6-ME?

Is there a sticky somewhere listing the various Mazda 4 bangers?

[blkfordsedan]

The B6ME is a 16-valve SOHC............you only have 8 valves in the B3! Although each pair of valves on the B6ME share a common lobe, I doubt the camshafts are compatible. As far as the standard 8-valve SOHC B6 and the B3 goes, the camshafts are the same.

[KingFish]

In that case, I am no Longer sure I have the ME. It has the V/C that looks diffrent from ours, but I was sure it was 8v.

Edit: I am stuck out of town till the weekend so I cannot confirm this till then.

[BigElCat]

As far as the standard 8-valve SOHC B6 and the B3 goes, the camshafts are the same.

Except (IIRC) the surface of the fuel pump lobe is not smoothed down on the B6 Efi cam.


Kingfish, you have Festiva Fred's black Festiva now, right? It's a solid car.

[jawbraeka]

speaking of Cam's, i was looking on ebay for a b3 racing cam and low and behold.. nothing physical to buy, however, there is a person there saying that they can work your existing b3 cam to become a racing cam by doing some work to it and making it into a performance/race cam

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/300723224721?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_3590wt_1041

The seller's name is 'guyinashed'

If anyone is willing to donate a cam for the cause and see what the results bring.. would be great research for the forum as well as have a potential seller who can do machine work to cams and possibly other car parts as well.

i'm hoping he can make a cam like what was on the FMS website that would be able to convert power at 2500 or 3500 (not sure what would really be better). the description can be found here.

http://www.festivamotorsport.com/performance/intakeexhaust/pintakeexhaust.html

[KingFish]

It is a 8v engine that has the VC that looks sorta like the SOHC 1.8l.

[jawbraeka]

just to let you know kingfish, the ad stated that these were in fact

90-93 Mazda Miata Street/Track Camshafts B6 1.6L Cams

the only thing signaling to me that these might help is the b6 1.6 cams part lol..

other than that, you'd have to ask them.. also they might be able to help you machine the parts to spec as i asked if they had the 1.3 cams and said no but send them here and we can machine them for you to suit.

possibly if your stuck, make arrangements with the people at that link i sent you (if your in strife) and see what they can do to help.

[KingFish]

I just needed to know if they were direct swap. I cannot afford to have anything reground.

[blkfordsedan]

Miata cams would not work...that would be a DOHC engine. You need A B3 or 8V B6 cam. You must also run HLAs with the EFI cams. I believe your '89 has a mechanical valvetrain. If the cam does not have the fuel pump lobe finished you can add an electric pump and regulator. An Aspire roller cam and rockers would be a nice upgrade for efficiency and longer life with todays crappy oil, but not much in terms of performance.

As for regrinds, I would caution who you have do it. It takes experience and knowledge to do it right. I have bought regrind performance cams before from so-called specialists and most were junk with soft lobes. Most places require a master lobe to duplicate as well...and most do not have any in existance for our specfic style of valvetrain. Its a little different than a typical V8, where lifter diameter is the only concern. I know that Crane and Comp Cams can not. Web Cams was the only place recommended by them. There may be others, but I would be catious.