Pics of my 323

[jhli]

Looks good tom.

[sketchman]

Those cars are awesome. I still miss mine.

[TominMO]

36mm neoprene o-ring for the dizzy seal, Tom.

Got one (for a B3), and ordered another specifically for this motor off Rock Auto. They are probably the same.

[Chobobulous]

Now I'm Jones'en for a nice '89 323 or Tracer. Preferably a 5 speed wagon!

Nice Mazdas, guys!

Karl

You can have the one in my yard. Come get it

[Safety Guy]

Chobob wrote:

"You can have the one in my yard. Come get it."

Pictures? Price? If I get my act together soon, I might be amenable!

Karl

[Chobobulous]

Chobob wrote:

"You can have the one in my yard. Come get it."

Pictures? Price? If I get my act together soon, I might be amenable!

Karl

It's the hatchback one. I have a title problem that I don't feel like messing with. Ill pm you some stuff later.

[TominMO]

More pics:

Top to bottom: Old 323 console; 1997 Protege front/1995 Protege rear console; 1997 Protege rear console half


Rear halves, farthest to closest: MX-6 console; 626 console; 1995 Protege console


Just discovered this today


The installed 1997/95 hybrid Protege console. The rear armrest area has a deep storage cavity, with a lift-out divider to make separate compartments.

[kumalaba]

nice car tom! i miss my wagon (pic in my album)

[TominMO]

I'm pretty happy with it. Got to do some minor maintenance (seals and oil change; and a tuneup just on general principles). With the intake freed up, and later the exhaust, next year I may get Matt D. to do the head. It would then be basically a BP with better MPGs.

[kumalaba]

i also like the comfortable seats compared to the festys.

[jhli]

Looking good.

[TominMO]

i also like the comfortable seats compared to the festys.

They do have more thigh support, I noticed.

[TominMO]

Did some maintenance on the 323 today.

1. Removed PS pump (can still drive without it, just harder), so I can re-seal it.
2. Removed upper timing belt cover. To do this I also removed the WP pulley to get at the lower left bolt, and discovered that I have no lower alt bolt! I was working fine with just the top 12mm bolt that tensions the belt. Found a bolt the right length to stick in there, but the threads seem too fine, so I will attempt to cannibalize one from an Aspire in the JY tmw.
3. Pulled timing belt cover in order to inspect behind the camshaft pulley, to see if the cam seal was leaking. Apparently it isn't, so I didn't install my new one.
4. Pulled the disty and installed a new o-ring. It def needed it. Used brake parts cleaner to hose down the tranny, which was covered in oil.
5. Installed new plugs/cap/rotor, and new NGK plug wires. Everything looked old. Plugs averaged about .053"! No anti-seize of course, but luckily the head threads were in good shape. Used anti-seize on the new ones.
6. Re-routed some little wires to give the engine bay a cleaner look.
7. Unsuccessfully attempted to install new valve cover gasket. See thread in Repair Help forum:
http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?54283-VC-Gasket-differences

[TominMO]

More maintenance:
1. changed oil and filter
2. installed lower alt bolt from a JY Aspire
3. treated the oil pan with Rustoleum Rust Reformer
4. noticed how hard it was to roll in neutral with parking brake off. Right rear brake frozen. Pulled wheel, placed a socket extension on the little arm on the outside of the brake backing plate where it goes into the brake, whacked it with a hammer, brake freed up! Seems I got a little rust in there on the inside swivel point for the parking brake mechanism. Eventually I'll get in there and treat it right.

I am noticing small rust areas in various places (wheel wells, bottoms of doors), but it all looks like surface rust only, so should be easily treatable, preventive-maintenance wise.

[TominMO]

Fully replaced the rear brakes. De-rustified the parking brake pivot on pass. side. Replaced one bad wheel cylinder; shoulda done both on general principles, dangit. Anyway, now nothing sticks and the rear brakes are great.

Added a little Uni-Filter to the valve cover, rather than have oil go back into the intake. While doing the brakes, I found a little black rubber cap on the ground that perfectly fit the little plastic pipe coming out of the intake, where the hose from the valve cover fit on. Even looks kinda stock. :-)

When doing the left rear brake, I noticed some corrosion at the front bottom of the wheel well had eaten away the metal. Just a smallish hole so far, but this would allow water/salt to get to the rockers. I will spray it with Rust Reformer, paint it flat black, then cover it with a sheet of aluminum using stainless sheet-metal screws, like I did on Matthew; spray rubber on the top and side edges as a seal, and then spray the whole thing flat black to make it near-invisible. Problem solved forever. Gotta check the right side too. Also gonna go out today and check the tie rod ends, steering boots, lower ball joints.