How To: Mazda FS-DE Camshaft Installation

[Kansei]

sweet! hope she treats ya well afterwards. what did you do about the spring?

Shh it's a secret. I bought a magical 3 dollar "assorted springs" pack from Lowes! It had one that so closely matches the one that was there, it fit nice and securely. I think I'll probably order a new timing belt and tensioner from Mazda at some point, I don't think it would be that bad to do the process again (minus the removing the cam part) now that I have the right tools.

 

[MazdaSpeed626]

Shh it's a secret. I bought a magical 3 dollar "assorted springs" pack from Lowes! It had one that so closely matches the one that was there, it fit nice and securely. I think I'll probably order a new timing belt and tensioner from Mazda at some point, I don't think it would be that bad to do the process again (minus the removing the cam part) now that I have the right tools.

Ummmm, do you really think that's such a great idea? Even though the springs may look the same, they are more than likely different. i.e. spring constant, number of coils, structural integrity, material, % efficiency of heat absorbsion, etc. Anyone of these things can cause problems...My bet is that it would break due to heat stress because its not automotive grade material(im assuming...). Just go to the dealer, its $4.35 or something like that.

Although, i can't say much cuz i didn't change mine when i did my timing belt and yet I still decided to by a new one 2 days after i completed the job(bang)...It continues to sit in my center console to this day.

 

[Kansei]

Ummmm, do you really think that's such a great idea? Even though the springs may look the same, they are more than likely different. i.e. spring constant, number of coils, structural integrity, material, % efficiency of heat absorbsion, etc. Anyone of these things can cause problems...My bet is that it would break due to heat stress because its not automotive grade material(im assuming...). Just go to the dealer, its $4.35 or something like that.

Although, i can't say much cuz i didn't change mine when i did my timing belt and yet I still decided to by a new one 2 days after i completed the job(bang)...It continues to sit in my center console to this day.

I understand that, but I needed a car to be able to get to class. All the auto parts stores I went to said I needed to go to the dealer (not open on weekends) or an "import part store" which isn't open on Sunday (when this was all going down). It's just a temporary fix, I should have replaced the timing belt when I was in there anyway so I'm ordering a new timing belt and the tensioner and doing the whole mess again, but after I'm done with finals next week.

 

[MazdaSpeed626]

damnnnnnn you already having finals???? must be nice, my semester doesn't end until december 5th or something...

 

[Kansei]

damnnnnnn you already having finals???? must be nice, my semester doesn't end until december 5th or something...

You call 10 week semesters where they cram in as much as most people have in normal length semesters fun? How about a 2 week winter break, spring break in February, only 1 week off between each semester.. yeah. It's a quarter system, with each quarter corresponding roughly to a season. It's the "fall" quarter right now.

 

[Raven Hawk]

I thought that I'd bump this thread for all the new cams that are coming in on the group buy.

 

[Crazee D]

Been reading it over and over...

Gotta get the gray RTV
and might as well get a new timing belt and spring

and print out a few more posts.
I'm anxious to start

 

[rotorhead22]

no idle

I used this thread to help my nephew change out his belt. When we checked the timing marks, one cam had turned slightly so we re-did it all to get the marks right. After getting it all back together, the initial start up was fine but when he started to drive home it kept dying at stop signs/lights. It has the symptoms of a vacuum leak but I cannot find any hoses undone. Any thoughts?

 

[flipmode815]

Do the jdm fs-ze cams install the same way since they are both the same cams just pinned different? Both cams have the same markings (FS9P)

 

[MikeBlueP5]

not sure by what you mean if they install the same way. they install the same way the stock ones come out. the intake lobes should be pointing towards the firewall and the exhaust lobes should be pointing towards the front/radiator when i think its 1 is at TDC

 

[turbo-pub]

it's so useful

 

[Tock3]

So, I was referred here from the Protege How-To for timing belts page with the posted instructions of just 'ignore the cam replacement part.'

At 170,000m it is obvious the spring for the timing belt tensioner has broken. Keeping in mind that over its life besides the bare minimal of typical care, only reactionary maintenance has ever been performed. That being said the timing belt tensioner, the idler, the timing belt and the water pump are still original (i.e. 10 years old 170k miles ago). And I was just wondering if while I'm pulling things apart anyways if there is anything else I should probably look into replace to keep the car in basic working order?