Proud new owner of #1400 2003.5 Maybe you can help

[Wheredjaredgo]

Hey guys! Im new to the Mazda scene I recently sold my Integra coupe because I've got a Baby on the way. I needed something sporty that I could easily put a car seat in and I found this baby right in my price range...she wasn't the prettiest or best running but... I'm pretty excited I think she has lots of potential. Now I've searched thru most the threads on the site and got lots of useful info... But I need more... maybe you can help? I bought this car from a dealer who bought it from an auction... I hardly know anything about it's past except what carfax says two owners one minor accident.

Is there anyway to tell if this motor has been built without taking it all apart? It seems to run really good an strong at 118000 miles There is wiseco stickers in the trunk and in the cabin also k1 rod stickers as well, but I just don't know
LSD I have no idea if it's still there or not. The transmission feels nice, clutch is excellent tho I have a little trouble finding reverse sometimes... Marble noise in my flywheel is normal too I guess?

Turbo seal is leaking oil in my intercooler and eventually down my throttle body but really no smoke yet, just a thick carbon build up on my exhaust tip. I've replaced the pcv with a millennia 1047 and put a breather filter on my valve cover vent but no avail with the leak so...what's the cheapest way I could get a new turbo that will last me a while and bolt up with no hassle? I think this is the original Garrett that came from the factory. It has the Calloway manifold and all.

Throttle is really jumpy with tiny slight movements Is this normal? I'll just be driving along let the gas off a little smidgen and the car jumps a bit. What could I do to help that?

Steering has issue after thirty mins of driving when the car heats up... Steering has a little bump in it when I make slight adjustments left and right but I can do a full rotation and not feel any bump... Weird....and it never has any problems till the car has been driving for at least twenty five minutes or more... Any ideas? It's not cv axle or pump I don't think.
Any comment or suggestions are appreciated greatly!! Id like to get this car running right before the baby shows up...Thanks Jared

 

[Cleverfrog]

Welcome!!! The reverse gear is normal. Someone will say "welcome to the protege transmission". Got any pics of the beauty?

 

[Wheredjaredgo]

Thanks! Has this forum kinda slowed down thru the years since the protege speeds are almost 10 years old?? I will try to post pictures this weekend.

 

[Cleverfrog]

That's what it looks like. You just have to follow the right members to see some really great builds. 10 year old car still looks miles better than a lot of the new cars nowadays.

 

[hornsfan10609]

Welcome to the forums. You have quite a list of problems there. You most likely need new motor mounts (however if the car was modified they have most likely already been changed for solid MMs) if the shifter won't easily go into gear. What time of EMS is on the car. To check for forged internals you need to drop the oil pan and get a flashlight to see if you can see the rods.
I wasn't around until about 2010 but I know this forum isn't as busy as it was when these cars were new. You will still be able to find what you need.

 

[Wheredjaredgo]

Thanks guys.. the motor mounts are fine to me at idle and while driving.. It looks like the motor has been removed at least once before. I think my steering problem may be the rack and pinion starting to go.. I've replaced the clunk bushings and sway bar link already fixed that problem in the back. I've also replaced the electrical connector for coil pack too it had overheated and melted causing a cyliner misfire that problems fixed... Used black leather spray paint for the steering wheel miscoloration "fixed" I need ideas for the rims they are badly oxidized and fading to black.??

 

[Wheredjaredgo]

I think just running on the stock unflashed ECU no real engine management... But I'm boosting peak at 10 pounds or just under @9.5 the car is quite fast in my opinion I think I could beat a stock srt-4 no problem.

 

[Spiced MSP]

welcome to the forum. Although the car is 10 years old, this forum is more busy than other mazda forums

 

[hornsfan10609]

I think just running on the stock unflashed ECU no real engine management... But I'm boosting peak at 10 pounds or just under @9.5 the car is quite fast in my opinion I think I could beat a stock srt-4 no problem.

I don't know about outrunning an SRT4 MAYBE an 03 but even still. Post some pics! What all is done to the car?

 

[Wheredjaredgo]

I don't know about outrunning an SRT4 MAYBE an 03 but even still. Post some pics! What all is done to the car?

Well there's kinda only 5 horsepower difference from 2003 srt4 and 2005 srt4 so either way. The thing is I'm pushing 9.5 pounds of boost , slightly lighter car with an LSD hopefully. My brothers best friend has a 2005 Stock Srt4 thats why I can reference to that car. I've owned a spec v, and 2008 Audi a4. This car being faster than both. I just bought the car and don't know anything about the internals but I'm almost positive that this motor is forged. I might take my oil pan off and take a peak. Try to post pictures tomm.

 

[Wheredjaredgo]

some pics of new ride

pictures

 

[JReichle1]

Welcome!!! The reverse gear is normal. Someone will say "welcome to the protege transmission". Got any pics of the beauty?

I have a 99 1.6L with a different trans and my car sometimes takes 2 or 3 times to get into reverse. The main reason is the reverse gear is a straight cut gear so engagement is sometimes harsh and reverse is very loud. These are normal characteristics of straight cut gears...

 

[JReichle1]

pictures

It looks like you are missing the 03.5 shift knob... I think the Stickers in the trunk are interesting... You might have got very lucky... I think you could pull off the oil pan or use a scope to see the pistons and rods... I would think it at least has an OEM MSP LSD...

 

[StealthWyvern]

I've seen that center guage thing with the mazda embelm before.. it might be a old users car.

 

[hornsfan10609]

The car doesn't stall with the BOV VTA and the MAF on the intake? It's on the stock tune?

They definitely swapped the shift knob and steering wheel from a P5.

 

[Wheredjaredgo]

I don't know if it's on a stock tune or not... No it doesn't stall at all idles perfect.. VTA then Maf to turbo intercooler to BOV to throttle body is the order. I leather painted the steering wheel black to clean it up a bit it was nasty dirty grey when I got the car. Shift knob was like that though it may have came from a 5

 

[jdwk]

Reverse is often tricky on any car. I've never owned a car that didn't occasionally require a half lift of the clutch pedal.

Bump in the steering could be about anything. My wheel bearings have now all gone out on me except one. Tie rods typically go before a whole rack as well. Control arm bushings and motor mounts also fail. Basically anything rubber on the car will need to be replaced eventually.

A marble noise from the flywheel is a little cause for concern. That is not normal. How do you know it is the flywheel? Marble noise is usually a misfire from bad plugs or pinging from a bad tune.

If you are running 10psi, then you have a different spring on the turbo or a boost controller somewhere. I'd remove that until you learn more about the car like what kind of EMS is running.

The PCM is under the carpeting in the passenger footwell. You have to take the door sill and all the lower trim off and then pull the carpet back and there is a metal plate protecting the PCM. The PCM is braced against the metal plate. You should be able to see without removing it if the wiring harness has been tampered with, and if so where the new wires are going, since there are a few options for sticking a piggyback somewhere.

Congrats on the purchase. I find it hard to believe people spend the time, effort and money (or even just a lot of money) putting in forged internals and then trade it in to a dealer and get basically nothing for it. Although, I guess that's how frustrating the MSP can be at times.

 

[Wheredjaredgo]

Yeah the previous owner probably did get tired of fixing stuff all the time but thats probably good for me if most the hard stuff is done.. I know that the turbo is going out " the seal" at least and I had to fix the clunk bushings and the links on the back. I had to buy new tires..And the only other problem that I know of that i havent fixed is the little steering issue that shows up 22 mins into driving everyday. It's not bad tho... Just annoying the motor runs amazing as well as the clutch and the ac freezes my face off... And all this while I'm smoking civics and integras. Now apparently the marble sound thirty mins into driving everyday is just normal for most members there are lots of post about the same noise that goes away when you press the clutch in.

 

[jdwk]

Since you aren't burning that much oil, I'd scour the part outs and see if there are any decent stock ones there. I wouldn't put a cheap turbo on this car, and spending a grand or more on a new replacement or upgrade is a little ridiculous when the whole car is only worth a few grand.

How does your A/C freeze your face off? Mine sucks. Well it can't handle 120 degrees very well at least. I specifically avoided an FMIC because I didn't want to hurt my A/C performance at all.

 

[destineal]

Welcome to the forums. Hopefully you got forged goodies.