resurrecting my old MS3

Hi All,

New member to this forum. i used to be on the other forum, so nice to see some familiar names.

i'm the second owner of a 2008 MS3 GT. bought it used with only 6,800 miles in 2010 that i kept also bone stock. When i parked it, i did have a mazdaspeed CAI, but that was about it.

It's been sitting for about 2 years because of life,(you can't fit two rear facing carseats in the car comfortably) and because it was starting to need some money. Car would cut out under partial load and was all herky jerky. I've just installed CS internals, have the car ripped apart to fix some of the broken stuff that was the result of sitting for so long. i'm hoping the suttering was because of the stock internals (AP indicated i needed new ones) and that it's not the ITFP.

Looking forward to seeing if it runs, or goes straight to zoom zoom boom.

 

Welcome!

 

Welcome! Have you checked the fprv? If that's not working properly, you'll see low fuel pressure and get a lot of throttle jerkiness when you start getting under load.

 

Welcome!

 

Welcome!

 

hesitating when coming under a load id expect it to more along the lines of spark plugs. Check your gap on the plugs.

 

I believe I had done that prior to letting the car sit. Let the car warm up, shut it off and monitor the FP with an AP?

 

Great advice. On my list of things to replace, so will make sure the replacements are gapped/torqued properly.

 

Hi All,
So here's an update on where I am with the process and the issues i'm currently facing.

Items I've replaced/upgraded/broke:

• I've updated the HPFP with an upgraded HPFP from Corksport
• cleaned intake valves
• Installed a JBR oil catch can
• JBR 3" intake (aluminum version)
• did a VCTS delete
• replaced IM gasket with Corksport gasket
• JBR TIG for Throttle body
• new battery
• new oil cooler
• new starter (this one)
• replaced all the coolant with pink zerex for asian vehicles (is this what you all recommend?)
• re-gapped all plugs to .030
• drained some gas and added 5 gallons of fresh gas

I was successful in getting the car to start but it had a loud screech noise coming from the belt. While troubleshooting I took the belt off and the car ran. I had suspicions on the belt tensioner, so i put the belt back on, moved the tensioner by hand to tighten the belt more and it moved about 1/2 an inch. when i went to start the car again, sparks shot out of the old starter because it melted the corroded wire off the solenoid to the starter. This is the reason i replaced the starter. i had assumed it was just old, but now it's looking like it was because of a massive current draw.

I was able to do some hillbilly electronics to get the motor started again with no belt to prove it was the starter.

Now that I've replace the starter and belt tensioner, I've gotten everything buttoned up again and the car will not start. I just replaced the battery with a 35N that has 650 CCAs. the motor will turn but it's very sluggish. if i take the belt off it will run fine (for 5 minutes or so)

The only pulleys that seem to be sluggish and get really hot are the alternator. any thoughts on how to free up the pulley on the alternator, or a method to test it without ripping it out of the car?

video of hillbilly electronics:

where do you all host images?

 

You can upload images directly to your post with the "upload a file" button; then select whether to embed full-size or as a thumbnail.

Zerex Asian is suitable for coolant as an alternative to the fucking expensive Mazda FL22, as is the Valvoline Asian formula "with Zerex technology" (Valv owns Zerex; I'm guessing they're the same exact coolant but you pay just a little bit more for the Zerex name).

I'd consider gapping those plugs down a bit; it's been a while since I was stock but iirc the recommended is .026/7, and then you go lower from there as you start pushing more power.

Not sure about how to test the alternator without pulling it, tho.

 

Thanks for the response. how do you pull the alternator? looks very tight, and i'm a little apprehensive to pull the exhaust manifold.

Also, i don't think i had FL22. the old stuff was green but the cap and manual don't state FL22 for my '08

 

I just had the same no start condition and it was the alternator that locked up. We were able to put a ratchet on the pulley and confirm it wouldn't turn

 

I believe i can turn it by hand, but it's definitely stiff. will try and get a ratchet on to confirm. How did you replace the alternator?

 

ETA found it on page 01-178-7 of the service manual. Looks like i'm able to slide the cooler hose over?

 

Honestly I looked at where it is on the block and paid to have it swapped. It's in a shit location

 

No argument there! Will let you know how many F bombs are dropped.

 

Infact please upload directly to mso through upload file this way we never deal with broken hosting links and people can see the pictures for years to come (nothing stopping you from using Imgur etc but super easy for you this way)

 

So a slight update.

Alternator came out in about an hour. Still waiting for the replacement should be in-hand tomorrow. I took photos of how it came out and will post up the process later.

I was able to start it and drive it 30ft back into the garage. Very excited to try and get it back to running.

I added a bunch of parts, so need to start tweaking my map to get it to run. My AP is old enough I can still tweak my own maps and load them. Need to tune out EGR and VCTS codes, and add in a 3"intake and 3.5 MAP sensor.

Hoping to be on the road this weekend, but don't want to get ahead of myself

 

Wow! Congrats on the progress and good luck!!


— —

 

alternator replacement process:

Prep step. I've started using this new penetrating oil, and I have yet to break a bolt off since I've started using this. This is on a car that sat on a lawn in the northeast for 2.5 years. I used a little extra BPV tubing I had to reach up and hit the bottom bolts on the alternator. Very simple to make at home. Mix 50/50 ATF (ATF4) and acetone and place it in a HDPE container as acetone will eat a lot of plastics. It will separate, so give it a shake before you go spraying.



This process to remove took about an hour and I had never done it before. All of this was done from the top. I have some photos from the bottom, but mostly to show where the bolts are underneath.

I went with Advanced Auto # 11169A.
Step 1: find a helper


step 2: jack up the car, secure the car with jack stands and wheel chocks
step 3: remove negative battery cable from battery
step 4: remove passenger side wheel
step 5: remove passenger wheel well cover to get better access to belt tensioner
step 6: using belt tensioner (stock is 14 mm), remove belt
step 7: remove the two bolts holding the hoses as shown and move them out of the way. the thicker one with the metal piece will fold up towards the inter-cooler.


Step 8: Remove heat shield for the alternator. this part is fairly finicky. it is held on by two bolts (10mm bolts). I was not able to remove this from the car while the alternator was down in this hole. the bolts that hold this on are on the end of the bolts that hold the alternator in

The second bolt that holds the heat shield on goes on the stud just behind the belt tensioner (not pictured).


step 9: remove Christmas tree holding in the wire loom here


step 10: Flip open plastic cover on positive battery cable and remove nut (i believe a 14mm nut) from alternator


step 11: Remove connector below the positive cable . This part I struggled with. I did need to use a pair of long needle nose to get this connector started. The latch is on the left (closest to turbo) side. see another view from the bottom below

step 12: Remove 3 bolts that are holding the alternator in (12mm). there is one on the top and two on the bottom. An air ratchet will come in very handy here if you have one (especially for the lower two bolts).






step 13: Wrangle the alternator out of the hole without breaking the heat shield you removed earlier. a little tricky, but got it out in under a minute.


step 14: Reassemble in reverse order with anti-seize.