'88 GTX : the story of slowing/calming down

Hello GRM commune! Long time subscriber in my apt days, but now having a house has allowed me to have the space to work on our curse, projects. What a lovely thing it is to have 6' on all sides of the car, space to put the engine off to the side, and work on it piece by piece.

This post is for my 1988 Mazda 323 GTX that was one of the BIGGEST regrets I've had in my car purchasing history. Long story short: When buying a car that has a "bad battery", take a battery with you...trusting strangers is a no no... found out the hard way that #1 cylinder piston was missing its skirts

I've had the car for a couple years, bought it, found the skirt issue... fast forward through a rushed/hurried and all-around pathetic engine build (all self induced, which was/is the worst part), the car still mocked me everyday... so this is changing now.

Since the prior owners molested the damn thing to hell and back, its not in my best interest to "restore" it, but to have a fun extra car to through around and help it where these cars lack most: power.

The plan: Keep it 1.6L while making somewhere around 220-250HP (crank) VF14/11 hybrid turbo (already have from Forced Performance) Mega-Squirt MS2 (big thanks to SpitfireEFI) - ditch the MAF/vacc dizzy , running Miata CAS + coil

*** Lets see if this actually happens, since it'll be my first 'trial by fire' experience with Mega-Squirt

I'm literally working on it in my off time, so pics will go up every now and then. Happy to be in the community, happy wrenching!

-Richard

If you have not already noticed (thanks to prior owner): The paint is a nice dull white Yes, those are mid-80's RX7 wheels They 'made' coilovers work... notice how dumped it is in the front (ie. handles like donkey)

There is a sweet red one next town over from me that the dude wails on nonstop. Keeps running and somehow he hasn't blown it up.

In reply to chandlerGTi: WOW, I wish I had that problem

Started breaking down the spare Miata engine:

...and got stock on the crank sprocket. Seems like the only real solution is to use some PB Blaster and some heat tomorrow (the pry-bar/puller doesnt cut it). *** the bolt is completely loose.

I think we may have an issue, lets see what the machine shop says. Polish? Undercut? Lets see.

Oh and just in case you haven't seen the digital gauges on a GTX, here they are (videos are on youtube). * And yes, that electrical tape is whats holding the steering wheel together (to be replaced later).

The "totally legit" coil over setup on the car. Safe (sarcasm)!

Be glad it's not a Midwestern rust eaten car. Looks good to me.

Ahh the fun of lemons.. I know the feeling bud.. I had an 88 GTX my self.. It was a lemon from day one as well.. At least yours looks pretty rust free.. If you get a chance pull the rear side pannels in the trunk out.. have a good look at your rear strut towers.. The GTX's are really bad for rust there.. I had to get rid of my GTX when I found the drivers rear tower was getting ready to separate from the body due to rust..

That digital dash is awesome and 80s-tastic!

Those GSL-SE wheels look good on there, I'm a sucker for OEM wheels.

These are really neat cars!!! I love the B6T though many dont, as the BPT has more power and stronger support. Great project, keep us up on progress!

you didn't say what you paid for it, but it looks like a really solid car. I don't think a GTX exists that isn't a project, even the more expensive ones in better shape all have their little issues. They are getting so rare anymore, though, that methinks you should be happy to have scored one thats worth the work! I really feel like at some point in the not so distant future, cars like the celica all trac, mazda GTX, impulse RS turbo, galant VR-4, etc are gonna be trading hands for more serious money. They are the true muscle cars of their generation... born in group b and gave birth to the current crop of WRX/evo/etc, and really spawned the import tuner movement...

In reply to RPSadler:

You need to connect with Dollraves on this forum. She lives in San Jose and owns two GTX's. She knows more about them than anyones else I know in the bay area.

Type Q wrote: In reply to RPSadler: You need to connect with Dollraves on this forum. She lives in San Jose and owns two GTX's. She knows more about them than anyones else I know in the bay area.

OOO fantastic, I'll shoot her a message sometime soon.

Apply torch for about 10 minutes and the gear came right off

I too have an obscure Japanese car fetish, that's a nice GTX

4g63t wrote: I too have an obscure Japanese car fetish, that's a nice GTX

We all have our things don't we

I've been calling to get quotes for a short-block rebuild for the GTX (when you call just say Miata, it saves everyone time), with some and little success. Mentally, I had already thought of the price I was willing to pay for the machine work -vs- newly rebuild engine. Since the pre-rebuilt units are about $1200, I'd be happy paying around $500 in machining... then the quotes started coming back for machine work... $1800-$3600 for (and hold on here because I couldn't believe it myself):

Hot tank all the bits.

Polishing the crank journals

Recondition the rods - i.e. clip and hone the big end

Deck the head

Deck the block

...personally I thought all the quotes were highway robbery... then through an old roommate who just rebuild his Dart told me about a small engine machine shop in Morgan Hill, CA (about 10 miles away) called APM. Total cost of machine work: $287 (two-hundred and eighty seven dollars).

12/17/12 (Monday) - took the crank/rods/head to the shop (forgot the block, doh), and asked an ETA... they said this week sometime... great!

12/18/12 (the next day) - got a call saying all the work is done and come pickup the parts and drop off the block... I could not believe it... from a machine shop HA, great guys.

I'll post some pics later today after myself and lady-friend get back from "Xmas in the park".

Happy holidays everyone!

-Richard

andrave wrote: you didn't say what you paid for it, but it looks like a really solid car. I don't think a GTX exists that isn't a project, even the more expensive ones in better shape all have their little issues. They are getting so rare anymore, though, that methinks you should be happy to have scored one thats worth the work! I really feel like at some point in the not so distant future, cars like the celica all trac, mazda GTX, impulse RS turbo, galant VR-4, etc are gonna be trading hands for more serious money. They are the true muscle cars of their generation... born in group b and gave birth to the current crop of WRX/evo/etc, and really spawned the import tuner movement...

$1200 + $800 in DMV fees + blown engine + misc tows and whatnot... determination alone to be victorious may end with me being in the poor house, but its a mission now.

As the next installment of photos (from the machine shop):

My shame... forgot the block yesterday, good old 2.5RS is the parts chariot!

'almost' completely smooth, but hey... we all have budgets. Considering my other crank I had from the car in the first place (wavvvvvy journals), this one is near perfect.

Nicely fresh deck surface.

I really should have taken a before picture, this thing used to look like donkey.

Not glamorous, but they will do just fine.

Anyone see anything deathly wrong with these? If the extra lapping comes up later and bights me in the butt, this is the "I told you so" pic.

Sweet car! I feel your pain, ive got an 1988 Alltrac Celica. good luck with the engine rebuild. Hope your on the road soon.

midniteson wrote: Sweet car! I feel your pain, ive got an 1988 Alltrac Celica. good luck with the engine rebuild. Hope your on the road soon.

Thanks mate, we all (GF included) do haha.

Since the last time I posted something, a bit has occurred in the meantimes... normal occasions like Xmas has come and gone. So Happy Holidays to all BTW.

I was waiting for my MegaSquirt to come in, sadly it didn't pre-xmas.

Finally finished lapping all the head valves, I REALLY should have had a valve job done... simply by time involved. Worked until about midnight in my 1-bulb lit garage (just moved into a new home)

... so I needed some junk food and just happened to find our local Mercedes Emergency service going the extra mile. "I'll have a #4 no cheese and a NHTSA recall, please."

Took some leisure time to clean, tape off, and paint the block with (forget what it actually is) gloss engine paint.

A local race-prep shop (Magnum Force) got a nice TIG weld on the intercooler piping for me and my new pressure sensor in place. In retrospect, I should have it in the manifold OR at least after the bypass valve... but lets see how this turns out

.... then it happened (how many of us are guilty of still sending big$ packages to our retired parents house? Well, me.) "Your Mega-something is here" - Dad / Morty the Cat

Zoom the 10 miles back to the old stomping grounds...

There she is... the excuse to try launch control.

Massive thanks to Ethan @ SpitfireEFI... not only did he assemble the board, make a lovely adapter harness (plugs into the GTX + run about 10-15 extra wires), AND get it to me within sub-30 days... he's done it to his GTX as well, which means base maps came with the setup

After that I pretty much lost a day to going over the wiring and ordering a Molex connector kit to do the wiring correctly (i.e. removable), instead of having everything soldered together as a lump sum.

Measured the main and rod bearings, thats the only time I'm glad I have STD

Now we are awaiting packages and assembly time... untill I post again, cheers!

-Richard

BEFORE you buy 5+ used turbos (I'm aware there are 4, the 5th one was still in the box), call your local turbo rebuilder (or Forced Performance like I did). They may save you from being stupid, like me.

Usually in Northern California we get a bit of rain (for the past 10 years of heavy drought), but this year has DUMPED it down everyday for the past few weeks. So, in the 12 minute break in-between clouds, this is how they sit today.

Typical, the other GTX hash't seen too much action since the build on the other one started, so I took her on a nice leisurely cruise over to an old friends. Once I arrived, oh good... didn't want that coolant in there anyway.

Was fixed the next day for $4 with Kragen's 5/8" coolant hose and two spare hose clamps... It'll do for now.

Well, looks like Mazda will get a little more of my money ... a whopping $21 for the OEM hose.

A note to rebuilding late '80s autos, replace it all or this WILL happen to you.

-Richard

RPSadler wrote: </cite A note to rebuilding late '80s autos, replace it all or this WILL happen to you. -Richard

That looks like no fun, hope its an easy fix. my car looked that way before i parked it lol (super leaky radiator)

midniteson wrote:

RPSadler wrote: A note to rebuilding late '80s autos, replace it all or this WILL happen to you. -Richard

That looks like no fun, hope its an easy fix. my car looked that way before i parked it lol (super leaky radiator)

Nah, it was just the oil cooler to intake manifold line. Still haven't gotten the OEM piece, but the temp fix works for changing it from driveway to street and back again.

Since the week has been full of birthday and Xmas cheer, I hadn't had an opportunity to spend the time (about an hour) to make a test run with the MegaSquirt that Ethan made for me.

I gave an email, he called me back and we went over the process and if there are any small tweaks to make. We have clearance from SpitfireEFI!

Since the project car listed on here is still without engine, I took the MS to the other GTX and plugged the adapter harness in to her instead.

Without investing hours on making it look pretty, or in fact running all the wires, I got a confirmation it works.

Removed the MAF w/box + removed dizzy and single coil

Installed CAS (plug facing firewall) in place of dizzy, propped up the coil on the battery area (grounded the case twice just in case).

Simply ran the CAS 2 trigger wires (2-lobe & 4-lobe), the 2 dual-coil trigger lines (coils 1/4 & 2/3), the fuel pump activation line, added some extra ground jumper harnesses just in case and there you go, it fired on the first crank

*** Yes, the wires are run through the window and across the engine... BUT, this is by NO means permanent. At least we know we have a working MS ECU now.

Thank goodness for birthdays and an over-ambisious brother. The GTX had a poor excuse for a 'race seat', so my brother worked his magic... now its the best seat in the office

Opened up the GTX MS maps from Ethan and got a bit of shell-shock... this is the level of detail i can control? I feel like I'm screwed haha.

Got a few packages today (Wideband & Assembly lube), slowly building a pile... but mostly useless without the valve spring compressor and conn. rod bearings. Until then...

-Richard

Looks awesome!!!

Swank Force One wrote: Looks awesome!!!

Thanks chap!

Just got off the phone with Delta Cams whos welding/grinding a new set of 264'ish cams for me, but OH NO... the machinist is snowed in back home (while on holiday in Arkansas). Well we are pushed back another week, rats.

Since the conn rod bearings will be arriving a few days past expected delivery, I took the day to accomplish all I could do prior to throwing the pistons/rods in. A lot of today went into cleaning the reusable pieces, measuring stretch, and finding where that one elusive washer rolled to... here we go:

Cleaned, chased, and red loctite the main studs in place:

Recleaned all the bearing surfaces, main caps, and crank one final time prior to laying the crank in (the mains are on there, just didnt snap a pic):

Turned her over and followed the same treatment to the head-holders:

Now since the headstuds are loctite'd in there as well, I had to place the HG and head onto the block, torqued it down, and am currently waiting for the red-stiff to dry in place. Unlike the last time I put head studs in, the block didn't kiss its little threads goodbye at 60 ft/lbs+... phew :wipes forehead:

My OTC valvespring compressor tool cam in today, but for some reason it went to the wrong house (hmmm). Anyway, off to go get it and reassemble the head thing afternoon sans cams.

-Richard

I have that same engine stand, but it is holding a small block chevy, it is angry and leaning forward mostly lol. I love the progress!