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New Members Help and Forum => Lounge => : ~Groll69~ September 12, 2012, 12:21:06 PM

: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ~Groll69~ September 12, 2012, 12:21:06 PM
My wife and i have owned a 2004 mazda 6S since december of 2003 when we purchased it with 17 miles on it.  Well that car has had a lot of miles put on it.  at 192k+ miles it has quit running.  Prior to going out, the car stared consuming huge amounts of oil.  I can not turn the engine completly over now, but i can put a wrench on it and rock it back and forth.  The initial diagnosis is that it has a stuck valve.

Looks like I am in the market for a new car or new engine.  Looking at prices of new mazda 6 3.0L 6 Cyl engines i have found avg $1800+ for something with a ton of miles on it.  Since Ford was assembling these vehicles in Flat Rock, I was hoping for some cross utilization of engines and engine technology.  Checking a Mazda 6 Club forum, i found people that had used Ford Fusion Engines in place of the Mazda engines at a fraction of the cost.  Most sensors I have learned appear to be the same, but a few are specific to the Mazda 6.  I think i am going to explore this route and see if i can get the car running again.  Any suggestions on this effort is appreciated.
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: fidelity101 September 12, 2012, 12:36:19 PM
same platform so I imagine its not very hard, maybe some they are useless emission sensors
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ~Groll69~ September 12, 2012, 12:43:49 PM
The first Ford Fusion came out in 2006 where the Mazda 6 is a 2004.  The engines appear to be same and other people have used Ford Fusion engines in place of the Mazda 6 engines becuase of cost.  I don't get the reason for selling a used mazda engine with 191k miles on it for $1800 when i can get a Ford Fusion one with $52k miles on it for $440.  The uniformed will pay that kind of money.
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ~Groll69~ October 18, 2012, 08:07:41 AM
Anyone have any leads on a 2006 Ford Fusion 6cyl Duratec Engine?  This should be compatible to the 2004 Mazda 6 6 cyl engine.  Most sensors are compatible between the two.  I have about $400 to spend right now and any help to find this would be appreciated.
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ~Groll69~ October 22, 2012, 06:14:53 AM
I found a 2006 Ford Fusion engine for $350 with 43,000 miles on it.  It is said to have a cracked valve cover.  That is not a big deal.  I can swap the valve covers over from the mazda 6.  The engine is in a salvage yard in St Johns so i will have to head up there today to get it.
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ~Groll69~ November 04, 2012, 08:09:10 PM
Well the engine i got for it only had 43,943 miles on it.  We got the car over to Itswills garage and have begun disconnecting everything in order to swap the new engine in.  I put the new clutch kit on order from partsgeek.com too.  Hopefully this next weekend it will be running properly.   
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: fidelity101 November 08, 2012, 09:53:35 AM
I didn't know it was manual, nice!

I was looking for a while a wagon, manual with leather. pretty hard it turns out...
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ~Groll69~ November 14, 2012, 10:55:09 AM
Work so far, The exhuast is cleaned out completly of its air flow hindering junk.  The transmission is attached to the engine with new clutch in it.  The axle transmission oil seals have arrived at the dealership, so need to pick them up.  The front cover was swpped over from the old engine so the assecories could be atached.  The assecories have been attached such as a/c alternator and power steering pump.  Still awaiting the Variable Valve Timing Solenoids.

The plan is to install the engine on friday and reassemble everything possible while awaiting for the VVT Solenoids to arrive.  The progress as been slow and meticulous.  At least we were able to identify all parts that needed to be replaced.
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ~Groll69~ November 18, 2012, 09:10:26 AM
Pics of the work
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ITSWILL November 18, 2012, 02:43:35 PM
here is that Bosal site with the diagrams I was talking about.

https://www.qcsonline.net/bosalb2b/products/#jump (https://www.qcsonline.net/bosalb2b/products/#jump)
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ~Groll69~ November 19, 2012, 06:22:41 AM
Thanks.  Looks like the two gaskets i need is out of stock with that website.
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ~Groll69~ November 19, 2012, 09:30:40 AM
My two Variable Valve Timing Solenoids should arrive tomorrow.  Now if i can line that up with the seals i need, then everything will be perfect.
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: fidelity101 November 20, 2012, 03:38:28 PM
rockauto.com is your friend :)
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ~Groll69~ November 20, 2012, 09:55:33 PM
It's ALIVE!!!  just have to replace a damaged transmision seal, but it runs an drives down the road!!!!
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: fidelity101 November 21, 2012, 07:46:30 AM
  
It's ALIVE!!!  just have to replace a damaged transmision seal, but it runs an drives down the road!!!!

nice!! you just got a bad output shaft seal I take it then
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ~Groll69~ November 21, 2012, 08:24:42 AM
I do.  I think we damaged it during replacement of the seal and reinstallation of the axle.  A $14 error
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: fidelity101 November 21, 2012, 10:51:12 AM
Glad to hear it you got it moving before the cold cold comes in, its been super nice this week and I hope it stays that way.
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ~Groll69~ November 24, 2012, 12:25:27 PM
I drove the car to grand ledge and worked on it some more after it kicked a couple of codes.  Replaced the passenger side transmission seal again since damged it upon installation last time.  Had to clean some parts, replace the spark plugs and i havent kicked a code yet.  Feels more powerful too.  I am so glad it is running right now.
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ~Groll69~ November 26, 2012, 01:07:10 PM
The car did kick two codes today while driving, that was in efficent warm-up of the cats.  Since I don't have any operational cats, i just cleared the code.  Really should have something in place to help avoid that code, but not sure what that fix would be.
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: fidelity101 November 26, 2012, 03:48:52 PM
that code is probably going to keep coming back if you dont have cats, im surprised it just didnt throw a defunct cat code lol.
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ~Groll69~ December 13, 2012, 09:18:02 AM
Well, i broke down and took the car into a transmission shop in warren to get the differential seals replaced so they dont leak.  Evidently i messed up some how on them cuasing them to leak upon re-installing the engine.  I should get the car back on friday after getting the lugnut key to them.  They have to await for the seals to arrive anyways.
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ITSWILL December 19, 2012, 09:40:12 AM
  
The car did kick two codes today while driving, that was in efficent warm-up of the cats.  Since I don't have any operational cats, i just cleared the code.  Really should have something in place to help avoid that code, but not sure what that fix would be.

You are an EE make some sort of O2 sensor simulator.  Or just take the bulb out of the dash.
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ~Groll69~ March 11, 2013, 08:26:53 AM
The car has been running great after i got the ignition coils replaced and found out that one of the electrical connectors was cracked and not holding properly to the ingition coil cuasing the car to misfire.  Once I taped that connector into place the misfire issue was resolved.

The latest fun was i thought i needed new brake pads all around on the car.  Upon purchasing new brake pads and starting the work, i found out that the rear calipers needed to be completly replaced, including the caliper hardware.  It needed new rear rotors and pads.  I found out the front wheel bearing had failed on the drivers side.  The rest of the brakes on the front were completly fine. 

The wheel bearing is a pressed in design and an absolute pain to get off of the car.  We got the new bearing installed and then relized that half of the hub shaft had too much wear in order to reuse properly.  Therefore the front hub needed to be replaced too.  So its been a fun past few days of work with the car.  I should get the car back from my parents house on tuesday, since that is where i started to do all of the work at.
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: fidelity101 March 12, 2013, 06:04:44 AM
That reminds me of working on my old audi. Start tearing into one corner for a suspension bushing or link, end up replacing everything around it too lol.

no fun :(
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ~Groll69~ March 12, 2013, 09:19:35 AM
no its not very much fun, but i should be getting my car back hopefully tonight. 
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ~Groll69~ March 15, 2013, 05:43:51 AM
I got my car back tuesday night except the brakes were extremly soft.  Evidently My dad and I failed to do a proper bleed on them.  I took it over to Will's house and enlisted his help and warm garage to get the last of the air bubbles and old brake fluid out of it.  Now the car stops properly, though my wheel sensor keeps kicking on.  Looks like i will need another sensor.  Otherwise the car is doing great and very drivable.
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ~Groll69~ March 25, 2013, 07:06:03 AM
This car loves to demand attention at the least in convienent times.  Yesterday as we were traveling from La Porte IN to Lansing to get our duaghter and then head back home, we decided to stop at a mcDonalds near battle creek.  When we got back in the car and started it up the spark plug blew out of the number 5 cylinder. 

The good thing is i had tools with me so i attempted to re-install, but turned out the threads were stripped.  So we ran on 5 cylinders the rest of the way to lansing, met  at my parents house and re-tapped a spark plug insert into the car.  The nice thing is the particular cylinder was easy to get to and the repair was easy to do.  Just the timing sucked. 

Well just another notch to add to this saga lol.
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ITSWILL March 26, 2013, 04:09:27 PM
wow, doesn't say a lot for that ford engine
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ~Groll69~ March 27, 2013, 05:44:14 AM
No it doesn't.  Its a Ford 3.0 Liter engine too.  Last night the Spark Plug in the number 4 cylinder (which we thought was number 1) blew out and i was replacing that.  The good is i already owned the tool, i just needed the right coil.  So now it had blown out two plugs in the new (used) engine.  The previous engine had blown out two plugs, but i only had to re-tap one of those two plugs. 

I know the reason is not excessive back pressure becuase there is nothing in the exhuast line to cuase excessive back pressure.  To me seems more like a poor design since it is alluminum that the spark plugs screw into.
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ~Groll69~ April 24, 2013, 06:01:02 AM
Well i can't seem to go very long without haveing to have some part come to the end of its life.  Earlier i had to heli-coil two spark plugs the blew out.  This time the Tensioner pulley failed.  I drove it on its battery over to a friends house in Royal Oak and now i am awaiting a new tensioner to arrive.  Once i receive that, then the car will be good to go.
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: fidelity101 April 24, 2013, 07:38:39 AM
when it rains, it pours :(
: Re: Mazda 6S - Saga
: ~Groll69~ May 07, 2013, 06:03:37 AM
Well its been another fun weekend with this mazda 6.  I think now i should be done replacing everything.  lol  I blew out my third spark plug.  it was another one of the front plugs.  I have since helicoiled all three of the plugs on the front of the engine.  leaves 3 more left to helicoil.  i really hope i dont have to mess with them.  Got the new belt on over over the weekend too since i reused the old one after the tensioner had failed and was replaced the weekend earlier. 

Last night the alternator failed on me after 200k miles on it.  That was an absolute pain to replace.  It required romoving part of the exhuast, the passenger wheel and some supension components in order to get to the alternator and remove it.  even then it was an extremly tight fit to get it out and new one in.  I started that job at about 8 last night and didnt finish till 3am.  Made me really wish it was the Rx-7.  so much easier to replace.  anyways, i am hoping i do not have to replace anything for a while.