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Thread: VVT help!

  1. Default VVT help!

    Hello

    Sorry to revive an old thread, however I am in need of some information/help regarding the VVT/Timing Chain replacement.

    My wife purchased a CX-7 Luxury Sport and from what I was told, has same engine as the MPS 6. It is a great car to drive and we didn't have issues with it until about 2 months ago. I blame myself for this as I did not check the oil level and it was about 2000km over its service requirement. One morning I started the car and heard a rather noisy rattle upon start, but would go away after a second or so and the engine light came on. Used it for the rest of the day and told the wife to use the car for a minimum amount until I give it an oil change. Around a week later I dumped the oil, and only 1.5L came out when it was meant to be at least 5L from what I read. The oil was leaking from the oil filter housing onto the catch tray...no oil on garage floor, so never noticed! Put new oil filter and O-rings, topped up with fresh oil (5W-30) to required level, however the rattle was still there during start up. So I believe due to low oil level, something didn't get lubricated and died.

    So after lots of reading, I have come to the conclusion that the VVT cam gear may be stuffed as the rattle only occurs during start up and no rattling when warm or while idling/driving. I was wondering if anyone has a step by step guide to do a timing chain/cam gear on these things and approximately how long it would take to do? Also there was a mention of parts needed on a side bar but I can't seem to find this side bar so not sure what parts are required.

    I am handy when it comes to working on cars. Have rebuild my Ford 96 6 cylinder motor, however they are not as complicated as these new tight tolerance cars.

    Got an approximate quote from the local Mazda of ~$2000, however he said they can't be sure until they see the car, which is understandable.

    Money we don't have, so wouldn't mind giving it a shot myself. In saying that, I don't want to blow up a $5000 motor to save $1500.

    If it's cheaper to replace the engine, I can do that too. Have engine stand/crane.

    Is it possible to run an engine flush through for 15 mins while the engine is hot and do 2 x synthetic oil flushes + oil filter change help clear possible gunk from the VVT and hopefully fix the pin getting stuck issue? Or is engine flushing a no no?

    Cheers

  2. #2
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    G'day. Yes, the engine is much the same as the MPS6 - I'm not aware of a reason not to do a flush myself, but if we assume your rattle is the VVT fault, I don't think a flush is going to solve it. First step is to confirm it's the VVT - sounds likely, and if so, then you're looking at a fairly major service that needs an timing alignment tool amongst the parts kit, and would generally be done alongside a timing chain replacement. It's not the kind of service I'd feel confident doing myself as a learning task, and a replacement engine is likely to be twice your quoted service cost just to have the long block delivered on a crate.
    "Blue Meanie" 2007 Aurora Blue MPS 3 - 18x8.5+44 SSR GTX01 - 235/40R18 Federal RS-RR - 3.5" ETS TMIC - CPE stg 2 mount - HKS/CPE BPV - 2XS inlet - 2XS short shift - 2XS turbo manifold - Hypertech tune - Leather/Aluminium handbrake - Momo shifty knob - 7" touchscreen - JDM Mazda Retractable dashtop screen assembly - PC based GPS and instrumentation - 36AH reserve battery and C-TEK isolator - TEIN Street Advanced coilovers 1" drop - Superpro bushings - 220Kw/410Nm.

    "Lipstick" 2013 Velocity Red MPS 3 - 18x7.5+48 Enkei RPF1 -225/40R18 Federal RS-RR - CPE TMIC - COBB inlet - CPE stg 2 mount - COBB Stage 1 98 octane tune - COBB shifty knob - 2XS short shift.

  3. #3
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    There's this from another thread:
    Quote Originally Posted by Axspeed6 View Post
    Hi guys

    This is my first proper How To hope you like it, this doesn't take long i can do the whole procedure within 4hr's by myself also don't even try this without the crank pin and cam tool listed below

    The proper way to time a mps motor

    Tool's you will need make sure they are all clean when working on the inside of an engine:
    1/4" socket set - to 13mm if you can get one most come to 12mm
    1/2" socket set - must have from 10mm up to size 24mm and spark plug socket
    a Torx socket set - size needed is a T-25 i think from memory
    8mm - 19mm open end ring spanner
    24mm open end spanner
    A crank TDC pin - Top Dead Center Peg | SURE Motorsports
    A camshaft alignment tool - Cam Alignment Tool | SURE Motorsports
    A harmonic balancer holding device - i made my own it secures to the subframe its a bit dodge but works a treat, the mazda one is horribly expensive and they wont sell it to you
    A grinder/ dremel just in case - that water pump is a complete n utter bastard of a thing, well in my case it was i'll explain later
    An engine crane and/or support bar - the crane is the most necessary thing
    shop mats - less paint damage
    white permanent pen - some thing to mark on steel and plastic
    New Engine oil and filter
    A magnetic bolt tray - you dont loose your bolt this way
    A magnetic bolt retriever - cant go wrong with it as its one of the most helpful tools you can buy
    1/2" torque wrench
    1/4" torque wrench
    A set of ratchet spanner's are a big time saver and almost a must
    Flat head Screwdriver

    Parts you will need/should be doing all at once:
    Timing chain
    Tensioner arm/chain guides
    A new tensioner (not 100% necessary)
    VVT (if you are doing it)
    Crank bolt (cam bolts & washers to if you want)
    Prematex Gray silicone sealant (its the best for the job)

    Ok now first thing is to make sure your motor is cold as bolt's that screw into aluminium may grab and strip next take your battery out and wash your engine - steam clean/ degreaser and a water rinse (please dont use high pressure around your rocker cover as it may force water under the rubber seal and could damage coil packs) after its dry loosen the front right wheel, jack it up and put it on stands or hoist if you have one (lucky bastards ) and take the wheel off, mark where the crank angle sensor is on the front engine cover and remove it.

    It might be easier for some people to do this part before they jack it up, take out the battery tray, TMIC/FMIC piping, TIP & CAI/SRI. Now unplug the wiring loom that goes to your coil packs completely and take off the golden steel plate that attaches to it and the fuel pump, disconnect the two thick black lines (see pic 1), with a 17mm and a 19mm spanner undo the fuel line under the pump fuel will come out another reason why the engine should be cold (here's a handy hint grab a zip tie and before you undo the fuel line and zip the zip tie up tight around the metal feed line this stops the metal nut on it falling down through the gap there), remove the fuel pump from the housing around the cam and put it off to one side.

    Next take the fuel pump cam housing off (some oil will come out), coil packs out, spark plugs out and disconnect the loom that goes over the rocker cover, dump the engine oil now undo the rocker cover, grab your 14mm spanner and pull down on the tensioner nut and take the drive belt off (take's a bit of effort to move and hold the tensioner), take the P/Steering pump off which is three 12mm bolts two on top one underneath (12mm ratchet spanner for this one arm in from the intake side of the pump) i zip tie it to my radiator support to get it out of the way.

    Now the water pump, you have to remove the black steel pulley 3 12mm bolts, i ended up having to completely remove the pump the first time because the bolts were completely pressure seized tried heat/rattle gun and everything ended up having grind them off then they undid by hand, now i use a bolt with a washer and a bit of lock tight, hasn't come slack yet and i check it every few days to make sure been 3 months so.....

    Remove the rocker cover and rotate the crank clockwise till you see the slots in the cam ends (gearbox end) almost line up with but above the horizonal metal of the head (the inlet cam might not be in the exact same position as the exhaust cam due to chain slack but will be only slightly off) put you crank pin in and rotate the crank till you feel it touch the pin now the engine is at tdc, check your cam end make sure they are aligned at tdc too (if not crank pin out and repeat till aligned).
    now attach your harmonic balancer holder to the balancer and undo the crank bolt, Put your rocker cover back over your motor so no dirt/crap get's in, attach the engine to the engine crane/support and remove the drivers side engine mount completely now remove the idler pulley now rocker cover off and undo the engines front cover bolt's and use the tabs to pry it off with a screwdriver to reveal the inside of the engine.

    Re wash your 8mm & 21mm socket also the 24mm spanner with degreaser and dry it off, try to put your cam tool in the slots provided at the gearbox cam end's, the exhaust cam is generally at TDC with the crank and will slot in nicely the inlet cam on the other hand can be slightly off and you have to put your 24mm spanner on to the hex point provided on the inlet cam and try to align it (you might have to undo the VVT bolt first) so the cam tool slots evenly in to the slots and loosen the VVT and exhaust cam bolt while holding the cam in place with the 24 mm spanner, now remove the tensioner (i just hold it in place as i undo the bolt's) put it in a vice or a clamp (you can do it with you fingers if your strong enough) press the ratchet lever back and press the tensioner in and insert a metal pin in the hole BEHIND the ratchet lever (take your time don't crush the tensioner at all it will take a bit of fiddling to get the lever to reveal the hole you actually have to release the tensioner back a bit to get it to click into its lock to reveal the hole), remove the chain and tensioner arm and chain guide now clean all the old sealant of the mating surfaces of the engine and front cover.

    And that's the disassemble complete (Big pat on the back if you made it this far).

    New Parts Install Time. grab your torque wrenches, Now put your new chain on (make sure its clean and dip it in some fresh engine oil first), i haven't done a VVT yet so wont comment on install but i'm getting the DCR unit soon so i will update this post when i install it.

    Put your chain guide on (right hand side of the chain) 2 bolts finger tight first then tighten to between 8nm - 11.5nm, tensioner arm on next it just slots on and now the tensioner put it on finger tight first then tighten to between 8nm - 11.5nm and pull the pin in the tensioner it should release and take up the slack just give the arm a gentle press to see if the slack has been taken up nicely, now tighten the bolt's on the cams while holding them in place with the 24mm spanner (you dont want to twist these) to between 69 -75nm and remove the cam tool silicone the front cover and put the bolts back in finger tight wait an hour and let it set then tighten to between 8nm - 11.5nm, put the harmonic balancer back on insert a M6 bolt through the hole in the balancer and bolt it (not tight) into the front cover put the new crank bolt in and tighten up the bolt to between 89nm - 104nm and remove the crank pin and the little M6 bolt in the harmonic balancer, rotate 2 turns, crank pin back in, back to TDC, check that the cams are still aligned (don't remove the crank pin yet).

    if they are then you have done a good job and the engine is now properly timed if not then repeat till you get it right, you should be able to slot the cam tool back into the ends of the cams

    Put the M6 bolt back in the harmonic balancer (not tight) and tighten the Crank bolt another 87 - 93 degrees now its set

    Remove the crank pin

    Now just reverse the removal procedure and your done all 8mm headed bolts tighten to between 8nm - 11.5nm

    On first start up remove the injection fuse and unplug the coil packs give it a couple of turns to build oil pressure, plug it all back in and fire it up and
    "Blue Meanie" 2007 Aurora Blue MPS 3 - 18x8.5+44 SSR GTX01 - 235/40R18 Federal RS-RR - 3.5" ETS TMIC - CPE stg 2 mount - HKS/CPE BPV - 2XS inlet - 2XS short shift - 2XS turbo manifold - Hypertech tune - Leather/Aluminium handbrake - Momo shifty knob - 7" touchscreen - JDM Mazda Retractable dashtop screen assembly - PC based GPS and instrumentation - 36AH reserve battery and C-TEK isolator - TEIN Street Advanced coilovers 1" drop - Superpro bushings - 220Kw/410Nm.

    "Lipstick" 2013 Velocity Red MPS 3 - 18x7.5+48 Enkei RPF1 -225/40R18 Federal RS-RR - CPE TMIC - COBB inlet - CPE stg 2 mount - COBB Stage 1 98 octane tune - COBB shifty knob - 2XS short shift.

  4. #4
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    Did a quick google and came back with this:

    Mazda 2.3 VVT

    If you're feeling brave, good luck!

  5. Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Nexus View Post
    Did a quick google and came back with this:

    Mazda 2.3 VVT

    If you're feeling brave, good luck!
    Thank you very much for the information and sorry about the huge delay in responding. Been a busy end of and start of the year and didn't get a chance to get back to this.

    Car still drives and the engine still rattles upon start up after sitting for about 30mins. No rattling while driving, so I think the timing chain itself is still good, but I think I will replace the whole lot if I end up doing it. I think it is getting worse but that could just be me keeping an eye on it more often and thinking the worst. I got quoted $2300 from my usual mechanic and $2500-3000 at my local Mazda dealership. This money we don't have but keeping it in mind if we some how land on extra cash (come on Powerball!).

    I have rebuilt the top end of a Ford I6 SOHC motor before, but never a VVT engine with so many sensors and electronics. I have all the tools other than the specific cam alignment tool and crank TDC pin and after reading the guide, I am confident being able to do the job...as long as I don't have seized bolts as per Axspeed6's case and the water pump!


    Had a quick look on ebay for the parts required and came upon this. Is this okay or should I be looking for something better? I would have expected a kit like that would cost more, so I assume this is not of the greatest quality!
    https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Timing-C...UAAOSwo4pYdxS6

    If I was to attempt this, I would like to do it once and want to make sure the car is reliable for the wife and kids!

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