Would you eco-mod a Mazda MX-3 ?

[jakobnev]

Is there anything good about the MX-3 besides the look ?

Yeah, it's fun to drive and it beats everything:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM3Tm64jul4

(That last run doesn't count because it is detrimental to my case!)

On a more seriouss note: The mileage really isn't that bad. If i drove longer trips and lived in a warmer climate as some of you pantsies, i could easily be doing 50mpg+ tanks. And incresed tire pressure is still my biggest mod..

[Cd]

Jakob, your mileage is great !

In your opinion, how bad is that blind spot caused by the B-pillar ?

[jakobnev]

Cd -
It's quite bad, and it's particulary deceptive in the dark when you can't see that you can't see. (I found mysef reversing into bushes and even a Volvo in the dark winter just after getting the car ):

[graphixv]

Whoever said the MX-3 is an undependable car is on Crack.

The reason a lot of these cars are trouble is because some young punk saw fit to abuse it, race it stock or ghetto it out. I see a lot of this same thing on another car I happen to like, the Honda Sol. I can barely ever find a Sol that is worth buying because they are abused and modded and look like crap (yeah buddy that big TV antenna on the back of your car looks GREAT).

My Mx-3 is one of the most dependable cars I have ever owned. I may be wrong but the stated 32 HWY MPG just seems lower than what I get. This car has the 1.6 5 speed. It may also have something to do with driving style, I swap to neutral a lot.

Right now it's under wraps in the backyard after having body work done to prepare it for painting after winter. When I finish, the rear cargo deck lid is going to be replaced with a new one which will be half covered with a 30 watt solar panel going to a controller which will constantly monitor and recharge the battery.

Does anyone know exactly what models of Mazda/Ford the higher 5th gear can be swapped into this car? I probably need to pull the transmission to do a clutch job later anyway after 10 years.

[graphixv]

Anyone who doesn't like Mazda, my brother-in-law makes BIG $$ and switches cars like you and I switch pants. He has owned multiple new cars over the past few years, a Honda Fit, a Nissan Leaf, a Nissan 380Z, Lexus and even a Porsche among others.

Last week he bought a Mazda 3 with SKY engine. He said he was impressed that it is a 6 speed which can reach 80 MPH turning 3000 rpms while getting around 40 MPG WITHOUT being a hybrid.

If Mazda comes out with an update to the MX-3 (Like Honda did with the CR-Z)
which is a 6 speed with a SKY engine, look out!

[Volones]

Oh wow, I hope I'm not bringing back a dead thread here, but I have a couple of cents to throw in.

I own and drive a '95 MX-3 with no mods (other than the dents that a couple of deer helped me install). I am getting an average of 37+mpg in combined driving (determined by dividing the miles driven per tank by the number of gallons to refill - maybe not the best method, but consistent over the course of a year). And 40mpg at a steady 60mph with the AC on at full fan speed (done for almost 1,000 miles of interstate one day), and over 40mpg when it cooled down enough I could turn off the AC.
There are a few things that can easily and not so easily be done to improve the mileage of these cars...

Change the 5th gear -
Easiest, but only works when you're in fifth gear

Swap the transmission -
Less easy, but combined with a taller 5th gear would provide what I believe to be the best mileage improvement

Swap engines -
The 1.5L should fit easily (I don't know what wiring changes would need to be made)
The 1.3L also shared a common block (the 1.6L was the largest bore that Mazda would do to the block), but again I have not idea about the wiring changes
There is even a diesel from the Euro and Australian markets that is based on the same block as the 1.6L DOHC that came stock in '94-'95

People on the MX-3.com forum have experimented with rear wheel covers and under body pans, but I don't think they have seen much real world improvement. So it seems that mechanical mods work better than aero mods. I chime in about halfway down this thread http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...-a-2748-3.html with more info about the transmission swap and 5th gear change.

Altogether, I think that a mild turbo with the cam profile from the 323 GTX (?) which gives 50ft/lb peak more at 2,500 rpm instead of 4,500 rpm coupled with a transmission that has a taller final drive and taller 5th gear would allow this car to achieve over 45mpg (conservative) and maybe even 50+mpg (hopeful). The turbo would not be necessary for FE, but dropping the peak torque down to where it would actually get used would be very nice indeed.

[Xist]

I think that an important question is why the MX-3 weighs so much and what can you do about it? Then it would be faster and more economical!

[graphixv]

Thanks for keeping up on this old thread!
I'm not doing it right now, but I am highly interested in knowing exactly what 5th gear to get to do a swap on this MX-3.

And I agree, the MPG figures seem lower than what I was getting. It seemed like this car would go forever on a tank of gas. It certainly gets a lot better mileage and is more useful overall than my Miata.

Well, gotta go, I have a date with a paint job in the next few weeks and I'm working on my paint booth. Going to paint the spoiler, side view mirrors, fender surrounds, doors and hatch off the car.

[jakobnev]

I decided to make all gears 3.4% taller by going 205/60 instead of 205/55. (This size also turned out to be cheaper, roll better, have better wet grip, and be quieter as a bonus.)



They even fill out the wheel wells better(55s looked a bit smallish):



I got 53MPG on a longer trip on sunday, and 42MPG to work and back today. And it's still a bit cold, can't wait to see what i can get when it gets properly warm!

[graphixv]

Nice, it's just darn rare to see an Mx-3 which doesn't look beat to hell, even your wheels look good. It's an amazing looking car when it isn't beat up. Congratulations- your car looks great.

Hopefully mine will look acceptable after the metallic dark grey paint job.

I removed the windshield and hatch moldings to get better paint access and they were hardened anyway. I'm going to have to locate an after market molding I can make work after I'm done.

Is this an RS with a transplanted GT factory spoiler, like mine? I noticed the rear wiper and thought it might actually be a GT. If that is a GT, your MPG is out of sight!

Thanks for the tire info, I won't be making the tire switch right now, as I have a brand new set of tires I already bought setting in the basement!