I've done a lot of research on how to try and pass a KLZE in the e-test. I live in Ottawa btw. There are many diffrent ideas. The three main ones are:
1)Put new spark plugs, 93 octane gas and garunteed to pass solution and the ZE should pass barely.
2) Pay 200-300 under the table.
3) Get Hot Rod Status. Must obtain letter from Mazda and/or convince drive clean centre.
4) If you have a lowered car and it can't get on ramp then you only do idle test (same thing for AWD cars)
I want to avoid option 1 and 2 because I think they're bullocks (will put new spark plugs and good gas though).
So Any experince getting a letter from Mazda? Which delearships did you guys go to? I know of a few test centres that will test as hot rod even though ZE is same displacment... as long as i have letter saying engine is diffrent from stock.
Also i do have a lowered car on puny whels so it's is very low to the ground...too low... Which test centres will have high ramps and allow me to do just idle?
I've done a lot of research on how to try and pass a KLZE in the e-test. I live in Ottawa btw. There are many diffrent ideas. The three main ones are:
1)Put new spark plugs, 93 octane gas and garunteed to pass solution and the ZE should pass barely.
2) Pay 200-300 under the table.
3) Get Hot Rod Status. Must obtain letter from Mazda and/or convince drive clean centre.
4) If you have a lowered car and it can't get on ramp then you only do idle test (same thing for AWD cars)
I want to avoid option 1 and 2 because I think they're bullocks (will put new spark plugs and good gas though).
So Any experince getting a letter from Mazda? Which delearships did you guys go to? I know of a few test centres that will test as hot rod even though ZE is same displacment... as long as i have letter saying engine is diffrent from stock.
Also i do have a lowered car on puny whels so it's is very low to the ground...too low... Which test centres will have high ramps and allow me to do just idle?
Thanks!
From my experience, the worst thing you can do is exceed the octane required on these cars. I have yet to talk to anyone that runs more then 91 and actually gets better mileage or has a car that runs better then one on 91 octane only. So, with that said, I would run just that, 91 octane.
Plugs, well, yes, they should be done, but only put platinum's in. Everyone gets caught up in the iridium thing, but these aren't new engines, so from what I've found as well as many other here, is that you get better results from platinum.
Now, how old is your cat-converter? Is it an aftermarket like a Magnaflow? If so, I'd try changing it out to a Walker 3 core cat. See if that makes any difference. Also, how old are your O2 sensors? They might be due for replacement even if they aren't throwing codes.
Finally, what ECU are you running? Where is your timing set? The ZE runs advanced timing, or is supposed to, so if your running the ZE on the ZE ECU, then you need to back the timing off a little to get it to lean out a bit. If your still on the original stock ECU, then I'd suggest playing with the car's timing a little (in this case you might want to advance it a little for the correct burn). Also remember that you have no EGR now, so your intake manifold will get excessive amounts of blow-by oil into its streams. You may want to run seafoam through the vacuum system only just to curb this before your test.
Etests are all a gamble, even on new cars. But like them or not, they show whether your car runs right or not. Just because it starts doesn't mean its running correctly. By doing the required work to make it pass without being registered as a hotrod will reward you with fantastic fuel mileage for years to come. Think of it as an excessive tune up.
-Matt-
SOLD - 1994 Mazda MX6 LS, Infiniti G35 HID conversion, 2.5" Magnaflow cat-back, 3" CAI, 16x8" FD RX7 wheels, LEDA Custom True Coilovers, shaved body and full repaint, Genuine Mazdaspeed Kit, '03 Protege rear caliper conversion, and much, much more...
^ Sound advice, except perhaps the platinum plug choice. I'm not saying Iridium is good or bad, I'm saying that I've had (and others) questionable things happen after swapping in platinum plugs. I would stick with ngk stock, or v-power or Iridium.
^ Sound advice, except perhaps the platinum plug choice. I'm not saying Iridium is good or bad, I'm saying that I've had (and others) questionable things happen after swapping in platinum plugs. I would stick with ngk stock, or v-power or Iridium.
Strange, I have 48,000kms on my NGK platinum plugs with no issues what so ever. No matter, plugs should be looked at when trying to determine fault in an etest.
-Matt-
SOLD - 1994 Mazda MX6 LS, Infiniti G35 HID conversion, 2.5" Magnaflow cat-back, 3" CAI, 16x8" FD RX7 wheels, LEDA Custom True Coilovers, shaved body and full repaint, Genuine Mazdaspeed Kit, '03 Protege rear caliper conversion, and much, much more...
I'm in the middle of doing this right now. I'm going to KVR with proof that it is a foreign swapped engine and they will e-test on hot rod status
How are you doing this? I'm guessing you are getting proof from the shop that installed the engine? If so i can't do that, i bought my car with a ZE.
If your getting it from Mazda I'd like to know how your doing that, as I'm in the process of doing this yet I'm sorta on my own. The head mechanic I've been talking to has never heard this stuff and is nervous.
Now, how old is your cat-converter? Is it an aftermarket like a Magnaflow? If so, I'd try changing it out to a Walker 3 core cat. See if that makes any difference. Also, how old are your O2 sensors? They might be due for replacement even if they aren't throwing codes.
Finally, what ECU are you running? Where is your timing set? The ZE runs advanced timing, or is supposed to, so if your running the ZE on the ZE ECU, then you need to back the timing off a little to get it to lean out a bit. If your still on the original stock ECU, then I'd suggest playing with the car's timing a little (in this case you might want to advance it a little for the correct burn). Also remember that you have no EGR now, so your intake manifold will get excessive amounts of blow-by oil into its streams. You may want to run seafoam through the vacuum system only just to curb this before your test.
Ok, i'm not sure how old my cat is. I know it has a tremendous affect yet i'm hoping i can get by without replacing it. I want to avoid spending too much money, if i wanted i could just blow 200 and get a pass. From visually inspecting it it looks solid (thats of course not very accurate).
I have a 97 MX-6 with a ze. It's running on the stock ecu (OBDII). I guess i can play with the timing although i have absolutely no experience or a timing gun. Therefore this would be a drawback if anything... WOuld it have that drastic of an affect?
I will give seafom a try since i do have quite a bit of oil running throughout my system.
P.S can i get an idle test only for being very low? I'm on stock wheels with low profiles...my car is too low ( i struggle on the small speed bumps).
Ok, i'm not sure how old my cat is. I know it has a tremendous affect yet i'm hoping i can get by without replacing it. I want to avoid spending too much money, if i wanted i could just blow 200 and get a pass. From visually inspecting it it looks solid (thats of course not very accurate).
I have a 97 MX-6 with a ze. It's running on the stock ecu (OBDII). I guess i can play with the timing although i have absolutely no experience or a timing gun. Therefore this would be a drawback if anything... WOuld it have that drastic of an affect?
I will give seafom a try since i do have quite a bit of oil running throughout my system.
P.S can i get an idle test only for being very low? I'm on stock wheels with low profiles...my car is too low ( i struggle on the small speed bumps).
Your biggest problem will be that your running an OBD-I motor on an OBD-II emissions system vehicle. It wont pass, no matter what you plan on doing. The OBD system will always be looking at O2 sensors and other emissions equipment on your car that your ZE doesn't use anymore. So as a result, the computer see's a fault and riches the system out for safety. Let me guess, your gas mileage sucks, right?
You can try making it pass, but you will have to in all likelihood get a conditional pass somehow, or convert the car to OBD-I and then start the above suggestions.
If you want, do the seafoam (vac system and gas treatment) and take it for an etest after a good run. Make sure your cat is nice and hot. If it passes, then I'll be damned, but if it fails, at least we'll have something to work with. Biggest thing to keep in mind here is that getting a fake etest or conditional pass is like falling off a cliff, hurting yourself badly and then putting a bandaid on. You think the problem will just go away, but all you did was hide away the real issue at hand. You'll be much happier trying to get it to pass and actually getting it to do so then you will just sweeping it under the rug.
-Matt-
SOLD - 1994 Mazda MX6 LS, Infiniti G35 HID conversion, 2.5" Magnaflow cat-back, 3" CAI, 16x8" FD RX7 wheels, LEDA Custom True Coilovers, shaved body and full repaint, Genuine Mazdaspeed Kit, '03 Protege rear caliper conversion, and much, much more...
Here's my results from last autumn at a regular e-test with the KLZE and a one year old hi-flow Magnaflow cat, new iridium plugs, short ram intake, afpr, OBDII ECU, 94 octane gas
How are you doing this? I'm guessing you are getting proof from the shop that installed the engine? If so i can't do that, i bought my car with a ZE.
If your getting it from Mazda I'd like to know how your doing that, as I'm in the process of doing this yet I'm sorta on my own. The head mechanic I've been talking to has never heard this stuff and is nervous.
I'm printing out multiple online sources that attest how to identify a KLZE from a KLDE engine.
I should have clarified, I've never tried ngk platinums, only Bosch.
I've gotta agree with I4MX6 on this one. I had the stock plugs in when I bought the car, I upped it to the NGK G-Power Platinums and it got a lot better. Then I tried Iridiums last summer, because they were on sale, and they did not run as nice as the Platinums! I put Platinums back in, and up until I threw the timing belt, they've been great.
Honestly, I found the Iridiums highly over-rated. But at the same time, I do have to concede that my engine's pretty stock. So that said, I don't need the Iridiums for any reason other than they're highly talked about on this forum, so I thought I'd follow the peer preasure. D'oh!
Your biggest problem will be that your running an OBD-I motor on an OBD-II emissions system vehicle. It wont pass, no matter what you plan on doing. The OBD system will always be looking at O2 sensors and other emissions equipment on your car that your ZE doesn't use anymore. So as a result, the computer see's a fault and riches the system out for safety. Let me guess, your gas mileage sucks, right?
I understand that I have an OBDII System but what do you expect me to do? I've levied the options regarding converting my harness but that is just too difficult and time consuming. Is there any way of disabling the ecu from running the engine rich?
And on the mileage...ten bucks of 89 octane gets me about 100 km driving with a heavy foot occasionaly. From comparisons this seems decent to me...
To be fully honest I4MX6, there is no way of doing this e-test and passing in a proper fashion...I'm going to have to just do a sweep under the rug. If i pass this test now I will not have to do another for three years. I need to look for "other pathways". From personal experience an mx-6 with a klze in an OBDI car with new O2 sensors, new cat and 93 octane would not pass. The NO is just far too high (consult BShark's image)...
I'm going to focus on hot rod status and possibly getting just the idle test (due to lowered car). Recieving only an idle test might be a futile attempt, but Hot Rod status along with new spark plugs, oil and high octane is a good first attempt.
I understand that I have an OBDII System but what do you expect me to do? I've levied the options regarding converting my harness but that is just too difficult and time consuming. Is there any way of disabling the ecu from running the engine rich?
And on the mileage...ten bucks of 89 octane gets me about 100 km driving with a heavy foot occasionaly. From comparisons this seems decent to me...
To be fully honest I4MX6, there is no way of doing this e-test and passing in a proper fashion...I'm going to have to just do a sweep under the rug. If i pass this test now I will not have to do another for three years. I need to look for "other pathways". From personal experience an mx-6 with a klze in an OBDI car with new O2 sensors, new cat and 93 octane would not pass. The NO is just far too high (consult BShark's image)...
I'm going to focus on hot rod status and possibly getting just the idle test (due to lowered car). Recieving only an idle test might be a futile attempt, but Hot Rod status along with new spark plugs, oil and high octane is a good first attempt.
No need to get upset, I gave you the things you need to do, you just don't like them. I'm not going to argue with you about what you think is right, but I've owned one of these far longer then you and ZE's do pass etest.
As far as "things to do" other then converting it to OBD-I is to contact someone on the boards to create a plug and play Megasquirt system. Then you can do whatever you want to the system. Beyond that, it's OBD-I conversion or she'll never run to it's full potential.
I'm not going to bet you that 89 does anything for your car, because I said 91 would be the best. I'm going to take a stab in the dark and guess that you get about 300-350km to a tank (at best) from your car currently. Am I close? I get 500kms (heavy foot) to 600kms (highway) and that's with the system running extremely rich. If I were to have it tuned, I could easily turn that up.
The NOx is high because of the following:
-Inoperative EGR (ZE's don't have one, so that's a given)
-Malfunctioning catalytic converter
-Excessive spark advance (again, ZE's require an advanced timing)
That's right from the Ontario Emissions Program booklet and exactly what I told you. To curb the EGR, you need to clean the oil blow-by in the intake manifold, so seafoam that. Injector cleaner will also help. For the cat, well, maybe you need a new one. For the advanced timing, you need to retard it, but not too much or you'll run too lean and it will create more blow-by and just start burning more oil.
If you test as a hotrod, it will always be known as a hotrod, which for resale can make it harder to sell. But, if it passes without, it will run better and save you more a year in gas then it would cost you to fix it initially.
Take that as far as you want, but that's what you need to do. Remember, ZE's do pass, but most don't because the owners don't know how to look after a motor that has likely been sitting on a shelf for 2-5 years without running.
-Matt-
SOLD - 1994 Mazda MX6 LS, Infiniti G35 HID conversion, 2.5" Magnaflow cat-back, 3" CAI, 16x8" FD RX7 wheels, LEDA Custom True Coilovers, shaved body and full repaint, Genuine Mazdaspeed Kit, '03 Protege rear caliper conversion, and much, much more...
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