Hi all! I've bought a sparkle green ZXi with black leather after searching for ages. I need to fit a wheel bearing and then afterwards, find a specialist who knows how to check and if necessary fit a new cambelt. There's no record of this one being done so I thought I should play it safe and do the job.

Can anyone recommend a garage with experience of doing this job? I'm happy to travel. As an aside, I am a writer for Practical Classics magazine so the car will be appearing in the mag soon - getting the recognition it finally deserves!

Cheers for any help and advice you can provide,

James

Hi James, welcome to the club!

What kind of mileage is it on? I'd be surprised if its never had a cam belt change but then again without knowing the mentality of previous owners - anything is possible!

Where are you based so we can make an informed decision garage wise?

Hi! Thanks for the welcome! It currently has 125,000 miles and a fully stamped Mazda service history to around 60,000 miles. After that, no bills or any evidence at all. It does seem to have been very well looked after though, so I'm hoping the previous owner (now sadly deceased) serviced the car regularly.

It's in need of a wheel bearing (very grumbly at the front offside) and apart from a dent on the rear wing, it's a really well loved example.

I'm in the Peterborough area, by the way.

Thanks again,

James

Hello and welcome in.

Hi James, & welcome!

Being in Surrey, I can't recommend a garage for you unfortunately, even one down here. My local independent wouldn't even touch my BA for a driveshaft/clutch problem, apparently a 20-year Mazda was far too exotic for their taste I can only suggest you enquire with a more adventurous independent than mine, or try your local Mazda dealer (although a small mortgage may be required). If you're confident with spanners, you could tackle it yourself: it's eminently doable on the F, and you'd get plenty of online help from the club here. We might even have a guide available in the BA section, although Photobucket may now have ruined that by removing everyone's photos.

EDIT: I have this bookmarked. It is a guide for a 1.8 cambelt change, not a 2.0, but apparently the process is the same as long as you can find out the correct timing positions (and someone here should be able to tell you that) http://www.jamesandtracy.co.uk/howto/cambeltchange.htm

Fs have non-interference engines, so not an absolute disaster if the belt does go before you find a garage/do it yourself. But obviously, get it done before that happens! (I'm not following my own advice, though, as my BA's is nearly 100k overdue ... done at 60k by a dealer and not done since ... perhaps I should do it this summer ... )

Black leather interior! Not many of them around - I was lucky to find one for my GXi, but it's a rarity, especially to find a set in good nick, and with the door cards (which I didn't find, as the interior's previous owner had thought it cool to spray them white, so I now have to dye a cream set black ) ...

We have an immaculate sparkle green ZXi in the club - the owner will be highly envious of your leather, as he's after some!

S

I've done cam belt changes on the Z5, KF and KL now. The Z5 was easy to do in the car I just needed a day off work seeing as it seems to rain EVERY weekend

The KF (2.0 V6) so the same engine as you JWalshe is more difficult to do in the car due to space and actually being able to get at what you need to get at to set the timing marks up properly. I managed to do it though and I know if you ask some peeps on here, if i can do it then a chimp should be able to with eyes closed XD

The latest one I did was with Hughie when we swapped the KL in but we did the whole cam belt change when the engine was on the crane and no where near the car so it was much easier! Saying that thought if you have access to an engine hoist/crane then you could easier do it in a day.

If you're in Peterborough, check out our thread for JAE based at the Peterborough showground - its worth a trip especially seeing as you're so close
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=60600

Hi James and (from me a belated) welcome!

let us know when it's in the mag, I'll have to look it up from "down under"!

And a "Practical Classic" it should be... the klms (miles) I see on ones for sale "down under" are msotly over 200k km (125k miles), quite a few over 300k km (187.5k miles), several over 400k (250k miles) and at least one over 500k (310k miles) and usually the inference is minimal work beyond normal maintenance and fair wear-n-tear. Often it's the original, un-overhauled engine too. Note the Aussie ones are the 1.8l BP or 2l V6.

Patrick

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your assistance - I really appreciate it!

Sounds like it's a challenging job - but not a total disaster. Just need to find a garage up for doing it, as it's not a job I'd tackle alone.

I also need to do a front wheel bearing and that IS a job I'll have a go at. How hard is that likely to be, do we think? Any advice on that?

Thanks for the info about JAE. My office is opposite the showground in Peterborough, so see you there!

What with the (loudly!) grumbling wheel bearing, I haven't driven the car much yet but I'll have time next week to sort it (and give the car a full service). Looking forward to enjoying the car properly.

Cheers,

James