Okay, tried to put in my 88 13B this weekend. Unsuccesful thus far. Every joke I heard about it doesn't just drop in has replayed through my head time and time again. Anyway, my main problem right now is that I can't get the front plate to contact both engine mounts. I think I'm going to overnight a new 13B one from Mazdatrix tomorrow (this one seems like it's bent or something). Is there a trick to setting an engine in that I'm missing or something? Maybe I should bolt the front plate and mounts to the engine and then drop it? As it is, I've been trying to set the engine and the front plate on the mounts.

I put the transmission mount on to hold it up and the tranny seems to be in the correct spot, but the mounts just don't line up. The engine also seems to be as far back as possible, it's hitting the firewall a little (because it's still slightly raised) and dinging up my paint .

Any help here is appreciated guys. Thanks.

BTW, RB bricked on my order. I placed the order last Friday (a week and a half ago) and made them guarantee it by the next Friday. When UPS came on Friday, I had my stuff from Mazdatrix and a private seller (which were both sent Monday) but no RB stuff. I called them and they said "the inventory in the computer was off and for some reason no one called you." Bull ****. My stuff has been sitting on the dock for a week and no one called me. That's messed up. The best they said they could do was send it out two-day on Tuesday. Oh well, from now on, only ordering from Mazdatrix.

 

did you switcc the front plate from the 12a or are you tring to mount the whole unmodified package

 

Forgot to mention it. I'm using a 12a plate that I drilled out the holes a little. First I tried a 13B plate that I had but it was in a wreck and pretty bent up, and I had a lot of trouble bending it back. The front cover is from a 13B.

I figure I'll spring for the correct piece (only like 80 bones) and make sure I'm installing it all correctly.

On another note, would it be wise to remove my intake manifold and throttle body to help make the job easier? I left them on thinking it wouldn't matter, but I just looked at Paul's site and he had them removed. If I did remove them, do I need any gaskets to re-install them?

TIA

 

You have to use a 12a front cover or one from a 13b GSL-SE. As for the engine mount bar you have to slot the holes back pretty far, or buy the one from Mazdatrix.

 

what he said , piston beat me too it (I got booted in mid post)

peace

 

im in the process of swaping a 86 13b from an 85 12a and have got it almost complete but im having trubble with the OMP.
what have u guys done for yours?
id prefer not to premix.

 

Premix.

It's better than the OMP anyway, 2-cycle oil is designed to mix well with gasoline and burn cleanly, no crud injected into the engine, etc.

 

I tried that with the 12A mount, then tried making one. Buy one from mazdatrix

 

ok so if im premixing what do i do about the hole where my omp is supposed to go?

 

Buy some 1/4" aluminum plate, and start cutting it. Make your own block off plate, I cut gasket material for a gasket plus I use hylomar sealant