Is it necessary to have that plastic spacer under the primary rail? I cant seem to find mine and if i need something can I use washers?

 

You can use washers if you want. There's nothing critical about the spacer, but a spacer of the proper width is required to fit the fuel rail.

 

Is the spacer not also a thermo barrier?

http://mazdatrix.com/c-6.htm

 

what does that mean?

 

You should put it back.
If you lost it or destroyed it, you can just use a pair of washers underneath.

The spacer does two things:
1) Minimizes heat soak from the top of the engine, as bigdv519 stated, and...
2) Spaces the fuel rail properly so you don't squash the fuel injector (grommets) too much.


-Ted

 

you can buy a replacment one from mazdatrix...

 

I found it, good thing i looked because it fell in the top of the turbo. Thanks guys. Almost got the turboed n/a back together and its hopefully going to be sweet.

 

haha, that's never good... I dropped a wire crimp in my turbo once

I vaccumed it out