build started, interesting pic
 

Well I've been working on the engine for a few days now. Taking my time. I got the head off today and pistons number 2 & 3 have some interesting gouges in the top. Any idea what it was? Head look fine but 2 & 4 were definitely pushing some oil. This car has 115K miles on it and it sure looks clean oddly enough.

The last pic was a little surprise. The PO had the FM2 installed and I knew it had a HD clutch but didn't realize that it also had the Fidenza flywheel. I have a different flywheel and clutch that I'll be using so you'll probably see the flywheel go up for sale.

any thoughts?

I was going to vote detonation marks on the edges, but I don't know...

I would second detonation.

Not sure on your questions, but when/if you sell the flywheel I'll be interested depending on price/condition.

Also where you at in Virginia? Is that an albemarle county sticker on your windshield?

detonation plus something made of steel bouncing around in there. those dents in the piston... . how's the head on that same cylinder?

detonation marks for sure. had that on my starion.

Looks like your motor ate something

Head looks fine. Weird. Wiseco pistons going in and the cylinder bores look OK so no worries, just curious. Weird that it's on two pistons.


I'm in Suffolk VA, about an hour from Virginia Beach.


Well, more stuff due in today. I ordered a manual rack from MazdaSpeed and have a 3.6 R&P on the way. Still looking for a six speed tranny.

I know where that is. I'm in charlottesville, good luck with the rebuild :bigtu:

Was just out in your neighborhood. My daughter is a Senior this year so we've been visiting collages. UVA, Tech, Radford, etc.

Please god DO NOT send her to UVA, just....DON'T

Really? Why?

The city sucks....i've been here all 20 years of my life and can't wait to get out. The entire city is stuck up, cost of living is rediculous, send her to Blacksburg to go to Tech she will be much happier for the next four years...unless she's one of those stuck up girls that walks around with her collar popped and doesn't know how to drive.


....on the other hand she's probably only two-three years younger than I am...send her this way and I'll show her around town....:bigtu: , J/K

UVA, Tech, or Radford....hmmmmmm Sounds like an easy choice to me.

Well we definitely are not the elitist types. I avoid them at all costs. Going to see JMU in a week or so. They have a doctoral PT program there so it might be a good fit.

A salary of $50,000 in Charlottesville, Virginia should increase to $73,667 in Arlington, Virginia.



Arlington is 47% more expensive than Charlottesville.

Housing is the biggest factor in the cost of living difference.

Housing is 96% more expensive in Arlington.

I don't know how you guys do it up there although Tidewater is getting expensive now too. Just talked to the machine shop recommended by SamNavy and they quoted 800 to clean, bore, and build the bottom end for me. I'd just as soon let them do the crank/rods/pistons as I haven't rebuilt an engine in 20 years and dont have plastiguage laying around :).

You can still find cheap machine shops up here. But most of the shops here are tuner shops for idiots with hondas that dont know a damn thing and get ripped off bad and are happy about it.

COUGH** AA Motorsports **COUGH .... woops, did that slip out?