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Chris' 2007 Mazda 6s Hatch

34K views 241 replies 19 participants last post by  DrFeelGood 
#1 · (Edited)
Thought I would create this thread to share the things I have done and will do to my 6 and hopefully get some tips or suggestions as well.

The things the car still needs:
Front seats (both were torn when I bought it)
A complete paint job (just look at some of the pictures...its rough) COMING VERY SOON
water pump (leaks) DONE
Camshaft Seal (another leak) DONE
Front Main Seal ( again leak) DONE

updated 5/17/19
 
#2 ·
November 2 2017

The day I bought the car in Akron OH. I paid $3000 out the door for the car. Its, as the title states, a 2007 6s Hatch 3.0 V6 6sp ATX with (at the time) 149,622 miles. I knew NOTHING about Mazda, my previous cars included a 2001 Audi A4 Quattro 1.8T (blew it up at 189,000miles), then a 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse 2.4 I4 (sold because it was not fast enough), I came across this car after the initial car I had gone to look at fell through. My initial attraction to this car was the color of course, and the fact that it had more power than anything I had previously had, but now I have fallen in love with it and would buy another one in an instant if anything happens to this one.
 

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#3 ·
The two weeks after the initial purchase

This thing was in need of some immediate maintenance, the trans fluid was jet black, as well as the PS fluid, It was also leaking both. I flushed the PS fluid using fresh atf recommended in my manual, then because I was an idiot searched for the correct ATF for the car (after days of this I realized it was stamped on the dipstick) and did two drain and fills and replaced the spark plugs with Autolite Platinum plugs and broke that lovely coolant tee under the TB (before I knew you could just bypass it), and repaired the ATF leak( it was coming from a corroded portion of the metal return line).
 
#4 ·
December 2017

In the early weeks of December I installed a trans cooler and did another drain and fill because the fluid was still really dark. Then after Christmas I was forced to replace the rear shocks after one blew out, which resulted in the replacement of one of the upper rear control arms because I destroyed it while trying to get it out.
 
#5 ·
January 2018

I thought the car was too quiet so I deleted the rear mufflers.
 
#6 ·
#7 ·
May 2018

May was busy. First my trans fluid was STILL darker than I was comfortable with so I did my own at home fluid flush. Then I was forced to quit driving it for a while because the poor thing started misfiring:frown2:. So it was time for 6 new coils. Since I had the car apart I took the time to do the EGR tube delete, TB coolant bypass and install a set of gauges I had purchased a while before. I also installed an OE Bose sub I found at Pull-A-Part (the thing sounds AMAZING) for $15.
 

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#8 ·
Just because, some more recent pics of the car
 

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#9 ·
June Update

This month I painted the wheels, installed a new shift knob and deleted the one cat under the car after the flex pipe broke off at a stop light:grin2: since I had to get under there anyway I figured it would be a good time to cut out the cat, now the car is only running the two pre cats, and the oe resonator under the center of the car.
 

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#10 ·
July 4th 2018

Tinted the rear windows today. The original plan was to do the water pump and cam seal but rock auto sent me the wrong pump, they only sent me the pump when I ordered the entire pump/housing. Hopefully the weather will hold out and I can get the front windows done sometime over the next week, I think I am going to just take it to the same place that installed my remote starter (Horizon Audio in Canton Ohio) to have the hatch done not sure I want to try and do that on my own.
 

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#11 ·

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#12 ·
Wish i had seen your thread before you bought that wp lol.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Index cards work great here for keeping that pesky paint off the tire. :nerd:


Great job bring it back to healthy.

Thanks, when I got it, it was rough it looks like you read through here so you know how bad it was. The previous owner clearly did care about regular oil changes, brakes, things like that but when it came to plugs, ATF etc. they clearly knew nothing. Then the leaks I feel like I've been battling leaks forever on this thing, I finally did the crank seal and I think as of now there is nothing else leaking. The paint all came off really easy, nothing sticks to those tires because of the Meguiar's tire foam. It leaves such a residue that I couldn't even get tape to stick I ended up just taking a rag and wiping the overspray off. I would really like to put rx8's on it (I've seen a lot of pictures of other 6's with them and really like the look) but when it comes down to money I would rather paint the car first, it was rough when I bought it and the Ohio winter was really hard on it, made it much worse.. I wanted to get it done this summer but that's looking like its not going to happen. :frown2:
 
#17 ·
Guys look at the hose clamp he has on the water pump don’t change them out they are the best to use why because I did on our MPV we had and I kept loosing antifreeze I bought the screw type clamps well they don’t expand like the original ones do so when the engine and clamps heat up they get loose not the factory ones.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Never used a clay bar before so I decided to wash it and try it, LOVE the end result after the Meguiars clay bar and Chemical Guys V04 polish. I also finally did the rear evil “m” now I need to do something about the front.
 

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#20 ·
After MANY failed attempts I finally got the front windows tinted yesterday (ended up taking them out of the car completely). Now I just need to do the hatch, definitely NOT doing that one myself. On that note I was quoted $80 for the hatch is this reasonable or should I look elsewhere?

Front 35% visible light 65% blocked

Rear 20% visible light 80% blocked, going to have the hatch done the same as the rears.
 

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#21 ·

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#22 ·
That was kind of my plan as well. I think I've read the AEM filter goes well with the eBay piping. I'm eager to see how you're turns out!
 
#23 ·
@MazdaMetalhead thanks for the tip I've never looked at the AEM filters before now. Reading the specs they sound as good as the K&Ns but the price of the AEM 3 inch filter is WAY better. Plus that will be an excuse to drive up to Summit Racing lol. Will definitely post an update when it gets here and I install it.
 
#24 ·
No problem. I have no first hand experience but the AEM filter seems like the definite way to go.
 
#25 · (Edited)
Changed my water pump belt this evening because it was starting to squeak and I'm pretty sure this was the original one so it's probably a little overdue after 160k. I know, I know I should have done this when I changed the pump but I had already spent $100 between the pump and seals and I let my cheap side get the best of me:frown2: On a different note CAI should be here possibly tomorrow Wednesday at the latest:smile2:
 

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#26 · (Edited)
My eBay CAI Experience

Lets start with the bad:
they sent me the wrong color tubing (vacuum line and vent line)
there isn't quite enough tubing (vacuum line and vent line)
the angle isn't entirely right as it goes towards the TB, it was possible to get into place with some brute force if you use something to lube the rubber elbow where it connects to the CAI so you can slide it in farther
they didn't even send a filter so I ended up using a 3" filter I had from something in the past (not sure what lol)
it is made to bolt into the same spot as a cluster of ground wires (managed to f**k these up in the process screwed with my turn signals and a bunch of other s**t)
the elbow is bigger than the TB so it required an extra sleeve to go around it (shown in pic) which would be fine but its a different color than EVERYTHING

The good:
I did get a partial refund for it after contacting the seller
it is surprisingly well manufactured, welds are clean and it seems to be one piece of tubing that has been bent rather than chunks welded together, got one from eBay for the charger and it was like that it looked like they had taken a bunch of different size pieces from a scrap yard and welded them together to make a CAI
it does fit pretty well it was just somewhat difficult to get it to that point
it did only cost $35.99 say somewhere around $60-$70 after buying a better filter vs. well over $200 for a "name brand"
the MAF fit perfectly the intake even came with its own screws
 

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#27 ·
Anybody know of a good tuner for the 3.0L? Haven’t been able to find one.
 
#28 ·
Cool! Sounds like the CAI was a pretty big hassle but it looks to have worked out. Any chance you could post a video so we can hear what it sounds like??
 
#30 ·
Any chance you could post a video so we can hear what it sounds like??
sure I'll try to get something in the next few days I've been meaning to get one of the exhaust too just haven't got around to it lol:laugh2:
 
#29 ·
And also, if the 6 pulls any different. I'm interested if it gives any boost in the lower RPMs. Our V6's are definitely not low-end torque monsters on their own and I'd love to have a little more pull in 1st and 2nd before 4-5K RPMs...
 
#31 ·
Haven't had a chance to really give it hell yet but I planned on posting an update about that
 
#32 ·
Cool!
 
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