New Member with questions

[ZoomZoom]

Hi All

After a 10 year love affair with the BA Astina I was finally in a position to buy the model I wanted a decade ago. Last month I purchased a stock standard, 1 owner, grey late 96 V6 from a dealer at Brookvale with 103000 kms for just under $10K. I love it!!!!

After scanning the forums, I have a couple of questions that I'm hoping the Astina Forum of Knowledge can answer, keeping in mind that I am in no way a mechanic!

How do I find out if the timming belt has been changed?
Is the ticking sound from the engine after I switch her off a bad sign?
Is there anything I can do about the lack of low end torque?
Are there any low cost mechanical changes so that I can make her better?
My CD player is not reading the disk properly. Is there are CD unit only that I can buy or do I have to replace the entire system? Is so... any recommendations?



Thanks in advance.

[Cincinnatus]

Welcome to the forums. You've come to the right place. To answer your questions...

1. The only way really to know if your timing belt has been changed is look in the service manuall that came with the car, if it hasn't been done or stamped that it's done def go and do it otherwise you'll find out the hard way how much it'll cost to replace your V6.

2. That ticking sound you describe is heated metal contracting as it's cooling. It's perfectly normal, you'll hear it very fast at first and it'll slow down as the engine cools. On a lighter note, if you ever find a way to stop it happening it'll mean that you've made a major metalergical discovery and no need to talk to us mere plebs any more.

3. Lack of power, well, keep the revs above 4000rpm and you should be fine :) :) :). Several soloutions to that one, none of them cheap, check out the induction/technical section of the forum, plenty of info there.

4. Same as 3, look in tech support.

5. I think it's a fairly common problem with the mazda cd players (i've tried 2 now and had roughly the same results. Don't like burnt discs but still plays them), i'm going after market now but you don't need a full system. A few hundred dollars on a head deck should see you through, V6 has a decent setup, 5 speakers, rears are 6x9, front 5x7, so sounds good, just change the deck.

Hope i've given u some pointers in the right direction. Good luck with your new baby.

[Rupewrecht]

Welcome!

1. Other than what was said above, it *might* have been written near the belt with a paint pen, if the mechanic that did it did that.

5. Depends if you have a Hatch or Hardtop as to what speakers you have, but they're based on Bose designs so aren't too bad for standard speakers. You can buy the CD unit from Mazda but you'd better better sound out of a cheaper head unit.

[boostedbatman]

The low end torque is the downfall of a small displacement v6
A decent CAI setup will increase throttle response a bit and as such make launching easier
Short of custom made headers etc designed to make more low end torque (at the expense of the other end) theres not a great deal you can do
You do get used to it and you wont care much when you learn how much fun the top end is

[BigBoyLemonade]

Welcome

Get an aftermarket fuel pressure regulator for the low down torque problem.

Maybe try and use one of those cleaning discs.

[ZoomZoom]

Thanx guys.
All good advice!

[MAztinA 323]

hey hey man! nice to see your long love affair has paid off! im currently in one with a white 2004 integra type R which i want after uni when i get a job (4 years) :p

i'd go for a new headunit, so much better in the long run than looking for cds that will work and new ones look coolies ;)

if u want to be really cheap with the torque, do what batman said and chuck a piece of bendable tubing from near the fog light holder to the hole in ur existing air filter box. then a k&n filter would help as well, and if u want to impress ur friends, get a pod like me ;)

[tim]

welcome to the board.

good to see people still want the BA sixes.. i want to sell mine soon so it will be nice to find people that want it..

anyway..
1. How do I find out if the timming belt has been changed?
check the service history, but i'd say if in doubt change it now. a snapped belt will do lots of damage.

2. Is the ticking sound from the engine after I switch her off a bad sign?
far as i know (which isn't far) its just from the heat

3. Is there anything I can do about the lack of low end torque?
change gears :) or maybe a supercharger..

4. Are there any low cost mechanical changes so that I can make her better?
not sure

5. My CD player is not reading the disk properly. Is there are CD unit only that I can buy or do I have to replace the entire system? Is so... any recommendations?
i just had to replace the cd player in my sept 96 V6.. i'd say almost 10 years from a OEM cd player isn't bad.. i put a kenwood cd player that reads mp3's in the car the other week.. pretty happy with it for $200.. i didn't bother calling mazda for a price on the cd part alone..

-tim
ps, i didn't read other answers before giving mine..

[CHiMPY]

ps, i didn't read other answers before giving mine..
That is a REALLY bad habit.

You have basically added nothing to the thread except ANOTHER post.

It is not like the thread was super long (20 pages).

[tim]

That is a REALLY bad habit.

You have basically added nothing to the thread except ANOTHER post.

It is not like the thread was super long (20 pages).


may i point out that your thread added nothing new except ANOTHER post :) maybe a PM would have been a more appropriate way to tell me...

so now people aren't allowed to agree with other posts or show that multiple people have the same opinions.

-tim

[CHiMPY]

may i point out that your thread added nothing new except ANOTHER post :) maybe a PM would have been a more appropriate way to tell me...

so now people aren't allowed to agree with other posts or show that multiple people have the same opinions.

-tim

As I have no authority here it is just my opinion so you can feel free to ignore me.

I do not care if you have the same opinion as other people, in fact if you do good. It means that the information is consistent.

My problem is with the fact that you openly admitted to not reading the thread.
If you can not be bothered to read a thread that is not even 2 pages yet you should not bother to reply.


Again, this is just my opinion.

[ZoomZoom]

Now now boyz!

Tim, thanx for your reply, I have taken some info from it!

Chimpy, I appreciate your opinion also. Any input is good from my perspective!