Any tips on what to do with the air temp sensor with a pod filter attached. I have at least kept the sensor, I didn't throw it out. Does that make up for killing my motor by using cheap **** tricks?

Call the mechanic first thing in the morning, tell them to replace the temp sensor and remove your wiring and use the FP ECU and see how it runs then.
All might be well.
It will be a bit rich if things are right on that ECU.

Am I better still getting the FS Chip and loom?

I think based on your past experience and comments made by others "way more intelligent than me", it is not worth messing around with the FP ECU.

What about the Haltech?

FS ECU will help IMO. Over the short term itd be fine but over the long term its hard to tell. The FP and FS have different compression, different tunes, different cams, different injectors.

FS needs different fuel for instance to stop pinging etc.

I would try the FP ECU first,
If the engine runs rich swap to the smaller 1.8 injectors as it would hold them open longer.
Then try again.
If it works well and it should (my car was fine and its only because it was the engine from a Mazdaspeed Familia that I even bothered trying) always run it on 98 as its a lot of money to spend for only a few KW.
Can you send the engine back and wait 3 weeks (less if you pay air freight)and I can get you a standard 125KW FS-ZE + ECU for LESS than whats its going to cost you to buy FS-DE + Haltech + getting it tuned.
If you want I can even get the tiptronic style gearbox as well.
We know thats possible.
I can arrange everything including wiring loom corrections.
I know its a crazy thought but its well worth it.

Phil, I have re-fitted the O2 Temp sensor and......

IT WORKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks you so much mate. I can't thank you enough.

The car is now idling (in gear) at about 1200 rpm and in Park she is spinning out at a massive 2500rpm. But I am tipping that is from the guys over cranking it to get it up to idle. I am also tipping that the 220cc injectors is probably not helping either.

Here's a bizarre question... why? This never happened with the FP motor 3-4 years ago when I fitted that transister. What got the FS Motor's panties all up in a bunch.

Probably should just be happy that I wont blow this motor in 3-4 years I guess. But this is what makes us technical guys so technical!!!

Our ecus learn around quite a bit of stuff, and they require some time to learn other bits n pieces.

And just cause the voltage is x now doesnt mean itll be x in a year.

Im glad to hear it works, must have been a late stressful night and im glad I could help.
I dont know what made me even think of that resistor on the intake sensor mod but im glad I did now!!!
Now take frankenstina to a mechanic and get the o2 levels checked.

If you have a pod,
just leave the sensor outside in the engine bay close to the pod..
usually for legal purposes you should put your pod filter in a box, then put the sensor in it..

in this case of wrong ecu for the motor i would make sure its connected correctlty as you need to make sure the ECU is getting correct figures so it might be able to run it.
Hell while you are making sure its AOK you should re install the original air box as a test.
Strange things happen in Mazdas.
My car kept surprising me, it still does.

Latest update. Idle is still high and my new mechanics are still trying to bring it down. They have come to the conclusion that it will something simple and stupid and that they now just need to find it!!

The guy has actually taken the pod off and stuck his hand over the air intake and the motor has happily continued running, idling high. So it is obviously sucking air in from somewhere it shouldn't!!!

Now he is inspecting the throttle body and checking the valve.

At least your now getting somewhere!!!!

Make sure that the black corrugated piping between the AFM and the throttle body is still intact. It is quite common for these to split along the seams ;)

Any more updates??

Not yet. Will keep you posted.

Looks like it was the idle air control valve. They just need to get it up on the Dyno now and test the mixture.

Not surprising as they would have tried everything to figure out what was causing the problem.
No one would have thought a resistor on your air temp sensor could cause all this hell.

I know one legend who did!!!!

Still don't know what made me think of it, but im glad I did!!!

Well the car is pretty much ready. They just need to run it on the Dyno. so I won't be able to get it til Monday. So O2 Temp sensor and Idle Control Valve. Unless they pick something else up on the Dyno.

good to hear mate,
by the way are you getting the engine registered with vicroad?

Gonna have to. Which could be an issue with my oversized exhaust and pod filter.

Just stick stock back on register it then swap?

pod filter is legal as long as its enclosed in a box i think..

the exhaust might be a problem, but it you still have the stock one, just chunk it it just for that day..

I've got the exhaust bit so that's cool. The pod but I've chucked the old box etc. So may be shagged on that one.

Just read all 6 pages of this thread and loved it. Had me worried about my own pod install for a second... Was it worth it for all 6 of those killawasps?

Will let you know when I finally pick up the car. I still think this will be a better motor for turboing. So may be! Buzz, buzz!!!

There not really any logic behind that, the rods are just as weak AFAIK. In fact the FP is better then the FS in some aspects for turboing :)

Is that because the FP is a destroked FS?

Compression and cams :)

You could swap the cams couldn't you? Or would that just cause another saga

Compression is the same.

Cam in the FP are a little bit more agressive, so they would help.

Rods are the same between them, but the narrower (not sure how to decribe it) crank on the FP would suit turbo better

Actually, that is not what I got from Mazda:
http://www.protegefaq.net/mods_engine.html#FP_manual
http://www.protegefaq.net/engine.html#FP-DE
http://www.protegefaq.net/engine.html#FS-DE

Information are accurate. They were taken from US, Japan, and Europe service manuals and parts catalogues. As you can see, the FS-ZE cams have more duration and lift than the FP-DE cams. The only thing that makes the FP-DE cams "better" is the exhaust cam which has advanced timing to give more overlap compared to the FS-DE/FS-ZE cams (except when the Mazdaspeed one is used). When using the FP-DE exhaust cam in an Euro/Aussie FS-DE or JDM FS-ZE (while still retaining the FSH9 intake cam), the overlap is a decent 4 degrees increase. :) The FP-DE pistons are the same as your Aussie/Europe FS-DE pistons, but the resulting compression are not the same. Obviously crankshaft is different but so are the rods. The FP-DE rods are much stronger but neither the FP-DE crankshaft nor the rods can be used in the FS block because the deck height is taller and the pistons will never reach the top!

Don't worry am running a healthy 11 psi on my FSDE, so you can..

Only reason why i'll not recommend you to turbocharge it is because its an AUTO lol..

Don't go picking on the Auto. It kicks ass when you're hungover and keep forgetting to put your foot on the clutch at lights!!!

More importantly
Does it live???

haha good one mate..
by the way, did u end up getting the car today?

Car is still not ready. They have had it up on the Dyno. Everythings good mixture wise. Just still having issues with the idle air valve. Will replace it tomorrow. Think they must have only cleaned it before. But it's not allowing the car to warm up fast enough. Revs are staying too low on morning start.

Not for long on stock compression.