Hey Guys,
Just bought a V6 to replace my rolled 1.5, nice.

The question is, do any of you service your cars yourself, or do you all send them off to the local Mazda garage and get your arms pulled off?

If you do service them yourself, does anyone have any tips, guides, handbooks or oily papers they work from?

any help would be great

AD

Theres a few cd manuals on ebay at the moment mate, can't be sure how good they are though- I'm guessing that they're like a Haynes manual- DIY books.

They can be found in the automotive accessories section by typing mazda 323F.

I can't really answer your question though - I don't own a 323f- Still learning to drive- just a member here!

ttfn

I do my own services on my 1800 16v - never seen a V6, çause they never released them here in South Africa. One hint, which may or may not apply to the V6 - easiest way to change an oil filter is to jack up the right front, take off the right fromt wheel and access the oil filter through the wheel arch. All the other basic service stuff (plugs, air filter, oil etc. ) is pretty straight forward. Oh yeah - the petrol filter is also a b*****d to get at on the 1.8 ... And if you are changing the rear disc pads, there's a bolt you have to remove to get at an allen key thingy to release the brake pistons. Otherwise you can't get the pistons back into the calipers to make room for the new pads.

Blimey, you get rear Discs on the 1.8 Only on the 2.0 over here

The oil filter on the V6 is easily accesible from underneath the car, it's near the centre slightly close to the passenger side wheel and above the sump bolt (you'll see it straight away if you're already in a position to undo the bolt)

Some of the servicing can be done by yourself. the brakes are a doddle to check as they are discs either end but you may get caught out with the handbrake adjustment as there is a plastic bung towards the back of the calipers (on the inside), underneath it is an allen key bolt that you turn until the whel stops rotating. Turn the bolt a quarter turn back when the wheel stops, repeat on other side and then adjust the handbrake lever to about 7 notches (bolt to one side of the lever deep in the centre console.

If you are changing pads (as per normal procedures - easy) or any other work that involves changing the brake fluid levels BEWARE: the car has ABS so you have to be sure to clamp off the brake line so nothing goes back up the pipe when you open the calipers (expensive repair!!)

Spark plugs are as usual. Fuel filter is situated half-way down the back of the engine bay on the passenger side.

Air filter is easily accesed by unclipping the top (clips to the sides) off the air box (front of engine bay, passenger side).

.....it's getting late and I can't think of any more right now.

I tend to leave any other engine stuf to the pros as the V6 can get a little complicated....... (even confounds some pros so find one with experience of this type of engine - any MX-3, MX-6, Ford Probe, Xedos 6/9 experienced people will know whats what)


......that's all folks; time for bed! :-#

The even easier way is to have an ex mazda mechanic in the family who has done a full service (72000), cam belt and a/c recharge for £230

life is Soooooo unfair....... :mrgreen: