1988 B2200 restore
 

I am restoring my Dad's 88 b2200 for him. He is the original owner with 105k miles. I am needing some advice on whether to stay with the factory carb (EGR) system or do the weber conversion. I also looking for a good guide for the timing belt replacement. Thanks for any help you can provide.

BJ

If the factory carburetor is working fine, keep it as long as it performs. If your location has emissions testing, you may need to stay that way.

If no emissions requirements for factory stuff, and the factory carburetor is kaput, then go for genuine Redline Weber kit (not a clone). I've run genuine Redline Weber kit on my own 1988 Cab Plus since 2005. You'd still need to deal with the quirks of the kit, but stuff needs to be addressed:Most important: Make Weber adapters flat perfectly flat, sand them flat using wet/dry on a sheet of glass.

Use a thin coat of Permatex Aviation or similar (NOT RTV) used on all the gaskets for the adapters and bottom of carb
Torque the mounting screws and bolts correctly? Did you use blue Loctite on their threads?
Plug the electric choke of the Weber into the rear of the alternator. If the bi-metallic spring doesn't get heat from the choke heater to open up the choke butterfly, the fuel:air mixture will be richer than it should be for a warm engine.
Cap off all the vacuum ports capped off with GOOD quality caps (or pieces of vacuum tubing and golf tees)
Get a stronger throttle return spring.
I used 14mm x 1.5mm wheel lugs from O'Reillys to plug the pair tube outlets coming out the upper manifold heat shield.

You don't need the PTC heater under the factory carburetor; but you might need shorter screws then than what are supplied in the kit. I got shorter screws for mine at Ace Hardware.

Welcome to the forum

getting all the old EGR crap out today
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.maz...abd9c48f2b.jpg
and waiting on Weber (genuine) and pacemaker header to come in

Are you making/buying an EGR block-off plate for the side of the intake manifold, or are you using the existing EGR valve (assuming its piston is fully closed) as the block-off?

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.maz...279fd628b8.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.maz...bd711c7b85.jpg

While you have the access with all of the "stuff" removed......do yourself a favor and replace all of the "Coolant Bypass Hoses" in the cooling system. I just buy the pre-molded original Mazda hoses, as they last much longer than the aftermarket junk. There is one under your intake and it connects to the small diameter metal coolant tube that is under there as well.

Picture for reference.....

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.maz...3da903b4ad.jpg

I now keep a good supply on hand so I don't have to order them and wait.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.maz...7c881e2fb6.jpg

i do plan to use a plate and weld off others.

whew. almost done with EGR cleanup. thx for all the tips. i will be using them for sure.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.maz...3b2ef225bc.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.maz...11826e685f.jpg

Note that his picture is just a mock-up with the bolts loose just holding the metal bypass pipe; the gasket and intake manifold are installed FIRST, and THEN the clamps/tabs for the metal bypass pipe. Some folks have broken intake manifolds doing this incorrectly.