I'm looking at picking up this 2004 Mazda3 from a local woman in my area. She's worked for Mazda as a Master Technician for 12 years, and has EVERY receipt for anything she's done to the car or put in it. Only issue I have is that she put a 2.5L engine in it removing the 2.3L.

Is this going to make it difficult to find parts to fit my car? and was there any significant HP gains that came along with the new engine? let me know thanks

 

15 views and no replies? anybody?

 

Assuming she has used a Mazda 2.5 ltr engine then there shouldn't any issues getting parts. Depending on local laws, does it need any cert for the engine change?

Depending on where in the world you are the change may be from 144hp up to 178hp.

 

Thank you, that was the answer I was looking for. It already passed inspection and everything with the engine swap so I think it should be fine.

 

There should honestly be very little change, and little in the way of gains. The 2.5 MZR motor is just a bored out version of the 2.3. Otherwise they're virtually identical

 

I'm considering purchasing an exhaust system (magnaflow preferably) but since they don't make a 2004 Mazda 3 WITH a 2.5L engine, they don't offer that as an option obviously. How would I go about installing this?

 

Well the 2.5 L engine was released in 2010. You could check if they have one for that motor, then compare it against the 2004 model. The 2nd gen was mostly a cosmetic refresh without a great deal of change to the underpinnings, so you could probably make it work anyway.

Just like the auto parts store gets mad with me when I buy oil filters. I did the spin on filter conversion, but they insist that I can't ask for a spin on for a 2.3L s model.

 

Grim, to answer your question; as long as the new engine is the same year or later as the one being replaced, and the ECU matches that engine's codes, everything is fine.
But who knows what the future has in store..... 'Always making modding more difficult.

SPOTS!!! Nice to see you around, Buddy!! I've missed you.

 

thank you both!!

 

I was going to suggest that since you know the previous owner who was also a Mazda Master Mechanic, why not ask her if, 1) she used the '04, 2.3L exhaust manifold on the new engine, and 2) are they compatible?
Since you have a 1st gen that's the system I would opt for. It will fit the car, and any other issues would mean fitting it to the engine which isn't liable to take much, if anything.