is this where i say hello?

hello! my name is ... i'll leave that out, you can call me bubba. my mom used to call me pattycake, so therefore and hence: bubbacakes. ha ha.

i have a mazda b2300 pickup, 95, 4 cyl, 5 speed manual, and i really like it. it's a ford. i had a 626 once, and didn't care for the fat hog. it was real fragile, and heavy. and underpowered. and the previous own beat the tar out of it, so it wasn't all that great when i got the thing. same with this b2300, but i like the whole concept of the little bugger. so i'm fixing it up as i go along, 'cause it was mostly used up when i got it. i put new brakes on it (drums, rotors, shoes, pads, springs, wheelbearings, wheel seals), new studded snow tires. Recently the timing belt snapped as i was driving 1) in the rain, 2) far from home, and 3)on a lightly-traveled country road. haha, that was fun. gee whiz...

that was 3 weeks ago, haha, and i've been having fun all this time, heh heh... on the funny farm... where life is happy all the time...

ha ha just kidding. i'm retired as of Dec 1st, yep three days ago, haven't a pot to pee in, but i've still got my looks. i'm here because i needed help making sure i was lining up all the dots, diamonds and triangles in order to get that timing belt on just right! i did, but left the washer off the crankshaft pulley bolt, and of course the bolt went into the sleeve in the pulley, misaligned the pulley, and made the serpentine belt slip forward on the water pump pulley when i started it up. so, i took the bolt out, and because it was jammed in the passage that accepts the crankshaft end, the threads rounded over pulling it off. it was a BEAR coming off, stripping the tops off the threads. a new one costs $13.37. that's for ONE bolt. hahaha. i'm such a moron... did i KNOW i had an extra part when i started it? i can't remember...

so while i await the bolt, ho ho, i'm interested in a new hobby - turning my pickup into a great performing truck. not a race truck, please, i'm old. i drove a toyota on a farm once, it was a little truck similar in size to my 2300, and it was great. it was a 4x4, but that wasn't the impressive part. basically, the truck would creep along on the farm, through high weed, or up steep inclines, practically at an idle. it was almost like a tractor in that regard. and the accelerator was very controllable, so i could inch along if i wanted in any kind of terrain. it wouldn't climb trees, though. i like the mechanical sounds my truck makes, but it would be great if it drove a little bit more like that toyota. so i'm interested in improving it and getting ideas for that. for example, i'm considering the option of a higher ratio rear axle, WITH a traction pack of some kind. they are rare, i know. but that's why i'm here, to get ideas.

this is just a short introduction to say hello. haha.
bub

 

Hi!
I'm Fredo (Fred) the retired owner of a 1989 B2600 4x4 I got from Montana. No salt used on the roads there so the truck is rarely rust free. I found the truck sitting on a driveway in Northern Wisconsin and was able to trade an old tired plow vehicle for it. Lots of work had been done on the vehicle by the previous owner, but the transfer case was blown. It became apparent that someone had attempted to repair the 4wd shifting of the vehicle and had absolutely no idea what they were doing. Wires leading from one vacuum switch to a toggle switch on the dash, and a totally boogered 4x4 sending switch on the trans, with 4 wires stuffed in it and sealed with silicone sealant. It's amazing the transfer case was all that crumbled. I purchased a complete trans/transfer case unit from a foreign Mazda dealer on line and learned it was an Australian "Bravo" R1 unit. Identical, with the exception of an additional switch I learned was for omissions and could be blocked. I am now having trouble locating a 4x4 sending switch which mounts on the rear of the trans and turns the light on the dash mounted 4x4 RFW switch. I'm even having trouble finding a Mazda dealer who knows what the hell one is.
Anyway, it's good to be on this site with Mazda lovers.
Fredo

 

I do not have access to the traffic option in Navigation. Mazda support told me that it is not available in the US. My sales lady told me that I need to purchase the more expensive SD card to get access to traffic.
Does anyone have info on this issue?

 

Hi all

New member, I live in South West France, I have a Mazda 6 2009 GH 185hp R2AA Engine Estate., I found this site while searching for info on timing chain and balance shaft chain replacement.

Hope I can find the info I need,

Steve

 

Retired Air Force 1965-1985, served in 17 nations. My secondary AFSC as a mechanic saved many vehicles, and operators, when deployed, up to rebuilding engines, transmissions, transfer cases, and third members. Prefer to purchase used vehicles, from private parties. I was a licensed Used car dealer, after I retired. Have two Ford Explorers, an F-150, and see the quality of Mazda, so, now own a 2008 CX-7 Sport Touring FWD with the Black Cherry Mica paint, 18" wheels. Here to learn, and to possibly contribute. As a mobile vehicle mechanic, for Volvo, Audi, Mercedes Benz, Toyota dealers, am comfortable with imports, too.

 

Welcome to the forum Patrick. Thank you for your service to our nation. I suspect you will have a lot to add to the forum. Many of us (such as myself) have a lot of Mazda knowledge but limited mechanical knowledge.

 

Hi my name is Joe M and my boyfriend has a 2013 mazda 3.

I have come here with extensive knowledge of saabs in hope to learn more about his mazda 3

 

Joe,

I think you will find that there is far less to know about the Mazda than your Saabs. Mazdas are great reliable, fun to drive cars. Keep them maintained and they should provide you with years of service. I think you will find mechanics able to work on Mazdas and parts availability is far greater than for Saabs.

Do you have any initial specific questions?

 

 

Search the forum for possible earlier answers to your questions and post your remaining questions in the Mazda 3 section of the forum. I have had so few issues with my Mazdas that I have never needed to do the research to address your questions. I have depended on a trusted local mechanic and have had extremely few issues. The most miles I have ever put on a car was 175,000 on an 04 Mazda 6 but in searching the VIN number, I found that the next owners have doubled the mileage.