Thanks Loginolgy for bumping this thread up. I've been researching BPT, even the coldside Miata supercharger, but for some reason I missed out on the KL-ZE altogether. I think because I misconstrued a thread once which seemed to indicate that it wasn't a bolt-in solution and major frame fabrication had to be done. After looking through some of the searches I've done today, it looks like I was wrong! And I have to give props to PinkMX-3, you've got some awesome info! But I really can't drive from FL to A-spec, so I'm wondering what you guys think of the KL as a DIY job? I'm more of a casual weekender, but I have a good friend who's done motor swaps and has all the tools, lifts, etc. Or heck, what do you think it'd run to have a local mechanic throw the motor in?

 

Same fit as KL-ZE? If so...why didn't I know about this earlier :-)

 

Same fit but a little less power. The stock Mazda KL-03 motor makes around 170HP compared to the 200hp KL-ZE.

Here's a site that gives the 1/4 mile and 0-60 times of a mazda 323 with the KL-03 V6.

http://mpoc.winnipegheights.com/xvsx.html

 

At the wheels or at the crank?

What's the cost on the KL-03?

 

price vs power...I could make up for that 30 hp with a few mods.

 

Well according to http://mpoc.winnipegheights.com/xvsx.html that "little" extra horsepower makes a 1/2 of a second difference. This is the way i look at it if you have the money to swap in the KL-03 on your own it would probably cost just as much to spend 3200 including road trip costs and go to A-spec. That way you know that your **** is hooked up right. Those guys have a good word out. I'm definately gonna go up there for the KL-ZE because with me SE it's gonna cost over 3000 for everything i'd need for a BPT and i'm still gonna have to do all of the work, and i don't know too much about swapping engines. So i vote for the KL-ZE,
who wouldn't want a 200 hp V6 in there car and still have alot more room to make even more power. I'm not trying to say that the BPT doesn't have potential also, it just seems to me that the KL-ZE would have more. I'm not baseing this on anything so if i'm wrong please please correct me cus i wanna know.

 

Since my origional post, I decided that:

1.) I much prefer a turbo setup because of tunability and customization.
2.) I could have the BPT @ 250hp before I could have the KL-ZE @ 250hp (Increasing boost vs Swapping engine parts or ADDING a turbo...)
3.) most importantly, I prefer doing my own work...the actual fabrication work of the BPT is much easier than the fabrication work of the KL-ZE.
4.) Emissions.

 

For a lot of people, that alone is the final deciding factor it seems in the decision between KL-ZE and BPT.

If I were going KL, I wouldn't want to, and don't have to because of emissions, stop short with a 30hp gain with a KL-03. I'd go on for the -ZE for the full 60hp, that is, assuming a 170whp outcome from the -ZE. Yes, there is the money consideration. Getting a KL-03 for ~$500 with a US ECU for $50 is a big savings I will agree. But I bet I could get at least another 20whp on top of my already 110whp just with intake, exhaust, and maybe cam mods. Swapping in a KL-03 for an extra 10-15hp isn't worth it to me unless I really could have a basis for future upgrades. I would want to know what those upgrades were first, and what type of results they would yield for the cost involved.

 

It would be my guess that the BP motor has much more potential. One can always turbo the KL, but I think it was Jesse that pointed out that boost is limited to around 7psi. It could obviously go beyond that, but at a very high price.

It is a pretty hard decision. Ok, let's try something different. What motor would be the best way to reach ~200 horsepower at the cheapest price? It has to be emission legal also, as most people have no use of an engine that is not.

 

What about the drivetrain used with the 03/ZE, how much can it hold before it explodes? That should also be considered. I thought that the Pro LX Drivetrain can't hold more than 300 whp.
I would think that the MX-6 Drivetrain would be quite a bit stronger seeing as it has more horses stock than the Pro. I guess it wouldn't matter to anyone who wants a decently quick car, and doesn't really plan on doing too much to the motor after they get it. But i want to eventually go all out with mine. I guess it all depends on how much money you wanna spend. But how much will it hold before you have to reinforce it?

"It has to be emission legal also, as most people have no use of an engine that is not."

How many states actually check emissions? New Mexico doesn't so it doesn't affect my decision either way. I know california does, is there anywhere else?

 

"I wouldn't want to stop short with a 30hp gain with a KL-03"

Well isn't the BPT from the GTX only a 170 bhp motor? or is it 170 WHP?

 

The GTX BPT is supposed to be 185hp, so figuring a modest 15% powertrain loss would put you at ~160whp. The 164hp KL-03 would be ~140whp, and the 200hp KL-ZE would be ~170whp. This is where I'm basing my line of reasoning. I dyno'd at 110whp, so I'll pick up 30hp with the KL-03 and 60hp with KL-ZE. I'm not an expert here, just parroting what I've read - YRMV.

 

What's the difference in the compression ratio of the two engines?

 

well ****...nevermind

KL-03 wouldn't make any sense at all...spend the extra $500 get higher compression for future turbo, and 30 more HP.

Now if you had a MX-3 and did the KLZE swap on it...then pu the KL-03 in the pro THAT would be cost effect

 

The V6 Mx-3's had the K8 series motors, not the KL. The KL-03 was found in US market Probes/Mx-6/626. So, if you have a MX-6 and a Pro then that would work out ... hmmmm