Mazda B-Series (B2200/B2500)

**duskylim** · April 11th, 2008 04:34 PM

Dear Guys:

At first I had a problem with the glow plugs on my B2500 too. Part of the problem is the design of the WL-31's cylinder head and its low compression ratio. The aluminum cylinder head cools better but also loses heat more quickly than a cast iron head, making for more difficult start ups.

The other problem is the relatively low compression ratio of the WL-31 engine which is only 21.6 to 1. Divided chamber diesel engines (like the turbulence chamber design of the WL-31) usually require higher compression ratios for good starting characteristics.

As a comparison on our 96 Toyota HiLux, the compression ratio is 23 to 1. No problems starting up here.

On my old Mercedes-Benz 190D the compression ratio was a low 21.5 to 1, making for very difficult starts, even with a 6MF (read - truck sized) battery.

But then I found that you can use Kitahara glow plugs as a replacement. Take out the original glow plugs (they are NGK's) and use them as a sample for size and thread.

Fordmaster along Banawe carries KHT - Kitahara glow plugs. The secret to long glow plug life is to go from the original 11.5 volt NGK's to 12 - 12.5 volt plugs with the same pattern, length and threads.

The lower voltage means that they will take a little longer to heat up (maybe 3 to 5 seconds more) but it also means they wont overheat and burn up as frequently.

If you want you can even use the one's for WLT-31 turbo diesels which are longer and so will go deeper into the turbulence chamber, but they are a little more expensive.

That shouldn't really matter as the whole set of four (4) is less than Php 1000.00 for the Kitahara's - which is about the cost of just 1 NGK glow plug.

Word of warning to the inexperienced - some unscrupulous people will try to sell you reconditioned glow plugs - they are crudely repainted and have damaged threads; so buyer beware!

To be safe stick with the better known auto supply's like FordMaster.

Hope this helps.

Best Regards,

Dusky Lim

PS : Thought I might include this for newbies.

To test a glow plug initially, use a VOM (volt-ohm meter, i.e. tester). Place the meter on the 1x to 10x OHMs scale.

Place one electrode on the plug body and the other on the supply terminal. The meter should read no higher than 5 ohms (if it reads higher the plug has too much internal resistance).

If it read infinite then the plug is open.

After performing these tests, get a battery charger and clamp the black lead (ground) to the glow plug body, and then lightly press the red lead to the plug terminal, the plug should lightly heat up. If it doesn't then its a bad glow plug.

If the seller won't allow you to perform this test, don't buy from him. A bad glow plug will burn out from the test alone.

**rna800** · July 16th, 2008 10:34 AM

guys, do any of you know the hp of b2500?

i noticed about 4 years ago, i could still outrun buses and cabs, but now, im having a hard time or i couldn't! i don't know if my engine got weaker or their engines got stronger.

but with soaring gas prices, i dont think racing with other cars is still a good idea. i now drive sensibly that's why my max speed now is around 60. not only i could save gas, but i could also reduce the wear and tear of my truck. besides, my truck could still do the things that i need to do, so i guess that's the most important part.

**rna800** · July 16th, 2008 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by duskylim

Hi Guys:

I drive a 1998 Mazda B2500, apart from a replacing the clutch master and slave, repair of the brake master via an overhauling kit and a radiator overhaul, have had no real major issues with it.

It consistently gets 10-11 km/liter even in the city, of course much better in the highway. About the only thing you have to watch out for is some overheating in long traffic jams. But after the radiator overhaul and the use of only distilled water (wilkins or absolute) wala na rin yan.

The top speed used to be about 140 kph, after I replaced the muffler (which turned out to be very restrictive - sakal,) it can easily exceed 150 kph. The WL-31 has 12 valves and after the muffler change will rev cleanly to 5000 rpm if you're crazy enough to do it.

2) What is the purpose of the small black box attached to a branch of the air cleaner? It has no openings and isn't designed to be replaced. For the life of me, no one has ever explained what it's for.

Best Regards,

Dusky Lim

sir, me too, i also drive a 98 b2500. for the past 10 years, the only major repairs that it underwent were engine overhaul and the injector pump "something". sorry i forgot the term. other than those, only minor repairs.

for the overheating issue, so far my car havent overheated for a long time. i noticed that the temperature is gauge is too low (almost near the 1st line or about 1/4 above the line) when im not driving aggressively or even in traffic jams. but if i drive like a mad man, it would go to i think the normal which is just a cm below half. it's been like that for 2 years and so far i dont have any problems with the car. is your's like that too? i use ordinary water though and refilling the container for the radiator.

for your query with regards to the black box attached to the branch of the air cleaner, i think that's just design.hehe my mechanic couldn't explain it to me as well. he doesn't even know it's exact purpose.hehe

for my top speed, i notice that i could still go around 130 but i feel that it's already choking when it reaches 120 and sometimes around 110.

**rna800** · July 16th, 2008 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by binder_clips

Goodmorning Guys

My current problem is the Timer sa heaterplug..kaya naka direct sya ... san ba makabili nito?

my 2nd problem e yng.. tachometer ko hindi umaandar...

Any advise...thnx guys...

sir, kung taga dito ka sa qc, meron akong shop na pinapagawan along congressional ave. sila yung nagsabi sakin na ingatan ko daw na huwag masira ang heater plug kasi daw mahal at mahirap hanapin. meron daw nagpagawa sa kanila ng ganon, parang 1500 ata ang isa tapos 4 yun. i dont know where they found it coz that shop is like casa, just bring your car there and they will do everything but the difference is you can watch them while repairing your car and they could give you advises as well.

good thing that i havent experience replacing that for the 10 years of ownership but i noticed that sometimes it's kinda long but it goes out.

about your tachometer, that also happened to me and i saw the repair guy connecting something on the side of the engine block (driver side). try checking it, maybe it's not connected.

**rivco** · September 9th, 2008 04:58 PM

Sir good day po. I have read your comments about the b2500 kaya na was convinced to buy one. I recently bought a 2nd hand na 98 b2500 kaya lang po medyo nagkakaprob ako. As I am observing my pick up napansin ko po na 6.5 to 7 kms lang po yung milage nya per liter pag sa city tps 10-11 lang pg highway. May nakalagay po kasi na fuel saver yung pick up nung nabili ko. Mas oki po kaya na tanggalin ko nalang yun? Thank You po. Kung pwde po pakiemail nalang po ako kung may reply po kayo kasi hindi po ako masyadong nagccheck ng tsikot na site. jofel_riofrio*yahoo.com po email ko. Hoping for you reply

Originally Posted by duskylim

Hi Guys:

I drive a 1998 Mazda B2500, apart from a replacing the clutch master and slave, repair of the brake master via an overhauling kit and a radiator overhaul, have had no real major issues with it.

It consistently gets 10-11 km/liter even in the city, of course much better in the highway. About the only thing you have to watch out for is some overheating in long traffic jams. But after the radiator overhaul and the use of only distilled water (wilkins or absolute) wala na rin yan.

The top speed used to be about 140 kph, after I replaced the muffler (which turned out to be very restrictive - sakal,) it can easily exceed 150 kph. The WL-31 has 12 valves and after the muffler change will rev cleanly to 5000 rpm if you're crazy enough to do it.

I had to do that because of a failed emissions test. The mechanic brought me to a car wash and filled the exhaust system with water, yung pala mainit na mainit ang flexible pipe ko, when the water hit it, it cracked (although di ko napansin ng una). If I ever see that guy again, god help me!

The crack got worse and worse, until finally I had to replace the flexible pipe. What I did notice however was that the performance was a lot better with the cracked pipe. I had SMT (Sison-Mercado Trading) replace my muffler with a free-flow design and voila! Mas malakas humila at mas matipid ang Mazda ko!

That was an expensive way to find out that the stock muffler was too restrictive.

Before I sign off I have a couple of questions for the experts.

1) What are the valve clearances (hot and cold please) for the WL-31 engine? They are not listed in the owner's manual and I get a different answer every time I ask a different person.

2) What is the purpose of the small black box attached to a branch of the air cleaner? It has no openings and isn't designed to be replaced. For the life of me, no one has ever explained what it's for.

I tried to contact Francisco Motors but they're shut down. Ford Phils isn't really interested in answering my questions.

Hoping some good samaritan will help me here.

Best Regards,

Dusky Lim

**dindin10** · October 19th, 2008 08:53 AM

Originally Posted by v22

Is Mazda B2200 a good buy?? matagal ko na type ang porma nito, specially the dual cab...

please post your comments and experiences with this pick-up....

hi gudmorning............
meron ako mazda 2500, with carryboy canopy, all stock, very good running condition, mas astig ang porma at takbo ksa sa b22 namin b4, tnrade in ko nung bgong labas to...
kaso binebenta ko kasi balak nmin bili ng van.....
hanap ka nga buyer

**duskylim** · November 24th, 2008 12:23 PM

Dear Rivco:

I wrote you an e-mail in response to your request. Please acknowledge if you have received it. If you have any more questions please post them and I will be glad to answer them.

Regards,

Dusky Lim

**rivco** · November 29th, 2008 08:22 PM

Sir Dusky,

Im sorry sir if have not replied earlier. Wala po ako nareceive na email about my query. Eto po yung email address ko ulit. jofel_riofrio*yahoo.com Thank You po sir.

**duskylim** · November 30th, 2008 01:32 PM

Dear Jofel:

I re-sent the e-mail to you again. Yahoo Mail reports that it sent the message fine.. there must be a problem on your end.

duskylim

**carbuncle** · January 12th, 2009 01:01 PM

boss... may shop ka? can i ask for your email address? i need to replace some hose for my B2500

Originally Posted by cyrusblutrooper

same problem with mine before we sell our b2500. laging busted ang heater plugs. mahal ata yung timer. my local mechanic took some parts from heater timer of hilux.

P.S.

i got engine parts for B2500 anyone interested pm me...