The Mazda K8-DE 1.8-liter V6 gasoline engine was assembled by the company from 1991 to 1998 and was installed only on the European and American modifications of the popular MX-3 model. A version of this engine with the K8-ZE index with 145 hp was installed on cars for the Japanese market.
The K-engine family includes: K8‑ZE, KF‑DE, KF‑ZE, KJ‑ZEM, KL‑DE, KL‑G4, KL‑ZE.
The engine was installed on:
- Mazda MX-3 EC in 1991 – 1998.
Specifications
| Production years | 1991-1998 |
| Displacement, cc | 1845 |
| Fuel system | distributed injection |
| Power output, hp | 130 – 135 |
| Torque output, Nm | 155 – 160 |
| Cylinder block | aluminum V6 |
| Block head | aluminum 24v |
| Cylinder bore, mm | 75 |
| Piston stroke, mm | 69.6 |
| Compression ratio | 9.2 |
| Features | DOHC, VRIS |
| Hydraulic lifters | yes |
| Timing drive | belt |
| Phase regulator | no |
| Turbocharging | no |
| Recommended engine oil | 5W-30 |
| Engine oil capacity, liter | 4.0 |
| Fuel type | petrol |
| Euro standards | EURO 3 |
| Fuel consumption, L/100 km (for Mazda MX-3 1995) — city — highway — combined |
9.9 6.7 8.4 |
| Engine lifespan, km | ~290 000 |
| Weight, kg | 165 (with attachments) |
Disadvantages of the Mazda K8-DE engine
- All-aluminum motor is afraid of overheating, keep an eye on the cooling system;
- Closer to 150,000 km, oil consumption may already appear, up to a liter per 1000 km;
- Also, at high mileage, grease leaks from under the valve covers are often found;
- The timing belt resource is about 100 thousand km, but when it breaks, the valves almost never bend;
- Due to low-quality oil, hydraulic lifters can knock even up to 50,000 km.
