Hey all, did not find too much information on this other then suggesting duct tape so figured I would make a thread about it.

I wanted to plug up the hole in the timing cover from deleting the front water neck and instead of buying the plug from FM for $20, I just 3d printed it!

Here is the thingiverse file that I used (I did not make this) --
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4251236

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6196483 -- (edit) modified the original file to get rid of the Mazdaspeed logo

I used Coolant_Neck_Cover_2.stl and had to scale it up by 2540 in Cura and it fits good.
It fits my 1.8 timing cover fine, the mazdaspeed logo came out ehhh...


Plug installed

cat tax


Thanks all

 

Consider using JLC 3D Printing to print this using a nylon filament - better heat resistance and you can get a few of them cheap since you're using your own model.
I do this now because I still can't create decent nylon prints with my Prusa Mk3 (with all the latest upgrades).
The prints will be WAY betteter than anything you create at home.

 

Yeah, I was not 100% sure if the PLA would last, I figured the front of the engine wouldn't get too hot.

I printed this at work, they have a Ultimaker S7 just sitting there begging to be used haha, maybe I will load up some better material.

 

Oh man, PLA will not last even 1 heat cycle, I would heavily recommend reprinting in something else like ABS or ASA. The PLA will 1000% melt in an engine bay, and probably get sucked into the timing belt.

 

Nice looking part and cute cat Yeah PLA is definitely not going to last. PLA will start to soften around 140*F which will be easily exceeded on the front of the engine. I would use a carbon fiber nylon like Onyx or PA12+ CF for something you want to last that will have to live in an engine bay. I made my first radio bezel out of PLA as I was curious and it warped just from my car sitting outside in the sun haha. I now just default to Onyx for anything that goes in/on a car and haven't had any issues.

 

Ah man, good thing I posted this lol still new to 3d printing!
They have ABS and I believe some type of CF plastic in the office so I will have to reprint using one of those.

Thanks for the help everybody and potentially saving my timing belt haha

 

Hey all,

Reprinted in ABS this time, and I got rid of the Mazdaspeed logo, I uploaded that file in the og post.
After looking up the properties of the plastics, ABS is rated for 100C, so I think it should be good this time. I added some safety wire on the top just in case, I will update this post if it melts haha

Here is some new pictures

Plug with safety wire

Boosting soon