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I'm just about to do a belt change on an Astina for one of the boys. It's a '91 BP motor. Looks a bit Short Nosed Crankish in the design.

Does the SNC problem also afflict the FWD 323s or only the RWD MX5?

Can happen on all. B6, BP, fwd or rwd doesn't matter since they use essentially the same design engine. Not a problem exclusive to these Mazdas either, it can happen on any car of any brand.

Heres the same problem on a VW, with an interesting fix for it. Unfortunately I don't think the fix can be done well on the Mazdas due to space though.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?3409003

I was speaking to a guy from Ford last week and he said they were a problem. He was more than familiar with the issue.

Thought so. Thanks guys. I'll now add a key, pulley bolt and Loktite to the parts list.

It's bloody amazing, isn't it, that they'd risk reliability on millions of engines for the sake of one extra inch of crankshaft metal.

I spose in the case of the BP engine, it's might be to do with the gradual evolution of the design. I think the BP engine traces it's roots back to the original 70's rwd 323 (GLC, Good Little Car). Initially with a carburetted 1.4L displacement & 8valve single overhead camshaft I'm guessing? A much more simpler engine without power steering & maybe without airconditioning either back then.

My brother had a 323 Astina SP which he bought new in 1990, had it's engine fall out some time after the third or fourth timing belt change. I believe the words "Apprentice" were used as an excuse for that. Still, he sold it a few years back with 450 000 Km on it for $2000 mostly because the rear seats had never been sat on

He'd also been through 3-4 AC compressors and it probably still had it's original suspension too.