SUPERTECH bronze valve guides Mazda MZR 2.3 DISI turbo L3-VDT

The Mazda engine concerned

This kit is for the 16-valve cylinder head of the L3-VDT, the 2.3 litre direct-injection turbo engine of the MZR family, fitted to the Mazda 3 MPS, Mazda 6 MPS, CX-7 and second-generation MPV.

SUPERTECH part number GDE-DUR16-6MM serves inlet and exhaust: 6.0 mm bore, 11.05 mm outside diameter and 39 mm length. It is meant for valves with a 6 mm stem, used with the original stem seal. The kit combines two sets of 8, i.e. the 16 guides of the cylinder head.

SUPERTECH valve guides for the Mazda MZR 2.3 turbo

Set into the aluminium cylinder head, the guide leads each valve onto its seat, carries away part of the stem's heat and receives the stem seal. As soon as it wears, clearance grows: the valve lands crooked, oil drops into the chamber, and blue smoke, oil consumption and lost compression appear.

SUPERTECH machines these guides from manganese bronze, a copper-based material. By the brand's account it sheds heat far more readily than the standard sintered guides. They usually go in alongside reinforced valves. Each set of 8 serves one side of the head: eight inlet guides and eight exhaust guides.

Valve guide technical specifications

Valve guide installation

Technical guide

On the exhaust side, we also offer reinforced valves for this engine:

Our brand

SUPERTECH is a Californian company that has spent thirty years designing competition valves, springs, retainers and guides. Before a part reaches the catalogue it is simulated, then inspected by ultrasound, X-ray and laser, and finally put through trials with seasoned engine builders.

Manganese bronze

Made by alloying copper and zinc with manganese, aluminium and iron, this bronze stands out for its hardness and its resistance to wear and corrosion. It is found in heavily loaded bushes and bearings, which makes it a logical material for guiding a valve stem.

When valve guides must be replaced

• Blue smoke and oil use although nothing leaks
• Reinforced valves going into a worn cylinder head
• Head rebuilt for track days, drifting or rallying
• A full refresh of the valve train

Vehicle compatibility

Remember the valve stem seals

New guides go with new stem seals: for these guides, SUPERTECH specifies the original seal made for a 6 mm valve stem.