And for the firetube, just take a length of ceramic wool and wind it up into a very thick tube? Makes sense to me but i just wanted a little clarification.
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Yes thats it.
Either wind around or cut discs and stack one on top of the other, probably doesent matter much.
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I’ll probably wind it around and line the inside and outside with Satanite refractory to sort of glue it to itself and to the walls of the drum.
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Waiting on the ceramic wool and Satanite to arrive in the mail. Forgot to mention that thanks to the age of the truck it no longer requires inspections in my state. I need to find my sketch paper and draw up the form factor of the gasifier.
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A few neat features of the airbox on this truck. I think this is part of the EGR or maybe some other evaporative setup, looks like the flexible hosing is coming from what people call the charcoal cannister. Very neat flap design. I wonder if I can plumb in my woodgas off of that area or maybe the incoming air will force the flap down.
I plan to remove all of the old vacuum mess and replace the exhaust and carburetor with a more simple system.
Pace Setter headers and a Weber 32/36 style carb. I am going to make the original aircleaner fit onto the Weber though so I have a way to direct the woodgas inside.
This whole system is aged out and would cost an arm and a leg to replace.
The new headers come with an O2 sensor hole so I could insert a wide band AFR gauge into that.
The air intake end of the air cleaner has a plastic bit that runs towards the radiator to get fresh air, so it goes from the airbox as rectangular to circular piping, I could attach a butterfly at the end of that fresh air piping to meter the air.
EDIT: That aluminum hose is the air preheater.
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What year is this Mazda?
Looks like you’re making a great start.
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1986, bought it at 196k miles and I’ve been getting her in a better running shape.
Just replaced the shocks and holy cow I got my stock ride height back! The only reason i bought such a high mileage truck is because the owner kept notes in the manual of his service intervals. As soon as I fix the awful valve rocker noise it’ll ride like a dream. I have checked the clearance and they’re all correct but it just makes a racket.
Probably a lubrication issue. Might replace a quart with some Marvel Mystery Oil and see if that cleans it up.
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Is 86 the first year of the made in Japan body that continued exactly the same until 1992 / 93?
I’m thinking 85 was the previous one. The older ones used the Mitsubishi F block engine, same engines were used from 72 onwards in Ford Couriers. They will bolt on to the transmission, gear train is identical, bell housings and tail pieces swap. Input shaft might have to be cut off 1/2’. Intake and exhaust are opposite sides to the later engine but it’s a fairly easy swap, just requires welding up some motor mounts. Wikipedia has a very informative article about the F block.
The later engine has an overhead cam riding in machined aluminum races, can be a weak point, there are bearing shells available but the head has to be line bored.
I’ll be following your build with interest, I have a collection of 87 - 92 Mazdas.
Everyone loves pics… 
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In my exsperience with those mazda motors, they got the nickname “the sowing machine” they rattle the valve train terribly, much like my beloved toyota motors. Through some exsperimentation I found that the factory rocker specs were just to loose. Book recommends 10 thousands intake valve lash and 12 thousands exhaust. I run all of mine (20r,22r,22re) at 7 intake and 9 exhaust with good oil and that will pretty my silence the valve train and no problems are had. I’d be curiose to tighten the valves up a bit from factory spec, just maybe 2 thousandths and see how it sounds
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I also tightened valves a bit more than factory specs, does the trick.
I forgot to mention, about rear suspension, those trucks had a very weak factory suspension. I fixed mine by adding 2 leaf springs to each bundle. Greatly improves gravel road handling. Installing a gasifier will make the mod pretty much a requirement.
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I’ll have to tighten down the valves a bit i guess.
I was just apprehensive about going tighter than factory and screwing something up.
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Just remember, if you can still pull the feeler gauge out, it’s not to tight. Iv seen a lot of mechanics over the years set valves where they can slide the feeler gauge around freely, and they always rattle. I explained it to one guy and he didn’t listen, so I told him go ahead lock the lock nut down and I’ll show you. He locked it down and I easily slid a larger feeler gauge in place. So my practice is always to make sure the feeler gauge barely can slide out, and after I lock the lash adjustment down I go back and make sure I can JUST squeak the gauge back in there while it is locked down. Seems to work well for me
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Speeds up a lot to use the dual ground: go, no-go gauges.
S.U.
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Hope I don’t mangle the valvecover gasket! Haha. Just replaced it because it was a little leaky. I’m sure it’ll be fine though it’s a tough rubber gasket. I’ll snap some pics of it when I get home from work. I think in the engine bay I’ll have enough room to add another cyclone filter as a final dust/liquid catch incase my charcoal gets wet. Tons of space in the driver side area.
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Nearly enough room to climb in beside the engine. Great vehicles to work on. Probably could drop a number of other engines in there too, maybe a 4.3…
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I’ve figured if the engine ever dies completely I’ll replace it with a Kubota 2.2L
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I used the pitch on the adjustment screws to do a calculation and came up with 1/8 of a turn. This speeded up the whole procedure instead of using the feeler gauge. It gave better results too. I think the ends of the screws had hammered little dents in the ends of the valve stems. This was on an '86 22R, PUP.
Rindert
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There is one in my local town I built exhausted for when I worked at the local muffler shop with a 13b rotary in it. Same guy had another one with a healthy 327sbc and it was pretty spacious. Just as much room as my 83 toyota with a 355sbc in it. Then I cut the inner fenders out and there is TONS of room 
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Also as for a 4.3L, I do plan to build a gasifier for my 2011 GMC Sierra 1500. Single cab long bed, work truck platform with the 4 speed auto. I’ll probably go with a WK facsimile wood gasifier. Just ordered his book and it should be arriving today so I can get to studying on that. She’s a pig with fuel economy by my standards at 15mpg combined.
Just need to figure out how to safely shut off the injectors and pump without frying something as I’m still making payments on it. Pretty low miles at 80k, looks like the guy bought a work truck to save cash because it has no serious wear or scratches.
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Here’s a picture of the Mazda. I don’t have the bumper ends in and might not insert them and instead make some flat end caps instead of the rounded corner ends. Had to replace the passenger side fender, grill, bumper, and valance due to that wreck. Lucky I didn’t suffer from any alignment issues or frame damage.
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