Timing Belt, h2o pmp, Valve Cover/Head Gaskt, I DONT KNOW??

I was going to FE3 my Mazda but I have changed my mind as of this morning. I am going to need to do some work on my engine to get it where I want to be.

The motor runs real well, starts quick does not hesitate or anything. I do have problems though...

When its cold, it runs at a higher idle when until it warms up, but I feel like I am hard on the clutch with it idling high. It takes it about 10-15 minutes to warm up. Any suggestions on how to adjust to allow it to warm up smoother.

I drive a Mazda Valdez.... ( Wikipedia Exxon Valdez if confused) I am leaking oil! I am not burning it though! I am leaking from the valve covor gasket (Rocker Arm), it appears from the oil pan gasket as well.
I was going to attack this project this weekend, but I wanted some advice...

Is this an interference engine??? I have read online several places that is NOT but also several places say it is. So which is it?? I do not know how old the belt is thats on the truck, so I was going to change it. It does not look like a hard job but it poses the question since this is my first timing belt change... I always heard that you should change the water pump as well.

While, this led me into the next part, if I have to change the rocker arm cover, and the timing belt, and possibly the water pump, Why not change the head gasket, I already will have the rocker arm cover apart, and the the timing belt off.....

I am just trying to do what is the best for my engine... but at the same time I dont want to change parts that do not need to be changed. My goal is first reliability... Then Style... Then Performance....
So I pose this question.... How much should I do based on knowledge of this engine???

non interfearance head

for your high idle you could adjust the choke coil, lean it out some. I'm not real familiar with the stock carbs idle control, I know that they are controlled with water temp. It could be a bad vacuum hose on the temp sensor that's on the bottom side of the intake. I would go ahead and toss a new timing belt on just to be safe if the old one looks at all worn. the head gasket, is going to be at your judgment, how many miles on the motor? would it be worth the extra tear down. the water pump isn't a bad idea, but pulling the head just to put a new gasket in, well if you do it better have the head checked out once you've pulled it.

The engine has 163k but doesnt act like it!

I am going to check into that vaccume hose on the carb to see what could be causing that. When its nice and warm out it runs like a sewing machine, but for some odd reason the cold makes it run really rich... I know its suppose to warm up a little by tachin up a little but this is like 2k idle when its cold.

Thanks Sleepyspeed and Toddluck, I am just going to do the timing belt, I am not going to mess with the head until I need to mess with it.

I am going to attack the rocker arm gasket and oil pan this weekend now... i am going to save the timing belt till next month when I can use a garage...

i just had the head gasket replaced on the red truck while it was down went with a new timing belt waterpump front crank seal.......id rather spend a lil extra$ now that alot more later

I hear ya, sometimes being cheap now, cost big later.....

well I snapped my cambelt about a month ago and after putting a new one in it still runs fine.
It was only my second belt I've ever done, and it really was childs play, all up I had the new one in under 2 hours (remembering i'm not a mechanic).

What I did was,
disconnect the battery (safety first).
loosen P/S and alt belt then remove with radiator fan (loosen fan bolts by clamping pulley with belt in hand).
remove fan shroud.
remove both cam covers (lower is easier to remove if you loosen alt bracket).
once off you should see numbers on the sprocket, wind motor around using a socket on the big pulley until the number 1 has the arrow above it.
remove plug one (always the one closest the radiator) and slowly put a phillips screwdriver inside, if you have it right the piston will be at the top and you'll feel it under the screwdriver, if not keep winding till it is at the top (remove screwdriver first).
once into position you will see that the top cam and lower pulley line up with some kind of markings somewhere, you can twink these to make them easier to see but if your motors clean it shouldn't be necessary.
Remove the bottom pulley (put truck into gear first as this will hold it for you to loosen it and should keep your markings in the same place) there's a series of bolts inside if you feel for them, once removed the cambelt will be fully exposed.
Loosen the tensioner pulley(L/H side with the spring attached) move back with a small prying tool (I used a round end of a spanner) retighten tensioner and the belt will slide foward and off.
Put the new belt on, remembering to keep the R/H side tight and let the tensioner back onto the belt.
Check that your markings still line up.
reinstall everything starting at the pulley and you should be fine.
Before putting on the top cam cover I checked the markings one last time as with the lower cover on I could check the timing marks on the pulley (the line should be lined up with the TDC marking)
Once it's all back together take out of gear, start motor and check with a timing light, if you did it right the timing should be all good.
Hope this helps

Thanks DvsDev,
I am going to go a head and do it. I appreciate your directions!