The new transmission seems to be decent but now there’s a new problem. The motor started filling my catch cans with oil, both cans full, after only a few laps. Lots of smoke on hard acceleration and deceleration out the exhaust. Did a compression test and cylinder 1 is way down, leak down cylinder one lost like 80%.

So time to pull the motor.

https://i.imgur.com/cJCc6WT.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/WeGn7Zk.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/KmeNKf4.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/3u7VN6K.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/bP9yPF0.jpg


Found the problem

https://i.imgur.com/aw0cx0y.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/0h8Hy9y.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/7uxsKJH.jpg

8 hard years on that motor, piston finally let go.


Picked up a junkyard 1997 motor, hoping it’s usable.

https://i.imgur.com/nOHNyc7.jpg

Bummer, but congrats for getting it to live this long.

Junk yard motor swap continued...

Leak down test, air leaking out of the exhaust and intake manifold, decided to swap my head on. At least this would save some time dealing with injectors and other stuff.
https://i.imgur.com/7IwPUHu.jpg

Cleaned up my head.
https://i.imgur.com/jXGzCKC.jpg

Swapping the head was a bit of a last minute call, couldn't find a Mazda head gasket on such short notice, so went with a felpro. Reused the ARP headstuds.
https://i.imgur.com/QSF2p86l.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/QRX0a2nl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/CWMN1Ztl.jpg

Parts from moss
https://i.imgur.com/TrismeKl.jpg

Swapped my pan on, this build is sponsored by Felpro
https://i.imgur.com/taRA2zol.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/KcAIKhOl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/QCnqBVGl.jpg

Looking like a motor again
https://i.imgur.com/vFep281l.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/EC0Ipzdl.jpg

I cracked a coolant hardline for the turbo when shuffling around the head.
https://i.imgur.com/FmjpAgsl.jpg

Placed an order with FlyinMiata
https://i.imgur.com/A8WJN7Jl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/kO69HQYl.jpg

Motor in the car
https://i.imgur.com/QlnzmGwl.jpg

Test drive...
https://i.imgur.com/39pFnoxl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/6A5KxZ3l.jpg

Holy crap! Nice rebound and quick work on the wrenching so that you could get back to driving. This is how it's done. Goood shit and the new motor sounds nice and healthy.

I might have missed this, do you run this thing on pump or e85? I'm certain it's in this thread somewhere, just curious. Haven't seen too many ringland failures so I'm kinda of surprised (but not really seeing how much abuse it has seen). Just curious if detonation might have been a factor or if it just let go.

The car is on pump gas, 93. I think cyl 1 may have been hurt for a while and it recently full but the dust. Fortunately the cylinder walls are not damaged so I’m hoping to rebuild the old motor to have a spare.

Drove at GridLife Circuit Legends at Lime Rock Park. Awesome track and event.

The junkyard motor continues to do it's thing.




Three camera angles, same run.