Yes. But the real point was the mismatches in wrist pin weights. By the time he swapped around wrist pins (lightest wrist pin with heaviest piston, etc.), there was only a small amount of mismatch to address with grinding.

 

Ah, i saw that. however, i'm keeping the wrist pins with the pistons that they came off, or at least that seems like a good idea to me.

 

Oh! Ok. Thought you had new. If not, definitely keep them together.

 

Yeah, new "ebay" forged rods, OEM pistons/wristpins.

Going back to the shop, gotta shave a few more grams and get everything as balanced as I can. Then time for a quick hone, and onto assembly!

Also, my newest plan is probably not one you guys would approve of . Going to lap and re-seat the valves on my 95 head, clean the HLAs, re-assemble with new stem seals, then run the 95 head for temporary. This will give me time to properly rebuild my 99 head, in my garage, at my leisure, while I have a running/driving car. This also means if my ghetto-build block decides to grenade, It wont take out my 99 head.

Basically I'll be putting the 95 motor together, with the 95 head, swapping the entire assembly into the car right away. This should only bring the miata down for a weekend or so, which is a huge plus.

 

Sounds like a perfectly reasonable plan to me...but I've been criticized for not having the most sound plans ever

 

I approve mostly due to the fact that you'll have a properly built 99 head in the spring. Since you obviously are in no rush, enjoy it and do it right.

 

LOL, you severely over-estimate my time scale for this. However, yes, the 99 head will get the works. Porting, probably bigger valves, maybe cams?, awesome honda manifold, etc. Then, assuming my ghetto built BP is still chugging along happily, this head will be tossed on there, and ALLOFIT run with e85. OR, i might do some kind of n/a build with the 99 head and high compression bottom end, eventually.

To be perfectly honest, even the 2554 is more power than anyone needs on the street around here in a miata. The 2871 is going to be craziness.. and I just want a reliable car that i can go cross country in if desired.

This is why simplicity and reliability are taking front over power. Also, i don't need any tickets at this point in my life.

 

Yeah, I'm running waste gate still on my micro TD04, and have started debating not puting the EBC on. Still, it seems to me that I should get all the air / fuel the system can produce, for the experience. I can always right foot modulate. Maybe the power creep just hasn't gotten to me yet?

 

That is why I'm sticking to autocross and track days and the occasional jaunt in the Miata. I don't break the speed limit, I just accelerate as fast as possible UP to the speed limit.

Plus, after driving the Miata fast, I drive like an old man in my Jetta.

Agreed on too much power, I'm highly contemplating downgrading to the smallest GTX turbo in the future. Too much power for autocross, at least on the rubber I'm utilizing.

 

I'm looking forward to having these problems in the near future

 

Props all around. If there were more highways, and if i was into straight line racing, i'd absolutely want as much power as possible. I've gotten older and I just want to enjoy this car without touching it for a while, so my priorities have changed I guess.

On the plus side, I've gotten some motivation back for the car and I really hope to have this engine back together very soon

 

And all it took was a not very clever message on your gauge panel telling prospective future owners you sucked off a bunch of fireman...glad I could give you that push

 

Thanks boo. I love it when you push.

 

lol I'm here for the gangbang

 

Vlad you gotta stop instigating these things man, my thread, now Fires...**** it

 

late to the party but here for the tip

 

Let me know if you want a spare BP4W valve cover to play with. Wrinkle red or stock

 

Any updates with the car? Good read overall, awesome job with the Subaru as well. I DD a 2000 RS and had some issues with it after a timing belt install. Turned out to be a faulty new hydraulic tensioner. Glad yours was just a routing issue with the PVC.

 

Thanks for the props, still loving the subaru. It's been thousands of miles now (10k +), and it barely uses oil, and i've never had to add coolant. Oil use on her is maybe a qt per 3,000 or so, so pretty much normal subaru 2.5 usage. Great car.

The miata.. oh how i lust for my miata. It's heavy on the brain now, and in its current state does run, i just don't want to drive it due to oil pressure issues. SO, the engine build will be commencing. I have a new schedule at work where i get off at 2, and now with spring forward I've got plenty of time each day after work.

SO GUYS, i've been out of the loop for a bit and i want to ask a few questions.

#1 (most important), what guide/manual should i be using for assembling my engine?

#2 what plasti-gauge should I buy/use for bearing tolerances? A link would make it easy and i would love you.

#3 WHERE can i take off material from my pistons to balance them ? I'd like to lighten the heaviest piston by a few grams to bring it back in line with the others, and keep my rotating assy somewhat balanced.

I've just ordered a piton ring filer, and a piston ring compressor to install the pistons.. so I should be set there. Wanting to get this bottom end assembled asap so i can play with the head.


NEW GOAL FOR THE CAR: not making crazy power, but making it a reliable dependable car that me and the misses can take on leisurely drives to colorado and whatnot on a whim. ONE DAY i'd like to be able to drive to mazdas at laguna seca. I'm tired of ******* wrenching and I just want to have fun

 

Glad to see you get back to priorities