Yeah that sound incredible!

And more incredible when you know there is 8mm of meat between B6 cylinders and even more when you see a water chanel of 3.5 mm thick in that meat....

Photo taken by a french mate:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1388912533

Thanks B6Tfastiva, So ZM head are 37cc that's pretty close to the B6 one (or I don't understand correctly?)

Yeah I wouldn't trust cyl walls that thin.

Found this in a really old miata.net thread

"1.6 engine:
Gasket thickness 1.2mm
Combustion chamber 39cc
Depressions in 9.4:1 piston add up to 7cc
Piston sits 0.4mm above block deck."

So it looks like the zm has slightly smaller combustion chambers.

Hello guys. A friend of mine has an MX-3 B6 forged block (identical to the ZM-DE block) and wants to put it in his Miata with the stock Miata head. The problem is the 2 extra oil drains the MX-3 block has so the Cometic head gasket won't seal properly.

He will probably make a custom headgasket with embedded rings, 1.2mm height as he wants to boost a GT2560R to around 1.4bar. What else would be the best solution? Another thought was billet aluminum plugs but they probably won't seal properly with the cometic head gasket..

Valve lifters
 

Hi B6Tfastiva,

I have seen the size comparison between the ZM and B6 lifters. Could you write which one is for which engine?
I'm only asking it because I have a 323F BJ with 1.5 ZL engine and it's rattling for a few seconds after cold start and the lifter noise is still, although hardly noticeable when the engine is warm.
I suspect the reason is the dirty hydraulic lifters in the cylinder head. But I was told by many dealers that the ZL has solid lifters that I can't really believe by these facts. The ZL and ZM cylinder heads are the same so if the hydraulic lifter on the picture is for ZM then mine also have that kind and I can start to arrange some further actions to them.

Regards,
Gyula

Something reminded me of this thread this morning, I was wondering if the OP made any more progress on this build.

And if the ZM-DE block could take a miata oil pan and tranny and if it was lighter than the B6 block.

In for (unlikely) update!

It should bolt right up to the miata trans since its a b-series motor. Ive noticed that there are two different style blocks though. The OP block is a split style with a aluminum lower section. Mine is a normal b6 style with a steel pan like a miatas. It does have a aluminum brace that goes under the pan and bolts to the trans.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1405120169

The problem is that none of the holes for this brace and the thin metal plate between the engine and trans dont line up. (At least they don't with a fwd mazda transmission)
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1405120169
[IMG]https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1405120169[/IMG]

But if you take the brace off and use the miata plate itll work fine. The pan is pretty much the same as a miatas. Also mine had a mbsp.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1405120169

As for weight I doubt my block would weigh any less. It might even weigh more since theres some extra metal/bracing on the exhaust side of the bell housing area.

What timing belt did you use?
 

What timing belt did you use?