Project Little Cousin - 91' NA White
#25
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2014
Location: North St Paul, MN
Posts: 397
Total Cats: 25
(have been sick so the photos were delayed)
Got around to pulling my stock 1.6 out of my car on Tuesday night. The process was painless and went pretty fast. I think the only PITA was the Jackson Racing Exhaust bolts. The good news is that the exhaust won't be used with the turbo setup. Instead of putting it back on when I run NA for a few weeks on the built engine, I picked up a OEM exhaust on CL for $30. Picking that up tonight and will follow up with pics. It looked very clean.
Ok onto Tuesday Night's activities.
My cousin's 92' looked badass so I had to snap a pic.
Moved the 92' back and pulled in my 91' to work on for the night.
Starting work. We decided to leave on my fenders and bumper for this work.
This was the point in the night where my cousin got to work on my Jackson Racing exhausts bolts. They were not friendly. It was also the point in the night where he realized that installing his lift in the garage would make this a lot easier. The exhaust came out, but it was a PITA. I felt it was a good point to take a swig of beer and snap a picture so he could relive this awesomeness forever.
Time to get yanking.
At this point i decided to delay the engine swap a few days. I figure i might as well take a day next week to paint my engine bay. I was going to do it between phase 1 (turbo 1.6) and phase 2 (V8 swap) but I had a change of heart. His engine / turbo setup is so clean, it would be sin to not have an equally clean engine bay. I am going to pick up some paint later today.
Added something to my wish list. Looking at the difference between my power steering rack and his manual steering rack. I need to pick up a used manual steering rack this winter. I don't have any power steering left in this car, so I might as well swap the rack over too.
Everything in place for storage. Next week I will start by painting my engine bay. Then we will start swapping parts from the stock 1.6 to the built 1.6. It will be nice to be able to start selling off some parts to fund this project.
Got around to pulling my stock 1.6 out of my car on Tuesday night. The process was painless and went pretty fast. I think the only PITA was the Jackson Racing Exhaust bolts. The good news is that the exhaust won't be used with the turbo setup. Instead of putting it back on when I run NA for a few weeks on the built engine, I picked up a OEM exhaust on CL for $30. Picking that up tonight and will follow up with pics. It looked very clean.
Ok onto Tuesday Night's activities.
My cousin's 92' looked badass so I had to snap a pic.
Moved the 92' back and pulled in my 91' to work on for the night.
Starting work. We decided to leave on my fenders and bumper for this work.
This was the point in the night where my cousin got to work on my Jackson Racing exhausts bolts. They were not friendly. It was also the point in the night where he realized that installing his lift in the garage would make this a lot easier. The exhaust came out, but it was a PITA. I felt it was a good point to take a swig of beer and snap a picture so he could relive this awesomeness forever.
Time to get yanking.
At this point i decided to delay the engine swap a few days. I figure i might as well take a day next week to paint my engine bay. I was going to do it between phase 1 (turbo 1.6) and phase 2 (V8 swap) but I had a change of heart. His engine / turbo setup is so clean, it would be sin to not have an equally clean engine bay. I am going to pick up some paint later today.
Added something to my wish list. Looking at the difference between my power steering rack and his manual steering rack. I need to pick up a used manual steering rack this winter. I don't have any power steering left in this car, so I might as well swap the rack over too.
Everything in place for storage. Next week I will start by painting my engine bay. Then we will start swapping parts from the stock 1.6 to the built 1.6. It will be nice to be able to start selling off some parts to fund this project.
#26
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2014
Location: North St Paul, MN
Posts: 397
Total Cats: 25
Well I forgot to bring my good camera so we will have to deal with cell phone pics today. I decided to paint my engine bay. I was thinking this would be a one day process... it took a little longer. 1st night was 4 hours of cleaning and removing more parts. 2nd night was 6 hours of cleaning and taping. However, I finally got it prepped and painted.
Before cleaning
Cleaned
Taped up
Wrapped up
Coat #1
Coat #2
Coat #3 - Final Coat
Rolled back into place to rest until next week when the motor is dropped back in.
Before cleaning
Cleaned
Taped up
Wrapped up
Coat #1
Coat #2
Coat #3 - Final Coat
Rolled back into place to rest until next week when the motor is dropped back in.
#27
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2014
Location: North St Paul, MN
Posts: 397
Total Cats: 25
Damn, almost a month without updates. Life happened.
Did some work last week, but didn't have enough time to drop the motor in. Pulling all that tape was a bitch... but not as bad as doing the actual taping.
Putting wires back, trying to make sense of the baggies I put the hardware in... other fun things. Which led me to the decision that once the car is in storage, lots of these parts are getting pulled, painted or replaced.
And there she sit, waiting for me to put an engine in her tomorrow night.
Did some work last week, but didn't have enough time to drop the motor in. Pulling all that tape was a bitch... but not as bad as doing the actual taping.
Putting wires back, trying to make sense of the baggies I put the hardware in... other fun things. Which led me to the decision that once the car is in storage, lots of these parts are getting pulled, painted or replaced.
And there she sit, waiting for me to put an engine in her tomorrow night.
#29
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2014
Location: North St Paul, MN
Posts: 397
Total Cats: 25
Thanks, I really miss my car. I need to get it back from my cousin's garage for a few weeks so I can drive it before winter comes. Already in the 40's here.
The clean engine bay really made me realized all the not clean things in my car. The fuse box stuff is going to get painted this winter. I hope to put some SS bolts in place there too. It all depends on how much money my side job (snowboarding) brings this year.
The clean engine bay really made me realized all the not clean things in my car. The fuse box stuff is going to get painted this winter. I hope to put some SS bolts in place there too. It all depends on how much money my side job (snowboarding) brings this year.
#30
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2014
Location: North St Paul, MN
Posts: 397
Total Cats: 25
Well got some work done last night. Tonight we are going to get back at it and I hope fire this beast up and start to drive her again. Then it is just 5 to 6 months till nice weather again and the turbo kit going back onto this engine.
On the lift and ready for a clutch
I can't get enough of the powerder coat that he picked for this engine. It is just sexy.
And speaking of sexy, this clutch! I may cheat on my wife with this clutch and it's sexy goodness.
Transmission on (it made us work for it) and ready to go in my car.
Engine and transmission in. Time to get under the car and hook up the drive shaft then get those motor mounts cranked down.
Engine is in. Time to connect stuff
Tonight we connect everything else. Had to call it around midnight, with my 45 min drive home + waking up @ 5am (and a few time between with my toddler) it was important to try and get a little sleep before doing it again.
On the lift and ready for a clutch
I can't get enough of the powerder coat that he picked for this engine. It is just sexy.
And speaking of sexy, this clutch! I may cheat on my wife with this clutch and it's sexy goodness.
Transmission on (it made us work for it) and ready to go in my car.
Engine and transmission in. Time to get under the car and hook up the drive shaft then get those motor mounts cranked down.
Engine is in. Time to connect stuff
Tonight we connect everything else. Had to call it around midnight, with my 45 min drive home + waking up @ 5am (and a few time between with my toddler) it was important to try and get a little sleep before doing it again.
#32
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2014
Location: North St Paul, MN
Posts: 397
Total Cats: 25
Thanks! I am really excited to get it on the road again. Now that I sold the subie and picked up a Edge, driving a small car is the best thing in the world! Tonight I hope is the night to fire her up and take her for a spin!!!
I have fresh oil, tranny fluid and diff fluid. Need to pick up coolant and brake fluid .... my brake boost/master cylinder seems to be leaking. My fluid turned dark while it has been sitting. Also the obvious rust coming down from the master cylinder/brake booster connection. So that is top of the list for parts to buy this winter.
I have fresh oil, tranny fluid and diff fluid. Need to pick up coolant and brake fluid .... my brake boost/master cylinder seems to be leaking. My fluid turned dark while it has been sitting. Also the obvious rust coming down from the master cylinder/brake booster connection. So that is top of the list for parts to buy this winter.
#33
I have fresh oil, tranny fluid and diff fluid. Need to pick up coolant and brake fluid .... my brake boost/master cylinder seems to be leaking. My fluid turned dark while it has been sitting. Also the obvious rust coming down from the master cylinder/brake booster connection. So that is top of the list for parts to buy this winter.
#34
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2014
Location: North St Paul, MN
Posts: 397
Total Cats: 25
I love driving the miata (Especially now that my turbo set-up is in there) But I gotta say... I have an Escape for a daily now and some days its just so nice to jump in that thing and go into auto-pilot mode on the drive to work... No cares about potholes, setting up the laptop for Tunerstudio (This eventually wont be an every day thing but for now I use it every time).. The escape is just so comfortable its insane lol. Also Sync is nice.. I just hit a button if my phone rings and start talking.
Flyin' Miata : Chassis : Brakes : 1990-97 brake master cylinder
#35
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2014
Location: North St Paul, MN
Posts: 397
Total Cats: 25
Once again I forgot my actual camera so here are some iPhone Pics
Engine bay is being put together, more ugly stuff going in next to the clean engine and freshly painted engine bay. I am really going to have to get all JEFF on these parts over the winter.
Picked up an OEM exhaust to run while the car is N/A. Took off my Jackson Racing exhaust. Will have it up for sale soon. The previous owner of the OEM exhaust cut it for shipping/selling purposes.... so we had to tack it in place then weld it. (We = My cousin)
Well I am a true believer in AMSoil after pulling apart my WRX engine after 60K. So the miata will be running AMSoil Dominator for the rest of it's life. This stuff is AWESOME! It really feels like I am putting good car blood into this car. That feeling was amplified when I realized the oil was red!
My cousin gave me **** for taking this pic vs knuckling down and getting the engine put back together. However, I had to snap a pic of the red oil.
Some transmission and diff fluid. Hope to get the transmission sorted out next and then have this beast on the road... for a day... to put in storage.
To be continued...... (Next week?)
Engine bay is being put together, more ugly stuff going in next to the clean engine and freshly painted engine bay. I am really going to have to get all JEFF on these parts over the winter.
Picked up an OEM exhaust to run while the car is N/A. Took off my Jackson Racing exhaust. Will have it up for sale soon. The previous owner of the OEM exhaust cut it for shipping/selling purposes.... so we had to tack it in place then weld it. (We = My cousin)
Well I am a true believer in AMSoil after pulling apart my WRX engine after 60K. So the miata will be running AMSoil Dominator for the rest of it's life. This stuff is AWESOME! It really feels like I am putting good car blood into this car. That feeling was amplified when I realized the oil was red!
My cousin gave me **** for taking this pic vs knuckling down and getting the engine put back together. However, I had to snap a pic of the red oil.
Some transmission and diff fluid. Hope to get the transmission sorted out next and then have this beast on the road... for a day... to put in storage.
To be continued...... (Next week?)
#37
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2014
Location: North St Paul, MN
Posts: 397
Total Cats: 25
Protection. That is all it comes down to. With the build and everything that has gone into this engine I am running what my cousin suggested for oil. This line of AMSoil is pretty great stuff. He was running a similar oil made by castrol for BMW M cars (only available at BWM dealerships). I used to run the castrol in my WRX on track days. The AMSoil is just easier for me to source and costs the same amount of money.
I just have to wait to really get on the car until the oil is up to temp. So another gauge is in my future and winter TOBUY list.
I just have to wait to really get on the car until the oil is up to temp. So another gauge is in my future and winter TOBUY list.