1.8 swap idiot
 

So this is probably the wrong section of the wrong forum on the wrong part of the interwebz but here is the beginning of my build anyway.

A while back I sold my 2010 wrx because I wanted to actually build something and bought a 1990 mariner blue mazda maita
Starting off with no knowledge as to how to get started I spent hours scrolling forums, brushing the cobwebs off a few decade old ones and finally ordering parts this week, here is what I have coming so far!!!!!!!


First off the engine is out at the machine shop having the bores aligned, honed and slightly over bored. Next they are balancing the rotating assembly and doing a little cleanup on the head( no major porting just a lil bit of smoothing.
here are the parts i've got coming:

*boundary engineering oil pump

*ati super damper

*Turosmart plumb back bypass valve

*fab9 intercooler

*AEM boost gauge wide band combo

*act XTSS full face clutch kit (315ft lbs XD)

*stock 1.8 flywheel ( to save transmission and inprove idle/ clutch chatter)

*Kraken cast manifold and turbo outlet

*3" stailess steel piping to make exhaust

*MegaSquirt 3pro pnp

*700cc Deatschworks(probably spelled it wrong) injectors

*AWR performance engine mounts(70 durometer)

Still waiting on machine shop to order:

*supertech 8.8:1 compression pistons w/ wisco rings

*manly h beams

*king thrust bearings, rod bearings, and main bearings

*some random gasket kit, maybe cometic

*gt2560, still waiting on a good deal, maybe around Christmas

*boost soleniod

*oil/ water lines
and that just about wraps it up, if you have any good info on places to buy any of the things I still need please hmu, otherwise thanks for stopping by and have a good one!!!!

What is you heat management solution? What year head? What year head gasket? Has your radiator turned into a brown timebomb? Are you planning on doing a coolant reroute? A common solution is to use a 94-00 HG, and a reroute like the supermiata coolant reroute kit. If you do so, decide what you want to do with the front coolant neck before you put the timing belt on.

Make sure you only use OEM seals for cams/FMS/RMS, & the 1/2 moon gaskets for the pan.

It's easy to weld turbo oil drain & oil temp sensor bungs in when the engine is apart. Pick your locations wisely.

Are you doing anything with the power steering? If you go for the common depower mod, it's a little easier to get at with the engine out.

Throw the factory clutch hard line in the trash & replace with flexible aftermarket. Also replace your clutch slave cyl because I 100% guarantee you it's bad.

Refurb transmission while it's apart. At a minimum, do the F&R seals.

NB starters weigh 4 lbs less, but only 2 bolts line up. Works guud.

You're also getting rid of the 6" dif, right? Right???

What's your spark solution? Factory will work within limits

Are you going to wire for sequential fuel? You should.


Pretty good path thus far tho. Keep up the good work.

Thanks for all the advice, its going to be all the small details that will end up taking all my time XD.
I'm thinking of making my own coolant re rout, and using an koyo or mishimoto rad.
As for the transmission all the seals actually look to be in fantastic condition, and i'll be upgrading to a six speed anyway as soon as budget allows.
I already have an nb diff, half shafts, and drive shaft so I think i'm good in that department. As for power steering i already have the pump out and am looking at the fm de powered rack kit.
As for the clutch lines and slave cylinder I will heed your advice and replace it all ( nothing worse than a leaky master or slave, or a mushy clutch for that matter.
For spark I am going to start with stock coils and eventually switch over to sequential but it will probably be batch in the beginning.
I've gone way overboard with a ms3pro pnp so it will be able to handle anything I throw at it (Super stoked for proper traction control!)
When you say "pick your location wisely" for sensors what do you mean?

Thanks for the advice man, I'm using the original na6 head, and for heat management i'll probably fab up some sort of home brew re rout.
As for spark solution are the factory coils not enough, what limits will I encounter? Thanks in advance!:)

original 1.6L head on a 1.8 block? How does that work exactly??

Its a 1.6 block, the title is a prediction:rofl:

I see. Lol.

there is a new vendor here selling new 2560r turbos for $700. That's a great deal on a brand new one.

Factory coils will let you down sooner, or later. And, if you're going FI, that'll happen sooner. Most of the "cool kids" are using GM coils, and I saw a thread last week where someone was making/selling a PNP wiring loom that will make that conversion easy-peasy.

Rebuilding a 1.6 is rediculous. In terms of $$/hp, it is an enormous waste of coin. Good luck

:inout:

You're spending a lot of money to run a 2560. Just rods would handle that turbo totally maxed out.

I'm still on stock NA8 coils at 17psi on a ebay 2871 ~270whp. NGK iridium plugs at 0.025 gap.

You're not wrong however I think there is a lot of value in doing something right and doing it once 😂. And with my setup the way is is I could toss in a new turbo with minimal effort and be pushing over 300 wheel. For the moment I'm hoping to be around 280whp on 91 but if that is pushing the car I'll happily settle for less;)

Thanks for saying it nicely 😁. If I were just going for as much power as possible I wouldn't have a 1.6 or a 1.8, I'm just seeing what the lil bugger can do 😁 .

Who is it? I would hop on that immediately!

Your money, but we have very different opinions on the right way to do what you're trying to do.

I'd be very very surprised to see 280 whp out of a 2560 on a 1.6 with stock head and intake.

I strive to impress

That would be me :D
Thread is here for your convenience https://www.miataturbo.net/miata-par...harness-98521/

Are you spending all that money machining and building a 1.6? Why ... ?

It's not your money, lol.

I definitely expected this question, which is which I chose the title 😂 but it's totally valid and I've asked myself too. What it comes down to is that a 1.8 with the same work done as a 1.6, from my research, doesn't seem to make much more power. Stock the 1.6 makes about 20hp less and it makes sense to me that this offset continues with boost.

Then there is also the aspect of trying to see what a small engine can do. Kinda an experiment😁. Working with a smaller engine will force me to make my setup more efficient. Anyway to each their own, but no matter whether I use a 1.6 or 1.8 I think we can agree, this car is going to be awesome!