2.4 Ecotec swap. kit. 201whp
 

I guess Miata is the new 34 Ford.


https://www.facebook.com/MTMotorsport.ca

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1406398302

I fail to see the point. It's not a great engine, is it? Doesn't seem it'd be worth the effort.

This is from a cobalt SS/TC? From what I've heard, those engines are about on par with the MZR disi. They respond well to mods and love e85. I'm surprised the numbers are so low if that's the engine I'm thinking of.

FWIW those were 2.0L engines. This is a 2.4, so should be the engine that's been in every Malibu, Pontiac G6, up-trim Cobalts, etc. from early 2000's to like 2012 ish.

its always fun to see new swaps.
I guess the miata is becoming the new ford. And I'm okay with that lol

I know nothing about the ecotec engines but what is the deal with the dyno sheet? looks like turbo torque but images of the engine bay looks like it is naturally aspirated?

https://scontent-a-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/...85319576_n.jpg

Wow, all kinds of new swaps coming out this year!

I'd still rather go k swap.

I agree. With the amount of aftermarket support for the K-series it would be difficult not to choose it for a swap option. Now when someone comes up with an Ecoboost 4 or V6 swap...

I think this is pretty damn sweet. Those ecotec engines are cheap, as reliable as a BP, and make lots more power. I dont know anything else about the swap, like weight, modifications required (probably oil pan at least), or if the steering rack is moved and all that jazz. At first glance it looks neat though, and I'm glad to see more stuff popping up.

Yes, but you are the only one that actually brought one to market quickly and with a running proof of concept car that works on the track.

Curious swap. Since the torque curve is fairly modest, I'd expect it to be notably lighter to make it worthwhile.

Thank you.

It's impossible to beat the K series for N/A performance potential, but options are always a good thing for people. We just happen to be a little partial to our product :)

Yeah, i don't think any four cyl is going to beat the K motor in a Miata. But i wouldn't discredit the ecotech either, they have been proven to make upwards of 1400 hp in race trim.

I'm very surprised it fits under the hood. Thats a pretty tall engine. Bottom end should be able to take 400hp depending on the year of the block. I would rather have the LNF though. 400/400 on e85 with the stock turbo and bolt ons with a really good tune, but they're not as cheap to get. I still think the K24 is the leading non-mazda 4 cylinder swap. And that someone really should just start selling an FE3 swap kit to fill the same nich that the ecotec swap is filling but with an engine that has the exhaust on the correct side and no drive by wire throttle.

Cool and all but show me anything an Ecotec does that a K does not do as well or better.

The K allows for minimal driveline changes rather than a whole new transmission/PPF, etc solution being required.

The K is pretty light.

The K has as much displacement.

The K is widely available.

The K has lots of aftermarket.

Didn't the early Ecotecs like the one in my truck puke rods at about 280WHP? I can go with a BP for that.

Edit: The K also has this thing that's helpful when racing: top end. 4 cylinders in hi-po applications running out of breath at 6500 is pathetic. It's 2014.

All the 2.2s the later 2.4s gm sets the safe limit at 250hp with nitrous. And safe rev limit with the stock balance shafts is 7k. very early 2.2s like 2002 and older have timing chain problems. The one good thing with them is that GM has a build book that pretty much tells you what you need to replace on them for anything between track reliable 250hp to drag strip reliable 1500hp.

I didn't see kit mentioned anywhere, just that they did the swap. Did I miss something.

The deal is that particular one is 2.4 and vvt. It's also designed to haul around a sedan. The newest ones are 2.5vvt and direct injected. They are rated at 202hp and 191tq have piston squirters and a forged crank. Tune and header/intake and I wouldn't be surprised to see 220hp.

Ecotecs can be run by the stock gm computer that is easily tuned by hptuners or efilive. I happen to have hptuners because I've had several gm vehicles and I've been considering this swap for a couple years.

I'm buying another daily next year and this will be my project.

I've driven that car and can report that it is currently normally aspirated and a bit of a torque monster. The current NB only version retains the subframe and does not relocate the steering rack. The oil pan on the prototype precludes using power steering. Everything from the clutch back is stock power train and it uses a custom flywheel and interface plate.

There is a plan to produce a swap kit once all of the kinks are worked out.

Last I heard the prototype had lapped Shannonville full track at 2:00.37 so it's no slo-poke.

MTMotorsport is fairly well known in the Miata circles in Toronto and has some seriously hot turbo cars running the local tracks.

Looks like there is intent for a kit more so than just internet rumor. Although fall has pretty much come and gone......
http://www.ecotecmiata.com

I for one am interested in the swap... the LE5 2.5L engines are cheap and there is decent aftermarket support as they (and the super/turbo charged variants) are popular in off road buggies and such.

There are some known issues, depending upon the specific year/generation of the engine. However, it didn't sound like a big deal to steer clear of the problematic ones.

I am surprised that the MRZ/Duratec engine isn't more popular for swaps. Dry sump kits aren't that expensive from a number of vendors in the UK. I would think that a bolt on dry sump kit would reduce the amount of custom fab wok required. Maybe start with a V8R front sub frame sans engine mounts?

Pricing came out a bit ago. website is still healthcare.gov'd
 

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/pricing-for-ecotec-miata-swap-finally-up/102102/page1/

Saw two of these in person at MATG. Came away impressed.

"If you take a look at the photos we posted of the original pan design you will see we tried a rear sump. It also had extra oil capacity in the front. The design of the oil pan is and was limiting using the oem mazda subframe and oem steering rack locations. The front sump pan design has eliminated all oil starvation issues under severe track use."


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1438958535





https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1438958535


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1438958535

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1438958779


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1438958779


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1438958779


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1438958779

40 horse down on the K-swap. Sweet.....

dang, you're right!


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1438965485

Way cheaper.

Is the K Swap better? Yes. There's a place for both, though.

lol
The anti-haters also hate

<p>Right. OEM subframe and stuff.</p><p>Suddenly it's somewhat interesting. Should be quite cheap, like $4-5k for the full swap instead of $8-10k for kswap?</p>

the ecotec is a tough little bugger too that can take some abuse.
I've seen quite a few bigger blower/bigger snail cobalts and stock long block making 400+

Yep, and with donors falling out of trees.

And the GM Performance Catalog at your fingertips. The possibilities are quite endless with this motor.

I would rather a K-Swap because i looooove me some Honda motor. My wallet would dictate the Ecotec, though. They're good motors.

MT Motorsport
May 14 · Edited ·
Our apologies for the long waited anticipation of the MT Motorsport Ecotec Miata swap parts. We will be hitting the market initially with the bare essentials for the DIY guys/gals to swap a GM Ecotec engine into their Miata. If the market is supportive of our initial parts, we will supply the remainder of the small odds and ends to do a complete turn key swap.
Base kit / Individual parts pricing. (All parts will come complete with hardware included)

Pricing is in Canadian Dollars:

Oil Pan - $895.00
Engine Mounts - $395.00
Bell Housing Adapter - $495.00
Flywheel Adapter - $250.00
Thermostat Adapter(s) - $50.00 (Depends on which Ecotec Engine is being used)
Sway Bar Relocation Brackets - $75.00

We will have final photos of production pieces here on the MT Motorsport Facebook page before we go live on Ecotecmiata.com
Once an order has been placed we will require a 2-3 week build time before shipment.
Again, sorry for the long delay as we wanted to make sure we tested each piece extensively to ensure a very solid product for the end user smile emoticon

I fully support anyone developing motor swaps. I don't expect my (currently 210k+) BP engine to last forever. I love the idea of being able to drop in a modern (and affordable) engine as a replacement.

<p>*** Edit: The below information is a result of insufficient thought and should be ignored..however it shall remain here for posterity&nbsp;***</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Hmm. Add those up, and you're at $2160 with no wiring or anything.</p><p>The &quot;Full&quot; KMiata swap kit is $3750, but includes a wiring conversion harness.</p><p>I'm assuming the Ecotec engines are much, much cheaper? If not, then shoot... it's hard to argue with the kswap. That torque in the ecotec is sure impressive though, no doubt.</p>

eh?
that's in canadian, mate.
that's 1641 us

1 Canadian Dollar equals
0.76 US Dollar

$2100 CAN
1600.79 USD

Disclaimer
Chart of exchange rate values over time

<p>LOL I knew I was forgetting something :facepalm:</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Ok that's a huge difference.</p>

No exhaust pricing though, so factor that in.

The pictures show a pretty 'simple' header-to-crossover pipe.

The thing with these swaps is they'll always nickle and dime you.
It's just the nature of the beast when doing a transplant.

Still pretty cool though. Well, for those that love that sort of thing ( :giggle: )

3-4k for a complete swap that makes 200whp and has the potential for lots more is kinda compelling.

That being said, I feel it is in kind of a weak spot between a turbo build and an LFX or LSX swap in terms of bang/buck. A run of the mill low 200whp turbo build on the stock block would be plenty reliable and cost a ton less to put together than this. It also won't involve all the usual swap related hassles.

Speaking of swap related hassles, why not just go for an LFX or LSX swap if you're going to do all that work?

<p>Cost a ton less?</p><p>This swap will realistically cost 5-6k completed, not 3-4k. Nickel and dime, and all that.</p><p>To do a 200whp turbo build that'd be track reliable, you'll be in it at least the same money unless you DIY everything, in which case it's not really a fair comparison.</p><p>The work and cost to do an LFX swap is not even in the same realm as this. LSX is even more. Triple the cost and work for an LSx swap, at minimum.</p>

No surprise that we get a lot of comparisons between the K swap and Ecotec swap. I think the Ecotec is a cool little engine and makes a lot more sense in a Miata than a J series, but it's really an apples to oranges comparison with the K.

What's the highest HP N/A ecotec motor making right now? The guys at MT at making 201whp with a ported head.

Guys make 300whp easily out of a K with stock bore and stroke, and the top K series drag cars are making 450+ N/A (no typo). Even our little setup makes 248whp with OEM pistons, head casting, with some cams.

If you "only" wanted 200whp out of a K, we can help you do that REAL cheap, with lots of room to grow from there.

The MT guys are great, I met them at MATG a few weeks ago and they were very cool guys with a nice product. Everyone wants a little something different, and more swap options are always good for the Miata community.

can everyone just stop quoting "full swap" prices, at least until we have a couple "full swaps" done with proper documentation of costs?

people kept throwing the 15-20 grand figure around when we used to talk about LSx swaps, and it's been years and years and the amount of people that completed thairs within that budget could be counted on 1 hand.

Everything is an apples/oranges comparison. All these engines are different.

I don't think many people would want to even attempt big N/A power on an ecotec anyway

I'm sure there's Ecotecs well into the 300s n/a, GM Performance supports them quite well.

I was saying it would cost a ton less to make a 200whp miata engine than it would to do this swap.

DIY is relevant because a lot of people here would go that route. DIY turbo involves way less headaches, tools and elbow grease than any of these swaps to complete. A moderately intelligent person with an instruction sheet and a set of craftsman tools can do a 10-15 psi turbo setup and give it a decent tune (especially with the easy availability of widebands). Over 200whp is easily possible on 10-12 psi with a super conservative tune.

To be track reliable with someone beating on it super hard for long periods of time, the devil is in the details. 10+ years ago, it was "common knowledge" that a 200ish whp miata would be dead reliable. No one knew that miata oil pumps were garbage under hard use. No one knew about turbo fasteners stretching. It took a lot of people beating on their cars very hard for a long time to discover these sorts of things. It's easy to guess that the ecotec will be ultra-reliable under hard track use, but the truth is that we don't really know yet.

<p></p><p>I'm aware, and I think you're wrong. But...</p><p></p><p>...you do make a good point.</p>

I think that's the point, though...we know the flaws of a turbo setup. The Ecotec swap has the potential to be within the same ballpark cost wise, offering similar-ish power but naturally aspirated. Maybe some serious flaws will appear in time.

Think about how many threads there have been with NA BP builds just to get to 160WHP. You're telling me those guys wouldn't be interested in the Ecotec setup (if it works)?


EDIT: Reread my post, I'm not even contributing anything. This thread is cool, you are all cool, I am the dumb.

I smell what you're steppin in.

It costs 3-4000$ for 200whp anyway you slice it. Ecotec n/a. Turbo BP. N/A BP lol.

Maybe in the circle track midget cars, and that'll be done on straight meth with mechanical fuel injection and stock head ports if its being done. GM just skips the whole NA thing and just makes big powah with tarbos. Remember the GMPP build book for the ecotec outlines everything that breaks on your way to making 1500hp on the stock block casting.

These swaps are never what the parts cost. It depends on how crazy you go . My k swap sits at this

$3500 for swap kit
$1200 header
$1600 06 tsx motor
$7000 on supporting mods, 6speed,tomei lsd, fuel system,management,induction, cooling,ect.

Still have more to go, No motor swap is cheap if you want it nice.

Like the saying goes, cheap/fast/reliable pick two.

This motor will make 240-250whp with a mildly ported head, cam and upgraded valvetrain. So if 250 is the magic number for people it can be done and still at a very affordable price range.

And to top it off A/C and power steering using Miata power steering pump are in the works as we speak.

To someone more intimately involved in the project, does your swap involve an older cable actuated throttle body or do we have to install a drive by wire throttle pedal?

I wonder if the supercharger bits off the LSJ would fit the 2.4? I know the intake manifold from the cobalt 2.4 would fit my 2.2 cobalt, the same as the LSJ/LNF intake mani would fit the 2.2...

So you could have a supercharged 2.4 ecotec for peanuts, LSJ takeoff stuff is dirt cheap.

Has to be fly by wire, no way there's an actual throttle cable on a GM VVT engine, right?

The picture on the previous page is an E throttle model. Those are a lot easier to find in junk yards and all the best ecotec motors besides the turbo one in the saab are electronic anyways.

Yes, the 2.4 is a better motor but you really need the TVS1320 on the 2.4 the m62 is kind of small on the stock 2.0. I used to run a stock lsj blower on my l61 2.2 liter with the smallest pulley you could run without machining the snout and that was good for barely 12psi and like 225fwhp on a mustang dyno. Its also has zero chance of fitting unless you want the intake tubing in the dashboard.

It's been forever since I rightly convinced myself a cobalt wasn't worth spending a single dollar on, haven't been back to cobaltss since.

Also, it will fit, everything fits if you are determined enough. Is it worth it? Probs not.

Albert Gary's 1971 Triumph TR-6 with Chevy Ecotec LSJ Supercharged Engine

Go back and look at the last pictures posted in this thread, even that idea puts the intake tubing through the dashboard.

Who's to say you don't turn the opposite direction with the throttle body, mount it opposite the upper shock mount. Brakes are probably in the way, maybe.

Hard to tell how much room between the valve cover and hood, too, could just go over.

Plenty of room for the LNF though, and that thing is no joke. I know nothing about hondas, but I'd stack a stock LNF on corn against a fully prepped K motor that probably costs more.

e85 tune from trifecta