Yeah I know, I wrote those for 99-00 swapping a VvT in and using 01-05 ignition.

That was why I asked the question regarding the caps but I didn't install one in the harness (NB1) but will put one in the toolbox just in case or modify the other (NB2) harness

Many exist. Here is one style:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/msd-8913

Touche, I'll add to the OP.

Just FYI the stock 90-97 spark plug wires will fit into the VVT VC if you trim the rubber a little bit. I used a razor blade and slowly removed rubber off the top of the boot until they fit down fine. I have had no problems with them like that.

So where should the NA harness ECU ground point go?

The bracket for the 94-97 ECU grounds can be transferred over to the 01+ block. IIRC, the OEM 90-93 ECU grounds attach to the back of the intake manifold, and those can just be attached to the 99+ manifold.

Where do you typically route the extra wires through the firewall to the ECU?

I put mine through the holes from the A/C delete.

Alrightly. So Oregonmon has his VVT swapped '90 with a MS3, and GreddyGalant has his MSM swapped '92 now with a MS2PNP.

They're both screaming for tachs.

I've Ctrl-f'd every post with the word "tach" in it, and all they seem to say is "wire it to the tach".

Is this at the cluster? One of the ignitor wires I capped? Please spoon feed wire color and location. Thanks.

search noob

Following the instructions in the op connects the tachometer in the cluster to the tach output wire (2I). If you've connected it that way, and you have a tach driver circuit, and it still doesn't work, you probably need a pullup resistor.

Yup I did that, so just connect the tach output pin on the MS3 to 2I?

Ok someone explain this?

Is this the 1k ohm resistor between -IG and GND in the diagnostic connector?

Tried that (both ways) and it didn't work. Black/white and yellow/blue are soldered together, tacho pin is enabled in TS, and still no tach. WTF.

Pullup resistors are (by definition) between a signal and a voltage. +B to -IG and your tach will work.

Well, I thought I had it, but nope. 1k ohm resistor between -IG and B+ now and still nothing. Resistor flipped both ways, multiple resistors tried. Any other clues?

Put a direct wire between 2I and your tach input on the instrument cluster. I did it this way and it works (on my 97 1.6 Euro NA there was no wire from 2I to the igniter)

Wire your tach signal from the cluster to pin 10 on the DB37.

On every 90-93 USDM car, if you loop the wires as directed in the OP, you get a wire that is connected from 2I (black/white) to the cluster (yellow/blue) without routing a redundant wire to do the same job. Just FYI. Adding a wire to do that job is unnecessary and clutters things up.

ECU settings, then. That I can't help with.

Post tunes? Tach out set correctly? Pretty sure the ms3x card needs a jumper, but if its an mslabs ecu I'm not sure how Rev has that set up. Just throwing out ideas. According to this tach out is turned off by default.

Thanks for putting this together.

I'm in the process of selling my entire powertrain (engine, trans, MS3, etc etc) and turbo setup to someone with a NA (think its a 95).

I'm going to install a LFX.

Being that we can use all of those working bits (I'm keeping my radiator/ fans, throttle cable, steering) how much of this will be necessary to perform the swap? I imagine I will be forced to use the GM harness and ECU so I could even swap over the harness.

We are thinking we'll simply take everything out of my car and swap it over to his.

Thanks for this thread.

Here's my finished (for now) swap.

Attachment 235543

Nice and clean. :)

Love the clean and healthy look of that engine above. My number 1 recommendation would be to cover the header with a TDR heat shield, those things really work.

So I'm just now getting around to starting my swap (life happens) and I figure I would swap the fuel rail before putting my 02 engine in the car. So I have put on the 99 fuel rail with the 1.6 fpr outlet facing up and it doesn't seem like the intake manifold will go on without hitting it, unless I'm just dense. Do I need to bend the fpr tube? I am using the VTCS manifold. Does anyone have a picture showing specifically what on the 01+ manifold needs to be modified to fit this setup?

You need to bend the FPR outlet up, yes. It's easy to do with a deep-wall socket and some patience.

Yeah just take your time and bend/test fit/bend/test fit.

The real problem is the vacuum barb. Although you have to bend the 90-93, it positions the vacuum barb in a position that doesn't interfere with the VTCS brace behind the throttle body. This is a metal plate held on with 4 bolts on a VICS manifold, but cast into the upper half of a VTCS manifold. You'll have to cut the inside brace arm off if using a 94-97 fpr.

Okay, so no modification of the manifold required if I use the 1.6 FPR in this orientation and bend the tube a bit? I'm more comfortable with bending than grinding haha. :noob: Back to work.

Yeah I think that's right. You'll find out soon enough.

You need to grind on the '01 manifold to clear the '99 rail, if you're using a 01-05 VCTS manifold (which you shouldn't be). It's a very minor modification and I've done it before with a hand file.

That mod is pretty obvious, grinding for the front long bolt.

I mean the vacuum line off the FPR, it runs right into the throttle body flange brace if you're using a 94-97 fpr.

Just wanted to add a note about the alternator if you have a 90-93. On my swap, I simply used the 1.6 crank pulley and water pump pulley and kept the v belt setup without having to mess with alternator pulleys, or buying a 94-97 alternator. Might be an easier route for some.

I almost wish I did that. I think ribbed belts look much more modern, but I've never had issues with squeaking V-belts like I have with NB belts. They seem much more sensitive.

Interesting. I specifically tried this when I built Rover 5 years ago and the 1.6 pulley would not fit on the 1.8 alternator (pulley was too large). I'm starting to think the 1.6 alternator I had was non-OEM. Can anyone 100% confirm that the OEM 1.6 and 1.8 alternators have the same shaft diameter?

I think the wiring colors for 94-97 coils may be slightly jumbled. On my 96 the trigger wires are switched from what you have listed in first post. Overall extremely helpful thread, TONS of awesome info.

The diagrams I have show '94 and '96 both with BRN/YEL triggering 1/4.

The only way I could get mine to fire, stock ecu or ms2, was with
96 BRN to 05 BLK/YEL
96 BRN/YEL to 05 BRN/WHT

The only way I could get mine to fire, stock ecu or ms2, was with
96 BRN to 05 BLK/YEL
96 BRN/YEL to 05 BRN/WHT

Thinking about updating to the NB1 or NB2 head and was wondering if anyone has found a fix for the NB2 intake cam harmonics problem at high RPM. I remember reading about it awhile back. I want to use the VVT since my ECU can control it and it would also allow me to pick up 949 cams with the crazy 4.. Lift. Plus who doesn't like torque the added torque of the NB2.

For those running a stock VVT motor, what does your spark table look like? I swapped back to an OEM airbox the other day and today I noticed what sounded like pinging while cruising on the highway at 4k rpms if I gave it a bit of gas, although it's hard to tell with all the wind noise. I've been running the same tune for almost a year, and haven't blown it up yet, including a few autocrosses and a track day, let alone about 20k street miles, so I don't think my tune is that off, but I'd like other opinions. Here is my current spark table. I don't remember exactly where I got it from, but it was snagged from a thread somewhere on this forum.

Maybe you misunderstood my post. I did nothing to my 1.6 alternator or pulley. I used the 1.6 crank pulley, (with the ribbed and v-belt setup) and the 1.6 water pump pulley (v-Belt setup) and it all worked together just lovely.

Yikes. What octane/state?
Without seeing your VVT table, I'd guess you're about 5° too much advance everywhere. Have you verified base timing? Restricted intake would not likely lower det threshold unless you're getting a ton of heat soak. Plastic intake pipes will do that.

Anyway, this is a bit of thread drift. Start a new thread with something like " VVT spark advance table question"

Yeah, didn't mean to go too OT. Just to answer your questions, I strictly run 93 octane in NY/NJ. I have verified the base timing, although not for a while. VVT table is the base map that comes with the VVTuner. I only mentioned the intake because since it is quieter now, I can now hear pinging that I may not have been able to hear before. I adjusted the table down about 5 degrees across the board after looking at a bunch of others I found on the site. I'll reflash when I get out of work and start a new thread if I have anymore questions. Thanks!

Zoinks. I would pull 10 degrees from that at WOT until you can verify the tune on a dyno.

Do we just ditch the little inductor /capacitor on the back of the vvt engine? 94-97 injector/ignition harness doesn't have a plug for it . I'm going to be working on this all day today.. If someone who's done this is willing to let me text /call them with questions as I go I would be eternally greatful :D

Yes, you ditch it. There's a similar unit on 1.6s on the ignitor bracket. Not sure if they're pnp though. Or if they do the same thing even.

Alright thanks. For now I'm putting the vtcs manifold back on until I can find a square top to put on it. Is it okay to just hook the butterfly actuator directly to vacuum? I don't have the solenoid, and it's normally open. I don't want to deal with trying to delete it since this manifold isn't permanent anyway. Also, the back end of the 02 transmission that came with this engine looks nothing like that one that came out of my car. I can't see how my shifter will fit on there.. The one that came out of my car has the shift rod(?) exposed, the new one is covered and has 4 bolts where it looks like the shifter should attach.

Edit: Maybe I got a 6 speed and didn't know it?
Edit 2: I'm an idiot. It's a 5 speed, just missing the shifter cover shown on this pic... http://teamtac.org/e107/e107_files/p...0_img_7790.jpg

I had the opportunity to speak with a gates belt rep a while back. I learned that serpentine belts make noise when they are worn out. You can tighten the crap out of them but they will still squeak. There is a thin gauge available to check the groove depth on the belt. Basically, if the gauge is in the groove and you see it, belt is worn out. If a non v belt is noisy, just replace it.

Does anyone know what the pinout is at the 2 pin connector of the nb1 alternator?
I need to know which pin goes to the 1O pin of nb1 ecu (field out).

One of these goes to 12v or something or nothing or ??
One of these goes to my 5v pwm
Which is which? (I know I can open it up and look, but please save me that trouble)
I'll provide this thread with a writeup of MS3 and nb1 alternator control in an NA6 once I have it working
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1426522794

Found the wiring diagram with the plug pinout. The simple things in life.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1426651061

"Alternator and pulleys
Use a 1994-1997 alternator and pulley. The 1.6 alternator has a different shaft diameter, so a pulley swap is not possible - the entire alternator must be swapped. It may be possible to use the 99-05 ECU with wiring changes and an ECU with alternator control, but few/no PnP ECUs for 1990-1997s will have this feature, so it's easiest to simply use a 94-97 alternator with onboard control. "

Would it not be possible to use the 90-93 alternator and swap the 1.6 crank and water pump pulleys? Does the 1.6 long nose crank pully not fit on the 1.8?


Great thread. I missed the info about needing a 99-00 fuel rail in my previous research. Will have to come up with one of those.

This is exactly how I did mine. 1.6 long nose crank pulley works perfectly.

I prefer the 1.8L pulley that was designed for the 1.8L engine.

So is the solenoid for the fuel pressure regulator used after this swap? If not, can I repurpose the signal wire to control the vvt solenoid?

There is no solenoid for the fuel pressure regulator. The FPR is purely mechanical

He means the hot start pressure up solenoid found on some NAs.

I suppose you could, but with the other rewiring also required with the swap, I don't see the benefit.

It's been a while since I've seen a stock NA :party:

With this method (99 rail + 93 FPR) you aren't really changing the mechanical properties of the fuel system. It's still an atmospheric referenced ~43psi base system with a single regulator. If you want to keep the hot start solenoid, keep it, if you want to repurpose the wires, you can do that too.

The idea would be to avoid running a wire all the way back to the ecu. Can I tell the megasquirt that the vvt solenoid is on that pin and use the stock harness? According to the 95 wiring diagram, it goes back to pin 2r

Also, what is the best way to route the crank position sensor wire?

Well if he's following this swap and using a standalone, the ecu wont be controlling that noid. I'd go ahead and use the wiring.

You won't be able to "tell" it to use that pin, but you could crack open the case and rewire the VVT output to that pin.

For the Reverant MS3 I am buying I am just going to run an extra bundle from the DB37 to the bay with VVT, VICS, VTCS and injector 3/4 in it.

I used the wiring from the pressure up solenoid in for my VVT solenoid (see earlier responses). I did it because the pressure up solenoid (a switched 12v+ and trigger) was already a part of the injector wiring harness. I just added the VVT pigtail to the existing wiring and moved the trigger wire on the ECU side (AEM EMS). It was a lot easier than having to patch into the 12v+ from the injectors and run a new trigger.