The Definitive "VVT swap into 90-97 chassis" Megathread.
#442
Wackbards, weren't you the one also having issues with the tach output ? I believe it had something to do with the jumper? Is your tach working now ?
Kind Regards,
Cedric
#446
Just a quick side not/question: I noticed that my oil pressure keeps going to max on accel. And after driving lets say 10 minutes it goes until a little bit before 6kg/cm3. On cruising its at 4kg/cm3.
I use the 1.6 oil pressure sensor. Is it normal for a 1.8 to have higher oilpressure ?
Kind Regards,
Cedric
#447
This is really strange. Any ideas why this is happening?
Kind Regards,
Cedric
#449
Ok so I figured out quite a lot of problems. The sensors have been behaving absolutely superb recently without ever having the need to pull over and replace them with my spare ones.
The reason why the fuel pump didn't prime is because the wires on the ecu connector for the Cam angle sensor and the cranck angle sensor weren't making a good enough connection ( when the engine ran, I played with the wires, wiggeling the around, and noticed that as soon as I even slightly touched the cam and crank sensor wires the engine hikkuped or stalled.) so I put on new pins and it now works great.
I can now drive for 20 minutes on the highway without a problem.
Another issue was that the engine wouldn't turn of when I turned the key to the off position. The previous owner jumped a wire from the 12v wire of the ecu to the engine relay under the driver side dash. After removing that the engine would shut off as normal.
Thank you sooo much for helping me. It's a pleasure to be in this community.
Kind Regards,
Cedric
#451
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Lambertville, NJ
Posts: 1,215
Total Cats: 74
Can I just drop the entire front sub-frame with engine, transmission and steering rack from an NB2 and plop it into an NA shell?
I don't have a problem re-wiring what's needed, but are there any mechanical issues I would be facing?
Also: If I swap over the rear sub-frame, can I reuse my NB exhaust? I understand I'll need different headers, but my midpipe and exhaust should fit- correct?
I don't have a problem re-wiring what's needed, but are there any mechanical issues I would be facing?
Also: If I swap over the rear sub-frame, can I reuse my NB exhaust? I understand I'll need different headers, but my midpipe and exhaust should fit- correct?
#452
mkturbo.com
iTrader: (24)
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Charleston SC
Posts: 15,177
Total Cats: 1,681
Can I just drop the entire front sub-frame with engine, transmission and steering rack from an NB2 and plop it into an NA shell?
I don't have a problem re-wiring what's needed, but are there any mechanical issues I would be facing?
Also: If I swap over the rear sub-frame, can I reuse my NB exhaust? I understand I'll need different headers, but my midpipe and exhaust should fit- correct?
I don't have a problem re-wiring what's needed, but are there any mechanical issues I would be facing?
Also: If I swap over the rear sub-frame, can I reuse my NB exhaust? I understand I'll need different headers, but my midpipe and exhaust should fit- correct?
#454
This may or may not help your situation, but I swapped a 99 engine into my 93 initially using the 93 computer, using the old CAS. I later switched to a diypnp (microsquirt), but still kept the CAS (4G63). When I later swapped to a VVT motor, I kept the CAS to keep things simple, and used a an extra output to trigger the VVT on/off, like VTEC. I eventually added the Vvtuner, and ran the cam and crank sensor solely to the vvtuner and kept the CAS connected to the diypnp.
EDIT: I know it's redundant, I'm just worried about using the VVTuner's pass through mode or CAS simulation as I have seen reports of these features giving others problems.
#455
Its acceptable but depending on how much power you're leaving on the table with a conservative spark map you could be leaving decent power on the table. You get spark scatter with the CAS which means you have to run less timing to avoid knocking, get rid of the scatter and you can run more timing.
#456
Junior Member
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Metro Detroit, MI
Posts: 397
Total Cats: 36
Can I get you guys to give me a quick check through before I tear into my Miata and do something stupid. I'll outline everything I'm going to do to swap it. Literally everything. So if you don't see a step here, assume I'm an idiot, because I am.
1. Swap over Water Pump, Pulley, and Alternator + belt. (I have a lose nose 1.6L). FM says this should work.
2. Use the motor mount brackets that came on my VVT with my 1.6L Hybrid motor mounts.
3. Fabricate a bracket to put my 1.6L coils on the VVT engine. (No wiring needed). Some trimming of rubber boot needed. Will eventually upgrade to LS2 coils.
4. Install FM throttle cable adapter bracket.
5. Use the 1.8L VTPS. Re-wire it in place of my current Bosch VTPS.
6. Use supplied 1.8L header until I throw on a RB header or turbo manifold.
7. Drill + tap and plug up oil drain for future turbo use.
8. Install 99-00 fuel rail + my 90-93 FPR. Route new 5/16 fuel line above intake manifold.
9. Run 1 +12V power wire to VVT solenoid and 1 wire to my Megasquirt VVT control.
10. Lengthen CAS.
11. Install 1.6L Coolant temp sensor.
12. Put 1.6L Oil Pressure sender onto VVT motor.
13. Drop in engine and have fun.
I tried not to miss a single thing no matter how big or small. Can anyone give that list a quick once over?
Extra info:
Car is a 91 NA Lose nose
MS3X ECU
Already wired for sequential injection
Motor going in is a 2003 VVT w/ VCTS manifold
1. Swap over Water Pump, Pulley, and Alternator + belt. (I have a lose nose 1.6L). FM says this should work.
2. Use the motor mount brackets that came on my VVT with my 1.6L Hybrid motor mounts.
3. Fabricate a bracket to put my 1.6L coils on the VVT engine. (No wiring needed). Some trimming of rubber boot needed. Will eventually upgrade to LS2 coils.
4. Install FM throttle cable adapter bracket.
5. Use the 1.8L VTPS. Re-wire it in place of my current Bosch VTPS.
6. Use supplied 1.8L header until I throw on a RB header or turbo manifold.
7. Drill + tap and plug up oil drain for future turbo use.
8. Install 99-00 fuel rail + my 90-93 FPR. Route new 5/16 fuel line above intake manifold.
9. Run 1 +12V power wire to VVT solenoid and 1 wire to my Megasquirt VVT control.
10. Lengthen CAS.
11. Install 1.6L Coolant temp sensor.
12. Put 1.6L Oil Pressure sender onto VVT motor.
13. Drop in engine and have fun.
I tried not to miss a single thing no matter how big or small. Can anyone give that list a quick once over?
Extra info:
Car is a 91 NA Lose nose
MS3X ECU
Already wired for sequential injection
Motor going in is a 2003 VVT w/ VCTS manifold
Last edited by Goingnowherefast; 09-05-2017 at 05:43 AM.
#459
Might as well upgrade to 1.8 or better injectors now, though with full ECU control the 1.6 ones will probably be fine.
Consider a coolant reroute while everything is out.
You say lengthen CAS, are you planning on installing it? You can run the ECU off of it but without running the leads for the crank sensor you will have zero VVT control.
Get a VICS intake manifold from a 99 as well if you have the budget for it, and run the wire for it also.
I'm a bad reader or something so even though I read the first post about 50 times in the months leading to my swap I still forgot to transfer the injector harness to the new engine and spent half a day trying to figure out what I'm supposed to do with all these weird connectors before I realized I have to make them go away.
At the very least clean your engine bay thoroughly without engine or repaint it, and touch up top of subframe with spray paint if scratched up.
If you've never done a swap before, have plenty of time and a helper for actually taking out the old engine and putting in the new at the very least.
Consider a coolant reroute while everything is out.
You say lengthen CAS, are you planning on installing it? You can run the ECU off of it but without running the leads for the crank sensor you will have zero VVT control.
Get a VICS intake manifold from a 99 as well if you have the budget for it, and run the wire for it also.
I'm a bad reader or something so even though I read the first post about 50 times in the months leading to my swap I still forgot to transfer the injector harness to the new engine and spent half a day trying to figure out what I'm supposed to do with all these weird connectors before I realized I have to make them go away.
At the very least clean your engine bay thoroughly without engine or repaint it, and touch up top of subframe with spray paint if scratched up.
If you've never done a swap before, have plenty of time and a helper for actually taking out the old engine and putting in the new at the very least.
#460
Junior Member
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Metro Detroit, MI
Posts: 397
Total Cats: 36
Might as well upgrade to 1.8 or better injectors now, though with full ECU control the 1.6 ones will probably be fine.
Consider a coolant reroute while everything is out.
You say lengthen CAS, are you planning on installing it? You can run the ECU off of it but without running the leads for the crank sensor you will have zero VVT control.
Get a VICS intake manifold from a 99 as well if you have the budget for it, and run the wire for it also.
I'm a bad reader or something so even though I read the first post about 50 times in the months leading to my swap I still forgot to transfer the injector harness to the new engine and spent half a day trying to figure out what I'm supposed to do with all these weird connectors before I realized I have to make them go away.
At the very least clean your engine bay thoroughly without engine or repaint it, and touch up top of subframe with spray paint if scratched up.
If you've never done a swap before, have plenty of time and a helper for actually taking out the old engine and putting in the new at the very least.
Consider a coolant reroute while everything is out.
You say lengthen CAS, are you planning on installing it? You can run the ECU off of it but without running the leads for the crank sensor you will have zero VVT control.
Get a VICS intake manifold from a 99 as well if you have the budget for it, and run the wire for it also.
I'm a bad reader or something so even though I read the first post about 50 times in the months leading to my swap I still forgot to transfer the injector harness to the new engine and spent half a day trying to figure out what I'm supposed to do with all these weird connectors before I realized I have to make them go away.
At the very least clean your engine bay thoroughly without engine or repaint it, and touch up top of subframe with spray paint if scratched up.
If you've never done a swap before, have plenty of time and a helper for actually taking out the old engine and putting in the new at the very least.
just may pick up a coolant reroute while I'm at it. It would certainly be pretty easy to install while the engine is out that's for sure.
As for manifolds I found a VICS for $140 and Flat Tops can be had for about $300. I'm wondering if it's just worth it to go straight for the flat top. Regardless, I plan on using the VCTS for initial start-up and switching later. I guess it just needs a little bit of trimming to fit the fuel rail.
The CAS I plan on using the NB's sensor so I can use VVT. I will just be extending the OEM 4-wire harness, and splicing it to work with the NB sensors.
Oh I plan to give it a thorough cleaning when that engines out
Thanks for the help and thank you for your service!