fressssssh

Question for the knowledgeable:

I’m about to undertake the mission of bringing an 05 MazdaSpeed MX5 back from the dead and putting it back on the road where it should be.

The car was run with low oil(previous owner) resulting in the block being ruined(has a hole in it), but as far as I know(I’ll be picking up the car this Sunday for further inspection and to start the project) the head is in great condition.

Through the few hours of research I’ve done on the subject I’ve gathered that the MSM uses basically an NB1 Head/Block, mated to an NB2 Intake, with a unique to MSM Intake Cam and Oil pan, blah blah blah...

My question is, if it turns out the head on this car is in good condition, would it be easier to get an NB1 block and tap and thread it for the Turbo oil/water ports or could I use an early NA8 1.8L block(I already have a spare) since they have the ports stock and just swap all the MSM stuff over to it?

Opinions and Insight welcome.

Thanks!

borka

iTrader: (1)

If the engine was oil starved before it sent a rod through the block, the head is more then likely also trashed.

I would get a 99 engine, swap oil pans, and figure something out for the oil feed

curly

iTrader: (25)

It’s technically a 01-05 block with different pistons and oil/water ports. I say that only because of the larger thrust bearing and the MBSP. It might even have the vvt oil pump, but don’t quote me on that.

Grab the plugs from your na8 block and see if they fit in the MSM oil/water feed ports. If they do, I’d build that. Be warned, oil starve that bad most likely also ruined the turbo and as said above the head.

Frofro97

pull the valve cover and post a picture, im willing to bet that head is nuked. better check the trans and diff fluids too, seems like the previous owner wasn't aware that cars need oil.

fressssssh

I’ll know for sure the heads condition when I have it in front of me.

I’ve also considered picking up a BP4W Head and mating it to the BP05 Block that I already have so I could use the ports on that block.

All depends on the MSM head condition.

From staying up most the night last night researching I’ve heard the ports should be a nearly identical location to the MSM ports, so that’s my plan IF the head is good.

There’s an MSM Turbo for sale pretty cheap on the local FB group that I might have to pick up if that’s the case.

Will do! Sunday I’ll have the car first thing in the morning.



I appreciate the prompt responses guys! Thanks for all the info. As stated I haven’t yet gone through the motor myself yet and I’m not sure how thoroughly it was gone through since it went down. Everything I said in my initial post is what I was told about the car by the current owner, BUT when dealing with older, used cars I tend to listen more to what I see and not what I’m told, so take it as “heresay” until I get my hands on it Sunday.

That being said, here’s some more “hopefully” useful info for you guys.

Car has been sitting in a tow yard for at least the past 1.5-2yrs(based on last registration date and what I was told), basically the “story” I was told is, PO put a hole in the block, through what was thought to be low oil, then took the car to the current owner’s dad’s shop, where he essentially abandoned the car after not paying the shop owner or telling him what was to be done with the car, then it was transported to the shop owners tow yard, where his son(the current owner) started to attempt to go through it, obviously unsuccessfully.

He managed to get the engine, trans, exhaust, etc out of the car, but I’m not sure if the engine was ever opened up and gone through and he eventually gave up on the car(he’s a self appointed Honda guy, didn’t seem too knowledgeable regardless of what he called himself tbh) and it’s been under a tarp at his Dad’s yard for a long while since.

Long story short, I know very little about this car other than what I’ve been told(I take that with a grain of salt) and what I looked up through the DMV records. The deal was just too good to pass up and I’m really bad with impulse buying things I don’t need.

The plan for this car is kind of up in the air based on the actual condition of the motor when I go through it. I would like to get the car running while remaining as close to stock as possible and after that I’m not sure. I already have a 94M Edition that I’m prepping for Time Attack/HPDE that eats money like nothing I’ve ever seen, so I might get this MSM in good standing and then sell it, might daily it stock for a bit(never driven an MSM in my life) then decide what to do, who knows, that’s the story so far though.

Here’s my current Miata;

themonkeyman

I mean depending on how good of a deal you got you could just part it out. Msm drivetrain pieces go for good money, and I’m sure decent condition velocity red body panels would go for ok money too.

fressssssh

And so it begins...




I’m going to pull the valve cover and also check the turbo within the next hour and report back with pictures.

Thanks again for the help so far guys. It’s greatly appreciated!

themonkeyman

Hit the Easy Button.

borka

iTrader: (1)

That is very overpriced

themonkeyman

Yeah, eBay is usually the high water mark for asking prices. My point stands though, and that was a convenient link ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

fressssssh

I don’t even know what it is. I’m on my phone and don’t have the EBay app so it won’t even open.

borka

iTrader: (1)

It's a $2500 msm engine

fressssssh

Oh, there’s one for sale from a Miata recycling yard around the corner from my house for $2000. So yea, I’d agree with you, that’s overpriced.

turbofan

iTrader: (1)

That current miata is hawt

x_25

Considering the MSM turbo/ecu setup is one of the worst ways to build a turbo miata? I would just piece it together with better parts.

fressssssh

Thank you, building it for Track(Time Attack/HPDE)/Weekend Mountain Abuser.🥰🥰🥰

If I planned on keeping this car or had a solid plan for it in general, I’d consider investing more money into it, but at the moment I want to get it back to running condition in the stock form(incase I decide to sell it shortly after) and I don’t want to invest unnecessary money into it.

I already have one money pit Miata(pictured above), my marriage won’t last through another lol.

fressssssh

UPDATE:

Okay, so just removed the valve cover and here are the pictures.





In my unprofessional opinion I don’t see anything that looks obviously broken, the buildup of what looks like corrosion and slight scoring on the cam lobes is slightly concerning but I’d say, so far so good. What’s you guys opinion?

Also confirmed that the sealed turbo ports on the 95 NA8 Block that I have are completely identical to the ports on the MSM Block so that will be a direct bolt on swap. Here’s pictures(Check out the hole in the MSM block).

curly

iTrader: (25)

Take all the cam caps off and take the pictures again

fressssssh

Will do.

HarryB

Mind the sequence, and loosen in steps too.