Miata LFX Swap (Singular Motorsports & Good-Win Racing)
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 3,310
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From: San Diego
The engine's out again. I'll get to that update when I have it concluded.
While it was out of the way, I added heat shielding on the firewall behind where the engine resides:
I also added a second shield to the transmission tunnel (it already has a layer of adhesive backed insulation from the turbo days). I'm leaving the first layer in place and adding to that a modern-style thin aluminum layer with an air gap between it and the tunnel - very much like Moti did on Morpheus.
I started with a tunnel shield from an ND Miata. With the insulation layer removed (black part in the photo) it is a featherweight. Essentially no weight penalty for adding it.
Then I formed it to fit the NA tunnel:
Installed, with ~1/4" air gap:
While it was out of the way, I added heat shielding on the firewall behind where the engine resides:
I also added a second shield to the transmission tunnel (it already has a layer of adhesive backed insulation from the turbo days). I'm leaving the first layer in place and adding to that a modern-style thin aluminum layer with an air gap between it and the tunnel - very much like Moti did on Morpheus.
I started with a tunnel shield from an ND Miata. With the insulation layer removed (black part in the photo) it is a featherweight. Essentially no weight penalty for adding it.
Then I formed it to fit the NA tunnel:
Installed, with ~1/4" air gap:
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Thread Starter
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From: San Diego
Just little weld-nuts added where wanted so there's no need for a spacer on the top side..
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: San Diego
If you mean the dark colored insulation that comes stapled to the top side, yes that is rigid and can't be re-formed.
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: San Diego
So many are wondering why the engine came out again. It certainly wasn't just so I could add some heat shielding 
With the car running I drove across the street for an alignment (sitting in the pic here waiting to go on the rack)...
On the drive back across the street to the shop, the rear tires locked. Fun times sliding into our parking lot. Motor was seized. Oil pressure was strong and everything was running right so best guess right now is that it was the thing I had feared in the back of my head from the beginning - this engine had come from a donor car that we discovered had been flipped, so if the engine had been running while it was upside down, the bearings were doomed from the start.
Not going to allow this to stop me, I gave myself one day to come to terms with things and began the hunt for a motor the next day. Made some calls and found that Cord Bauer of Catfish fame had a unicorn of a motor sitting around that he was willing to part with - this one from a 2013 with only ~500 miles on it (!!) Thanks Cord!
That engine is here already, and I'm about half way through transferring everything from old engine to new:
With the car running I drove across the street for an alignment (sitting in the pic here waiting to go on the rack)...
On the drive back across the street to the shop, the rear tires locked. Fun times sliding into our parking lot. Motor was seized. Oil pressure was strong and everything was running right so best guess right now is that it was the thing I had feared in the back of my head from the beginning - this engine had come from a donor car that we discovered had been flipped, so if the engine had been running while it was upside down, the bearings were doomed from the start.
Not going to allow this to stop me, I gave myself one day to come to terms with things and began the hunt for a motor the next day. Made some calls and found that Cord Bauer of Catfish fame had a unicorn of a motor sitting around that he was willing to part with - this one from a 2013 with only ~500 miles on it (!!) Thanks Cord!
That engine is here already, and I'm about half way through transferring everything from old engine to new:
Last edited by ThePass; Aug 2, 2017 at 03:19 PM.
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So many are wondering why the engine came out again. It certainly wasn't just so I could add some heat shielding
With the car running I drove across the street for an alignment (sitting in the pic here waiting to go on the rack)...
On the drive back across the street to the shop, the rear tires locked. Fun times sliding into our parking lot. Motor was seized. Oil pressure was strong and everything was running right so best guess right now is that it was the thing I had feared in the back of my head from the beginning - this engine had come from a donor car that we discovered had been flipped, so if the engine had been running while it was upside down, the bearings were doomed from the start.
Not going to allow this to stop me. Made some calls and found that Cord Bauer of Catfish fame had a unicorn of a motor sitting around that he was willing to part with - this one from a 2013 with only ~500 miles on it (!!) Thanks Cord!
That engine is here already, and I'm about half way through transferring everything from old engine to new:
With the car running I drove across the street for an alignment (sitting in the pic here waiting to go on the rack)...
On the drive back across the street to the shop, the rear tires locked. Fun times sliding into our parking lot. Motor was seized. Oil pressure was strong and everything was running right so best guess right now is that it was the thing I had feared in the back of my head from the beginning - this engine had come from a donor car that we discovered had been flipped, so if the engine had been running while it was upside down, the bearings were doomed from the start.
Not going to allow this to stop me. Made some calls and found that Cord Bauer of Catfish fame had a unicorn of a motor sitting around that he was willing to part with - this one from a 2013 with only ~500 miles on it (!!) Thanks Cord!
That engine is here already, and I'm about half way through transferring everything from old engine to new:
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would normal sheet aluminum be any different than the OE ND piece for heat shielding? The little golfball indentations pressed into it has to be for a reason, but im curious how much it changes things.
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: San Diego
Quite possible
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: San Diego
The texture serves two purposes. More surface area (heat sink) and a much better rigidity/weight ratio than a flat piece.
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Thread Starter
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From: San Diego
It came with a 90 day warranty about a year and a half ago when I got it....
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: San Diego
LFX's are growing on trees around here! That's the new motor on the right, with nearly everything swapped over:
A peek inside the pan from the old motor confirms that yeah those bearings are done! Thoroughly cleaning everything in the oil system before swapping over to the new engine (pan, pickup, adapter plate, lines, cooler, etc.)
A peek inside the pan from the old motor confirms that yeah those bearings are done! Thoroughly cleaning everything in the oil system before swapping over to the new engine (pan, pickup, adapter plate, lines, cooler, etc.)
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That is some bad luck, it hurts to hear about that.
But on the up side, hope the heads were not to oil starved and you can have some to play with on the porting table down the way.
But on the up side, hope the heads were not to oil starved and you can have some to play with on the porting table down the way.
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Senior Member
Joined: May 2017
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From: Austin, TX
Just stumbled onto this thread... wow. Loving the engine specs and seriously considering this as an option.
What would the best estimate be of total cost all in to get this motor working in the car with all the necessary parts?
What would the best estimate be of total cost all in to get this motor working in the car with all the necessary parts?
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Thread Starter
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From: San Diego
Man, that answer can vary a TON.
Not trying to do many of the extra things you see here, a simple street build would probably add up to ~$11-12k when it's all done, and I've got hours for essential items logged at about 150 man hours. Obviously, there's a million elective things that could change that. Few people do a full drivetrain swap and don't spring for some extras, or clean up and upgrade other things while they're in there.
Not trying to do many of the extra things you see here, a simple street build would probably add up to ~$11-12k when it's all done, and I've got hours for essential items logged at about 150 man hours. Obviously, there's a million elective things that could change that. Few people do a full drivetrain swap and don't spring for some extras, or clean up and upgrade other things while they're in there.
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