I've been looking for a spare motor to build for my 2000 miata (FM turbo kit, MS2 ecu). I haven't been able to find an NB1 engine in my area but I came across a rebuildable MSM one. It's my understanding that the MSM engine is basically identical to the NB1 with the exception for the internals and the added oil/water ports. Are there any other modifications I need to do to swap that in?

I was planning on rebuilding the short block (obviously) and either running my current head (only 70k on it) or refreshing the MSM head.

 

so you plan to keep your sensors/electronics? if so then you'll probably be fine. will probably need to swap the vc too

 

IIRC the MSM head is like the '99 head but with the NB2 coolant ports correct? So you gotta make sure you run a 94-2000 head gasket if you're doing a coolant reroute (which I assume you will if you're building a shortblock).

 

Related/unrelated- the IMs are different. Whoopdeedoo.

 

msm intake cam is better.
nb1 intake mani is better.

I think its not a bad idea if you wanted to splice the two together and use the best of both

 

Yeah, I'd use the electronics from my current setup. I guess the head gasket is updated as well since it's 2001+ but I'll make sure to use the NB1 gasket since I already have a reroute.

Do you think it would be worth it to tap into the existing coolant/oil ports on the MSM block? I already have the FM hard lines.

 

Well, after browsing FM's directions for adding their kit to the MSM, it doesn't look like I'll be able to use my hard oil drain line without plugging the existing hole and tapping the pan. For water, the neck at the front of the head seems to have the same ports so I guess that would be fine.

Does any one know where I can buy braided oil/water lines that play nice with the MSM and FM turbo kit? The FM rubber lines are cheezy as hell

 

I've been running a rubber drain line for years with no problem....just put a fire sleeve/insulation over it. I ran into that exact problem when I did my engine swap recently- bought the FM hard line, and it was incompatible with the location of the oil return on the oil pan. My solution was to return the FM hard line.