Oil pump choices and harmonic/balancing damper
 

Sup guys. So... my motor is being build at the moment going for the 400whp club, build thread coming soon, but for now...

oil pump- the shop helping me with the build is telling me that buying a oil pump and an ati damper is not needed. What they do to the oem pump helps with higher oil pressure and handles up to 300-350whp

"rebuilt oil pump with spring spacer in the bypass valve for higher oil pressure" is what they told told me they were doing.

Thoughts on it or anyone done anything like that? Or should I straight up purchase the BE 4 shim oil pump.

SuperMiata damper vs ati?

Thanks guys

I'd probably ask for my shit back and find a new shop. Low oil pressure has nothing to do with the failures. Higher oil pressure might actually be the cause of some of the failures.

ATI and spm are both good dampers. People will have different reasons for recommending each one. And you will find people saying each is better than the other. It's up to you to decide which you want.

4 shim?!??

So 56psi over stock?

I'm running a boundary with one shim. I'm also using a supermiata damper. It's the gears that matter, you can get those separately but while I haven't had a pump failure, at least it's less of a concern so I can focus on other problems with the car. The pump is one of those things that is such a pain in the ass to get to without removing the subframe or motor that I didn't mind the extra upfront cost. If the plots can be trusted, the more consistent pressure across the RPM band is what is desirable.

Damper wise, I just followed common wisdom found here on a forum that, perhaps, collectively turboed more Miata's than a single shop. Does this shop specialize in Miata's?

lol @ shops that have no idea what they are doing

Wouldn't a damper be enough to prevent the oil pump from exploding, if you're doing the bare minimum?

The difference in cost between a new VVT pump and a BE Stage 2 is ~$140, and that assumes you are a Mazdacomp member and can buy the pump at dealer cost. Look at the total expenditure on your build, or even on just your built motor, and then ask yourself if omitting the extra $140 for the bombproof, for-sure reliable oil pump is really a smart decision.

IMO, if you are doing a cast piston, then you are probably OK with the OEM pump, and that $140 becomes a larger percentage of the total build cost. If you are shelling out for pistons and overbore, then you should do the pump.

The OP has a 400whp target, and he should absolutely, for sure, no-doubt be buying a pump with billet gears.