so I let my brother borrow my car...
#21
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (51)
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Spring, TX
Posts: 7,257
Total Cats: 26
I'm going to swap in hustler's old motor to get me through the semester. Now I need to decide what to do with the other 2 motors I'll have sitting in the garage since his was low on power...and power is what I'll be looking for.
I have one motor with block and head seperate, and my motor which will be coming out in intact. I would like to rebuild both of them on the cheap, but things are adding up quick. What parts HAVE to be replaced (bearings, cam seals, head bolts etc)?
If I do it myself I was planning on:
new rings
head gasket
hone cylinders
clean lifters
port and polish
clean valves, lap seats
If I can get away with this I would like to rebuild both spares, install one, and sell the other one cheap to someone in need just to offset costs.
Once I start looking at sending things out for machining I might as well build the sucker. I'm almost to that point now with all the incidentals (near complete FM kit is $612 without rings or water pump!). Then I start thinking about a new clutch...etc etc etc. Where does it end?
Once the price of forged rods, pistons, and professional assembly is equivalent to the cost of necessary items for a garage rebuild I will decide to just build it anyway.
I have one motor with block and head seperate, and my motor which will be coming out in intact. I would like to rebuild both of them on the cheap, but things are adding up quick. What parts HAVE to be replaced (bearings, cam seals, head bolts etc)?
If I do it myself I was planning on:
new rings
head gasket
hone cylinders
clean lifters
port and polish
clean valves, lap seats
If I can get away with this I would like to rebuild both spares, install one, and sell the other one cheap to someone in need just to offset costs.
Once I start looking at sending things out for machining I might as well build the sucker. I'm almost to that point now with all the incidentals (near complete FM kit is $612 without rings or water pump!). Then I start thinking about a new clutch...etc etc etc. Where does it end?
Once the price of forged rods, pistons, and professional assembly is equivalent to the cost of necessary items for a garage rebuild I will decide to just build it anyway.
#24
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (51)
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Spring, TX
Posts: 7,257
Total Cats: 26
So what's the cheapest someone has done a full refresh/rebuild for, including specialty tools?
I've seen Brainy mention cheap parts (timing belt, wp, and gaskets) but haven't seen a breakdown of his peripheral costs and machining.
I've seen Brainy mention cheap parts (timing belt, wp, and gaskets) but haven't seen a breakdown of his peripheral costs and machining.
#25
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (51)
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Spring, TX
Posts: 7,257
Total Cats: 26
I'm thinking about going this route:
Eagle Rods Wiseco Pistons Mazda Miata 323 GTX 1.6l B6 on eBid.net United States
Rods and Pistons for $829. I've always heard about the $300 M-Tuned rods and <$400 SuperTech pistons, but it looks like I missed out on some group buys.
EDIT: Nevermind, still cheaper to get M-Tuned rods, and SuperTechs from Speedagency.
Eagle Rods Wiseco Pistons Mazda Miata 323 GTX 1.6l B6 on eBid.net United States
Rods and Pistons for $829. I've always heard about the $300 M-Tuned rods and <$400 SuperTech pistons, but it looks like I missed out on some group buys.
EDIT: Nevermind, still cheaper to get M-Tuned rods, and SuperTechs from Speedagency.
#30
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (51)
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Spring, TX
Posts: 7,257
Total Cats: 26
After finding the cheapest of the essentials and summing them up I think I'm just doing a rebuild/refresh.
Piston Rings $66
RockAuto Parts Catalog
Bearings $29
New 92 Mazda Miata Main Bearing Set - Crankshaft & Main Convertible Parts
Honing Tool $33
Honing Tool, Bore Dia 3.25 In, 120 Grit - Honing Brushes - Finishing Supplies - Power Tools & Metalworking : Grainger Industrial Supply
Head Gasket Set $52
Mazda Miata Head Gasket Set at 1AAuto.com.
Grand total of $180...which I think I can handle.
That and the forged internal numbers absolutely scare me. I think I'd try an FE3 swap before I dropped that kind of coin on a B6.
Anything I'm missing?
#31
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (51)
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Spring, TX
Posts: 7,257
Total Cats: 26
Screw it!
I'm seriously researching the FE3 swap...damn you Mr.2cars1cup.
I'm going to swap hustler's 1.6L in long enough to do a cheap refresh on one of the other 1.6Ls...and hope that that motor holds together long enough for me to finish the FE3 conversion.
I've already emailed about every Sportage engine and B2000 tranny I've seen on CL...and was surprised how many I saw and how cheap they are.
I can make the motor mount adapter plates and notch the oilpan here at work since both are mild steel.
CAS might be tough...but I'll just send flowers to our FE3 swap board member for his pointers or a possible PnP.
Intake and Exhaust manifolds will be the tough and expensive parts...and I'll probably have to drive it n/a until I can sell my 1.6L kit and buy a decent turbo. At ~170hp I can probably hold off.
Plumbing, Electrical, Sensors and Brackets I can handle....and considering I work at a fastener company I'm sure I can scrounge what I need to shim the subframe.
Stock 5spd will have to do for now.
If I can pull off just the motor swap for less than $2K over the next 6months I can dew eet.
EDIT: Only other real concern I've come up with is the injectors. I need to find out if they're the same as the Miata/RX7 ones, or a different size.
I'm seriously researching the FE3 swap...damn you Mr.2cars1cup.
I'm going to swap hustler's 1.6L in long enough to do a cheap refresh on one of the other 1.6Ls...and hope that that motor holds together long enough for me to finish the FE3 conversion.
I've already emailed about every Sportage engine and B2000 tranny I've seen on CL...and was surprised how many I saw and how cheap they are.
I can make the motor mount adapter plates and notch the oilpan here at work since both are mild steel.
CAS might be tough...but I'll just send flowers to our FE3 swap board member for his pointers or a possible PnP.
Intake and Exhaust manifolds will be the tough and expensive parts...and I'll probably have to drive it n/a until I can sell my 1.6L kit and buy a decent turbo. At ~170hp I can probably hold off.
Plumbing, Electrical, Sensors and Brackets I can handle....and considering I work at a fastener company I'm sure I can scrounge what I need to shim the subframe.
Stock 5spd will have to do for now.
If I can pull off just the motor swap for less than $2K over the next 6months I can dew eet.
EDIT: Only other real concern I've come up with is the injectors. I need to find out if they're the same as the Miata/RX7 ones, or a different size.
#35
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (51)
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Spring, TX
Posts: 7,257
Total Cats: 26
WTF?
Why?
Yeah, I should have joined this place much earlier...I also shouldn't have let go of this car the first time I had it 8yrs ago. I fought with my family for a year to get it back this time around...and ain't letting it go.
An FE3 would make it a family heirloom to me.
The CAS and intake manifold have me thinking twice, but Rob makes it look easy. He also apparently has a real eye for detail and great fabrication skills.
Why?
Yeah, I should have joined this place much earlier...I also shouldn't have let go of this car the first time I had it 8yrs ago. I fought with my family for a year to get it back this time around...and ain't letting it go.
An FE3 would make it a family heirloom to me.
The CAS and intake manifold have me thinking twice, but Rob makes it look easy. He also apparently has a real eye for detail and great fabrication skills.
#39
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (51)
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Spring, TX
Posts: 7,257
Total Cats: 26
I've done enough reading on the FE3 swap that I feel like I can do it in my sleep...but I know that reality will be much different.
I've priced out everything but the intake manifold at just under $1400 for a n/a FE3 swap. Well, $1400 and a good bit of fabrication.
This is the low end for a decent built motor, which could easily inflate to $2500. Only advantage is I'd get to keep my turbo setup. With the FE3 I'd sell my 1.6L kit and piece together some eBay boost.
I'm now considering building a motor a little more...and wondering if I can get away with doing a good deal of the work myself.
I've priced out everything but the intake manifold at just under $1400 for a n/a FE3 swap. Well, $1400 and a good bit of fabrication.
This is the low end for a decent built motor, which could easily inflate to $2500. Only advantage is I'd get to keep my turbo setup. With the FE3 I'd sell my 1.6L kit and piece together some eBay boost.
I'm now considering building a motor a little more...and wondering if I can get away with doing a good deal of the work myself.