So, tearing down the motor thats going into my nb. It's a flyin miata voodoo turbo setup 1999 vics motor. I've driven it. Makes good power. Smokes HARD, but not oil. At least doesn't smell like it. Pressurized the cooling system pretty much instantly, so I assumed head gasket failure.
the guy I bought the drivetrain and wrecked parts car it was in from didn't build it. It was done before he bought and wrecked it.
Supposedly a rebuilt engine, aftermarket rods, etc.

I can't tell from this head gasket if there was a head gasket failure, and im not sure what kind of head gasket im looking at here. It's not the blue coated felpro im used to dealing with. Nor do I see a failure spot on the block or head.





Additionally, can anyone tell me if these are stock piston and rods?


and lastly: whoever put this oil pan on with an entire tube of rtv managed to glue the windage tray to the pan point I mangled it and the oil pickup getting everything apart. Is there replacement available somewhere? Or a good upgrade? It's just a street car.

 

That bolt head says ARP, and that bearing cap looks like no stock item I have seen, rods look like H beam. Says built to me, but I haven't opened an early engine. Pistons may be stock.

You may have not found it, but if it is pumping water out its almost certainly blown. It needs rings and/or guides/seals. Strip and rebuild and it becomes a known quantity. If it is not going to handle ginormous boost, stock pistons are ok, but I'd have a close look at the rings. Did you open the oil filter, anything interesting in the bottom of the pan?

 

putting valve seals in it, and having the machine shop check guides and deck for me.
Nothing in pan or filter of note. Some rtv in the sump, but none on the pickup.
I saw arpson the rod bolts, but nowhere else in the engine. Couldn't find any manufacturer markings in the rods or pistons, so I had no idea.

any way a turbo could mimic head gasket symptoms?

Im not an engine building guy. Im a restored. Im as deep in now as I ever go, but the cylinders have good crosshatching still. Pcv seems stuck open, and my money's on most issues being in the head. But if the machine shop finds no smoking gun there, we will be revisiting the ring/bearings conversation definitely!

 

Is this engine a 1990 or 1999?? VICS didn't exist in 1990...

Rods are definitely aftermarket, and the pistons look dished(?). IIRC, stock pistons in a 99 would have a very slight dome, so if they are dished, also likely aftermarket.

Here's a Supertech piston from this thread: https://www.miataturbo.net/engine-pe...%40-1-a-50519/

 

1999. Fixed my typo. Sorry....

I need to see if I can find that inclscription on the face under the carbon.

 

K1 rods and the pistons look like OEM NA8 units. I thought the above pic of the ST pistons were from the OP's engine.

 

Can you get a better picture of the underside of the piston? The one picture you have showing the rod seems like its not an OE piston, but its hard to see.