That's a pretty good reason.

So ACL bearing 1T8353-STD seems to be what everyone shows for the thrust washer, but its the skinny kind.

FM sells the same ACL skinny kind for 99-00 and an OEM only for 01-05. What's the deal with these? Can the 1T8353-STD be run in an 04 or no?

Got word from a vendor on this forum that the ACL thrust washers are only for the 94-00 miata and that 01-05 need to get them OEM

Hi,

I'm Jan from Germany. Actually I have same thrust bearing problem on my new buildet naturally aspirated 1.6 race engine.

In combination with the Supermiata race clutch from 949racing and the small washers I destroyed 2 cranks in 2014. Actually the crank is blocked by a jammed washer.

For this I have 3 Questions:

1.) How are the width of the small ('99) and the wider ('01)washer (shown on Joshs foto)

2) Did You have OEM part numbers of both washers?

3.) In my opinion the 180 degree washer build in mazda engines is only a bad compromise. Did anybody construct a 360 degree bearing in a miata engine?

Thanks for any information

Yours Jan

I'd be interested to see how you plan on getting a 360* thrust bearing on the crank without cutting it in two ;)

I haven't heard of any failures besides your for the '90-93 1.6 or the '94-'97 1.8. Are you sure it's being installed correctly, and that the crank and block are within spec?

I have a BNIB ACL thrust bearing for a '99 (accidentally shipped instead of '01-'05), and compared to an NA 1.8 thrust bearing, they appear identical. Besides the large bore spacing on the 1.8, I think the 1.6/1.8 cranks are identical, so that leads me to believe the "common" '99 thrust bearing failure was in the design and machining of the block.

A quick search of Rosenthal's website varifys this. In the notes for a '90-'97 thrust bearing, it says it'll fit '90-'00.

METAL SET,THRUST (B6Y3-11-SJ0) - $41.39 - B6Y311SJ0

P.S. Holy shit those are expensive. Don't pay more than $5 for your thrust bearing. I still have the incorrectly shipped ACL thrust bearing from TSE because it wasn't worth his time to ship back.

Can't find them individually on TSE's site, but 949 lists them for $4.95.

I don't think ACL makes the thick bearing for the 01+, so it has to be sourced from Mazda for $30+. I don't think there's a way around that. Every vendor I've asked about a bearing "kit" from ACL comes with the skinnies. IIRC a vendor explicitly told me that the correct TB for the 01+ was only available from Mazda.

Try Rosenthal Mazda of Arlington - Arlington County, N. E. DC- Alexandria- Alexandria City- Clarendon-Ballston, Rosslyn- Falls Church and Fairfax Virginia online parts store.

Better link for Rosenthal.

Rosenthal Arlington Mazda Parts Store

Add this shit to your favorites tab peeps.

Thanks for the answers!

I think, the problem on my 1998 1.6 engine (from the NB model, sold only in Europe) is a little bit more special.

The crank on is additional formed, machined an finished in a company who is specialized in building racing engines. My suspicion is they have mutated (unintended?) the friction surface which is in contact with the thrust bearing.

To resolve this I need a foto where I can see this part of the crank. I have no OEM crank available.

Open Question: Can I change the small version of the thrust bearing against the bigger one without any changes on the block or crank?

Sorry, my english language is not so good, I hope You understand my technical terms.

Yours Jan

Hi,

Curly wrote:
"I'd be interested to see how you plan on getting a 360* thrust bearing on the crank without cutting it in two"

Easy--like on every other modern car! 2 x 180* is 360*. So You don't have to cut the crank!

The 180* bearing in the miata is only a low-cost compromise.

Today I ordered a used engine to disamble the crank and some other parts. So I also will test to give the bigger thrust bearings into the OEM 1.6 engine.

Jan