VVT Engine - should i buy it if i can't control VVT?
 

I can get a mildly built VVT engine for a good price, but i can't tune the VVT (MS PNP 1. Gen)

Is there any disadvantage with this engine and VVT not enabled compared to a non-VVT engine like the 99-00? In example, is the topend power/tq compromised?

TIA

topend, no.
lowend, yes.

Buy a controller.

VVTuner ftw

or sell the ms1 and get the baller new ms3 and not only have vvt control but a much much better ecu overall.

What counts as mildly built? Honestly spending any money on any head that is not VVT is really just not worth it in my opinion.

MFing this.

If you prefer to keep your Gen 1 MSPNP, you can always add VVTuner as a standalone VVT controller.

Otherwise, you can go with a MS3X EMS solution, as MS3X can natively handle Miata VVT.

Thank you, guys.

This is really good advice, but VVT Tuner or a MS3 come at additional cost and suddenly the price of the engine is not so good any more ;) Not to mention that the MS3 is not PNP and i am too stupid to build this stuff.

Why? Is the lowend that much better? I don't know yet whats been done on that engine except for GTX 8:1 pistons.

My plan was to swap in a built 1.8 in my 91 car in one or two years, but now this engine came strolling along.... and i was tempted.

if you're going to do something, do it right. if a $200 controller makes or breaks a deal on a $1000+ engine, then I don't know what to say.

I also want to know why the hell someone would put 8.1 cr pistons into a vvt motor. that's just silly

Your looking at the price as a direct swap with no benefits.

Look at it as adding power for very little money.

Details on block. I will give you pudding if it is nice and i buy it

Whats the going rate for a complete vvt motor these days?

8:1 without a turbo means everything will be compromised, and with 8:1 even with a turbo, you're going to be limited by the presumably stock rods and don't really need 8:1 pistons anyway. Surely if they bothered to put pistons in they put real rods in?

This cannot be done. I will trade you my 99 heat for that VVT head, even swap.

The price goes up every day. I'm trying to buy one right now.

As is said, idk any more details yet. And of course, i am turbocharged. This is miataturbo.net, isnt it? ;)

Currently using a 2560R on a stock 1.6 at 12 psi.

The engine was built by the company that put the turbo in the sellers car, bevor he crashed it. They are not miata specialists, so i guess its just a plain old school low compression build for safety reasons.

The price tag is about 1050 USD, but shipping from Germany to you guys might be a bit expensive. :)

Hmm, so $800 plus tax wouldn't be a horrible deal?

$800 is fair for a sub 75k mile engine.

The $100-2500 engine from salvage yards are for retail service shops buying engines from a salvage yard because that's what insurance and women will pay. MAzda-Heaven in DFW is an awful piece of shit who buys perfectly good Miatas, parts them out, and they chare $2500 for a VVT engine, $1700 for a 99 engine, $1200 for a Torsen...but that's the place retail mechanics buy engines from. They wanted $1400 for a six-speed, every six-speed they had was supposedly from a Mazdaspeed...so I literally went next door and got a sixer for $450, lol.

I decided not to buy the engine. Turns out the engine build was basically just the pistons (which i don't like anyways).

But now i know more about the VVT stuff, so something good came out of it :)

I've been a little confused on swapping a vvt in a 99-00.

Maybe I haven't searched as well as a should but will it basically work with the 99 ecu and wiring? Would the vvt controler work with the stock 99 ecu?

Picked up a 99 with a rod knock and just got a vvt long block. If anything ill just put the 99 head on the good block.

But any info would help. Like I said I searched but I didn't find what I was looking for.