Ok, so I've been on this forum for a little over 2 weeks now and the motor in my Miata has given up the ghost.....permantly. I have come to the decision that I am going to build a new shortblock, and make it better than before using a myriad of products from BelFab.
What I would like to know is this; Can a person with moderate bolt-on installing experience safly build a motor. I have almost every tool available to me in order to do this job, at the exception of any specialty tools that Miata motors require (Air Force base auto hobby shop, just about everything is snap-on. Your tax dollars hard at work!) I've done motor swaps in hondas before, but I've never torn apart the motor myself. I'd lake to learn and I know that the best way to learn is by doing.
So I must know, is engine building as scary as it seems to be, or can it be done with the right tools, the right information, and a good amount of patients by a previously shade tree mechanic?

 

yeah, building the short block isn't a big deal. Not much in there. you just want to make sure you have all the tolerances and torque correct.

Start now by finding a good cheap machine shop that can bore it out on the cheap and without delay...

 

Is there any good place to find the torque specs for the internals?

 

The Factory Workshop Manual: http://www.finishlineperformance.com...intenance.html (near bottom of page)

 

When you guys bore it out, do you order oversized pistons? or stock size?

My Mitsibushi friend just hones them out real good and slaps stock sizes back in w/ new rods/ pistons etc..

 

Or for free, right here: http://www.miata.net/garage/torque.html

 

you can do that. But if you're going to build it, might as well go .020" overbore and get that extra 30cc. OEM style pistons are the same price, as well as Weiscos.

 

If I overbore .020" over, what size piston would that be? I think that stock is 83.5mm, right? so would that overbore be 84mm?

 

yes