you can't quit right at the end. when something is broken it's just a good opportunity to upgrade it, engines too. 1.8 block with nice rods and pistons and a stock 99 head. etd 1.8 greddy manifold, and a serious clutch and you're good to go.

I hear you guys. Already checked out that local craigslist engine, but it's a high milage short-nose crank so :nono: . Also sourced both a local 1.6L and 1.8L engine for good prices, but still not sure what to do, maybe Hustler's rubbing off on me.

I'm leaning toward just throwing a used 1.6L engine on the cheap back in so I can drive the car again. Unlike some here, I do love the brg color. Granted it's not a daily driver, but I really would like to just drive the car again rather than wait for a lengthy build. Same reason that I'm considering parting the car, to just get into a newer low milage miata that I can drive now and fab up a new setup (as much as I hate to admit, it the GReddy is a great little turbo, but it does leave a lot to be desired).

Been researching the built engine path for quite a bit of time now, and while I'd love to do it now, that quickly becomes a money pit if you go whole hog. To do it "right" is more than I have the time and money for right now, and I'd rather not do it half-assed (despite that being my usual course of action.) I was actually saving up to build an engine slowly on the side, but looks like those funds are going toward getting the car back and running.

Of course what will happen will be that I'll put a used 1.6L in and blow that one too, but ce la vie....

As my only consolation, I know I killed my engine, but hey, I still made more power than any other GReddy kit there that day as well as braineack on two good cylinders. :gay:

This is a quote from you last week before the dyno day.

So, now that your wish came true you're ready to pack it up? WTF? :vash:

Be more careful what you wish for next time.

Sucks man.

If I were you, I'd pull the busted motor out and just swap it with a good running 1.6. Cost would be minimal and everything would be a bolt-up affair. It's convertible season. Make that shit drivable.

Then, if you wanted to, you could build your busted 1.6 up with some stronger rods oversize pistons. Stretch it out over the year, and do the swap over the winter. Then you could sell your good stock 1.6 and get your money out of it. Meanwhile you'd have minimal downtime and you could stretch the cost of the build over 8-10 months.

Ben was always the logical member:bigtu:

Like 'The Wolf'.

Easy, man. Read my reply. If I parted the car out, it would be to finance a newer miata for the next build so noone is packing it up. I wasn't bitchin' about it, just not sure which path to take in terms of a build.


Ben, what you say is very logical, but I always planned on building out a 1.8, not a 1.6 so not sure that I'd be rebuilding the busted 1.6.

I hear ya bud. I've thought about building up my 1.6, and what I'd do if my current motor popped. I decided I'd stay 1.6. My holdback about going 1.8 is the fact that my turbo and exhaust fit the 1.6. A 1.8 size mani, dp, and appropriate turbo would double the project cost.

come on the 1.6 motor is capable.im sure everyone has seen this before but here it's again all 359ponies
http://www.sdsefi.com/features/july03miata.htm

ive been thinking lately that there is definately a major gain to be had from freeing up the head.with some nice cams and intake mani/throttle body.

I'd stick with the 1.6 as well. Would be nice to see what could be done with a built 1.6.

Uh, you do realize they did a 4.5mm bore on that engine requiring custom pistons and this dude has like no cylinder walls left. I wouldnt be surprised if they had to sleeve.

Between the new MS, and other ECU + the FM swap stuff, a 1.6 to 1.8 swap is getting a lot easier for sure. But it's really your call. You can still get a decent used 1.6 for good prices these days, and just do the swap to continue to enjoy the car.

If you want to go 1.8, you can always get a blown 99 (#4 bearing one) for dirt cheap, then build it, do the swap, and at the same time, upgrade to different turbo, manifold and DP.

Personally, when my 1.8 was dying over a year or so.... with progressively worsening rings, I sourced a used 94 bottom end, then got a 97 head, and did the full swap last summer with fresh gaskets all the way around. I've still got the original motor, and some day I'm going to start getting it prep'd for a build motor. I will need to get cleaned, bored, etc..... but that's down the road...... The new motor, is doing quite well at the moment, and considering, I'm still only doing the stock 7psi..... it will continue to last for a few more years for sure. <G>

Dave,

Actualy he uses off the shelf pistons from another car and he posted on m.net that he still has no sleeves and his only issue is a that he has to bottle brush the cylinders every 20 or so K miles but he also states he lives at 17+ psi with the car hauling ass the whole time. I think they where to conservative with the HP to make the Drivetrain last. Who knows maybe we shall see in the future some 500 whp 1.6's. Well technically i am on my way towards 1.7 now but oh well. :gay: hell look here 300 whp 1.6 http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread...73#post2467573 and here is the guy from japan describing his setup
http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=216610