I've had my 90 miata for about 6 years. this thing means a lot to me and i REALLY want to keep it but it's an absolute money pit. i just spent 3k on suspension ic piping wheels injectors blah blah blah. now what I'm realizing that i might need to rebuild my motor. what i need is some advice. i'm considering buying a blown motor and piecing it together with built internals and all the good stuff (I would most likely have to pay for someone to do this) or just a rebuild on the motor on the car or just call it quits. I'm also going to order a dp this week from turbo tony or corky and an exhaust from the online special. I'd like to hear some input from the tech heads out there. OH by the way i live in northern va so if any knows a GOOD place to go to that won't cost me an arm our a leg. Thanks

 

want a good 94 motor?

 

sorry i got the 1.6l turbo set up

 

40 views and no advice for me?

 

Driving > Walking.

Get a clapped out 1.6 block and build it outside the car. Wait for a weekend you can sucker friends into helping out and swap the motor.

I'm in Rockville MD. If you need a recommendation for a machine shop, let me know.

 

yeah thats what i'm thinking i have another car this miata is my weekend/fun/money pit/avatar. i'm looking for a motor at the moment to build. i most likely will take you up on that offer for a machine shop. thanks

 

found this

"96358 on odometer as of today, got back from OBX. Stock with timing belt, injectors, plugs/wires only stock NA vehicle. doing V8 conversion and need to sell motor/trans, driveshaft, rear with LSD 6.5 inch rear with half shafts. will sell complete set up $1000"

what do you guys think?

 

I've had pretty good success with a t-88.

 

Go for it, It will be cheaper than the rebuild

 

You don't need all that ****, why spend $1000 on stuff you don't need?
If you have $1000 to spend, go get a blown block somewhere, get some rods (ETD,Belfab, CAT or whatever they are called) and get some forged pistons, and build the thing right. It may cost you a little over a grand but you know you'll have a bulletproof block to keep on boosting safely.

 

thats what i'm thinking but i might need the transmission also JUST in case.

 

Worry about that later, transmissions can be found for pretty cheap, build the motor first.

 

if I didn't have any money and needed to put together a motor, I'd get a tired 1.6, get the pistons ceramic coated, get new bearings, get the head freshened up, then run 10psi with a gt28r for another 100k miles. Expect to spend $1300 on machine work when building a bottom end and getting the head cleaned up to "new" condition.

Belfab rods and pistons will run you like $750 alone, bearings will run another $100, and the machine work on the bottom end will be no cheaper than $500. You're money is better spent by freshening up a stock motor and expecting say 225whp or so. I don't know about turbo cars, but I know many cars that make 220whp and **** off lots of expensive cars at the track.

 

yeah i'm currently running 11psi on my motor right now. it sounds like another hunk of change i have to put out but i think it's worth it

 

I say buy another stock motor until you can afford to build a forge motor AND GET IT TUNED ON A DYNO so you get return on your investment.

 

if i pick up a motor i'm going to pick up a motor that i'm going to build. the miata still limps around and it's not my main means of transportation. are you saying i should tune my car before building the motor?

 

cool; I'm not going to answer that because the response is self-explanatory.

 

If it's not your DD why not build the motor that's in it now? No need to waste money buying another blown one, just build what you have. If money is tight, I second the ceramic pistons as well vs. buyin new forged ones.
Rods~$450
Ceramic coated OE Pistons~$150
Rod and Main Bearings~$85
All new seals(kit including head gasket)~$190
Machine work~varies highly~$400ish maybe
Total if you do some shopping and pull/install motor yourself~$1300ish
Voila!

 

if you want to give it away i'll take it.


if you really are that attached to the car it's worth holding onto it even if it just sits while you collect money.

 

I have a running Long Nose Crank 1.6L engine for sale.

PM me if interested.