Would you buy an extra motor for $200?
 

A 1.6 just came up for sale locally. Guy says he bought it from planet miata, never swapped it in, the sold the car and is left with the motor. $200 obo.

I haven't tested my motor but it seems pretty healthy, good oil pressure, good power, no oil consumption or leaks other than a minor CAS leak I haven't dealt with yet....so I don't really need an extra motor.

Still, would I be stupid not to show up with $100 in cash and see if I can take it home?

I'd snag it. Just because everything works great now, doesn't mean that you might not *eventually* need another motor. Plus, if you decide to build a motor, it would be great to have a good core to start with.

Huh...just noticed he listed it as a 1990 1.6. Does planet miata sell the shortnose crank motor? I wonder if he just listed the year of his previous car...

Just pick it up in case something happens. All else fails you can always get rid of it for $200 easy.

Two months ago you would have thought I was crazy...

spare 5spd
completely assembled running spare motor
motor on engine stand being rebuilt with head on workbench being ported, planned install 6 months out
extra CAS
extra alternator
extra set of injectors
extra set of stock coilpacks


I have since used, installed, sold or donated every one of those save the alternator.

-Motor bit the bullet, installed spare, stepping up build.
-Sold spare injectors, and the ones on the car, can't get new 550s in fast enough.
-Swapped in spare tranny with motor two weekends ago to ensure it worked, trading the (spare) that came out with someone in need.
-Mailed coilpacks to a forum member when he was having tuning/running probs and had dyno time scheduled.
-CAS shit the bed, was damn glad I had one sitting on the shelf and didn't have to scour eBay or pay full price.

-I actually wish I had a spare starter now (only big thing I didn't have), as mine won't crank faster than 150rpm right now.

I also have a spare timing belt, and a 1yr old water pump....with good reason considering I've done that job twice in past year, and this very morning had to reset timing on mine since intake cam apparently jumped forward a tooth when the CAS decided to go while at 4000+ rpm and target boost.


MOTS...you can't have too many spares.

A "running" $200 1.6L is a deal, and worth having around. These things go forever, but when they die you don't want to be heading to your local yard to pay $600, or to rebuilders to pay 60% of a built motor price for a freshened stocker.

The guy just agreed to $100. Not getting a clear answer from him on whether it's a shortnose or bignose crank. The m.net article indicates the shortnose pulley has 4 slots, and the bignose has 8 slots. Is that reliable?

Do it! I stock up on parts whenever possible. I have 4 transmissions in my garage :)

Been reliable with every one I've ever checked.

For $100 you can fix the shortnose problem, and it's MUCH easier out of car to work on.

I also recently heard a rumor that the shortnose had GTX rods, but have yet to verify.

Yeah, I guess it's worth $100 either way...hope it's a bignose though.

Now I've got to figure out how to secure it in the back of my truck...don't have any compression straps with me or anything. Might have to scrounge around the store for some rope.

I layed down the last one I picked up, on some wood with another peice between it and front of bed, one strapped pressing it forward.

Most G forces during braking, and you can go easy on acceleration.

Just sit it in an old tire.

It's hard for me to sit on a lot of parts, the jew in me sells them when they sit too long. Which sucks cause I need a new tranny and I sold my spare for $100 to a local miata guy.

Grab it! I haven't even seen bottom ends or tops ends by themselves for that price.

depends really. Do you plan on sticking with the 1.6, or swapping in a 1.8 once your motor dies?

Nah, no plans to switch. I know the 1.8's better, but my car is street only for the foreseeable future, and I'm not really interested in selling my 1.6 turbo stuff and repurchasing 1.8 stuff.

the short nose has 3 lines (4 slots) long nose has more 7+ i think.

Im running a short nose and ive been fine :)

Bingo.

Transported an engine 900 miles this way, with rope securing it to all 4 corner tie downs in the bed of my truck. No issues at all and some of it was somewhat curvy mountain roads at 65 MPH.

Umm SNC is not a problem if the motors been properly maintained.

Id get it either way.

I really really doubt this, but someone verify please.

This guy has been trying to sell that motor since before Christmas. He acts pretty squirrelly when you ask him questions.

I finally gave up on the idea. He started out at $350 back then. Still not sold at $100 I'd be really asking questions.

To answer your SNC issue yes if it has 4 slots on the front pulley it is a short nose.

Went and picked it up. Guy was definitely, ahh, well...squirrelly is a good word. Big stories about owning 3 Miata's and swapping motors and a planned "Figh Poin Oh" build, but nothing to show for it. Also completely incapable of giving me accurate directions to his girlfriend's house (no joke, that's where he was storing the motor) -- and that was after he misspelled the street name in the email and sent me the wrong way. Also, his email address is "ibpimpin@something.com". I was waiting for him to say something about drifting or naws, but that was avoided.

Motor isn't too bad, head is off and it looks like it's been bathed in oil daily...lots of grime. Bignose crank. Have to take a closer look now that I've got it home to know if it's in good enough shape for a swap. If it isn't, I'll just take it apart so I can practice/learn the procedure without risking my own motor, then sell or save the pieces that are still in good shape. For $100, I feel pretty good about it.

What's the best stuff for taking the dirty oil and grime off? Carb cleaner?

Thanks again for that dude! :bigtu:

100% truth.

For $100, shortnose or longnose, its a steal.

I did the shortnose crank fix before I boosted and haven't had any issues.

Although you said the one you picked up was a longnose, I just wanted to add my :2cents:

send it to Blue Sun Corporation, we'll do a rebuild

Holy plug.

Would you mind clarifying this for. I spoke with someone with Mazda Motorsports Development and the parts numbers from the 323 haven't changed from about 89 all the way up to the NB. He said it's possible that the construction was different but that the GTX and Miata part number are the same.

I'm not calling BS, I'm just wondering what the difference is and if the snc rods are less likely to go south at 250whp since I'm running a snc engine.

I'm guessing the "100% Truth" comment was referring to identifying the shortnose via the pulley, or possibly the ease of fixing it when the motor is out of the car.

I'd really like to know if this thing about the GTX rods is true...have lines on two sets.

Yeah I was agreeing that the shortnose crank "issue" is no big deal.

I too wonder about the rods, that's why I pm'd the guy that stated that they are the B6T rods. I'll point him to this thread so he can clarify on this for everyone to read.

He just pm'd me back. This is what he wrote.

Is there any, any truth at all to a rumor that the higher comp. 1.8L engines found in the 2001 and up NBB's have slightly better rods ? I am a newb to the scene so I may be way out there but I thought I should ask.

Interesting. Perhaps we need another thread for the difference of internals from motors varying from year to year.

I also had read somewhere that the original 1.6 was a De-turboed 323 engine. There is still some left over capped off water passages that are there from it's front wheel drive configuration.

Here's a completely unsubstantiated rumor I heard about the SNC motor: The head is allegedly slightly better in the SNC motors. That's the extent of the rumor I heard, no elaboration other than it's better. I've been trying to verify it for the past year, out of personal curiosity, with little luck(which is probably a pretty good indication that is not true.) I don't have a long nose head to compare it to so it's mainly internet wrangling.

How the fuck do these rumors come around? Heh, id like some facts plz.