Somewhere along the line, mazda started shipping the VVT pumps as factory replacements for 99/00 pumps. you'll want to buy a 1.8 NA pump. It's the same block, so they'll bolt up just the same.


All factory NA 1.8 pump housings are smaller pump housings, no experience with 1.6.
The factory ORIGINAL 99/00 oil pump housing is the smaller pump housing.
The factory REPLACEMENT 99/00 oil pump housings currently available is the LARGER pump housing
All factory 01-05 oil pumps have the larger housing.

The larger oil pump housing has the casting mark ending in "6D"

Moral of the story: Check your clearances when you install gears. The correct clearance should be something like 3-6 thousandths of an inch. A mismatched clearance will be around 25 thousandths, and enough to notice a difference when you run your finger across the surface of the in-place gear and the housing, before installing the back-plate to the oil pump.

In phone conversation with travis, he does produce gears for the larger pumps. You have to identify somehow that you want the thicker gears when you order from him.

 

I get that he had a good idea of what he was doing when I was replacing my oil pump with him. Unfortunately, whoever did the actual 'work' on the thing, didn't seem to give a ****.

 

Wow. Impressive failure list.

 

I really wish there was a really good shop in our area. This is why I do everything myself. If I ever decide to build a motor and farm it out, I'm going to do research and be willing to ship it to TX, or wherever I have to.

 

Where is this guy located? Is this they guy located in OK? I'm pretty sure my spec miata had a stewart motor in it. It also cracked a piston, while bedding in some new brakes...lol While taking it apart to it looked like a bone stock crate motor. Yes I know what they do to the "pro" motors.

 

Travis does make gears for the 01+ pumps. All you have to do is ask.
The difference is the thickness of the gears, 01+ is 10mm and the other is around 9.3mm

 

2-in-1 post!

 

Thats nice.

 

lol, I thought we were talking about the same guy. I bought a used spec miata with a "pro stewart" motor. I drove it 2.5 hours home, on the way I raced my Dad's bone stock miata and we were dead even every time from a slow roll. If you've ever gone head to head with a junkyard vs pro motor its very noticable. The motor had 3-4 weekends on it. Two weeks later I was bedding in some carbotechs out in the country and the motor popped. Dudes a scam artist in my book. I bet he rebuilds junk yard motors and gets his power from a hacked/tunned ecu...hence why he makes you send them in

If any potential spec guys read this I've heard that a loose used bottom end, fresh valve job, and compression bump decked block can get you close to "pro" power on a budget.

 

There is an amazing engine builder in Ohio, his shop is near Dayton. Unfortunately he's always building motors for Grand AM teams and the like. You pay for what you get...