Suh dudes and dudettes. I bought a bone stock 1.6L soap bar a few months back and fell in love with her immediately. This is a great learning car for me, and I've been researching and learning about all the great things you can do with it. My current plan is a 1.8 swap that I'd like to build myself as much as possible. I'd like to be able to drag race the car (sacrilege I know), curious about auto-cross as well, but I'm aware there may be build differences for the two. Build goals to start: 1.8 swap, forged internals, MS3, maybe 99-00 head(?), trying to figure out what turbo goals should be. I may keep it simple and get a recommended size first, go small to big and figure out where I feel comfortable. Engine aside, I'd like to get a stronger diff and light flywheel. Learning about clutches too. I'm definitely a noob, but I've got dreams too.

 

Welcome. Make sure your 1.8 has VVT.

Check out 949racing's clutch offerings. They also offer one piece forged steel flywheels.

If you want to spend about double, they have a twin disk clutch that is beautiful, but has a 60 pound pedal, and narrow engagement.

If you are going turbo, Trackspeed Engineering is nearing completion of his kit. Highest quality turbo kit parts on the market, for our cars. There are other custom options, but none that are remotely close to the reliability. Mainly the hardware he supplies, and the stainless steel CAST manifold, no welds to fail. You can buy an EFR 7163 turbo from him and make more power than you can put to the ground in 5th gear, or you can get an EFR 6258 and still easily crack 300whp/tq or blow a stock 1.8 to bits.

One of teh only proper diffs for the miata is the OS Giken. A few different vendors sells it, but I bought from 949racing, as they offer a specially tuned version for our cars. Personally, I wouldn't spend the money on a torsen offering, since as soon as you lift a wheel, it's not helping you anymore.

 

I second the trackspeed engineering kit. He's building a serious top notch kit that is pretty hard to beat a lot of the competition.

Cooling will definitely be a consideration. Make sure to do a coolant reroute while the engine is out. Check out the Singular Motorsports heat extractors.

 

Just go big from the start.

 

^^^ What he said.

Whalecum to the fun spot!

 

Absolutely going to do a coolant reroute, I should have mentioned that earlier. I want this engine to be as solid as I can build it. I'm looking at the trackspeed stuff now, so a cast manifold that doesn't have any weld seams to fail sounds so much better, are there honestly any cons to it at all?

 

It's a bit more expensive than other options, that's about it.

Where are you from exactly? I'm not too far from Philly.

 

The only con is that the manifold wasn't available 3 years ago.

Seriously, if the engine is going to be built stout as a ************, then get a quality manifold and a good turbo. You can always boost it conservatively if you don't trust yourself. But you won't want to be changing setups and turbos when you become addicted. You'll have spent more money in the end.

Cliffnotes: More upfront cost saves you money down the road.

 

I live in Center City Philly!

 

I agree, I'd rather spend more money building it solid first than replacing parts as I go.

I do have a question regarding used parts though: what kind parts are safe to pull out of salvage yards for the sake of saving a bit of money? Again, I'd like to be able to build as much of the motor myself as I possibly can, but if i can find stuff for cheap that's safe to use and maybe just needs to be cleaned or slightly rebuilt, what can I look for?

 

For engine internals, get new pistons, rings, rods and bearings. The only thing I'd get used is a head, alternator from a 1.8 or rx7, water pump pulley from a 1.8 and a throttle body/intake manifold

 

Would you not get a block from a salvage yard? I plan on replacing all internals with exception of crankshaft, valvetrain will be replaced new as well. What about things like rear ends i.e. a 1.8 rear, or I've read about putting rx7 rear in a miata but that might be going too far. Just trying to put all the ducks in a row. Thanks for the replies. How close to Philly are you btw?

 

I think I'm getting different threads confused. Yea block and diffs and all that junk is fine. Just internals and itty bitty high speed bits should be new.

New pistons, rings, rods, valvesprings retainers and valves. used everything else.

 

I just perused your own build thread and there's so much for me to learn, thanks for the advice, I'll have a lot more questions as I get into this haha

 

@Mazdaspeeder is local to you

 

Word, I'll send a smoke signal

 

(placeholder for joke about the routing of your crankcase vent lines.)

 

What do dat do