New kid in town
 

Hello everyone,

Just introducing myself. I bought a 92 Miata last fall and quikly relized it was severely lacking in the power dept. I drive an STI with about 360 HP so naturally this thing feels slow but is still fun as hell. I just bought a motor for a turbo build I plan to begin. The bought the motor for $150 still running just low compression in cylinder 3. It had about 130 and all others were in the 170's. Took the head off it last night and all cylinders look really good and can still see the factory hone.

As for my plans:
Block is gonna get checked out and machined (hoping just a hone needed)
Heads are getting 3 angle valve job
Crank is getting checked
Plan on a Begi kit (not sure which) with mega squirt
rods and pistons are still up in the air (etd or eagle and wiesco)

My goals are between 200 and 250 RWHP.

Yes I know there is alot more involved but you get the idea.

Edit: didn't read the compression numbers.


Build a 1.8.

Welcome to the forum:)

Welcome new dude.

I'd rather do an SR20DET swap but dont have the money. Always been a big fan of the SR20.

Welcome. Your pistons may look good but; with those compression figures, I'd bet your rings don't. Ask me how I know :giggle:

My cylinders look good. Havent pulled the pistons yet. Just hoping I wont have to bore. Every little bit I save = something a little better in the end.

There is a big difference between 200 and 250whp... A BIG DIFFERENCE.
Since you're going with some headwork and forged internals, you should be shooting for even more than that on the motor... but I highly suggest this motor you're going to build be a 1.8. The FM swap kit is cheap, and the 1.8 offers a lot more performance for the exact same amount of money. You can find blown 1.8's practically for free. Sweet-talk your local wrecking-yard guy and you can probably pick up an entire 1.8 drivetrain for $500.

If you're set on keeping the 1.6, and shooting for 250whp, may I suggest any of the BEGi Series 3+ kits w/MS and a GT260.

Don't forget you'll need to budget for a clutch... the new FM clutches should be the only choice in town once they're proven.

Don't forget big exhaust... there are several production 2.5" and 3" full exhausts if you have no fab skillz.

Don't forget the differential in the 90-93 cars are not going to handle 250whp unless you stick with 195tires... and then some. They are a 6" ring gear and have been broken on stock power. 2.5x stock power and you can break them just pulling away from a stoplight. Something also tells me you're not the kind of guy who "babies" his cars. You'll need at some point to upgrade to a 94+ 7" r&p w/Torsen dif. Open dif's are just as strong, but Torsens get cheaper every day.

I kinda like the idea of keeping the 1.6. Have looked for a 1.8 but they disappear very quikly in this area.
I am not hard on my cars at all. I'm hard on the miata because thats the only way it will go. No worries I have been looking for a 7" rear diff, flywheel, clutch, exhaust, ems. This is not an overnight build it is gonna take a while.

Is the 1.8 so much better just because of displacement or is there more I am not seeing. I was aslo gonna have my buddy do some p&p work to the head.

Just called the local wrecking yard guy who knows my father pretty well and said $800. His search only found 6 1.8's in New England. All the ones on CL get bought quik.

Pretty much. It has mad torques.

or just fuggedabboutit it and do an SR20 swap.

Is there an SR20 swap kit out there. I've looked and cant seem to find a kit for it.

It's just the motor/tranny mounts... everything else is on you:
Miata SR20

There are lotsa threads on this one at miata.net... just do a title search in all forums for SR20det and SR20.

holy shit that's pricey.

east end boys, west end girls?

excuse my newbieness but what does that mean?

The motor mounts and trans mount is reasonable IMHO, its the modified oil pan thats rape.

Something about boys at a petshop..

Do any of you guys have the full rotating assembly balanced? or is the miata pretty good from the factory.

building an engine is not necessary for your goals.