Serious miata newbie
 

Okay i have my wifes 1992 miata, it's auto and the engine is tired. I have an idea of swapping a 2.2l turbo i picked up out of a 1998 ford probe. I have the complete wiring harness to go along with the engine. My questions involve the bell housing, motor mounts, exhaust, and the intake. Tell me what I need to make this job a reality and not end up sleeping in the garage.


thanks in advance.

A lot of custom work. I dont think this has been done before so you, my friend, are a pioneer. GL

?The Probe was not made in 1998, nor did it have the 2.2 SOHC turbo motor. Perhaps you mean 1988?

You want us to tell you the amount of work needed to make this happen?
:laugh: Good luck.

Like Buffon01 said, it's going to be alot of work. But, if you have the ambition and the desire, then by all means make it happen:bigtu:

Get some real expectations.

swap in a 1point8 motor and manual trans, and never look back

I'm with bond on this...a 1.8 will fit right in there and it can be sourced for cheap. Then you will have access to the aftermarket world of parts instead of making shit try to fit. If you're gonna put a non miata engine in a miata, it at least should have 8 cylinders. Just my 2 cents.

Or 3 rotors?!? :eek5:

welcome.

I don't understand the point of a probe swap: no real power gains, not easy to do, and not much aftermarket support.

Shut up before he asks what it takes to swap a rotary.

Wadayamean? That should be easy. They are both tiny Mazda motors that are RWD. Should be cake, right?

qft

okay thanks for the feed back
 

I have 19-88-89 (typo on the first request)2.2l turbo intercooler for and wiring harness for next to nothing. I got the wole car for 100.00. I can't swap to standard as my wife can't drive standard. As for power adders I understand and accept the gains in horse power. I hope to acheive about 175 hp. With respect to rotary.....thanks but no thanks, my buddy at magnus fabrication(who does great work) strongly suggested against these motors due to reliabilty issues... no offense. The ford probe turbo is a mazda motor and the swap hopefully should be similiar to the fe3 swap. Maybe I should ask some specifics. Like the most cost/time effective intake swap as the 2.2l intake is backwards. Thanks for all the feed back, I hope to have this project done by spring.

I'm going to give it to you strait.

If you have to ask these types of questions, you aren't capable of doing it. As someone else pointed out, you would be the first person to perform this swap that we know of, and if you aren't capable of taking measurements and figuring out basic stuff like motor mounts, bellhousing patterns, and the intake manifold being backwards, there isn't a whole lot that we can do to help you.

All that work for 175hp?

You should be buying my built motor and turbo goodies.
__________________
Best Car Insurance | Auto Protection Today | FREE Trade-In Quote

^^Buy his car. Seriously.

ok thanks for offering to sell me a complete miata(which looks awsome) but this is my wife's first car she bought so i am stuck with it. Jeff I have built a few cars over the years... never a mazda so this is why I ask questions. If this has never been done b4.... which is hard to believe as it should be similiar to an fe3 swap, I was hoping to hear some tips from people who have made mistakes, learned from them and are willing to help someone not make the same mistakes... all in all if a 1.8l can produce about 175 hp 220ft lbs for the price I am paying or a little more I will gladly research this but as I don't due mazda's yet... I ask for help thanx

Can produce 175hp for the price your paying? really? hmm let's see.

Doing all the fab work to swap an unorthodox engine into a Miata

vs.

Buying a cheap turbo or piecing one together, that at mere `6psi (:giggle:) can deliver more or less the same power as the engine in question.

That's a tough choice, isn't it?

Teach her how to drive a five speed. Then follow up with wife pics. Preferably nudes.

This.

the nude pics would be easier than teaching her stick..... no chance on the shifter. I have tried to teach her b4 I have a 87 shelby charger 335hp (not a good learner) I gave up about 1/2 hour later.. the clutch stank. Buffon I do have a tough choice but a 175 hp is a very obtainable #. As every one knows the replacement for displacement is boost. I can run a 2 stage turbo set up an extra injector and dial the boost up along with a bigger inter cooler. Should'nt be difficult done it about 6 times. My real question would be if the bell housing on the auto will mate..... any one know?

you being the 1st to attempt this swap means just that : NO ONE KNOWS IF IT WILL FIT.

Doing such a swap for 175hp is insane and a huge waste of time/effort/money.

Might as well swap in a prius motor.

but hey if you pull it off: GREAT. power to you

So.
Much.
Fucking.
Fail.
:facepalm:

ok so no likes the idea of a mazda 2.2 turbo in a miata. Moving forward I would like to know about the avalability of parts swapping, ie bigger brakes from an mx6 and so on anyone try anything like that?

you want a cheap/effective upgrade get 1.8 discs and calipers. add good pads, fluid, and bias adjustment and it gets better. upgrade from that is corrado rotors + 1.8 calipers with adapters. upgrade from that is either of the BBK kits or something custom.

LOL
why are you always considering oddball parts from weird cars people usually don't swap stuff from?

LOL well 18psi I am a dodge guy at heart, I did both my rides from scrap yards and trial and error from other vehicles in the same era. I built a high 11 sec mopar for about 4000 including the vehicle(street tires 195 50 15). I love the challenge of something different. I used a 52 mm throttle body from the 3.8l caravan I used the 5th injector form a saab diesel my brakes where modified from a dodge truck and so and so on the car still runs great after 2 years.It feels good to smoke a 60 thousand vette for the price of there yearly interest rate.

I get all that and its great, but I should have worded my question different: why use oddball parts from weird cars when FOR THE SAME PRICE you can use methods that have been discussed on this forum for years?

You're talking about swaps that, while cheap, would be very time consuming and a pain in the ass to do with a very humble end result when for similar effort/money you could do something so much glorious. Have much more power. etc.