Nothing wrong with enjoying mediocre suspension. Just don't ever drive on good suspension or you'll suddenly have a different opinion

This. Trying to avoid any ride alongs until I can afford something super legit. Thinking my next move will be delrin/bronze bushings all around from SADfab. Then perhaps plumb the depths of how much spring the BC's can reasonably control/damp.

Welcome! Nice 91 adore the wheels and nice cats.

Not to ding @Kmiata and their stunning art.... But I would feel amiss if I did not ask if you're familiar with the Ecotec swap as well? A K24 is dreaming for my budget but an Ecotec is a platform I have a lot of experience with and can find for almost nothing.

Yup, we're familiar. The potential of the two platforms is apples to oranges though. It seems that the typical ecotec Miata owner struggles to make over 170-180whp from an LE5 swap. Meanwhile we have many customers making 225+whp out of stock K24A2s with our swap kit, carrying power to 8200rpm.

N/A power costs money, plain and simple. It really just depends if you're looking for a bump in power on a budget, or a high rpm screamer with a properly developed header, intake manifold, flywheel, and so on.

This.

Not to mention the quality of the swap parts, fit and finish, and instructions are in completely different universes.

Thanks! Its not bad when its clean and waxed.

As for the Ecotec, they're really just not that exciting. Plus like KMiata mentioned, for the power they can generate I could likely get away much cheaper and simpler with a supercharger setup and not have to deal with all the associated headaches of a motor swap.

I'm very much of the philosophy of doing something once, correctly. Accordingly I'll just hold out until I can afford the K swap, although I am admittedly curious about the MXV6 Jaguar swaps. They do look similarly tidy, and that exhaust note is gorgeous (not that a screamer k series isn't!)

Absolutely. It's undeniably the perfect blend of motor and car and I've been following since the beginning! For me and my poor car it just isn't realistic. If I had 8k laying around for my miata specifically it would be awesome. The ecotec is like... the lemons way of doing things. It's the original Monster Miata compared to the LSx cars. The increased powerband is amazing in the K series and of course aftermarket support is incredible. The ecotec support is also great but in a different mindset entirely. However... running with a gentleman in AZ who was making close to 400hp on his turbo LSJ and seeing what that platform is capable of for VERY little money is insane. It would far surpass the miata's transmission capabilites (hence your ZF work) I see the ecotec as a foot in the proverbial door. It will get a car with a bad motor up and running for fairly cheap and improved over the BP. Sort of a BP V 2.0. Effective, reliable, but essentially soulless and not the best in the industry.

Oooh haven't heard of the Jag swaps... Jesus that would be a lot of torque. The K as I mentioned is clearly the way if you can hold out for it. It has heart. Noise. The ecotec is not something to scoff at. Spend some time looking over some builds that people put together for almost nothing... Stock the 180whp doesn't sound as appealing as 220, but it is a torquey SOB and forced induction potential moves that number well over 300hp while still remaining under the cost of the K. I agree it isn't the most... fun engine. But I recommend you rip around in a few cobalts. It's a sledgehammer for fine carpentry.

Personally I think a supercharger on a miata isn't worth the time or power either... My experience in my ion and some minis etc working around the efficiency etc is challenging to make it worth while past a certain point. Where as with ANY swap- you are essentially changing your starting point. Just different but I will be holding out for turbo if my bores are serviceable when I tear my motor down (out of country right now) if not, I'll sell my VVT core and drop in an Ecotec.

K Miata you guys are awesome please don't misunderstand my feeling towards your project... It's like doing an S54 swap in an e36 M3 instead of building a turbo S52. Super awesome and the way I would prefer but budget wise not realistic for some.

If you can afford an Ecotec swap, you can afford a K Swap.

The real question is: How hungry are you that you have to get a McValue Meal #5 instead of taking the 10 minutes to cook your own steak?

This. For the amount of time, money, and effort that goes into any non-native motor swap, I'm not gonna do it for anything I'm not super excited for. Plus, the ecotec swaps are super rough and really leave a lot out of the package, something that drives up both time and money, all for something that is super meh at best. 220hp as the upper limit with 300hp on forced induction is piss poor compared to a K motor which have a baseline of 220-240, 300+ with bolt ons and a tune, and 600+ with boost. It's really no comparison at all, a later, well put-together 1.8 will approach those power figures without any headaches associated with swaps, and I can buy exhuasts off the shelf all day long from 5+ manufacturers.

However, the Jaguar/Duratec30 swap is looking very appealing to me. Pretty deep aftermarket support across the pond (strangely enough on the Contour/Taurus forums:dunno:) and being healthily over-square (89mm bore, 78.5mm stroke) means smooth, free, revving and high rpm limits. Me likey.

LFX

Well when you put it this way haha... I mean for me owning a cobalt currently and having had a redline, it seems natural. But I guess thats like saying my gpa had heart disease so I guess it makes sense to pound some mcdoubles.

The K is undoubtedly the better motor to start with I give you that. And yes an ecotec is sort of an improved BP in terms of technology. But it is also simple, reliable and has ridiculous aftermarket support. Not quite honda levels but lets just say that a 6-800hp ecotec is a known predictable formula and plenty have been over that mark for drag applications. They're extremely popular in buggies and things like the Ariel Atoms... The exocet also comes to mind with either motor. I am interested to see the torque difference in a 240 HP K and an LE5 with an LSJ head and cams (still cheaper than a k24/k20a combomeal.) LSJ also has forged internals and some LE5 had forged pistons. Make great FI motors.

By Jag V6 if you mean the AJ series I say run far away... Although I do know the Ford tuning community is an odd, and good one. The contour svt and sho guys have it going on. Motor would have to make more than 270hp to be worth it to me personally. Unless it fit as well as the KL and was cheap.


I'm going to move myself over to the forum areas this belongs sorry for the OT.


YES. I am a little worried about Di tuning but amazing and availability should be ridiculous. Think of how many V6 camaros and CTSs are running around and thats just 2 of the cars GM shoved it in... But personally have been in some bolt on 6 speed maros and cadis and they're pretty dam quick. And heavy.

Don't spend the time and money on a swap for less than 300 horsepower. LFX does not require tuning because LFX comes with OEM computer. Factory drivability.

There's aftermarket support for the duratec? Sort of. I guess you can find a set of cams for one. Vaporware 3.5 stroker kits and plenty of 2.5 to 3.0 swaps in the SVT Contour, but those are just stock engines. There's some support for the engine from Noble M400 community, too, but nothing really for engine internals. Still you're only looking at 200-215hp.

That's a lot of work for maybe someday getting to LFX better. If the AJ jag motors count the s type 3.0 variant is supposed to be 240 HP. Still not blowing my mind... Rather go GM even a 4.3 vortec would be a better engine.

QFT.

G L A C I A L

Some say he has a 4.77 diff to swap in some time between now and the end of the world, and that he now has 7 cats...and a dog.