Engine knock is very audible in a Miata. If you did not run it much, I seriously doubt that is the cause of the damage. A foreign object is most likely the culprit.
Stephanie

I disagree.

Since going to a stand alone I've never heard knock. But according to my knock sensor I've had some. I've got 2.25" NA exhaust so my car is pretty damn quiet but the engine noise is still loud, the sucking sound from the intake and the spool from the turbo mask a lot of noise.

And how many knock events are needed to damage a motor?

Wouldn't the safer way to go about this be to retard the timing and then slowly increase it until you knock and then back off? Even then, non-audible knock can still kill the motor.

But I understand, your position as the vendor pretty much forces you into the position to defend your product documentation. Can't really fault you (BEGI) for that.

I'd like to think I'm not retarded. If it was _very_ audible, I'd hear it. I remember reading somewhere that a Miata is pretty noisy to hear knock well.

The miata can take a lot more knock than anyone realizes and still keep kicking. My 2002 had engine knock for 4-5 months due to a bad fuel filter. Yes, it will wear out faster, but it is still kicking at 112K miles.

So, I think it is reasonable to assume that a hundred miles of knock, of which most are off boost, are not going to kill the engine.
Stephanie

I don't see it like that. ANY knock is enough to kill the engine. We'll just to to agree to disagree on that one.

With out a sanity check like a WB02, I would be ultra conservative when it comes to timing. But I'm not the tuner here.

So stephany... like the owner said: How do you open up the turbine section???

Maybe opening this will tell more off the cause...
Does it cause any loss of warrenty??

@ Spookyfish:

If the head is ok,
Just buy the 323 engine... Take it to a welder to weld the hole in the oil pump... Just switsch out the oil pan, oil pickup and the waterpump inlet (piece of cake) and call it a day...
Even it the engine has more more then 60.000 miles... Il would still be better for your money...

If you buy 2 pistons + honing and piston rings + labour, it will cost you a lot...
With this engine it's easy... Youll be driving around for less then 500euro's...

Removing engine , fitting new engine: 1 day work (I ve done it, so anyone with some experiance with miata's should pull it off in 1 day... (guess: 300euro)
Youll need a headgasket and some oil pan seallant. (any 94-05 1.8 head gasket will do.)
Sealant : go to lasaulec (or any partshop). Ask for locktide (don't know what nr). It's blue.

You might want to change rollers, waterpump and front+rear crankgasket while your at it.
Also get a new timing beld...

Je kan ook de kleine staarman bellen, deze hebben veel mx5 motoren liggen. (je moet er een hebben van 94-97, en heb je de olie aansluiting aan de inlaat??
Zo niet MOET je een blok hebben van 94-95.5 VRAAG DAN OOK OM DIE AANSLUITING!!!!!
Heb er mijn kop vandaan voor 250euro...Ben je ook klaar.
Als je wat nodig hebt moet je het zeggen... Kom vaak bij koks in ijmuiden (mx5 specialist...) Kan misschien wel een leuk prijsje regelen.

I ran it way less than 100 miles before trouble. So either a) any knock can kill the engine in no time or b) I had foreign object damage or c) either a or b or a and b with a piston on the verge of collapse*

*) head job done 6 months ago due to off-timing belt. Most valves were replaces, but possibly some piston damage was done.

Either way, I will put the car back together in good shape: MSPNP, IAT, LC1/WBO2, large Mitsumoto radiator + 2x12" fans, i/c, etc.

I will get new con rods, pistons. Head is probably OK but will be checked and maybe flowed a bit. Crank will be balanced, as will the flywheel. Will get ACT clutch. Engine may go on Superflow test stand - cost pending.

Turbo is off to a turbo specialist for diagnostics/repair. Even if I open the turbo up myself, I won't be able to tell if it is OK.

Steph: please quote me the I/C, injectors, etc like I e-mailed.

if you never heard any knock then perhaps i am wrong. but for me to elimate my knock at 7psi, i had to set the base timing to 7* BTDC in conjunction with the msd box pulling an additional 6*.

did you ever drive with the top up? because you will never hear any knock with the top down.

my suggestion for when you get it put back together is to install a WBO2 ASAP and retard the timing significantly. just my 2 cents.

good luck.

On with the rebuild:
https://www.miataturbo.net/forum/showthread.php?t=25084

:lockd: