WTB 1.8L engine

[GraffitiPanda]

Im gonna need a new engine here soon i just feel it... so if anyone knows of a complete 1.8 with all the fixins let me know.. i don't have a TON to spend... but if the deals good i can make payments worst come to worst.

i need all necessary parts for the swap.
i don't know what all that consists of so help me out plz!

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

What's feeling wrong with your current one mate?

[GraffitiPanda]

BUUUUMP! HEEEEELP! HEEEELP! need motor!

[GraffitiPanda]

What's feeling wrong with your current one mate?


like a dumb *** when i first got it... i started running synthetic... well its made the rings and seals wear down much faster.. its now back at 10w-30 regular and after just changing the oil yesterday is getting a little valve tick upon start up :(

plus its a 1.6 <- FAIL!

im just about ready to just got buy a brand new one from Mazda and drop it in ITS EXPECIVE but finding a decent 1.8 for under $500 with everything you need is like digging tough dog **** for a penny (the only ones need WAY TO MUCH TO BE WORTH BUYING.)

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

I assume you've asked Kurt right?

Have you thought of just having it rebuilt and maybe tuned up a bit? Tommy is more than capable of building up a 1.6 at his shop.

[GraffitiPanda]

eh... theres very little the 1.6 is capable of unless i boost it...

im going to look Thursday at a rx-7 for $400 so i might just put the miata aside as a project car soon... but believe me the heart will still all be in my little mx5

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

:lol: a $400 rx7 and you think the Miata is gonna be the project car????

[Roadster]

Lol, what's wrong with the 1.6? Having driven a few of both, I wouldn't want a 1.8. Whatever it has over the 1.6 in numbers, it lacks in feel. And having run 1.6 against 1.8 quite a few times, the 1.8 only pulled a car from 50-110.

I'd say buy a cheap 1.6 and do a budget rebuild. Shave the head a bit, good valve job, get some better cams, get a Megasquirt so you can rev the **** out of it, and pwn 1.8's all day long.

My stock-engined 1.6 can take most 1.8's right now as it is. The magic of drastic weight reduction...:P

And valve tick on cold start isn't a problem. Is it smoking out the pipe?

[GraffitiPanda]

Maybe I'll do that. The rx7 will be the beat the shut out of drift car. I'll just take it to events... If it dies... Oh well..

[jesseealexander]

dont waste your money on a p.o.s rx7 if youre trying to find a budget motor for the miata....

[metalman]

Uhh a 1.6 is a great engine. Having owned a couple swapped cars I wouldnt do it.
IMHO, and in my experience, the 1.6 is the most reliable of all the Miata engines.
As Tommy says, it has great 'feel', much happier then a 1.8. I own both, and have owned
many. I prefer the 1.6 all day long. In fact, I'd take an early NA over any Miata yet offered.

I dont have any 1.8s, I do have an early 1.6, seemed to run okay, I never drove it, just ran it in my garage before I pulled it. And yeah...adding a pos RX7 to your stable will suck up all your cash. Beater Rx cars are 'rotorius' for eating through wallets a dime at a time. My .02

[miataspeed69]

If your car leaks a little bit of oil who cares just check it every week and add when needed. my car ticks all the time on start up but goes away quickly. if it ticks for a long time check the oil but im sure your motor will run for a bit longer.

[GraffitiPanda]

I'm just gonna buy some toda racing guts for the 1.6 and call it a day till I boost it. And as for the rx7 it's going to be a beater... If it dies it's staying where it died... (shrug) $400 ad all it needs is a starter and who needs that when there are plenty of hills to park on :)

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Meh 1.6 fanboys, I much prefer the feel of the 1.8 :P

[GraffitiPanda]

If your car leaks a little bit of oil who cares just check it every week and add when needed. my car ticks all the time on start up but goes away quickly. if it ticks for a long time check the oil but im sure your motor will run for a bit longer.


WOW ok no offense... if your car leaks oil fix it... just filling it all the time doesn't help... just makes it worse... mines not burning or leaking.

NEVER EVER make that suggestion unless its a beater *** honda you paid $500 for.... I'm a mechanic... if its broken... im gonna fix it... mines not broken i just prepare for the worst... "its better to be safe than sorry" <-that applies to cars 99% of the time.

now if your don't have the $$ to fix it then save up... nothing worse than letting a mole hill turn into a mountain.

[GraffitiPanda]

Uhh a 1.6 is a great engine. Having owned a couple swapped cars I wouldnt do it.
IMHO, and in my experience, the 1.6 is the most reliable of all the Miata engines.
As Tommy says, it has great 'feel', much happier then a 1.8. I own both, and have owned
many. I prefer the 1.6 all day long. In fact, I'd take an early NA over any Miata yet offered.

I dont have any 1.8s, I do have an early 1.6, seemed to run okay, I never drove it, just ran it in my garage before I pulled it. And yeah...adding a pos RX7 to your stable will suck up all your cash. Beater Rx cars are 'rotorius' for eating through wallets a dime at a time. My .02



1.6 fanboy or not... if M.M. says to stick with the 1.6 its probably the better choice.... come on hes like 94 years old! he knows his ****! J/P man :P

[RotorNutFD3S]

His suggestion sounded more like he was saying keep up with the oil status if you were leaking until you replaced your engine. No need to jump down his throat.

Also, I find it hard to believe that you think that synthetic oil "ruined" your engine. There's a HUGE community of Miata owners that run synthetic with no problems, most are turbo Miata owners. I know my car has run with synthetic since around 15k miles, at almost 100k now, and the inside of it is beautiful, still silver, and no deposits.
Now on the other hand, if you hammer on your car all the time and are having oil issues, that's more believable.

You're probably getting tick now because synthetic coats metal a LOT better than traditional oils. A lot of HLA Miatas tick on startup anyway, until the oil coats the assembly really well. If you want to stay with traditional, try a thicker oil.

[GraffitiPanda]

i did 20-50 perfect for summer but 10-30 works for winter best in my opinion. I wasn't jumping down his throat sorry that just how i talk.. ask around :P (sorry if it seemed pissy)

but.. anyone will tell you synthetic wasn't meant for the seals found in early NA models (OBD1) it can wear at the seals and rings over time... i may just drop some lukus oil in bit by bit to replenish it.

either way just for safe measure replacing the valve train pistons and camshafts all with toda racing parts plus that alone make the 1.6 purr like a horny cat! and we all love a stimulated Miata rite! :)

i do have a question the 1.6 early NA models were the B6 engine rite not the BP rite?

[RotorNutFD3S]

Yes, B6 is 90-93.

And no, not anyone will tell me that. In fact, the majority of people that deal with these cars on a regular basis will tell you that running synthetic is just fine. Corky Bell and Flyin' Miata are two that come to mind real fast, and they both know these cars better than just about anyone else. Searching on all the Miata forums I could think of brought some arguments, but the baseline of it all said, it's ok, it's more of a matter of can you afford to run it? Your reasoning with the seals and rings ONLY applies if you have a pre-existing problem, which needs to be taken care of anyway.

High performance Miata (read turbo, s/c, or stonger n/a build)? Take this to a place like miataturbo.net and see the overwhelming disagreement that you get. Why? Because it definitely does a better job than regular in higher heat applications. And alot of the turbo cars there are OBDI. I'll take some pictures of my cylinder head taken apart, everything is in perfect shape.

I bet you're just being a little overparanoid about the HLAs ticking, and it's nothing uncommon.

[metalman]

Synthetic oil works fine, great in fact. I just dont like it because its too costly.
I run Rotella 15/40. If its good enough for a turbo diesel 18 wheeler its
good enough for my 1.6
In our climate I find it to work well in Miatas.

[metalman]

1.6 fanboy or not... if M.M. says to stick with the 1.6 its probably the better choice.... come on hes like 94 years old! he knows his ****! J/P man :P


I am only 89. Get your math straight dickweed! :lol:

[silver280zx]

After driving both a 1.6 and a 1.8, the 1.6 converted me. I used to be stuck on the 1.8, but after buying a 1.6, i just love the feel of it. Really the motors are pretty close, but the 1.6 just feels happier on topend. The powerband doesnt drop off as fast. A supercharger would be great on it.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

After driving both a 1.6 and a 1.8, the 1.6 converted me. I used to be stuck on the 1.8, but after buying a 1.6, i just love the feel of it. Really the motors are pretty close, but the 1.6 just feels happier on topend. The powerband doesnt drop off as fast. A supercharger would be great on it.


I need a yapping smiley because that just ain't true! My car pulled on you top end and feels more fun at the low end!

[silver280zx]

We need to go again, I just did a tune up, and it made a huge difference. My spark plug gap was .065, and the electrodes were almost gone, and the gas coming out of my fuel filter looked like brown brush on paint primer. And you inched on my car, you didnt walk off, lol

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Tyler mate you got the start on me and I passed you before we had to let off...

I agree that there's very little ultimate difference but you were complaining about the feel of the 1.6 thinking the throttle cable wasn't tight enough or that something was holding the power back. And now all of a sudden you prefer it?

[GraffitiPanda]

Yes, B6 is 90-93.

And no, not anyone will tell me that. In fact, the majority of people that deal with these cars on a regular basis will tell you that running synthetic is just fine. Corky Bell and Flyin' Miata are two that come to mind real fast, and they both know these cars better than just about anyone else. Searching on all the Miata forums I could think of brought some arguments, but the baseline of it all said, it's ok, it's more of a matter of can you afford to run it? Your reasoning with the seals and rings ONLY applies if you have a pre-existing problem, which needs to be taken care of anyway.

High performance Miata (read turbo, s/c, or stonger n/a build)? Take this to a place like miataturbo.net and see the overwhelming disagreement that you get. Why? Because it definitely does a better job than regular in higher heat applications. And alot of the turbo cars there are OBDI. I'll take some pictures of my cylinder head taken apart, everything is in perfect shape.

I bet you're just being a little overparanoid about the HLAs ticking, and it's nothing uncommon.


"anyone will tell you that" was refering to me talking like an *******...

synthetic isn't worth the $$... you'll never get the full mileage your supposed to from synthetic unless your boosted or you drive newer or mazdaspeep edition. just my opinion.

[Doppelgänger]

I had a similar problem with my 96 when i switched to synthetic ! 130,000 miles. The front main seal, CAS and valve cover gasket started leaking. BY that age, syn. is too slippery for the seals and gets around them. If the engine is smoking any, it's because it's getting by the valve seals.

If I were you, i'd go out and buy 8 quarts of Valvoline MaxLife. Do a oil and filter change, drive the car for 500mi and change the oil again. Drive for 2000mi and change oil again. Then just keep using MaxLife. The stuff works, I used it in my FC and it pretty much stopped all of the leaky seals. It's not expensive either... but the RedLine oil i use now is :(

[jesseealexander]

youre retarded. your car has WAYYYYY less miles than mine did and youre freaking out about lifter click and saying you need a new motor and new valvetrain and stuff. just drive the damn car. theres nothing wrong with lifter click and theres nothing wrong with synthetic oil. except for what mike said. it doesnt rot seals or anything, it simply leaks through them because it is a thinner oil. oil leaks really arent a big deal unless its a BIG oil leak. my miata leaked a little out of the cam seals and front main, but it wasnt even enough to drip. i could have easily done the cam seals, but i figured id wait til i did the timing belt and replace ALL the seals. i wasnt about to touch the front main on a '90 1.6 unless i had to.

[GraffitiPanda]

ok let's ***** about something els to me now... Waaaahhh

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Jesse speaks some truth, even if he did so in not the most polite of ways but I assume that's because you're mates already. I'm fine with banter but abusing people you haven't met isn't any good, we need a nice environment to make sure people stay here. Once we're huge and taking over the world we can beat the **** out of each other.

[GraffitiPanda]

ijust type what I think probubly not healthy

[jesseealexander]

^^ lol same here. nick knows theres no real hard feelings :)

[silver280zx]

Bah, whatever jack, you didnt blow my doors off, you inched. lol. Its not worth argueing with a moderator over it anyway. But anyway, point being, the 1.6 is a great motor.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

It is a great motor and I didn't say I blew your doors off but it was more than inching, feeting maybe :lol:

[Roadster]

*Supermod arbitrator*

Quit *****ing kids.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Don't you sass me supermod, I have access to admin cp!

[GraffitiPanda]

^^ lol same here. nick knows theres no real hard feelings :)

yeah besides... Jesse drives a bimmer.... he just wants to play with the Barbie cars still (you know ya miss it!) well maybe not YOUR 2nd MIATA

[Roadster]

Alright, I'm gonna go ahead and be the ****** that points this out...

Bimmer = car. Beamer = bike.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

:rolleyes: ******..... :lol:

[silver280zx]

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

[Roadster]

Yeah yeah. If this had been a BMW forum he would have been mauled and castrated for it.

[GraffitiPanda]

happy? i fixed it...

[Roadster]

I'm just rattlin' yer cage. ;)

[Doppelgänger]

You ****ers still bickering over here?

Nick, just run some MaxLife through the engine to help the seals. If your seals aren't leaking, change your oil to Rotella 15-50 and the lifter tick will go away... eventhough it's normal.

[MeFryRice]

That's what I'm saying. Everyone is arguing like a bunch of school girls. :)