My Miata...

[simontibbett]

Cool. Hope you get it fixed up and running soon. Hows the Skip Barber thing work? I thought it was just a driver education program.

I'ld go for budget turbo kit for a bit more track power.

They have racing schools, graduate from the 3 day school and you get your SCCA license. Then they have formula and MX5 series, with a ladder program, allowing drivers with talent to earn funded rides and move up. People like Marco Andretti ran in this program some.

[simontibbett]

Ok well update.

I decided to take a chance and take the head off a used motor I bought, put it on my bottom end. I cleaned it very well, all new gaskets, blah blah, well finally got it all back together, and it was knocking (bottom end) so now have to pull my bottom end out and put the head on the used engine I bought. Plus swap over all the other stuff and put it back in. Hopefully it will be done Thursday, this weather has dampened my progress, I bought new headgasket (again), rear main seal, crank seal, tstat gasket, water pump, blahhhh you name it. Anything outside of the motor is new lol.

So I will start putting it all together and drop the new engine in. Maybe take it to the mountains this weekend and beat its ***. Doing something extreme with it, it's my birthday weekend.

[redrumracer]

well hopefully youll get it done, maybe you should take it to the dyno day.

[simontibbett]

Oh yeah I forgot about that, I may show up.

[simontibbett]

Oh and I have some extremely weird goodies coming for it lol.

[simontibbett]

March 4, 2009:

Got the old engine out with tranny and everything, cleaned engine bay real well, and will begin swapping parts over to the new motor. Should all be done today (5th) and back on the road.

[Pitt]

Oh and I have some extremely weird goodies coming for it lol.

Glowing sniper hood scoops?

Metal Diamond plated floor mats???:biggrin:

[simontibbett]

Better.

[Pitt]

Your getting it wrapped and advertising for soulja boy?

[simontibbett]

Update on the stupid piece of ****:

-Found a broken destroyed pilot bearing, put new one in. Had to run around for an hour to find a stupid little bearing. I call AutoZone:

"Yeah I am seeing if you all have a pilot bearing for a 1990 Mazda Miata?"
"Ok one moment..." (Guy on phone)..."it's a rotary right?"
"Ummm no M-I-A-T-A it has a 1.6 I-4..."
"Oh ok, well some came with rotaries...but yeah I have two in stock."

LMFAO um NO YOU DUMB ****.

Anyway this is the AutoZone across town so I drive all the way over there, downtown is a MAD HOUSE for some reason, get there, nope we don't have any in stock I will order you one. NO THANKS!

Advance had 12 (it's a generic bearing anyway) for $5.00 so got one.

-THEN I am getting ready to put the crank pulley on and it doesn't work, because mine is short nose this is long. ******* roadblock again.

-PLUS the front crank seal I bought doesn't fit, so I have to order a new one.

SO, I got the head on, waterpump, starter, alt, etc etc. I still have a Miata on jack stands with a tranny laying there, a bottom end, now a motor, etc.

So much trouble for so little fun.

[simontibbett]

Ok. UPDATE.

Got the parts I needed thanks for a member on here in a very quick fashion and it was all I needed.

Engine is now in the car as of Saturday morning, was my birthday and girlfriend stayed here all weekend so car goes last, took a break from it, will continue finishing it up tomorrow I hope.

[simontibbett]

UPDATE:

Got the car started Monday night, it was running rough and on jack stands so I couldn't drive it but it started, no knocks, no weird noises or smoke.

Drove the car yesterday, ran great, very nice power, feels quicker then previous engine. Somehow my front seal is leaking like a ***** and it's brand new, I guess I will put another in and see what happens.

[amaff]

you sure you have the right front main for the crank you have? did it fit snug or was there a gap? I ask because when I ordered my oil pump from mazdaspeed here's what I had on a long nose crank (it was a big nose oil pump):


It should be a pretty snug fit. In fact, I broke my first, correct main seal sliding it on the crank b/c I didn't lurb everything up and it got caught on the lip of the crank. fail.

[simontibbett]

Yeah I had the right one, fit real snug, but who knows I could have put it in a tad bit crooked and it tore or bound up. I will have to check. It's not POURING out oil but a nice drip when running. Shouldn't be too bad to swap them back out.

[simontibbett]

Update:

Nothing much to update lol, waiting for a fix on the coolant leak, put in a gauge pod under the radio, and it should be running safely in a few days. It runs GREAT though, idles smooth, runs smooth, has really nice power for a NA 1.6, feels a lot stronger then my old motor.