I have a 2013 CX-5 Grand Touring and I’m looking to do an engine swap to give it some more power. Anyone got suggestions?
CX-5 Engine Swap?
- Thread starter Trappedllama
- Start date
Antoine
Administrator
Going to chime in here to say...If you wish to respond, please don't simply post "get a different vehicle"...Let's try to actually provide related suggestions, thanks!
Ps...I would be very interested to know if anyone has or if any engines might be realistically swappable.
How about Mazda's own turbocharged 2.5L four?
Ps...I would be very interested to know if anyone has or if any engines might be realistically swappable.
How about Mazda's own turbocharged 2.5L four?
The “get a different vehicle” response may not be welcome but for the vast majority of situations, it is the correct one. Once you get beyond basic intake/exhaust mods that may slightly improve performance, costs escalate to the point it makes no economic sense compared to simply trading for another car. Exceptions might be where you are a good mechanic with ready access to tools, engine hoists, lifts, etc. and/or you have a line on bargain used parts. Or where you simply want a challenging project.
I have no idea if a 2.5t is an easy bolt-in for the 2.5 engine.... I’d be surprised if it also doesn’t involve major fabrication and adaptation of engine systems to the old chassis.
- Mark
I have no idea if a 2.5t is an easy bolt-in for the 2.5 engine.... I’d be surprised if it also doesn’t involve major fabrication and adaptation of engine systems to the old chassis.
- Mark
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- Plano, Texas, USA
I agree. OP seems to be wanting to swap his 2.0L to 2.5L, for 29-hp gain. Although it seems simple, but with computerized control on almost every thing nowadays, there may be a lot more to be involved. That’s why very few people would try it even on seemly simple 2.0L to 2.5L mainly due to the cost, and it’s going to be hard to find any information for the project.
Converting a 2.5L to 2.5T will be even more complicated. Mazda itself has to put bigger brakes and stronger transmission, in addition to the turbo charger.
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- Canada
@Trappedllama, you're going to need to provide a lot more information in order to get more helpful answers.
Do you have experience with swapping an engine, or are you planning to have an engine shop do the work? What is the purpose of the car, i.e. is it going to be a daily driver, track vehicle, or something else? Have you considered a custom aftermarket FI setup to add power instead of doing an engine swap? Is the car FWD or AWD? Have you done any modifications/upgrades to the car or is it bone stock?
Do you have experience with swapping an engine, or are you planning to have an engine shop do the work? What is the purpose of the car, i.e. is it going to be a daily driver, track vehicle, or something else? Have you considered a custom aftermarket FI setup to add power instead of doing an engine swap? Is the car FWD or AWD? Have you done any modifications/upgrades to the car or is it bone stock?
I definitely want to do something challenging for myself. I have been looking at putting a 2.5L turbocharged Subaru Boxer engine for the WRX STI. I’m willing to make any other changes to the car that may be needed. I really just want to know if this will work or not.
Putting a Subaru Boxer engine in a CX-5?
How would you begin to even drop it in?
And what about trying to mate it to a Mazda tranny?
That would require some serious engineering. I just don't see that happening.
The Mazda 2.5 sounds like a safer bet.
How would you begin to even drop it in?
And what about trying to mate it to a Mazda tranny?
That would require some serious engineering. I just don't see that happening.
The Mazda 2.5 sounds like a safer bet.
Like I said, I am willing to do any other changes to the car the are needed included a transmission swap. Which will probably be necessary.
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- Canada
Do you have a budget in mind? You can put any engine in any vehicle if you throw enough time and money at the project. So I guess to answer your question with the additional info provided, yes, you can probably put a 2.5T Boxer in the CX-5, but you'll probably need a ton of custom parts, fabrication, and electrical work done, and at the end of it, it may not even be street legal (if that matters).
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- Mazda CX-9 Signature
So essentially you want to swap the STi drivetrain to CX-5 for the goal of more power? It is definitely interesting and I hope you can pull it off but it doesn't sound like a good plan with the amount of money, time, & labor you have to pour into this project. But in short, I do not recall seeing on this forum of any engine swap from 2.5L to 2.5T let alone other engines.
Please do start a progress thread/youtube channel if you decide to move forward. I will be first to subscribe
Please do start a progress thread/youtube channel if you decide to move forward. I will be first to subscribe
I saw a blog where a guy dropped a small block chevy V8 in a Miata. It took a year or so with a lot of welding and rebuilding but he made it work. I think he pulled the computer and wiring out of a Corvette along with the engine. I think he ended up with a heat problem if he pushed it hard, wasn't enough enough room for needed airflow to keep it cool.
how much more power are you looking for? how much money you got?
an ecu tune on the 2.0 would probably get you close to stock 2.5 power levels.
theres always NOS.
or custom turbo/supercharger.
i would look into that personally before thinking about swaps.
an ecu tune on the 2.0 would probably get you close to stock 2.5 power levels.
theres always NOS.
or custom turbo/supercharger.
i would look into that personally before thinking about swaps.
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- Mazda CX-9 Signature
Slapping on charger is "easy" but beefing up the internals, axles, trans and diff is gonna be really really difficult.
I would rather vote for rwd turbo k swap. Parts are readily available, easy to source, and relatively cheap to replace.
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- 2014 CX-5 Touring
Go on YouTube and check out the channel Gingium, with the build series where he put an entire WRX STi engine and AWD drivetrain into a Miata. LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of fabrication. In order to keep the original front end body panels (whole front end had to be angled upwards slightly, with custom extended fenders), he had to mount the whole cooling system with radiator and fans in the back of the car. That's because of the Boxer-4 layout, which requires the entire engine to sit ahead of the front axles. Most transverse I4 engine cars have the engine just a touch forward of the front axles. You would almost certainly have no room for the radiator if you tried to put a Boxer-4 and AWD drivetrain into a CX-5.
Just something to think about.
1. Sell the CX-5.
2. Buy an Outback Sport or another Subaru crossover. Ideally, find something pre-2003 for maximum lightness.
3. Swap an STi drivetrain into that.
Subaru drivetrains do not swap into anything besides other Subarus easily, except maybe old air cooled VWs and Porsches, and even those require fabrication work.
2. Buy an Outback Sport or another Subaru crossover. Ideally, find something pre-2003 for maximum lightness.
3. Swap an STi drivetrain into that.
Subaru drivetrains do not swap into anything besides other Subarus easily, except maybe old air cooled VWs and Porsches, and even those require fabrication work.
right, it all depends on how much extra “power” the op is looking for. if its sti levels, the drivetrain would probably need beefing up.
though, a turbo k-swap would probably be more reliable than an sti at the same power levels.
i myself am looking at a k-swap for my na miata eventually...
My coworker "plopped" a Chevy LS1 with a turbo into his Miata.
The amount of custom fabrication was crazy, but it was a badass car.
Not sure if he had heat issues, but I know he hit the road coarse a few times with it.
Like others have said, if you have the time and money, you can probably install (almost) any drivetrain into the CX5.
*IF* you have a 2.0l engine, a 2.5 swap is both relatively practical and doable, even if your have an AWD CX-5. As best as I can tell, the trannys are the same. That would be a very noticeable 20% increase on power. You will need to have the ECU reflashed. An EcuTek tuner is likely your best option.
Dynotronics in TX has been making noise about a rear mount turbo kit (replaces muffler, adds long tubes) for ND Miatas. They may have shipped a few kits for NCs, by now. You could expect 75 to 100 HP for ~$4000-$4500 and it should pass 49-state emissions. Somebody is pushing for a CX-5 adaption.
With the longitudinal crankshaft and wide engine, a Subaru swap would require the Subaru tranny and undoubtedly would not function with the Mazda ECU (that runs the instrument panel), nor line up with the suspension. AWD might not be possible.
You might build a custom Skyactive-G engine. A 2.5l MZR has been bored and stroked and ported to 2.7l. I think it made over 250 HP, but cost over $10k. Call Joe at Dynotronics.
You must not have done an engine swap before now.
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- 2014 CX-5 Touring
The difference, though, is that Miatas are already RWD, and V8 engines tend to fit quite well in the engine bay, especially GM LS and Ford Coyote engines. The length is about the same as the I4, and the width of the V engine is about the same as the I4 engine with the intake and exhaust manifolds included.
Would be much, much harder to put that into a CX5, or any FWD car. A few people have done Vette engines in Civic hatchbacks (Civette), but with that there's barely a shell of the original car left once it's done.
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First, I think you meant Miatas are RWD.
Second, I agree it would be a lot of work to get something like that to fit/work in a CX5.
A RWD, Turbo V8 CX5 would be pretty cool though.
