miata motor swap

Blindeye_03 · Apr 25, 2005

Anyone here have experience w/ swapping a 1.8L into a older Miata that came w/ the 1.6L?

-justin

Prodigy · Apr 25, 2005

Send a PM to KCBHIW

kcbhiw · Apr 25, 2005

I'm planning on doing it in my ES car. It's surprisingly less intimindating than it appears. Whacha need to know?

Blindeye_03 · Apr 25, 2005

i need to know where the hoses go LOL... we cut all of mine and well, i hope everything finds a way back to the heater core/radiator like before :-/. We ripped stuff off and cut hoses like crazy trying to get the 1.6L out... LOL, we should have taken pictures first of how its supposed to look w/ the motor back IN...except the motor wont have a few things, like EGR, and...

*** I need to locate a place to put the oil cooler line (where do I tap that)?

-justin

Rogue · Apr 26, 2005

I was actually talking to Kevin about that the other day. Says everything mounts up the same except you'll need to adapt the throttle body from the 1.6 to the 1.8. Right, Kevin?

kcbhiw · Apr 26, 2005

As far has coolant hoses, the ones for the radiator should be obvious. The line from the water neck on the front of the engine goes to the top most port on the radiator while the lower water neck off of the water pump goes to the lower most port on the radiator.

For the heater core, the driver's side port goes to the coolant bypass tube that runs the length of the block (behind the manifold/header) while the passenger side HC port goes to a small water neck on the back of the engine.

As for the oil cooler, you'll probably have to look into a remote mount oil filter system of some sort. All of the oil taps in the block won't provide enough flow through an oil cooler to make any substantial difference.

You'll have to use the 1.6L TB in that the TPS sensor on the 1.8L TB is not compatible with the 1.6L ECU. That said, instead of rigging up some crazy adapter plate to interchange the TPS sensors, you'll need to manufacture or purchase an adaptor plate. Additionally, you'll have to extend the wires for the CAS (since that is mounted on the 1.8L's exhaust cam VS. the 1.6L's intake cam). Flyin' Miata makes a kit with all of the necessary components: http://www.flyinmiata.com/index.php?deptid=4535&parentid=0&stocknumber=04-70500%20%201994-97

HTH.

Blindeye_03 · Apr 26, 2005

kcbhiw said:
As far has coolant hoses, the ones for the radiator should be obvious. The line from the water neck on the front of the engine goes to the top most port on the radiator while the lower water neck off of the water pump goes to the lower most port on the radiator.

For the heater core, the driver's side port goes to the coolant bypass tube that runs the length of the block (behind the manifold/header) while the passenger side HC port goes to a small water neck on the back of the engine.

As for the oil cooler, you'll probably have to look into a remote mount oil filter system of some sort. All of the oil taps in the block won't provide enough flow through an oil cooler to make any substantial difference.

You'll have to use the 1.6L TB in that the TPS sensor on the 1.8L TB is not compatible with the 1.6L ECU. That said, instead of rigging up some crazy adapter plate to interchange the TPS sensors, you'll need to manufacture or purchase an adaptor plate. Additionally, you'll have to extend the wires for the CAS (since that is mounted on the 1.8L's exhaust cam VS. the 1.6L's intake cam). Flyin' Miata makes a kit with all of the necessary components: http://www.flyinmiata.com/index.php?deptid=4535&parentid=0&stocknumber=04-70500%20%201994-97

HTH.

Well I have the flyin miata kit for the 1.8 -> 1.6 conversion...so everything is going smooth (but its a STEEP learning curve for me). I just dont know where to tap the oil cooler line that is coming out of the front of the cooler...

Does coolant run through it or does oil? Can I just tap into my overflow resivor line and work that way? I assume coolant is coming in from the back and out through the front...

I need this car running in two days

and I have about $40 to my name right now...

kcbhiw · Apr 26, 2005

Do you have any pictures of this cooler? Who made it?

Blindeye_03 · Apr 26, 2005

kcbhiw said:
Do you have any pictures of this cooler? Who made it?

its OEM

kcbhiw · Apr 26, 2005

Blindeye_03 said:
its OEM

Ohhhh, I forgot the 1.8L's came with a sandwich style cooler. I was thinking some external aftermarket cooler.

Those are coolant lines, not oil lines. Just run a pair of hoses around to the heater core. Just a sec and I'll draw a pic for ya.

kcbhiw · Apr 26, 2005

kcbhiw said:
Ohhhh, I forgot the 1.8L's came with a sandwich style cooler. I was thinking some external aftermarket cooler.

Those are coolant lines, not oil lines. Just run a pair of hoses around to the heater core. Just a sec and I'll draw a pic for ya.

The red lines are hoses you need to run. The blue line is the original routing to the heater core.

My MSPaint skills dominate!

Blindeye_03 · Apr 26, 2005

kcbhiw said:
The red lines are hoses you need to run. The blue line is the original routing to the heater core.

My MSPaint skills dominate!

well the hose at the front top of the cooler ran to something at the front of the engine bay. I just dont know if its a feed line or a return line.

-justin

kcbhiw · Apr 26, 2005

Blindeye_03 said:
well the hose at the front top of the cooler ran to something at the front of the engine bay. I just dont know if its a feed line or a return line.

-justin

Hey Justin,

I haven't a clue on that one. However, if worst comes to worst, there is no harm in not connecting the coolant lines to the oil cooler. You could save that for a later day if need be. Just temporarily connect all of the coolant lines (4) like that of the 1.6L to get you around.

Blindeye_03 · Apr 27, 2005

I think we figured it out... but now I am left with trying to decide if I should use my 1.6 fuel rail harness on my 1.8 fuel rail b/c stuff just isnt plugging up at all... I like how they mention this in the "performance projects" book I have... maybe this is because my engine is a 97, but I have no clue. All I know is after this I am done w/ doing things on my car. Never again will I touch the engine EVER. (dunno)

Rogue · Apr 27, 2005

when you get it all patched up, you need to come out the meet next month!!

JITB · Apr 27, 2005

Blindeye_03 said:
I think we figured it out... but now I am left with trying to decide if I should use my 1.6 fuel rail harness on my 1.8 fuel rail b/c stuff just isnt plugging up at all... I like how they mention this in the "performance projects" book I have... maybe this is because my engine is a 97, but I have no clue. All I know is after this I am done w/ doing things on my car. Never again will I touch the engine EVER. (dunno)

The 1.6 fuel rail, is alot smaller thant the BP fuel rail. So i know the harness is gonna be a lil smaller. Ive got a BP fuel rail harness, sitting in my garage. If you want it. Cuz i know u will prob need it. I also have the rail as well..

dont give up...once u feel the difference and the BP POWAH..u will want more.. (bowdown)

kcbhiw · Apr 27, 2005

Use the 1.6L harness. It should have enough play in it to reach each of the injectors. The 1.8L injectors are plug and play with the 1.6L ecu (I'm using them on my turbo 1.6).

JITB · Apr 27, 2005

nevermind...if the 1.6 harness doesnt work...i got a backup for ya..

Blindeye_03 · Apr 28, 2005

kcbhiw said:
Use the 1.6L harness. It should have enough play in it to reach each of the injectors. The 1.8L injectors are plug and play with the 1.6L ecu (I'm using them on my turbo 1.6).

I got the engine running

but its VERY rough...gotta set the idle tomorrow along w/ the timing...will post back tomorrow

.

-justin

JITB · Apr 28, 2005

good to hear..

miata motor swap

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