So the gearbox is fixing... then this happens...
So the gearbox is fixing... then this happens...
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piefacemate

Original Poster:

592 posts

195 months

Sunday 5th June 2011
quotequote all
Seems my troubles are far from over. Having destroyed the gearbox with some airbourne action I finally get around to having it fixed, only to destroy the engine.

Long story short, at the end of a 200mi journey theres a slight knocking from the engine. I figure its eaten a bit of oil, as it does, and go to top it up only to find the sump is next to full. Progressively the knocking worsens; one crankshaft bites the dust would be my best guess, can't see what else it could be.

So Saturday was spent driving to Marlow to collect the can with a rented flatbed before returning it to Bury, a good 15 hours of driving the sttest transit flatbed imaginable.

So all in all a poor month for me. One new XJ8 being fitted, and one dead MX5 engine needing replacement.

frown

Munter

31,330 posts

265 months

Sunday 5th June 2011
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I guess teh jump did more damage than just the gearbox.

Someone pointed out a 1.6 engine for £80 on e-bay the other day. Link was in the "is a MK1 worth a project" thread.

piefacemate

Original Poster:

592 posts

195 months

Sunday 5th June 2011
quotequote all
Not sure I'd trust an £80 eBay special to be honest. Besides, the cost is in the labour and mapping not the engine.

Assuming I go with another MX5 engine... evil

maser_spyder

6,356 posts

206 months

Sunday 5th June 2011
quotequote all
piefacemate said:
Not sure I'd trust an £80 eBay special to be honest. Besides, the cost is in the labour and mapping not the engine.

Assuming I go with another MX5 engine... evil


yesyesyes

Mr MXT

7,774 posts

307 months

Sunday 5th June 2011
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Crappy news Chris. Ive always pondered what I'd do if (when?) mine goes bang. I was thinking an mx5 engine with forged internals, but cant help think an SR20DET would be more reliable...

piefacemate

Original Poster:

592 posts

195 months

Sunday 5th June 2011
quotequote all
maser_spyder said:
piefacemate said:
Not sure I'd trust an £80 eBay special to be honest. Besides, the cost is in the labour and mapping not the engine.

Assuming I go with another MX5 engine... evil


yesyesyes
Doesn't appeal, I'd be concern that it'd screw with the handling too much, not to mention the cost involved!

Then again, the noise... evil

piefacemate

Original Poster:

592 posts

195 months

Sunday 5th June 2011
quotequote all
Mr MXT said:
Crappy news Chris. Ive always pondered what I'd do if (when?) mine goes bang. I was thinking an mx5 engine with forged internals, but cant help think an SR20DET would be more reliable...
A five engine with internals seems the most logical choice, but must admit, I'd like something with a little more character. Hadn't considering the SR20; are they an easy fit? I believe that 300BHP is attainable on standard innards?

Currently leading the fantasy list for its next powerplant is a 13B turbo. There's a few in existence and they're very powerful, but I'm not certain how much work's involved. Then again, my garage of choice is an RX7 specialist with 20years of experience, so if anyone can make it happen...

Mr MXT

7,774 posts

307 months

Sunday 5th June 2011
quotequote all
piefacemate said:
Mr MXT said:
Crappy news Chris. Ive always pondered what I'd do if (when?) mine goes bang. I was thinking an mx5 engine with forged internals, but cant help think an SR20DET would be more reliable...
A five engine with internals seems the most logical choice, but must admit, I'd like something with a little more character. Hadn't considering the SR20; are they an easy fit? I believe that 300BHP is attainable on standard innards?

Currently leading the fantasy list for its next powerplant is a 13B turbo. There's a few in existence and they're very powerful, but I'm not certain how much work's involved. Then again, my garage of choice is an RX7 specialist with 20years of experience, so if anyone can make it happen...
Its been done a lot in the US IIRC. There are some uk guys too, a couple on nutz i think?

Good for over 300bhp on standard, a friend of mine was running 380 reliably in his S14...

piefacemate

Original Poster:

592 posts

195 months

Sunday 5th June 2011
quotequote all
Mr MXT said:
Its been done a lot in the US IIRC. There are some uk guys too, a couple on nutz i think?

Good for over 300bhp on standard, a friend of mine was running 380 reliably in his S14...
Any idea how easy the conversion is? Both longitudinal 4 pots, so I'm guessing it could be easy?

Mr MXT

7,774 posts

307 months

Sunday 5th June 2011
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piefacemate

Original Poster:

592 posts

195 months

Sunday 5th June 2011
quotequote all
Mr MXT said:
Conversion looks quite tidy, very similar looking to the standard engine just a bit bigger. Disgusting paint job though, and can't help thinking he might be living on cloud cuckoo land thinking it's worth £6k... but you never know. Suppose it's still cheaper than doing it all from scratch.

Keep the ideas flowing... and I'll get selling st at the new job to fund this madness.

MX-5 Lazza

7,954 posts

243 months

Sunday 5th June 2011
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The £80 engine was posted on that thread by me and it was from a car being stripped on Nutz, not an eBay special wink

piefacemate

Original Poster:

592 posts

195 months

Sunday 5th June 2011
quotequote all
Sorry Lazza, didn't realise! £80 sounds cheap, surely you can get more than that on eBay?

MX-5 Lazza

7,954 posts

243 months

Monday 6th June 2011
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Probably but if you are stripping a car in your driveway (that's a guess) then you just want the stuff gone wink

(Edit: It's not me selling the engine, it was just me that posted it that thread)

Richyvrlimited

1,870 posts

187 months

Monday 6th June 2011
quotequote all
piefacemate said:
Any idea how easy the conversion is? Both longitudinal 4 pots, so I'm guessing it could be easy?
I don't think it's any easier than any other engine conversion. There's a mahoosive thread on miataturbo.net with the conversion, didn't look simple to me.

RE the LS swap, the LS doesn't actually weight much more than the stock BP engine in a 5, that's Alui blocks compared to cast iron for you. Handling isn't really effected.

piefacemate

Original Poster:

592 posts

195 months

Monday 6th June 2011
quotequote all
Will bear the ls in mind. Judging from the cost of papercups rx7 conversion it might be a little much for me!