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etikoner
12-29-2011, 08:05 PM
The engine in my 95 M' supposedly had about 111k Miles when I bought it. People I bought it from said they swapped it yadiyada. Within the month of owning it the water pump took a shit and so I replaced it at a local shop under the guidance of the techs there.


I changed out the water pump, thermostat, timing belt, cam seals, crank seals, and valve cover gasket.

My engine pulls strong and I always pretty much beat on it and so lately I've seen some oil leaks. One is from the cam angle sensor, and one I suspect is either the rear main seal or oil pan. It also appears that the valve cover gasket is leaking towards the front of the engine... Today I was teaching a friend of mine to drive my car and everything was fine. I got in drove to his house shut the engine off and boom a cloud of smoke started pouring from under the hood, I thought I had somehow cracked the oil pan and saw a ton of liquid pouring on the ground. Turns out the heater hose is either cracked or torn or something.

Basically I've been wanting to reseal the engine for a while now just to not have it leaking oil like a POS.

A shop local to me is pretty good with Miatas, so I figured I'll fix the heater hose here and drive it down to him for him to do engine work. I'm not exactly rolling in money so I wanna have him do some minor work to my head while the engine is out of the car.

I figured:


Solid lifters
ARP studs
Some sort of thin metal head gasket (To raise compression slightly?)
slight porting of the head.



The main thing that I wanna accomplish is to change over to solid lifters so I won't have to ever lifter tick again.

I plan on keeping my engine NA powered for a while, and maybe ordering a set of Tomei cams in the future so this little "rebuild" should be a solid starting point.

Basically I wanna hear from you guys to point me in the right direction as far as what to get and if you guys have a hook up or something to keep this under budget.

:eagerness:

kung fu jesus
12-29-2011, 08:47 PM
What is your budget?

etikoner
12-29-2011, 08:52 PM
I imagine that with parts and labor It'd be more than $500. I'd like to keep it under $1500 if possible.

Then again I really have no prior experience with this kind of work. :(

My Mechanic said it shouldn't be too much money, and judging from him previously working on my car I imagine he won't rip me off on labor charges. That being said he didn't give me an idea of the money I'd be looking at spending so that's just a general ball park of what I'm willing to spend and it (my budget) would go up or down accordingly.

kung fu jesus
12-29-2011, 09:23 PM
01+ block + 99-00 head + square top manifold =

Success.

LostSoulMiata
12-29-2011, 09:24 PM
Fix the leaks and basic maintenance stuff first, then mod as you see fit. If you put a band-aid on it, it will show up later. If you're going to keep it NA "for a while", save and get the appropriate mods to whatever you are planning on building later on, instead of having the possibility of toasting your motor before you get said mods.

kung fu jesus
12-29-2011, 09:33 PM
That is good advice.

For the 1.8, I don't understand why you would want to keep the low compression stock pistons when there are higher-comp OEM versions. Similar thought on the head. The 99+ heads flow better than yours does and already have solid lifters.

Why not source OEM 01 pistons (10.5:1 or 10:1), have the block tanked, rehoned, new seals and find a cleaner, later model head, have it checked, rebuild it, seal it, done.

LostSoulMiata
12-29-2011, 09:39 PM
I've come across sooooo many band-aids in my line of work :stupid:

http://fc04.deviantart.com/fs46/f/2009/231/6/a/Project_Triangle_by_DivineDesign.png

Rogue
12-30-2011, 09:13 AM
What KFJ said!
Good '01 engines are still fairly easy to find, you can sell the VVT head.
A '99/00 head is getting harder to find, but are out there. Must have it R&Red though,
I'd like to know where all the Squaretops are, seems like there would be some available for less than $500.
Add a header and Control it with a Megasqueeze. It should be a fun 95M.
I'll let you know when i'm done with mine.

kung fu jesus
12-30-2011, 10:28 AM
Hey Stevan!

I am really thinking of throwing caution to the wind and giving the finger to CARB/BAR and building an engine just like I described.

That combo should be good for 140ish RWHP with a MS. Add the VVT head, index and lock the cam, a few other relatively inexpensive tricks, been told 150-160 RWHP is doable. Naturally aspirated.

The squaretops are available, you just have to find a source. I know one local to me hoarding them, I don't want to say who it is because they actually use them.

I<3flippyheadlights
12-30-2011, 11:49 AM
I've come across sooooo many band-aids in my line of work :stupid:

http://fc04.deviantart.com/fs46/f/2009/231/6/a/Project_Triangle_by_DivineDesign.png

I hate this triangle so much...

kung fu jesus
12-30-2011, 11:58 AM
I LOVE that triangle.

nothing proves a point better than a logical image.

etikoner
12-30-2011, 12:15 PM
I wish I didn't have to abide by it. This being my only car means I can't have too much down time. Gonna fix the heater hose soon and just baby it till I have the funds for the "rebuild"

As much as I'd love to go M/S and vvt and all that I just don't have the funds unless I find all that stuff for extremely cheap.

I found a set of pistons on ebay but I really don't know if to trust buying something so important from there.
01+ pistons (cast) (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pistons-Pins-Rings-MAZDA-MIATA-1-8-DOHC-BP-Z3-01-05-/320683811077?item=320683811077&vxp=mtr#ht_4013wt_932)

Blahhhh

kung fu jesus
12-30-2011, 12:25 PM
those are good. you really need to do some reading. actually a LOT of reading. the more you know about your engine, your goals, interchangeability, engine modifications and such, the better off you will be.

for the time being, fix what you need to get the car running. take that ruptured hose as a lesson; when you perform maintenance on your car, like the timing belt, look beyond that and other items that will be easy to do while THAT maintenance is being done...like ALL the coolant hoses.

because you already have the 1.8, you don't need the MS to run a hybrid BP build.

etikoner
12-30-2011, 01:01 PM
Yessir ;)

Basically for the time being I wanna build a reliable base to be able to build upon later on down the line when I actually have funds. I know it's best to just do it the right way the first time SO I'm gonna look into some of your (guys) suggestions.

01+ pistons sounds do-able. I'm gonna look into the other stuff. :) Thanks for helping. I'll chime in here when I'm getting shit done actually.

kung fu jesus
12-30-2011, 01:38 PM
since it is your DD, you best bet is building another engine from a good core. Read up, plan, make ATTAINABLE goals, research some more, WRITE out notes, save bookmarks. Then start by getting the core. Don't go crazy. When the core is done, swap it in, part out your old motor or sell it to recoup *some* of your money.

All of the info is easy to find. Most people don't do this, they build a motor on a builder's advice. Most often that builder isn't familiar with the BP and the end result is something less than desirable. The BP has been around for 20 years, still found in some Kias, I believe. Modifying the early versions can seem like a good solution, but it you take the Honda/BMW approach, you can find out what parts from different versions bolt up. save money, add improvements, etc.

I was surprised when I started researching how wrong my first build plan was. Stuff like forged pistons, titanium springs, etc. for my intentions were completely wrong. I am still researching, but my broad strokes are becoming finer and finer.

Rogue
12-30-2011, 11:53 PM
Steve,
So whats the advantage of a VVT head locked down over a '99/00?
I have both, but just had the '99 built.

kung fu jesus
12-31-2011, 01:48 AM
According to Emilio, it gives you a much improved curve. IIRC, he said the intake vvt locked at 30* is the bees knees. I think that gives you a decent HP, but also a nice, fat torque curve.

LostSoulMiata
12-31-2011, 02:30 AM
If you're worried about downtime, do as KFJ said, find a core motor and build it outside so you still have your car to drive.

3MiataFamily
01-16-2012, 03:14 PM
More people should pay closer attention to that triangle.

I just posted it on our Club Forum...hope nobody takes offense..LOL!!

etikoner
01-23-2012, 02:08 PM
Some research brought me to find that my leaking CAS O-ring led to my heater hose blowing.

I'm gonna be changing it out tomorrow afternoon :D

I went to autozone to pick it up, but they didn't have them in the system....

They did have the crank angle sensor O-ring in stock, though, is that the same dimension ?

Also. I went ahead and bought some Rock Auto Pistons from JDM Slick for a good price. Now I'm working on picking up some super Tech Valves, springs, and seals from Joshiro. Just need to keep on saving money and not take my girlfriend out to eat. lol

My builder is gonna send my rods to be shot peened, my block will get hot tanked and bored for the 0.020 over bore on these pistons. And Hopefully I can source a 99 head to be rebuilt and have some minor port work done with these valves. Basically I'm gonna have my engine off my car, so it might as well get rebuilt and resealed so I can get a set of cams later down the line.

Willywongka
01-23-2012, 03:05 PM
Just replaced the CAS O-ring on my 96 yesterday. It can be a pain in the ass to get it done quickly, but it beats paying someone 100 or so bucks.

etikoner
01-23-2012, 09:22 PM
Sweet. But which part did you order at the store? Crank angle sensor o-ring?

Andy
01-23-2012, 09:45 PM
Nice. Ive been thinking of buying a 1.8 engine and rebuilding it and getting it all ready so i can just drop it in my car.

etikoner
04-08-2012, 10:45 PM
Update:

Replaced CAS O-ring. No one had it in stock, but a quick search found the dimensions, and my friend had the same one in the shop. Also went ahead and replaced the valve cover gasket at the same time.

My plan was to buy a long block for 200 bucks, and get it rebuilt/ refreshed. New bearings, shot peen the rods, new rings, rebuild the head and minor port n polish. All this would have costed 1500 bucks in parts and labor. Then I would have to worry about a new clutch,and a light weight flywheel.

I have ARP head studs waiting to go in.

At this point, I don't know what my goals are to be honest. I want low boost, but I just wanna keep it NA and stop wasting money and save up for other shit. I honestly don't know how much longer I'm gonna keep this car for. Maybe a year or two more till I can get an FRS.

Then I saw a 1.8 head for sale for a great price. Might go for it, pending how much it'll take to rebuilt it, and just change the seals on the engine.

Bleh.

etikoner
04-08-2012, 10:47 PM
Maybe I should just buy a rebuilt ebay head? :o

kung fu jesus
04-09-2012, 10:33 AM
Sorry, had to re-read the thread to catch up. The CAS o ring is a common size.

The dimensions are 1/8” Th – 1 ½” x 1 3/4”. If the autoparts store whips out the box of O rings from National, it is #222. Usually a $1 each.

I've never laid eyes on an ebay rebuilt head. Rebuilding your own is fairly easy. Just catalog, mark and organize the parts as you take them off. The only specialized tools you need it the valve spring compressor, which you can rent, and a piece of PVC tubing or electrical conduit about 3" long with a notch cut out so you can reinstall the valve keepers. There are a lot of documented Miata head rebuilds on the intart00bz you can reference. DIY gives you instant street cred among your fellow Miata lady boys so you can walk into ANY Miata meet like this:

http://i3.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/001/987/fyeah.jpg

etikoner
04-10-2012, 12:18 PM
Fuck yeah.

I need tools. lol

etikoner
06-10-2012, 02:43 PM
!

I know I'm so ADD.

Anywho, I've been doing some shopping,

94 Long block that ran pretty nicely but burned some oil before it was pulled.

ARP Head Studs
Viton Valve seals
99 Head with cams and misc items.
Ordering some OEM NB2 Pistons
Hondata phelonic spacer.

I also bought a set of ITB's put together from a gsxr600 with a custom made manifold adapter and some pretty air horns.

I feel that Not having any sort of tools, and really no prior experience, as well as time to really dedicate to building this leaves me the option of paying a trusted shop to build it for me.


hopefully it'll turn out nicely and the combo of long throttle horns with a fujitsubo 4-2-1 header should give me good torque and drive-ability.

Basically he'll be refreshing the block and rebuilding the head. All new bearings and seals throughout with some custom work to the block, like cleaning up the casting on the block by the crank shaft.

Pretty excited now :D

I'll try to source a mazdaspeed intake cam shaft, but for now I think i'm ready to have him build it.

I'll be perfectly happy with 150 whp but what can i realistically expect?

I scored an f1 racing 1.6 chromoly flywheel. it weighs around 10 lbs.

Was debating going with an f1 racing stage 1 clutch, or should i go with an exedy clutch?

http://distilleryimage5.s3.amazonaws.com/9f5b60bc9ec011e18bb812313804a181_7.jpg

http://distilleryimage10.s3.amazonaws.com/94c7e1e0aadf11e181bd12313817987b_7.jpg

kung fu jesus
06-10-2012, 03:37 PM
I have the F1 1.6 flywheel and stage one clutch. The clutch is nice so far! Nice and light for DD duties. The flywheel need the center bore enlarged to accommodate the pilot bearing. Had a friend sand on it with fine grit for almost an hour while we were taking the tranny out. It looked micro-polished by the time he was done. It took more time than we thought to do that, just a heads up. Other than that, I've been really happy with both pieces.

If you aren't mechanically inclined, I don't think ITBs are a good idea. It's going to expensive for you.

Slampen
06-11-2012, 01:31 AM
because you already have the 1.8, you don't need the MS to run a hybrid BP build.

Sorry for sliding in a newbie question. What is BP standing for here?

kung fu jesus
06-11-2012, 06:33 AM
Mazda B series engines (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_B_engine)

etikoner
01-31-2013, 12:42 PM
Minor change of plans.

My head was ported, quite nicely I might add by Curtis of Motion Motorsports here in Miami. The head was sent to a machine shop here as well for a 5angle valve job cleaning and decking. Ports have been matched to the hondata gasket and the oem exhaust gasket.

Bought supertech valve springs and retainers, keeping stock valves and lifters.

Bought supertech 85mm 11:0.1 pistons to be mated to the 01 rods

Arp head and main studs
All new gaskets and acl bearings.

Should last a good amount of miles before another rebuild, not really planning on racing this engine.

I was hesitant to go with forged pistons, but I should be okay in Florida weather with letting it warm up and whatnot.

Also, I'm hoping to do some kind of coolant re route, or maybe do some reading to see if I can go with an 01+ head gasket which I heard evens out the cylinder temps.

Can't wait!