I found a couple of awesome old threads discussing people's favourite engine swaps recently and decided we needed a re-vamp The number of options we have now in 2018 on what we can do to our engines is AMAZING
I want to know YOUR thoughts and/or experiences on what your favourite engine mods and engine swaps are!! It doesn't matter whether you'd prefer a big V8 powered pocket rocket or a simple FM II Turbo Kit!! Just make sure to share WHY you'd choose that over anything else. Do you prefer N/A power? Turbos? Superchargers and what type; Roots, Rotrex, etc.
So me first
I'm part way through building up my 1.6 engine for N/A power. Yes I am aware the 1.8 is more powerful and the "there's no replacement for displacement" argument. It's not about max power for me, if it was, I'd bolt a turbocharger to it and be done with it. I've driven both the 1.6 and 1.8 and out of the two I personally drove, the 1.6 was smoother, more operatic and provided a more enjoyable driving experience. Mazda got it right back in 1990 (when the car was built), but that doesn't mean I can't improve on it with today's technology leap. I love the minimalism and bulletproof reliability. Essentially, I'm aiming to do what Mazda did, but turn it all up to 11 whilst doing my best to not compromise it being a DD. So, 60's aesthetics with 21st performance
Current specs:
- 238/256 Cams - 8.5mm/8.2mm lift. (Wanting more aggressive cams and a tad more lift to up the redline).
- ITB's
- Head shaved, ported and polished
- Megasquirt II ECU
- Hydraulic lifters w/ titanium retainers. Ooooh.
- Stock bottom end (Carrillo rods ready to go in, currently deciding whether to get higher compression pistons made to go in "whilst I'm there", I'd need a new cylinder head though).
Currently making roughly 125-130hp at the rear on a Dyno that's notoriously heartbreaking and conservative.
(For those interested, I will be providing a build thread of my own one day when I feel I have enough content for an interesting read on day one )
My choice of engine swap?? Easy. KLZE from a Mazda 626 or MX-6 N/A power and a soundtrack to boot! I have yet to find a swap or thread where the engine has lasted over a few thousands miles though. ALL of the builds I've read or followed have ended in disaster with the engine dying from Oil starvation. Such a shame.
SO!! What have you got?? Or what would you want?!