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Thread: HarryB's Strato blue NB2

  1. #196
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift HarryB's Avatar
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    Have been planning the engine rebuild for a while now. Decided to ask Mazda for a complete rebuild gasket kit, and asked them to also price all individual items on the kit, as I already have some brand new OEM parts from the 1.6 that can be reused (water pump gaskets, front and rear crank seals, exhaust cam seal). Buying all required parts separately was cheaper, so I ended up doing that, adding a few more bits here and there, such as new freeze plugs, sump long bolts and flywheel bolts for instance.

    Another quest was to find valve springs suitable for my needs. Seeing boost only on the intake, using stock cams and rev limiter set to max. 300RPM above stock meant that I only needed to upgrade the intake valve springs with stiffer ones. The thinking here was to be able to counteract boost trying to blow intake valves open. Using a Rotrex instead of a turbo means that there's no additional exhaust backpressure, so no need to upgrade exhaust valve springs (heavier springs would only add to parasitic losses). Ideally I would like to be able to bump them by 10-20% to account for aged springs and barely higher rev limiter if needed; more on that later.

    On the intake side, and with a stock valve (33mm with 6mm stem), 1bar or 14.5psi of boost means I needed an additional 18.6lbf of seat pressure, compared to stock (45lbf). Thanks to a folk in MT.net, I found out that Impreza STi 2.5 valve spring dimensions are identical to a 1.8 VVT. Aftermarket Brian Crower springs (part no. BC1600-1) seem to fit on stock retainers and shims, and when installed give a seat perssure of 65.5lbf, which is perfect. They are also $5ish each, which is dirt cheap, especially for high quality components.

    Coming back to the exhaust side, I think of repurposing the OEM intake valve springs. Overall dimensions are identical, but intake valve springs on VVT engines were upgraded (3.78mm vs 3.6mm wire diameter). This means that if I swap them (and considering they are the same material and both have 7 coils), they will give me a nice 20% bump over what was already there. Grand total of this is less than $50. Will be putting an order soon, will update this thread again in a couple of months with my findings.

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  3. #197
    2,000 rpm - light wheelspin, no bog here!
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    Some Very Nice Work indeed!!! It's a shame that you can't insert comments along the way or I least I don't know how to, as I loved the dip stick handle You Made on page 1. That looked outstanding!!! Then the frame work You 3D Printed for the radio...WOW!!! Thank You for sharing.

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    HarryB (04-26-2019)

  5. #198
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift HarryB's Avatar
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    Thanks for your kind comments! I have a LOT more 3D printed stuff coming for our little cars, undergoing testing for proper materials, durability etc. at the moment. BTW if anyone needs that bezel, let me know, I can share a CAD file so you can have it printed locally. May need slight adjustments though, as each printer/material behaves slightly different and thus affects tolerances.

    Took advantage of the orthodox Easter break to do some cleaning and maintenance. First off; the infamous cursed water plug. Car has been slowly leaking coolant, and turned out to be that one. Sourced a barely used one from a friend locally, in fairly decent shape. Removal of the old one was 80% of the job, and it was not that terrible to be honest. I am running Toyota COPS, so one less thing to remove. EGR tube was on the way, but removing the two 10mm nuts on the intake manifold plus the extra brace on the rear water neck did the trick. Moved the EGR tube some 2cm towards the firewall, which gave just enough space for a long-nose pair of pliers to remove the OEM clip. Stock plug being swollen did not help, but it took maybe 5' to remove. Installation was the opposite of removal, but took 30" for the cap and clip, plus another minute to tighten the bolts maybe.



    Upon further inspection, turns out that failure was due to an oil leak, rotting the rubber. That's the 3rd cooling system rubber component failing to me due to the same reason, which means that (a) I need to sort out all leaks (cam seals and valve cover) and (b) need to replace all coolant hoses, which I have already acquired. I was hoping to postpone the "fix leaks" task till I swap engines, but looks like I'm gonna take care of it now.

    I also changed the PS fluid with Castrol Transmax DEX III ATF. 1 liter allows 3 flushes, which is what I did, sucking the fluid with a syringe and a piece of tube instead of removing any lines. Needless to say, the fluid was FILTHY. After the 2nd flush it looked almost new, but I will do a 3rd just because.
    Last edited by HarryB; 04-30-2019 at 07:21 AM.

  6. #199
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift HarryB's Avatar
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    Also took some time to do some proper cleaning. This might seem over the top and unnecessary to some, but having a clean car inside and out helps a lot with maintenance and early diagnosis of issues. Did a proper engine bay wash, as well as removing the wheels, washing the barrels to remove all brake dust, cleaning wheel wells, suspension arms and brake calipers. Quick before-after:





    Realized that undercoating needs re-doing in some areas (especially on the rear where the fuel filter cover has rubbed through), so that's added on the list. Did also the interior and exterior since I was at it. Glory pics:




  7. The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to HarryB For This Useful Post:

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  8. #200
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! Greasemonkey2000's Avatar
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    Cleaning while doing maintenance, etc. is something I always try to do as well...probably while most stuff always takes me longer than expected.
    '01 NB2 aka MisF1re: http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....218#post207218
    '97 M aka Warbird, gone but not forgotten: http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....B&goto=newpost
    Instagram: @greasemonkey2000

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  10. #201
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift HarryB's Avatar
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    I can relate to the taking longer part. On the other hand I was not on a rush this time, so took it easy, enjoying myself at the process! Finished interior pics:





    Took also some minutes to install my Beatrush radiator panel and give a quick (and insufficient) polish to the rad top tank, which needs a proper do-over with a drill attachment.


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  12. #202
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! MaRcOp01o's Avatar
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    JEEZ That Beatrush panel matched up too well in the pictures, for a split second I thought it was leather wrapped matched to your interior.
    Follow the Builds
    1993 Eunos Roadster B-spec by Mazdaspeed
    http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....819#post222819
    1993 Mazda Miata LE
    https://mazdaroadster.net/showthread...233#post244233

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    HarryB (04-30-2019)

  14. #203
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift HarryB's Avatar
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    Haha, yeah, it matched up nicely! The most observative may have noticed something "strange" on my steering wheel. When Adam came up with the OEM restoration inserts, I knew I had to have one; so here it is!



    Pictures (and me putting it on slightly crooked) don't do it justice, it is simply stunning up close. Problem is; my gearknob had a matching (but smaller) insert, which now needed replacing as well. Requested this to Adam, and he delivered!



    Took the chance to also order custom sill inserts (Strato blue/gold) to match my yet-to-be-installed Revlimiter badges.



    And yes, sill plates could use a polish too...

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  16. #204
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift oldgrayleather's Avatar
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    Wow Harry, thanks for all the updates! I can't believe how much insight you've shared on the oily bits and then closed out the updates with the glory shots. Very nicely done sir!

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    HarryB (05-01-2019)

  18. #205
    Super Moderator Bryan's Avatar
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    Very nice work!
    Quote Originally Posted by DazedAndConfused
    I dont know a word you just said, but that **** sounded COOL.

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    HarryB (06-27-2019)

  20. #206
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift HarryB's Avatar
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    Few things have happened since the last update. Front rotors were warped, so took the chance to refresh the braking system. Got OEM replacement Pagid rotors (zinc coated so that the hubs stay nice for long), new Brembo pads, black HEL braided lines and ATE Typ 200 fluid. Removed the calipers, brackets, sliders and boots, cleaned up old grease, applied new Cera-tec synthetic grease, wire-brushed the hubs, applied a thin coat of copper grease between them and the rotor hub, reinstalled rotors and calipers. Then swapped the lines, and manually bled the brakes with the help of a good friend. The only "issue" I had was with the HEL rear distribution block, which needed some persuasion to mount in the stock position. Also, the machined recess for the mounting nut to tighten onto was too small, with the nut not having enough area to push against. Put it real quick on a manual milling machine at work and problem solved. The whole process (incl. bleeding) took me approx. 3.5 hrs, but I took it easy and fooled around with friends a lot. Honestly, the toughest part was putting the car on jackstands. Unfortunately no photos of the process, as it was a nasty mess most of the time.

    Did it made any difference? Hard to tell as I haven't got the chance for a spirited driving since. The most evident one was due to fresh, non-warped rotors. Pedal has gone somewhat stiffer (plan to re-bleed the brakes again), but I can definitely feel more flex somewhere, and I am sure it comes from the bulkhead. Plan to tackle that soon. Would I recommend it? Guess so, but using only quality components and either having a pro doing the installation, or going though everything 10 times. Needless to say I have been laying under the car for a week after the installation, trying to make sure that nothing is rubbing or leaking.
    Last edited by HarryB; 08-27-2019 at 03:01 PM.

  21. #207
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift HarryB's Avatar
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    Next up, exhaust. Before deciding on the 1.8 swap, I had purchased a Maxim Works header off of a 1.6 NA. General condition was OK, but it was broken at the flex pipe; not much of an issue as this section would have to be modified in any case for the manifold to fit a NB chassis. Since the original plan was to go Rotrex on the 1.6, I have been planning a 2.5" exhaust all the way, from the header merge pipe backwards. What I wanted was an almost-factory quiet system, (maybe a tad louder and deeper tone), with a factory look to it, but free-flowing enough to accommodate boost.

    Having seen (and being impressed by) Kraken's work (check him out at https://kraken-mx5.eu/), I got in contact with him for a complete system. At that time, he had just moved his business to Bulgaria, so being so close, it was only logical to me to send him the manifold too. In the meanwhile, I found the VVT engine, and another Maxim manifold for it (in a pretty sorry state), so this was also shipped to Kraken. Few months forward, and this is what I got back.











    2x manifolds, expanded to 2.5" at the collector, cat on v-bands and a test pipe if I ever decide to remove it, resonated midpipe and chambered Magnaflow muffler. I specifically asked for a bolted flange in the stock location, so I could use "half" the exhaust with any OEM or aftermarket system if I ever wanted to. I also asked that the whole thing works with either manifold. As you see, craftsmanship is amazing, and Mike (the owner) was super helpful and with an impressively positive attitude throughout the process. And the package was unbelievably well-wrapped, more like it was glass than stainless exhaust parts! I honestly cannot recommend Kraken enough!

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  23. #208
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift HarryB's Avatar
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    To make room for the manifold, the stock mammoth of a windshield washer tank was removed and replaced with a Suzuki Cappucinno one. Plenty of write-ups out there, but I was not happy with none of the existing solutions; I did not want to drill any extra holes, cut or splice wiring, and wanted to use all OEM hardware. Goal was for it to look factory-installed. Fired up the CAD, and a few days (and prototypes) later, this is what I ended up with.









    10' installation time, no modifications to the car body or wiring, and fits like a glove! And yes, I just realized I need to take better installed photos, under daylight, with the car clean....

    I have had it installed since a month now, and works like intended. Once durability testing is complete, I may offer this as a "kit" for people that are OCD like myself.

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  25. #209
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift HarryB's Avatar
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    Took delivery of some items for the engine overhaul; most directly from Mazda, VVT rebuild kit from Bill @Mazdaroadster, ARP head studs and slightly used (50 miles or so) Boundary VVT oil pump off of a friend. Photo time!

    These are only some of the items received, full list as follows (already had some for the 1.6 that can be now used on the 1.8):

    - Intake valve seals
    - Exhaust valve seals
    - VVT rebuild kit
    - Cam seals
    - Gates timing belt, OEM pulleys and tensioner
    - Front crank seal
    - Rear crank seal
    - VVT cam cover gasket
    - Intake manifold gasket
    - Exhaust manifold gasket
    - NB Cylinder head gasket
    - Gates cast impeller water pump
    - Oil pan front seal
    - Oil pan rear seal
    - Crank main bolt
    - Woodruff crank key
    - Core plugs, large (35mm)
    - Core plugs, small (30mm)
    - Oil pump o-ring
    - Oil strainer gasket
    - Oil cooler o-ring
    - Oil pan long bolts
    - Lock bolt flywheel

    Also got delivery of a complete VVT engine loom and ECU, and an AEM X-series gauge-less AFR sensor. More on that once the rest of the (additional) sensors are in.

    With these in hand, I started removing the engine peripherals.











    Albeit the engine looks like it had spent some time outside, the overall condition is excellent so far. All fasteners removed easily, without using any penetrating oil; even the OEM O2 sensor! Water passages look clean AF, machining can still be seen on the OEM flywheel, and even the small water hoses seem brand new (albeit dirty). All these make me believe even more the 30k mile claim. I stopped before removing the main pulley and tearing into the engine, as I did not have a helper to hold the flywheel; decided to make a tool to stop it in place instead. Moments later, I fell, fracturing my right ankle and elbow, so it is going to take a while till the next update.

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  27. #210
    Super Moderator Bryan's Avatar
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    I'm convinced that the #1 reason the O2 sensor is so hard to get off (besides heat) is that it's so hard to get leverage on when under the car.
    Quote Originally Posted by DazedAndConfused
    I dont know a word you just said, but that **** sounded COOL.

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