good RX-7 engine

[Nismo]

Just kidding the real question is what would be a good RX-7 engine. It probably sounds like a dumb @ss question but I want to put a rotary engine in my 91 Miata. I wanna try drifting with a miata, just think about it... it handles real good and is very light. Perfect for drifting but the only thing thats holding the lil'guy back its lack of power from the small engine. So I thought just throw in a rotary in it and there we go. I know its easier said then done but I've done my homework and know where to go to get it done. But I dont know anything about Rotary's. What is the best one you can get and where . I need all the details please. As much as you guys can give me.Thanx

[WildSe7en]

it'd probably be cheaper to just slap a turbo on it.

[Ghost of Duluth]

You know you would have gotten alot more answers to your question had you put the question in the title.

[drift_A70]

Personally I would just turbo the motor you have. A guy in town her has his turbo and it runs really sweet. He scca races his. But I had one as a daily for a long time and wanted to do the samething u are thinking of doing. All I can say is 50/50 weight, PERFECT. It's actually a great car for that. I would power drift mine on every turn.... Sorry my mind kind of went into the past, anyways..... Just go turbo on your stock.

[Chas]

Talk to miata619drifter on here. He has had a few turbo miatas, fast enough to drift. You can also look at doing a NA build.

Do you have a 1.6 or 1.8? If you have the 1.6, go with the greddy kit. Its MSRP is 1600!!!!!!! and its street legal.

Check toda for parts, they have good cheap stuff.

[mranlet]

Play the US version theme song! That song is so tight! *Bam, tish tish, Bamp - tish tish "vihisihuahalihize..."*

Putting a rotary in a Miata is a costly job. Most people have enough trouble keeping rotaries working right in RX-7's let alone in a car they weren't designed for (even though the Rotary is a marvelous engine). A turbo'd Miata will pull pretty hard even with the 1.6, but if you really want to a do a motor swap, I've heard that the V6 from the MX-3 will mate to the RWD trans, and that the MX-6's V6 will fit a B-series pickup trans with some work - both engines have super-smooth power.

-MR

[Nismo]

You guys keep saying to throw a turbo on the miata but do you really think that a turbo charged Miata can actually hold its own with the big boys like 240's or RX-7's. Cost isnt that important to me (not that I'm rich I would have to collect many cans to save up) but I know it would cost a grip...New engine new Tranny may some chasis. But I thought that since the car is so light and with a rotary in it the car might fly. If you think that a turbocharged miata might be able to take-on 240's or RX-7's let me hear your comments. Anything is appreciated.
-Abe

[Nismo]

P.S.
Its a 1.6 liter. Yeah I know really small...But I got a MOMO shift knob in that MOFO?WHAT! that doesnt make it go faster...but its MOMO??? j/k

[WildSe7en]

If you're talking about drifting, then yes. You don't need a lot of power to drift. Heres a prime example. Ueo won the D1GP w/ a 180hp corolla(A miata w/ a turbo will have at least 200HP. But he won because he had skill). Thats all you need to drift......well that and a car.

[the_finn]

i bet you could but a BPT mazda engine in it... corksport sells them... 1.8L 210 bhp... not sure how hard it would be but if you wanna do an engine swap it's gonna be way easier than doing a rotary. i was looking into doing a BPT swap for my car sadly it's to expensive for me at the moment but while searching i ran into lots of info about ppl swapping it into miatas

adam "i wish i had a BPT for my GTX" loehamnn

[rx7imprt]

put in a 13b rotory from a second generation RX7 it should fit but you would have to eather get a hook with a scoop or put a front mount iner cooler on the miata

[JunpoweR]

Well you can do this..
Ideal motor for a rotary miata is :

13BT-REW (93 and up)
single turbo with Stand alone ECU
On the 10th anniversary miata with the 6 SPEED TRANNY!!!
DRIFTERS DREAM or mabey just mine =)


Or just go sell yours and buy the new ones..
either the mazdaspeed (supercharged)
or the new Turbo charged model!!..


Or

Monster Miata
with some V-8 of ur choice(you won't be handling as well)

[Chas]

Originally posted by Nismo
do you really think that a turbo charged Miata can actually hold its own with the big boys like 240's or RX-7's

Ever see footage from the APEX cup?

[Ghost of Duluth]

A Turbocharged Miata will easily hold it's own with a stock 240.

240SX. 90 model 2.4 sohc rated at 140 hp and weighed 2684 lbs. A 91 made 155 hp. 95-98 made the same Hp and weighed in at a whopping 2753 lbs.

The Miata 1992 made 116 Hp and weighed in at 2125 lbs.
2003 Miata makes 142 HP stock and weighs 2387 in the 5 speed and 2447 for the 6 speed.

Turbocharge that and it will take out a stock 240. Also has 50/50 weight dist as well.

[Chas]

For under 3500, you could deystroy an sr'd 240.

[Ghost of Duluth]

So true. Preach on brother Chas.

[Chas]

Check it out.

Greddy Turbo kit 1600
Custom Intercooler 800
Toda Headgasket 150
Toda pistons 800
Toda camgears 320

There, thats a little over 3500, but thats all msrp. You would have a 10.8:1 ratio, 1,722 cc of displacement, and a user friendly setup pushing 260+hp? Now with the 500lb difference in weight, youd eat those 240's up.

[Chas]

Check out http://flyinmiata.com

[Nismo]

Thanks a lot fellas. It sure helped a lot. One of the reasons I wanted to get rid of my miata is because I thought it didnt have a lot of high performance aftermarket parts. If you guys have anymore keep them coming.

[hachiroku-fc3s]

It depends on what you want. You can find parts, but it has been said before and is applicable now, "at the top end it is more services and less parts." I have built my share of miatas. Ive had 3 so far. Pushed the 400 mark. Almost got there at the flywheel. But valves, springs, rods, pistons, turbos, etc. are all available. Then, you can port everything and bore it out for a little displacement. Its just how much you want to invest/what you know how to do/time/money. The rotary is def not necessary. Would be cool, but more trouble than its worth in most cases.

[Nismo]

If I would buy an FC and throw the engine in my miata, will that be a good combo or what? I mean I would have the FC engine(my hood already has the scoop for the intake) and I could swap the transmission and anythin else that would be needed. What do you guys honestly think???

[Chas]

IMHO: For the time and money involved, keep the stock 1.6

[rx7imprt]

that would be a cool engine to put in the miata and it would fit under the hood. but you would need a turbo 2 fc3s trans. probobly a wiring harness and computer and the drive shaft may be the wrong size for the trans . IT would be work. but It would be cool

[Nismo]

I'm just thinking drifting wise, I know it may sound dumb or stupid but I really want to go into some beginner/amatuare drifting. I'm thinking that people there might have some fixed up cars and that my lil 1.6 wont be able to hang. Thats why I would like to know if I should swap or change. I work a mechanics after school during the week and I ask my boss if in my free time I can work on my car and use the shops tools and he said okay. So should I sawp and fix up the rotary or get better miata engine and fix that up??? Remember I'm thinking in going in actuall events in the future... Distant future ( I dont even have good suspension yet, still stocked.

[Ghost of Duluth]

I agree with Chas. My brother thinks that way. He has bought many cars and immediately torn them into a million pieces with ideas of turbocharging or engine swapping. I think he would have learned his lesson but he still seems to do things that way. Those cars sit in his garage to this day. After tearing them apart, he builds them in his mind and by that time he is tired of it. He will get around to them one of these days but if I would have listened to him, my car would sitting right there next to them.

We are exact opposites in that dept. I would rather have a car that runs and do things to it that I know I can complete in a reasonably fast time period and it not be 100% perfect than to do a huge anal retentive job that I know will be cool in the end but I will never get done. When he does get around to something though, you can bet it's 110% spot on, perfect and clean to the point of coal squeezing into a diamond in a rear end.

Stick with the 1.6. Get everything together to Turbocharge it, then take a weekend and put it in. Get it tuned that next week and you are driving. Change that motor and you are looking at 2 weeks build time minumum if you don't own your own shop, you don't have friends that are dedicated to the project or you aren't completely focused. All of which I am not so it would take me much more.

I am trying to save you from the same roads that my brother and myself have travelled. After 58 cars I have owned and my brothers 70+ cars we have learned some lessons. Well, I have learned some lessons, my brother still plugs away. I love my brother and his business is really taking off. Everyone check him out.
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