39 replies to this topic

[Lmcgrew79]

More photos of work, all the engine bay wiring back in place, factory lights that didnt come with the car painted and installed, swapped fans and dry fit radiator so i could throw the box away, checked specs on oil pump not sure to reuse it or not as posted in another post. I'll probably replace it just because it seems like alot of work to do it again. Ordered ACT clutch and pressure plate, 5x fuel pressure regulator and gauge, waiting on mazda speed to open back up for the rest of my list.

 

 

 

 

[Lmcgrew79]

More parts came in today. Stopped by the machine shop today should have everything back by end of week, crank and rods need shaved .010. .25mm acl race bearings and rings ordered to have by friday! Used block i bought was good, getting cleaned and honed. Hopefully everything will be here so i can get to rebuilding this weekend.

 

[Bench Racer]

I've been wrong a time or two previously, but I still have a question. Why would anyone paint an aluminum transmission, it's a layer of insulation keeping heat within. I'd like to have said the same about brake calipers but never have. Might be cute, but what's the point?

 

Fire suite on.

[Lmcgrew79]

Regular paint has very very little insulating value less than if the tranny is covered in grit. I tend to agree i would rather have it just aluminum but the guy that builds these paints them and has races in sm with them himself, so it is what it is.

[Steve Scheifler]

Actually, a very thin but well bonded flat black paint should be best in terms of giving up/radiating heat, but you have to weigh that against the increased rate of absorption from external sources like the exhaust running along side. So maybe one side polished to a mirror finish and the rest flat black. Then the thing fails due to uneven expansion.

[Lmcgrew79]

Actually, a very thin but well bonded flat black paint should be best in terms of giving up/radiating heat, but you have to weigh that against the increased rate of absorption from external sources like the exhaust running along side. So maybe one side polished to a mirror finish and the rest flat black. Then the thing fails due to uneven expansion.

Would actually be best.

[Jim Drago]

Most all the transmission cases look pretty %^&%, we steam and clean ours, we don't paint. It is hard to get them super clean. I think most paint bc it is easier than cleaning for one.. Secondly.. When people are paying for something, they expect "x" for their dollars. Sometimes customers cant see past a not so shiny non painted transmission case

[Lmcgrew79]

Most all the transmission cases look pretty %^&%, we steam and clean ours, we don't paint. It is hard to get them super clean. I think most paint bc it is easier than cleaning for one.. Secondly.. When people are paying for something, they expect "x" for their dollars. Sometimes customers cant see past a not so shiny non painted transmission case

Ive got to admit it does look purty..lol

[Lmcgrew79]

Thought i would share a video for any NCM people in my 540 rwhp miata, 1.5g's in the 100 mph sweepers

 

[Lmcgrew79]

Well got most of the motor assembled, on the used block i purchased the main caps was random order and when my machine shop took them off they stamped them on the side, little did i know they are actually marked on the top. After assembing with plastigauge they even show up fine but the crank wouldnt turn, finally after some quick help from  Jim and Jason via facebook, bitgthanks,  i figured out the top markings reassembled everything and re gauged and every thing was good. 

 

I used .25mm over acl race bearings on the rods and crank. Bearing clearance for the rods and mains was around .051mm with the plastic gauge a bit looser than factory but a bit from maxium. Thrust and side clearance was in spec. Piston 1 and 4 ring gap of .010 and 23 was .011. Standard Mazda rings used. Also missing is the oil plug in the oil pump, i assembly lubed filled oil pump and stole the plug from my old pump.

 

Mazdas gasket kit misses a few items oil pump o-ring which i knew about and ordered the others was the oil strainer gasket and the waterpump housing oring, which i didnt know about, i cut down a gasket for the oil strainer which should be fine. The oring on the thermostat house was junk ans i used one from an oring kit i had that was a bit thicker, that didnt work very well upon snugging it up the housing cracked, not sure if it was because the oring or possibly a weak area in the house as it snapped with hardly any pressure on it. Unfortunately that pretty much puts me at a stand still on the engine till i can overnight one tomorrrow. I hope to get it running/installed wednesday or thursday as im gonna try to hit an autox with it this sunday. Mazda comp engine mounts didnt ship with all the stuff i got looks to be coming from another place and waiting on my fuel regulator and steering rack shims. Think im gonna go ahead with a oil relocation kit from dave and maybe some coolant tem fittings. 

 

And some more pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

[speedengineer]

Looking good! 

[tom1977]

looks great!  You reminded me of all of the times I don't paint anything when I build engines, lol  

[Lmcgrew79]

Got the engine all finished and installed, ran in to two problems afterwards, on i looked online for infomation and plugged the coil packs in exactly opposite, thought i had got the cam timing wrong because it wouldnt crank redid cam timing again it was fine, then after searching around for ever found there is a blue dot on the back passenger side of the coil pack bracket, apparently the 93's and 94's plug in different, i know there firing order was different but didnt realize the plugs was labeled different. All was well until today was putting breaking miles on and the car just completely died. Check for spark and it was fine, ended up being the injector fuse, i think it only blew because it was old and had some corrosion on the copper, when ahead and changed all the fuses under the hood as they looked original, and went ahead and changed the fuel pump and filter as well. Im sitting right around 3k for a rebuilt motor with alot of new parts, and a rebuilt tranny and new clutch. Pretty happy with all of that. Only two old parts on the car are the alternator and starter at this point we will see how long they last. Oil pressure very good, around 60 in the high revs and 30 at idle. 

 

Initial breakin on the engine about 20 miles, changed oil and filter and ignition timed from 10 to 14, Installed Innovate MTX L and shifter rebuild kit today as well. A/F ratio is running at 11.5 wot between 6-7k, adjustable fuel regulator and gauge should be here tomorrow.

 

Advanced Oil Pressure Relocation

 

All new orings and seals on injectors.

 

New thermostat housing and housing shaft since i broke the original.

 

ACT 4 Puck Installed and all new coolant hoses.

 

 

Finally

 

[Lmcgrew79]

Put 200 miles on the engine doing great, went out and auto crossed with the 500 treadwear m+s tires, finished 3rd raw time.

 

[Lmcgrew79]

Fuel pressure regulator installed.

 

[Lmcgrew79]

Full fuel street trim minus ac, powersteering, airbags, and trunk stuff. Miatas factory numbers must be for the base model only!

 

 

 

[Lmcgrew79]

Spend 10 hrs on the road today picking up hard top and hard dog bar so i can at least get out and test/tt the car a few times this year. 

 

 

[Lmcgrew79]

Painted black then multispec. 

 

 

 

[Lmcgrew79]

Got a few more items finished, suspension is finished minus sway bars, all new calipers, rotors and pads and got wheels and tires mounted. As of right now im about 12k in and about the only thing i have left to do is seats and cage, cage will be next winter as in gonna play with the car at some tt and autox events this year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bench Racer]