I have a SA that I am putting a 13b in. The front cover is from a SE. Engine is sitting in the car but the engine mount does not seem like it will work.

I have searched, I have read the sticky and found the 13b conversion links.

My engine cross member is from the 12A. I have already modified it and made two new slots .700 farther back. The engine is centered within the chassis but the mount is offset to much.

If I were to bolt the engine brace to the front cover, the right side will mount flush to the cross member with OUT a rubber engine bushing and the left side has 3+ inches gap.

Does anyone know if the SE engine mount is offset left to right as well as the normal 12a to 13b difference of .700?


-billy

 

the se has a taller mount on the left side, it should still fit with 12a mounts though. my left mount was broken and i didnt have a gsl-se mount handy so i put a 12a on in there, seems ok

 

I am going to be doing the same, so let me get this straight, all I need to do is use the bracket from the se that bolts the front cover to the engine mounts, and use the se engine mounts right? The 12a crossmember will work fine as long as you use the se mounting bracket and motor mounts?

 

no the gsl-se and the 12a's share the same engine mount bracket. the difference is the subframe, and the left motor mount is taller

 

I once put a 13b(gsl-se) motor in a 12a car without changing anything. no mounts, no subframe. just used the gsl-se front mount bracket. Which is different, but I remember beating on it some with a hammer, but the way it looks now and the way the 12a front mount bracket looks I know I didn't beat it that much.

Meaning is that the gsl-se front mount bracket is flat across, and the 12a ones I have are different. meaning they come back in towards the engine. which makes sense since the 13b is longer. I could take a pic of the difference if I am not making sense.

But I think I get what your saying, bwaits. I understand its centered but the the motor itself may be cocked in the hoist, not 12/6o'clock but maybe like 1/7 or 11/5 o'clock. which is whats giving you that gap, you will need to try and rotate the motor to line up with the bolts and hold it there, then have someone start lowering it slow and it will go. I have had the same problem with my hoists, and it alot easier with another person.

 

Interseting. I've never heard of such an offset as your having. Have you looked at Felixs site? Maybe some wisdom there to help you.

 

Why doesnt ANYBODY just buy the racing beat mount instead of slicing and dicing their motor mounts????

I swear if your going to do a 13B swap, cough up the extra 80 bucks to do it right.

 

Actually, I did do it right. I water jetted add on sections of metal and then welded them to the bracket. I then milled the slots in the correct spot. Ground the welds down and painted the part. Looks like it was made that way from the factory. I do not buy things just to make life easier. I did not get where I am just buying other peoples parts. Simply buying a part does not mean it is the best way - or best part most of the time.

After measuring a friends car I found the problem. The engine does not sit centered within the frame rails. It is closer the drivers side. Silly me, I just assumed Mazda put the engine in centered.

-billy

 

It threw me for a loop too. Older rotaries are centered in the engine bay when measured from the main drive pulley's 19mm bolt and comparing left to right distance.