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Hey all! I just picked up a 1988 GXL, no engine, no trans. Got a long way to go, probably going to post on the swap threads here shortly. Just wanted to finally get on this awesome forum!
So, I have miata engines and transmissions, wiring harnesses etc etc. So I'm going to be welding up engine and trans mounts, using the stock rear end and putting a Miata 1.6 in it while either rebuilding the rotary or if everything works well, build the second 1.6 I have for turbo and do a somewhat unique swap/build. It's a crime I know, but I'd like for her to drive 😬
Yeah, right after I posted the first one I saw your plan in the Tech section ha ha. Sorry to make you type it twice. Obviously I'm no expert but I would say drop the NA 1.6 in there just to get it running just like you say. After that if you need to build the turbo 1.6 I would say you minas well build the rotary and put that back in it, after all that's the fun in having these cars. Either way it's your car, and as long as you have fun with it, it's a win.
Haha! It's all good! Yeah, I think that's the plan regarding longevity with the car. Rebuilding the 13b out of an 88 gtu is what got me into cars to begin with.
Car looks like a great project to start with! Why not just leave the car be while you rebuild the engine? Its going to be a lot of work to swap a 1.6 into the car and then convert back to a rotary. The engine can be rebuilt in a few days and it will probably take more than that to convert it to take a piston engine.
It'll take a good week or so to do the fabrication work required to swap the 1.6. But it will be at least 6 months before I could even think about buying enough to rebuild the 13b unfortunately, I'll have to do a whole overhaul and probably a couple new irons. (it overheated more than once prior to my ownership, but I picked up the engine for $150 so it is what it is) The issue he described was coolant back pressuring out threw the thermostat housing area, which sounds to me like the coolant o-ring went in one of the housings :/.
Edit: reason I can't leave it be is because I dont have anywhere to put it. I'll throw it out on the street and drive it every once in a while with an engine so my neighbors don't get mad, otherwise it's off to a field somewhere.
09-03-17, 12:48 PM
. What's your plan?
