Hey guys, i'm going to be converting a 13B to FWD using a Probe GT tranny and i was curious if anyone else out there has any experience with the conversion?

I know you guys are thinking why, but since i've started driving i've always been around FWD mazda's and i'm comfortable working on them and modifying them, and i love seeing what engine swaps are possible by simply doing them

i've already got a complete FC drivetrain and all the major parts for the conversion and i also have someone lined up to make the CAD drawing for the adapter plate, as of right now i believe i'll just need the rear counterweight from an auto to adapt a KL flywheel to the 13B, but this is just my side project so progress is slow since my main projects take up my spare time lol

 

Interesting. Ridiculous, but interesting.

Knowing nothing about the FWD transmission used in the Probe, it's hard to say. What you'll need to do is compare the bellhousings of both. It's likely that the clutch splines are the same, as are the pilot bores (most Japanese cars of the era are...hell, even my 2000 Insight uses the same splines and input shaft diameter as an NA FC). Then if the input shafts don't need machining, you'll need to either make a bellhousing adapter or cut off the old one and weld on the Mazda housing. Really, the same for any engine swap.

This of course assumes that the position of the engine doesn't interfere with the transmission. Then you're on your own for mounts...

I know you don't want this advice, but why in the hell are you doing this?! The Probe chassis is simply inferior. A proper RWD FC would literally drive circles around a 13B powered Probe.

FYI, the only Mazda FWD rotary application was the 13A in the Luce.

 

[QUOTE=Aaron Cake;11021275]I know you don't want this advice, but why in the hell are you doing this?! The Probe chassis is simply inferior. A proper RWD FC would literally drive circles around a 13B powered Probe./QUOTE]

You'd be surprised, some Probes are modified to handle quite well. RWD doesn't mean better than FWD by any means.

 

Yes, some Probes are MODIFIED to handle quite well... Whereas the FC handles quite well from the factory.


Front engine, RWD (What you seem to be referring to) and front mid-engine, RWD (Like the FC) are two different things.

 

Not sure what you're saying...RWD = rear wheel drive FWD = front wheel drive.

I just mean FWD and RWD don't really have pros and cons until around 200+whp in my experience. I know many will throw out the idea of a FWD car as a handling car right at the start.

 

Hmm, having been an Mx6 guy myself, this is actually something I've never bothered trying. I was going to do a 13B swap, RWD to the Mx6, but ended up saying the hell with it and got an Rx8, haha.

However, I do want to say using the KL, you could use the bell housing off of a B2200, I THINK, mount this to an FC trans, and you've got a RWD KL. I've seen this done in Miatas, but I can't recall everything, as it's been a few years.

Now, if that's possible, who's to say you couldn't do it backwards? If apparently the input shaft of the FC matches with the KL, with a different bell housing, I believe you'll be able to make the opposite work, a 13B with a Kl transaxle. Now, how much work involved, I have no idea.


It's a shame you're in Ontario. Having been an Mx6, and KL enthusiast as well, I'd love to help. After all, the Probe and Mx6 do share a few things in common.

Well, here's the site for one of the KL Miatas. I know it's the opposite of what you're going for, but maybe it'll help some.

http://majica.net/JNR/here.htm%20

 

http://6thgearadvertising.com/civic-........something like this

 

Now that IS dumb. Why would you ever spend that much money to have 800hp to the front wheels? lol

 

^The same reason we drive Rx7's, or Rx8's, instead of STi's or Evo's?

 

some people like to be different.....i can appreciate the fabrication involved...

 

It's a civic owner. Is it really that surprising to see? Plus he's using street tires, so the ONLY thing this thing would be remotely good for is highway pulls. Even with DOT drag radials, there would still be too much power for any half-decent amount of traction. And any sort of auto-x just goes out the window. I have VERY high respect on the mechanical and fabrication aspect, but it's just another useless civic.

 

If you don't understand what I am saying then do some homework on front mid-engine, rear-wheel drive cars. I suppose I am referring to FMR, though. Whereas you're referring to something that is NOT the FC compared to the Ford Probe GT. When you're talking about handling, there's a difference.

Wikipedia: FMR Layout


I don't doubt that some FWD cars can handle well. I just don't see it as THE best racing platform.



We're straying a bit from the subject. I apologize OP and mods.

 

I can dig it!

 

look at this crazy setup......super cool..,,,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYLXj...CC571BD0D43DC3

 

I just put a 13b turbo in my 86' FWD 323 bfmp, is good fun to drive and handles well probably because it's light. If you're after an engineering challenge go for it I say, my conversion was a headache but very rewarding when completed. There's never a shortage of people to bash your ideas, but are u doing all this hard work to please them? If you want to do it, do it. All the best and let us know how u get on!

 

you can do anythign with the right amount of money. There might be a fwd transmission that just needs an adapter plate to bolt up. Most likely will need a new input shaft as well, but then you still got the front suspension components and the subframe in the way. I dont see this being an easy job

 

For comparison, the Probe flywheel is 1/4" in diameter smaller then the 13B's so I either need to adapt a Probe flywheel to the 13B using an auto counterweight or shave the probe bellhousing just enough to clear the 13B flywheel

I know I can make it work, I work in a welding shop and have done lots of fab work (I dropped a Probe V6 into a ford festiva) so mounts etc. are no worries and I'd need to also make a custom exhaust manifold to clear the axle, but all of which I am capable of doing myself

I know the idea isn't exactly practical for performance aspect, but I love doing oddball engine swaps like that

I'll post some pics of what I've done so far with it all

 

Here's the drivetrain i picked up for $200




And started tearing it down to see how its all put together



The clutch splines are identical to a Probe's which works out nicely

And here's a pic of the Probe tranny held up against the 13B, the flywheel just barely skims the bellhousing but with minor clearancing, it'll fit nicely

And yes i will need to clock the tranny around in order to get the exhaust to clear the axle




Sorry for some of the crappy cell phone pics

I will be on the lookout for a rear counterweight, but i don't have enough posts yet to start a WTB thread, so for now i'll keep this thread updated

If anyone else has any experience with this, please feel free to chime in

 

And for the hell of it, here's some of my previous builds

98' Millenia S, 2.3L Supercharged V6 into a 2002 Protege 5



My current project, 1990 Ford Festiva with a JDM Probe GT engine, 2.5L V6 which i am almost done turbo'ing

 

to me, I'd rather try to move the motor back and make an RX7 rear mid engine

 

Thats pretty badass

 

Why? The weight distribution on the FC is basically 50/50 already.

 

Rear counterweight? That's integrated into the flywheel.

Pretty surprising the transmission fits as well as it does.

You're only about 35 minutes away from me.

 

thats crazy but im curious how its gonna turn out, hope everything works out!!

 

Yes I do realize the counter weight is integrated into the flywheel, but soon I will be looking to buy a counter weight from an auto so I can adapt a different flywheel onto it

And since your pretty close to me, maybe once I get a bit further into the project, you could come on down and check it all out