Anyone converted a 13b to FWD?
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Anyone converted a 13b to FWD?
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
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
#2
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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.
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.
#3
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[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.
You'd be surprised, some Probes are modified to handle quite well. RWD doesn't mean better than FWD by any means.
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Front engine, RWD (What you seem to be referring to) and front mid-engine, RWD (Like the FC) are two different things.
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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.
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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
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
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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.
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Wikipedia: FMR Layout
We're straying a bit from the subject. I apologize OP and mods.
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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!
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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
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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
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
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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 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
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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
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
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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