Another build thread

[CTWV50]

Oh dear! Can you take a picture so we can see how far out it is? How come the 1.6 is bigger/wider/taller than a 1.8?

[skov]

The 1.6 engine is slightly smaller. The problem is the inlet manifold.
From looking at pictures on the web the plenum chamber appears to sit higher on the 1.6 than the 1.8
I'll take some pictures next time I'm allowed in the garage.

[CTWV50]

Just been trying to compare spuds build images with your's but it's not clear in any of them. Can you drop the engine lower and maybe weld in some sort of sumpguard to the chassis?

[spud69]

The normal scenario with car engine installs into roadsters is to lower the engine and shorten the sump, it was hoped that the Mx5 engine was short enough to avoid this with the larger bonnet scoop. It seems that the 1.8 engine you can but not the 1.6, must say i didn't realise there was such a difference between the two. It is a shame but it does look like the sump can be shortened by 30mm quite easily if required, builders of the Westfield SDV Mazda car have had to do similar after finding they are left with only 30mm of ground clearance to the sump after fitting the engine.

All the Best.........AndyH

[skov]

I was hoping to avoid chopping the sump, but I'll keep that as my back-up plan.
I'll have a play about with the engine position when I've got some more time and decide the best course of action.
Here's some pics for now:

[MarkB]

Looking at the pictures you have no choice but to lower the engine unless you cut away the bonnet where it contacts the intake and then make up another bump once bonnet is sitting in the right place.

[twinturbo]

Could you make up an adapter plate to match the ports on the 1.6 head to the 1.8 Manifold?

TT

[Davidbolam]

why don't you do an engine swap from the 1.6 to the 1.8. If you look at flyinmiata.com they describe how to do it and let you know which parts are interchangeable. You could sell your 1.6 engine on ebay and probably cover the cost.

The other option could be to look at the universal scoop offered by agm to see if that is large enough to cover the 1.6 engine.

I was going to install the 1.6 engine in my car but may now just go for the 1.8

I suppose there is a market for someone who is able to make an adapter for the 1.6. This is my preferred engine (can bolt on a turbocharger later on quite easily).

http://flyinmiata.com/tech/1.8_conversion.php

[skov]

I did think about swapping for a 1.8, but it's a fair bit of hassle and unless I got a complete 1.8 donor it would be hard to prove that the engine was pre-1995 to avoid having to do the cat test.

Anyways, I've been out in the garage for the last couple of hours and I think I have a solution.
I've moved the engine 30mm towards the passenger side, and 'modified' the manifold. By modified I mean attack with an angle grinder
I still need to re-make my engine mounts, and possibly make a new bracket for the throttle cable, but that's not the end of the world, and shifting the engine accross also makes routing fuel and brake pipes down the tunnel a little easier

[Davidbolam]

Sounds like a good idea. Can you post some pics? Do you have any photos of the brakets you are using to mount the flexible brake pipes to the chassis at the rear and the routes you have taken for your pipes?