Blew the engine on my 92 Miata!

jimmybuffit

jimmybuffit

That'll buff right out!
My life sucks!



Apparently the oil pump blew at just 49K on my *perfect* 92 Black and Tan..



FM Stage 3 suspension. Koesei wheels and 15" Kumho MXs



I'm not a 'wrencher', I just make 'em look good. So, I have no idea of what to do next.



Oh, I drive 'em hard, make no mistake about thatâ€Â¦



I can get a rebuilt motor for about $1200 plus removal/reinstall ($800?), for $2000 total.



On the other extreme, I can get a NEW Mazda crate motor for ($4000???), and several options in between these extremes.



I may be able to buy another (equivalent) vehicle for $7000, pick the engine, and part the restâ€Â¦ ?



Should I buy the "new car" and swap suspensions?



How creative can we be?



HELP!!!



Jim
 
Jim,



If it were me I would probably get the crate motor. You most likely already know your car from bumper to bumper and a new engine will get her back on the road. If you take your supsension and drop it in this "new" car you may have suprises ahead that you don't know about. To me a rebuilt motor is also an "unknown" as the motor will only be as good as the company or the technician that rebuilt it.
 
Sorry to hear that. What a nightmare. I can see how upsetting it can be. Here I thought a little curb rash was a disaster.



I'd go with a new crate motor too. Rebuilds have that unknown factor. Exactly what parts are rebuilt and what parts are still original (maybe the oil pump? ;) )



My friend bought a 1978 Jaguar in great condition, inside and out, but with a blown engine. He swapped it out for a Chevy 350 crate motor! Yes, a Chevy! I know he had a new exhaust put in, all new electrical, but not too sure what else he did to make everything gel together. But it is definately unique and sounds great!



Good luck to you.
 
Drop in a v8. There are kits and you can possibly get a new 302 and required swap parts for the 4k the dealer wants for the crate engine.
 
You can also get a low mileage used engine. There are a lot of Japanese engine importers who get low mileage engines from Japan (it has something to do with their emission and inspection laws). I got one for my Accord that had 56k on it and I put another 125k on that engine without a single problem with it. I think it was around $1200 installed, plus another $150 for a new timing belt and water pump....so I wouldn't have that expense for 90k.
 
Sorry to hear that Jim. Now you can try that 5.0 motor I was talking about. :D





If you know that the one rebuilding your motor knows what they are doing then that would be a good option. You said you have a Miata guy in your area right? If he is doing it then that may be a good option. Now with the new engine you have a brand new engine with more power I believe so that would be a plus. But is it a big enough plus to spend double the money?





That sucks. Sorry to hear about your luck Jim. Keep us posted on what you decide.



James
 
Do you know what damage has been done?



The term 'rebuilt' is as others have indicated is a very loose definition. As with everything, some places will virtually rebuild to OEM specs whilst others will do very little. If you can find a decent place with skilled engine builders - this would be my first choice in terms of having a known engine and value for money. If the engine has destroyed itself, I suspect the costs could rise way above the $2000 range.



A doner car can be a useful option if you have the storage space, time and skills to strip a car reinstall everything.



Second hand is obviously more of a risk. I have also heard that Japanese emissions are very strict but of course there is no way of knowing how good or bad the engine is.
 
I wouldn't go for the new Mazda unit, $4000 will get you a seriously nice engine built at a reputable tuner... maybe even with a blower? :D
 
Paintballny said:
Drop in a v8. There are kits and you can possibly get a new 302 and required swap parts for the 4k the dealer wants for the crate engine.
Click to expand...



As in a Ford 5.0 "302"? Didn't know you could do that.
 
Hey, most people who have done the V8 swap have about $12k and up to $20k into it, not counting the value of their time. I know that the GRM challenge guys did it for under $2002, but that was a special case with lots of swapping and insider knowledge. A V8 Miata is a serious commitment in time and money. The kit alone is something like $5000.





Tom
 
So many options, so little knowledge.



I'm learning, slowly, but i appreciate everyone's assistance.



We'll come to a decision here shortly, I hope!



Jim
 
Lowejackson said:
I thought it had a 1.8L engine :nixweiss I do have a vague memory of an official turbo engine, is this available in the USA
Click to expand...

In 1994 they started putting in the 1.8. Jim has a 1.6L with 12 less factory HP. The V8 swaps are fun but it would be much more involved and expensive. Then you have to get bigger brakes, and stiffer dampers to compensate for that much more power. A 1.8 swap is easy and there are kits that make it even easier. There are multiple turbo kits out there and the Mazdaspeed version comes with a factory turbo setup.
 
And the Mazda engines don't need strenghtened internals to run boost until you get over about 240rwhp. The block is the old 323 GTX turbo block. It's already made as a fi engine, just add fi.



I dunno, Jim. It's a 12 year old car. I say get a used 1.6 engine. It's the cheap way to get the exact same car back.





Tom
 
an idea one of my friends had:



swap in a ford 2.3L that has been stroked out to 2.5L. :D



but realistically, i think having the engine rebuilt would be a good way to go if, and only if, the shop rebuilding it does a good job and checks the engine for other problems/cracks/etc. and while the engine is apart, it might be a good time to have a good port job done to the heads. or get the engine ready for some forced-induction, if you ever thought about it.
 
I agree with Scott and Mosca, go with a good used engine. Plus this is a great opportunity to really detail the engine bay.
 
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