WTB: 1.8l Miata Engine

Hi guys, I'm looking to buy a replacement engine for my 1997 mazda miata. Lower milage engine would be great, but let me know what you have. Needs to be a good, running engine. Email me from here, or text or call me @ 267-nine zero eight-6725

Thanks!

I have a '94 engine with about 170K. Pulled due to head gasket leaking. The crank pulley key sheared about a month before and it overheated. I started puffing white smoke so I put a new head gasket and bolts on it. Lasted about a month, so I swapped in a '99 engine and moved on with life. Head needs to be trued and new gasket. Will let it go for scrap value, or beer! In NC, near Charlotte.

I have a 1995-6 (1996 motor that was put in a 95) with somewhere around 150k and a bad woodruff keyway that I will let go cheap.

That being said, Car-part.com is your friend on this one.

Plan to spend somewhere between $600-$1000 depending and be willing to drive a ways for the right deal.

1991-1996 Ford Escort has mostly interchangeable motor (aside from some bolt on accessories). Find one of those, yank the motor and scrap the rest. Zero cost engine.

I've got a full drivetrain that I didn't use on my Exocet, 1.8, '97, good 5 speed transmission, torsen rear, $1600, all the suspension, etc. Put this motor in your car, rebuild your old motor & make an Exocet I even have an M45 supercharger and a Megasquirt PNP for it available

Thanks for the replies so far guys.

@TiggerWelder, I'll have to pass on your motor there, you're pretty far from me and that's about as much work as my motor needs.

@Apexcarver, Thanks for the car-part website, I'll be looking around there. As to your motor, if the woodruff key is bad, it need a whole new crankshaft correct?

@KyAllroad, thanks for the info on the ford escort, that may be a possibility.

In reply to HoserRacing:

@HoserRacing, that sounds very intriguing. I am really only looking for a motor at this time, so if you would be willing to sell the motor separate from the rest I would be very interested, email me or text me. I would like to build an excocet eventually, but right now that's not an option for me money-wise. I already got NB miata suspension as an upgrade to this one, but the supercharger could be interesting. Again please send me an email or text and we can talk in more detail. Thanks!

AWSX1686 wrote: @Apexcarver, Thanks for the car-part website, I'll be looking around there. As to your motor, if the woodruff key is bad, it need a whole new crankshaft correct?

Yes, that would be correct, the keyway was worn out. It still ran when pulled, but it rattled like hell.

If you are willing to throw a good crank in, its a cheap option. I instead spent $675 on an absurdly good deal 28k mile motor instead.

The 1.8L in the Escort GT's are different then what you have in your Miata. The main difference is the cylinder head. The intake ports are positioned lower on the head and the cams are smaller. You intake system will not bolt on.

A popular swap is to install the Miata 1.8L head on to the Escort to boost power. I did this for a friend by welding on some extra aluminum to the bottom of the stock Escort intake manifold and then re-drilled the mounting holes. That, some mild porting and a better exhaust and with the better cams netted him almost 130 HP "at the wheels".

@jimbbski, I am inclined to stay with the miata engine for simplicicty, but I am also open to suggestions, so thanks for that bit of info.

@Apexcarver, if it just needs a crankshaft, I'm open to that idea. Where are you located, and what kind of $$$ figure are you thinking? Send me a message.

Hoping this car might make it to the challenge next year.

Got an excellent VVT 1.8 currently available in Atlanta, with a 94-7 1.8 and 99-00 1.8 coming soon.

In reply to metalman:

Atlanta would be quite a trip for me, thanks though.

Still looking for an engine.

Had found one on ebay, JDM engine trans, ecu, and wiring, but before they shipped it they found low compression on one of the cylinders. So I have to find another.

My 96 is totaled but still driving it. I could check to see what the buy back is. It has 84k miles but located in Jacksonville, FL.

jimbbski wrote: The 1.8L in the Escort GT's are different then what you have in your Miata. The main difference is the cylinder head. The intake ports are positioned lower on the head and the cams are smaller. You intake system will not bolt on. A popular swap is to install the Miata 1.8L head on to the Escort to boost power. I did this for a friend by welding on some extra aluminum to the bottom of the stock Escort intake manifold and then re-drilled the mounting holes. That, some mild porting and a better exhaust and with the better cams netted him almost 130 HP "at the wheels".

The Escort uses the same head and port design as the 1994-97 Miata engine. It was the 1999-05 Miata engines that got the intake port redesign. FYI.

In reply to Stampie:

Information appreciated.

There's are Facebook groups called Miata Owners Support Group and Miata Parts For Sale. Both of those see engines come through fairly frequently, from people located all across the country.

In reply to Duke:

That information will be quite helpful to me shortly. THANKS!

Where are you located? I have one in Ohio that needs some attention. You can have it really cheap if you come get it. I know it needs a valve job, and I'd do bearing just b/c its out of the car. Sort of ran when parked.