I've driven a homebrew MSM swapped NB with the 5 speed and both 3.9 and 4.3 gears. I'm a fan of long gears and it was lovely after the swap. The 4.3s were just a bit whiny and you end up shifting too much, especially in the lower gears.
I've driven a homebrew MSM swapped NB with the 5 speed and both 3.9 and 4.3 gears. I'm a fan of long gears and it was lovely after the swap. The 4.3s were just a bit whiny and you end up shifting too much, especially in the lower gears.
That's my beef with 6-speeds in general. You end up shifting so often that you want to skip gears when not pushing it to the max. Though loafing along at 1500rpm at 60 is sweet, a lot of newer cars run lean enough that it's hard on them.
Low redline and short gears equals lots of shifting. 3.63 gears came stock on the car they sold in Australia. Did not call it a Mazdaspeed, because "speed" is banned as a name in Oz, or some such nonsense.
Really want to do the 3.63 diff, but have to put the 914 back together first.
Australia actually got a pre-MSM turbo Miata called the SP. I don't know exactly why, but apparently Oz doesn't use the Mazdaspeed branding so their version of the MSM was the SE.
We put a 5-speed in our shop MSM with the 4.1. It's a good combo, I very much like the 5-speed with a 4.1 and the 1.8.
The gearing of the Mazda gearbox is not such that you'll loaf along at 1500 rpm at 60. The little four wouldn't be able to pull that.
In reply to BoxheadTim (Forum Supporter) :
I do not support your friend getting a 944 Turbo. Having owned two of them, I can tell you that they're a fun car but very maintenance intensive. They're also getting old and suffering from some very strange quirks and have intergalatic turbo lag. A 944 S2 or a 968 would be a better choice but given how slow those are an E36 M3 or E46 M3 are much better choices for similar money.
I like clown shoes too but the seats they come with are, far and away, the most uncomfortable seats BMW has ever made. Given your "friends" back etc issues, be very careful buying one of those...
docwyte said:I like clown shoes too but the seats they come with are, far and away, the most uncomfortable seats BMW has ever made. Given your "friends" back etc issues, be very careful buying one of those...
Clown shoes..............as much as 333 hp in a car with semi-trailing arm rear suspension from the 70s.
They never did much for me. I've got a buddy with a mint '98 that's been sitting in his garage for years now.
In reply to z31maniac :
The S54 ones are going for silly money. I think the S52 versions are honestly a better car and if you want more power its easily gotten from the S52.
I think the first year for them here in the US was '99. What's your friends plans with his?
docwyte said:In reply to BoxheadTim (Forum Supporter) :
I do not support your friend getting a 944 Turbo. Having owned two of them, I can tell you that they're a fun car but very maintenance intensive. They're also getting old and suffering from some very strange quirks and have intergalatic turbo lag. A 944 S2 or a 968 would be a better choice but given how slow those are an E36 M3 or E46 M3 are much better choices for similar money.
Well, I do prefer my Porkers over BMWs and wouldn't mind a 968. I hear you on the 944 turbos though.
I like clown shoes too but the seats they come with are, far and away, the most uncomfortable seats BMW has ever made. Given your "friends" back etc issues, be very careful buying one of those...
Well, said "friend" has a Bride Stradia ready to go into pretty much any trackable car he would buy.
docwyte said:In reply to z31maniac :
The S54 ones are going for silly money. I think the S52 versions are honestly a better car and if you want more power its easily gotten from the S52.
I think the first year for them here in the US was '99. What's your friends plans with his?
Not sure. It needed the radiator/water pump/hoses done because the radiator had started to leak. I stopped asking him YEARS ago when he wanted me to come help him fix it so he could drive it again. He bought it back in the summer of '09 with only 40k miles on it (it's a '98 or '99), previous owner is another BMW guy here in OKC who takes meticulous care of his stuff.
Unfortunately I think it's been sitting in his garage not being used since maybe 2011? I'd have to ask him.
BoxheadTim (Forum Supporter) said:Well, I do prefer my Porkers over BMWs and wouldn't mind a 968. I hear you on the 944 turbos though.
I love 968s, always wanted one.
Toebra said:Really want to do the 3.63 diff, but have to put the 914 back together first.
IMHO the 5-speed + 4.3 is the best combination of ratios on the Miata for general street/autox use. If you make enough boost to shred the 5-speeds, then the 6-speed + 3.6 gives you almost the same total ratio on gears 1-5, plus an extra overdrive on 6th, plus more strength. That's what I have in mine.
For a race car the answer is probably different.
In reply to z31maniac :
Wow, that's a long time for something that's a really easy, cheap repair. If it really does only need the cooling system refresh...
As another data point, I have just over 130k miles on my MSM that I bought at 23k. It got the Little Enchilada early and a MSPNP around 90k. So far, it's holding up well with the stock turbo running 12 psi of boost. No oil leakage from the turbo yet. It hasn't been tracked, but has seen a few seasons of autocross and I do not baby it on the street.
As for MSM-specific parts, the steering rack is one, but I believe it just added thicker stops to allow for the bigger wheels. So far I haven't had any issues with parts supply, but the Megasquirt ignores a few of the stock parts.
Question for the hive.
My Mazdaspeed has a blown head gasket. I found this out when I fixed a boost leak in the intake at the throttle body, drove it, and my radiator blew up from pressure transfer from the combusting chamber to the cooling system.
Engine has 150K miles on it so I am thinking while its apart I do an engine "refresh".
Basically a rebuild.
I want to with a premium bearings but not interested in stouter rods or changing pistons unless necessary. Just premium parts plus head and turbo rebuild. I am not planning on seeing how much boost I can get on the stock ECU. I just want to have a reliable rebuild that well last for years.
Thoughts on what this should cost? Parts and labor?
Any recommendations for a shop in Houston that does good Miata engine rebuilds?
In reply to jharry3 :
I just did a no machining rebuild on a normally aspirated Miata. I'd budget at least 3 grand.
Since you're looking for a local shop, I'd be asking them how much. And I'd be asking the Spec Miata guys who's any good.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
I can tell you that the 3.6 rear end makes the gearing perfect (basically a close ratio 5 speed) and then an overdrive 6th gear. Raises the top speed too :-)
Mentally scrolling through my list of who I know that owns an MSM, and checking it against known profession. I don't think I know who they are :).
dherr (Forum Supporter) said:In reply to Keith Tanner :
I can tell you that the 3.6 rear end makes the gearing perfect (basically a close ratio 5 speed) and then an overdrive 6th gear. Raises the top speed too :-)
I wish I had this mod. Driving the MSM up to Denver yesterday I saw 4000rpm way to much.
People have been complaining about Miatas revving high on the highway since 1990 :) Although the 6-speed/4.1 combo is dumb.
When we had our MSM, the 3.6 wasn't really an option. So we put in the 5 speed which shifted better regardless of what rear end is behind it. I'd probably still do that over a 3.6 just because of the PITA factor and expense.
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