Not your typical Miata engine swap

ummm....

http://cnj.craigslist.org/cto/2274656350.html

...and here I was praying the sky-d engine would make its way into the next miata. Well played New Jersey, well played.

Good city car

Sad thing is, my state has no emissions tests. I'd have no problems with that car.

What in the...

All that for only 45 MPG? Should have put it in something with better aerodynamics.

David

I wonder what a VW 1.9 tdi swap would be like in that Miata instead.

Yanmar block? Hmm, well, it it is, then it's basically the three cylinder marine engine, which means it's built for a turbo, so you could just about double its hp, and still have a slow car. Unique, but, slow. And, mileage would dive....the VW swap would be interesting.

Does any state test diesel emissions on vehicles older than a couple of years? Edit: forgot about CA. They have to have some kind of test...

The problem here is that the Miata was never sold with a diesel engine, so it will be held to gasoline engine emission standards, which it will fail with diesel power.

No emissions testing where I live in Maine, but I agree, if you're going to go diesel then use something with a bit more oomph like a TDI. And a Miata doesn't have much room for a Greasecar.com style waste vegetable oil conversion. You can fit a small WVO tank in the trunk at the expense of... well, the entire trunk.

How many Torques (to quote Jeremy Clarkson ) does the Yanmar / Isuzu make ?

triumph5 wrote: Does any state test diesel emissions on vehicles older than a couple of years?

For the record, the counties around Reno and Las Vegas, NV test ALL passenger cars and light trucks, gas or Diesel, back to 1968.

I saw an MGB several years ago which had a normally aspirated Kubota 4 cyl diesel. Like this setup, it was slow but got fantastic mileage, the guy claimed he filled it up once a month.

That swap has been done a few times in Metros.

My buddy has a twin turbo LS motor in his Miata. I think I like his swap better

So where is the Miata with the MB 300D motor that was on here a while back? I wanted to purchase that so bad when it come up for sale but cash flow just would not allow it. Was it finished? I want dibs on that if it ever comes up for sale again.

dean1484 wrote: So where is the Miata with the MB 300D motor that was on here a while back? I wanted to purchase that so bad when it come up for sale but cash flow just would not allow it. Was it finished? I want dibs on that if it ever comes up for sale again.

SVReX has/had it. Not sure if he still does. An email would answer your question.

DWNSHFT wrote: All that for only 45 MPG? Should have put it in something with better aerodynamics. David

Exactly what I was thinking. I get mid 30s mpg in my Miata and it's still fun to drive and it doesn't have a 0-60 time of 2 minutes.

pres589 wrote: I wonder what a VW 1.9 tdi swap would be like in that Miata instead.

I'll bet it would do mid-50mpg

26hp?! No fun.

I bet a Festiva 1.3 w/ a small turbo, in that car, would have a good chance of getting into the 40s on the highway, and it would still be as fast as the stock miata.

In reply to JamesMcD:

I have to say, as a diesel swapper myself, that's not very impressive

I just got back from an 8600 mile, 30 day, coast to coast trip in my 356 TD. My car has a 1.6L VW TD engine, and got 57 mpg for the trip, with a lot of those miles at 75 mph. (I did a trip blog for family and fiends, if you're interested, you can view it here:http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/vonbondo/ )

The engine in my car is "massaged" with a modded pump, injectors, a VNT15 turbo, and a 944 turbo intercooler. It makes about 110 HP and 160 ft/lbs, not crazy powerful, but more than the original air cooled gasser ever made -- it's fast enough to be fun.

In short -- sorry, but 26 HP/45 mpg just stinks out loud --

Tom

moT: Tell us more about the 356! Is it a replica or a real 356, what transaxle, etc etc.

MrJoshua wrote:

dean1484 wrote: So where is the Miata with the MB 300D motor that was on here a while back? I wanted to purchase that so bad when it come up for sale but cash flow just would not allow it. Was it finished? I want dibs on that if it ever comes up for sale again.

SVReX has/had it. Not sure if he still does. An email would answer your question.

Still have it. Never finished. Want it?

pres589 wrote: moT: Tell us more about the 356! Is it a replica or a real 356, what transaxle, etc etc.

It's a "real" 356, though I've replaced an awful lot of the German steel in the 36 years that I've owned it.

I'm now using a type 1 VW gearbox that I got from Rancho. It has very tall gears, with a 3:40 r&p and a .7 4th.

I don't have a build thread, but I did write an article for the 356 Registry Magazine about the car. I scanned it and posted it on my Picasa page, you can see it here: https://picasaweb.google.com/106656261021789066852/356RegistryArticle#

moTthediesel wrote:

pres589 wrote: moT: Tell us more about the 356! Is it a replica or a real 356, what transaxle, etc etc.

It's a "real" 356, though I've replaced an awful lot of the German steel in the 36 years that I've owned it. I'm now using a type 1 VW gearbox that I got from Rancho. It has very tall gears, with a 3:40 r&p and a .7 4th. I don't have a build thread, but I did write an article for the 356 Registry Magazine about the car. I scanned it and posted it on my Picasa page, you can see it here: https://picasaweb.google.com/106656261021789066852/356RegistryArticle#

That is a great story!

Ironically, Mazda sold a diesel engine to Ford (not sure if it was ever used in the old "B" series truck or not) that would have been a nicer swap and would have had double the horsepower of the Yanmar before a turbo is added.

I would think that after spending all that time/money on the swap, I would start looking for ways to cut weight out of this car....like maybe a lighter hood and trunk lid? Heck, even lighter wheels would help.