Miata engine!? In a 914!? Options

[purple]

Hey guys, I found this on another site that I lurk on.

The OP is restoring a civic hatch to some new hotness, but he mentions seeing a 'sweet 914' come up with a carbed miata engine on it!?

I'm intrigued!

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthrea...mp;pagenumber=2



Anyone have info on this?

-Purple

[smontanaro]

Kinda cool, but then you run this risk:



(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

(not that there's anything wrong with that, of course...)

Skip

[Loser_Cruiser]

I had a 91 ford escort gt with the 1.8 liter mazda bp motor which was also used in the miata at one point. It was a good strong engine. I ran it hard for the two years i owned it. The only problems I had were old coolent lines had to be replaced every now and then. It had just under 180,000 miles when i got it. Theres a two turbo models of the same engine rated at like 185 and 210 depending on which one the gtx or gtr engine. Personally i would rather have a subie engine though if i were going water cooled. newer, more powerful, better center of gravity and what not.

[7TPorsh]

Kinda cool, but then you run this risk:



(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

(not that there's anything wrong with that, of course...)

Skip

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)

[Demick]

Not a great choice. Maybe great for reliability, but miata engine is more anemic than a 914-4 motor. Subie would be a much better choice if going to all the trouble to convert and add radiators.

[KaptKaos]

If you are going to add a small watercooled motor, why would you add anything other than a subaru? Its a flat 4 and that alone makes more sense than just about any other modern engine.

Am I missing something?

[boxstr]

I have had many Miatas and I have one now. I agree, you would be better off putting in the Suby or a V8.
CCL

[purple]

The best reason i could think of for putting one in is the sheer amount of cheap and readily available parts.

I mean you can pick up a miata engine for maybe 600 cash. you can put forged internals on it and TEH TRUBO for $4k and you have 200hp right there. Methinks shitting on the miata engine is not advised :-)

[Joe Ricard]

I would not give a plugged nickle for a Miata engine. Unless it was pushing 15 PSI and making 300 HP. They do exist. and it might push a 914 fairly good.

Stock motor ?? don't waste your time.

[sean_v8_914]

I hereby officially take a big cyber crap on that miata engine. suby is 165 normally aspirated HP. turbo suby is well developed with a long history of hot shoe happiness. dont forget teh CG advantage of the suby. one 914club member installed a suby with the rad IN the eng comp then drove it from MD to CA and back only a day after completing the installation.

BTW I have owned a Miata. I like Miatas.

[Todd Enlund]

The best reason i could think of for putting one in is the sheer amount of cheap and readily available parts.

I mean you can pick up a miata engine for maybe 600 cash. you can put forged internals on it and TEH TRUBO for $4k and you have 200hp right there. Methinks shitting on the miata engine is not advised :-)

That $4K buys a stock STi engine that makes 300 HP.

[purple]

and cheap parts for said STI engine are....where exactly?

Just because it's different doesnt mean its wrong guys, keep an open mind. I was just amazed to find something other than a run of the mill subie/v8/f6 conversion. I guess by all the bitching i should have just kept it to myself.

tradition : 1
originality : 0

[Rand]

It's cool purple. To each his own. And we respect anyone doing their own thing.

My mind is so open, my brain keeps falling out. But I would still have to say, when going through all the work to do a water-cooled transplant, it seems really odd to choose a Miata engine. I mean, it's the same amount of work, so it boils down to comparing the motors head to head: Subaru puts out more power per dollar than the Miata motor AND has lower center of gravity, AND has as good or better aftermarket support for HP performance parts. I can't see any possible argument that would make the Miata a better choice.

But again.... To each his own and I give props to anyone who is doing custom work. I give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he chose that powerplant because he knows it intimately and loves it, he had it, etc.

[purple]

I thought it was just neat to see something other than a chevy v8 or subie engine back there. I didnt think you could put an inline 4 in that engine bay. I guess I should have assumed since a v8 is two inline 4's at a rudimentary level. What would be neat is if you could fit a bmw straight 6 back there. Another thing that would be neat is a turbo rotary engine from an RX-*

In my opinion, the more different stuff we can put back there, the better. Who cares?

The real problem with the 914 is the transmission anyway! If you could EASILY retrofit a modern cable shifter back there it would make for a much better driving experience. Or at least a NEWER tranny would make things nice, if just for having brand new syncros and a proper H pattern without a dogleg. People look at me funny when I tell them the way the shift pattern works on the 914.

I wish i had new syncros in my tranny. #1 and #2 are both grindy if i'm not slow as hell with the shifts.... lame. in my 07 MINI cooper I can really bang through the gears...

OH, and boosted brakes.

the stopping power of the MINI spoils me for this car

[purple]

It's also noteworthy to me because if I'd bought a miata for the 3500 i paid for the 914, I'd have a car i could actually drive when I wanted to.

Miatas arent gay either. that shit needs to stop. it's ignorant

[Brando]

If it fits, is reliable, and doesn't leak oil, what's the problem?

Maybe the person had a scrapped miata lying around and a blown engine in his 914?

Not a bad conversion... Not what I would do, but not a bad conversion.

[Todd Enlund]

It's also noteworthy to me because if I'd bought a miata for the 3500 i paid for the 914, I'd have a car i could actually drive when I wanted to.

Miatas arent gay either. that shit needs to stop. it's ignorant

I test drove a Miata last week. I liked it. But I didn't fit in it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

I won't knock the guy for doing the Miata swap in the Teener, because I don't know his situation. I just don't think that it is anywhere near the best option.

He's driving his 914 and I'm not. I'm looking for an engine.

[smontanaro]

Miatas arent gay either. that shit needs to stop. it's ignorant

Oh, puhleeze. I added three smilies and a reference to Seinfeld. What part of my post didn't you understand was a joke?

Skip

[Brando]

Seinfeld isn't funny... that's probably why. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol2.gif)

Oh, puhleeze. I added three smilies and a reference to Seinfeld. What part of my post didn't you understand was a joke?

Skip

[purple]

Seinfeld isn't funny... that's probably why. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol2.gif)

Oh, puhleeze. I added three smilies and a reference to Seinfeld. What part of my post didn't you understand was a joke?

Skip

correct!


Larry David is funny. ever notice how seinfeld (the show) got up it's own butt the last couple years after Larry david left? because seinfeld was doing the writing

like alan alda with mash
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/stirthepot.gif)

i knew it was *supposed* to be a joke, but stereotypes get perpetuated with jokes like that. just sayin...