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Option 1

Replace crank and crankshaft and fix problem - approx $1300

Option 2

Replace 1600 with another 1600 engine - approx $1600

Option 3

Replace 1600 with 1800 - approx $2400

What do u guys think? My crank is stuffed! Being realistic and considering I am a full time student, what do you guys think would be the best and most suitable/appropriate option?

why $1600 for a replacement?
you can get a whole front cut for that.

the 1.8 has more potential but depends what you want...

u can get import engines for $300..
hire an engine crane and do it over a weekend..

There's a 1600 on the for sale list JSE if that helps

tough question. I'd do a 1.8 next time aroundbut I'm not a student. but manage to still have less money than you LOL. (tragic...isn't it?)

loctite fix. if you do it yourself, should be a hole lot cheaper than that.
its just labour intensive. Plenty of instuctions on the big forum. Being a student ....should make that a breeze for you


quiestion beggs. how many k's have you got?
did someone replace the timing belt recently?

Wow that really sucks dude

If you're still intending to move to an NB/NC sooner or later, then I don't really see the point in the 1800 conversion. Just do a straight 1600 swap if the loctite fix doesn't work.

I don't think the crank swap is worth doing for that kinda price.

jonno.

went down the same road... 2months after buying the kitty her crank broke.
bought an engine for $700 and used a mechanics workshop to do the swap myself (at the cost of a carton).

if you were to have a mech swap it for you i cant see it costing anymore than $500 labour. my mech was gonna charge $350.

Is it possible to try the 'Locktite Fix' or is it too far gone? If busted, I'd go for the 1600 swap.

1600 swap. make sure it's late model so you get the better crank (and I newer motor).

I just sold a complete pretty low km. long nose 1.6 for less than $300.

Dam thats bad luck dude. Probably go for a long nose 1.6 swap if i were you. How many klms? What happaned? Im a paranoid short nose crank owner.

Yoshi wrote:Dam thats bad luck dude. Probably go for a long nose 1.6 swap if i were you. How many klms? What happaned? Im a paranoid short nose crank owner.

if your paranoid and want to put your mind at ease why not do a timing belt/waterpump/crank pulley/woodruff key/crank seal change? that way you can inspect it all and if the key way is begining to wear away you can get to it with loctite before the problem becomes major.

kitkat wrote:

Yoshi wrote:Dam thats bad luck dude. Probably go for a long nose 1.6 swap if i were you. How many klms? What happaned? Im a paranoid short nose crank owner.

if your paranoid and want to put your mind at ease why not do a timing belt/waterpump/crank pulley/woodruff key/crank seal change? that way you can inspect it all and if the key way is begining to wear away you can get to it with loctite before the problem becomes major.

How much do you think that would cost? The reason why i ask is, i was thinking of getting my 130,000km service done as its coming up soon. I would want to do the servicing myself after that, but just wanted to get the car check out by someone that knows the mx5, to see if anything is up with it, as i have only had it for about a month, , and like you said to get the crank checked out. I have read if not done right that it could make the problem even worse, so my other question is anyone know someone is syd that knows the mx5 quiet well. Thanks. And sorry about the thread hijack.

IIRC all parts needed would be around the $375 mark.
Labour depends on which way you go... if you go via a mechanic/mazda it might get pretty costly
another option is to persuade the other enthusiast here for there help with a 5L keg of Heineken!

I recently had the timing belt replaced ( and almost everything else replaced in one big hit) and thats when my trusted mechanic buggered it the bastard! I didn't realise and drove with it for about 4 months with it whinging and screaming and grinding when i turned the wheel (i thought it was the Poer steering pump busted) and now he won't refund me etc.

The crank was already buggered and butchered by the dude doing a homejob repair in Japan. And so it has been pissing oil ever since i got it and is unfixable.

However...the pickle of a situation im in is two... either convert it to a 1800 and eventually turbocharge it later on, or just fix the crank and sell it to upgrade to an NB in a few years (1 or 2 yrs).

I am pretty mechanically illiterate and wouldn't attempt to fix it or convert the engine myself and so those prices are for the engines and labour all included from MX5 Mania.

The current engine has 91,XXX on the clock...

It's such a hard decision with the wage I'm on only working casually!!!

JSE,

Mate your in Sydney for crying out loud, home of \"Free Beer = Helpfull Hands!\" (In more ways than one but that's usually on a Saturday night! ) Look...just get another 1.6, hire an engine stand/lifter/hoist and whack on a case of good beer and the spanner wheilding beer guzzling vultures will show up...simple as that!

*paging STM!*

Craig