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Hey guys, partners looking at getting an eunos, but the engine has apparently been having issues.
What engine would you all recommend swapping in? Would rather stay away from the standard engines. Heard they can be quite the headache.
Thanks for the helps.


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to be honest, being a FWD car it would probably be simpler to swap in a 323 engine rather than an MX5 one.

323 parts are usually a bit cheaper than MX5 parts (despite them being the same in many cases) but the 323 engine/box are already suited to FWD so may save some stuffing around.


the late MX6 used a V6 engine, which may be a fairly easy swap, since the 30x is also a V6.
if you're lucky they may share a block, and make the job super easy (plus it's a better engine than the B series for stock power anyway)

Personally unless you want a money pit. I would stop looking at a 30X right now. If it is an australian delivered 30x, then it will have a 1.8L V6. Very uncommon and very expensive to repair engine.

The EC 30X has the same chassis as a BG Astina, so just about any B6 B6T BP BPT will go into the front with the correct add ons. But the add ons can/are very expensive also.

And yes you can put a 2.0L KF or 2.5L KL V6 into the front to it. Again you will need add ons that are expensive also.

The V6 do have more power out of the box (just), but have limited supply of parts to increase power unless you have very deep pockets. The I4 engine that would fit in do not have as much power out of the box, but they have power adders that are much cheaper and more readily available.

Possible but worthwhile?

323 engine may be the most economical build and maintenance wise.


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She loves the look of them, I hate the sound of the engines. As project said, all I've heard about the engines are bad things. Hence the desire to swap a more reliable engine in.
She's found one for $800 with a blown distributor. Planning to run it until it kicks it, then swap one over.
Power wise though, she isn't fussed. She's got nowhere to be in a hurry, and if she does there's always my monster to take.
Thanks for the help guys,
How reliable are the l4's?
I've also heard of people swapping the engines from the mondeos into them.. Would this work? Or are the bell housings incompatible??


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Also, any ideas on the price of a 323 engine??


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dyln.bxtr wrote:Also, any ideas on the price of a 323 engine??

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Depends on the condition. But anywere from free up to $800. $400-$800 would be the going price for a 150-200K old engine.

If you swap in a 323 BP engine, then you'll need a gearbox and drivetrain. engine loom and ecu. engine mounts. and anything associated with those also. So basicly nearly a whole 90-94 323 Astina SP car. You can buy them for $1-2K. Then then the costs of swapping it all out/in.

dyln.bxtr wrote:I've also heard of people swapping the engines from the mondeos into them.. Would this work? Or are the bell housings incompatible??

Depends on which Mondeos. If an early Mondeo, ie 1993. Then it is just the 2.5L I mentioned earlier.

Mondeos in Aust came with either a 2.0 4 cyl, or a 2.5 v6.

The 4 was a ford only thing, and shares next to nothing with Mazda, the onyl part I believe was used on Mazdas was the gearbox, being an MTX75, which were apparently pretty strong.
The Mondeo ratios however, are pretty tall (great for fuel economy, not for being quick)

the V6 was also a ford only unit, a Duratec thing.
Again, it shares very little with Mazda engines (oddly, the Mondeo BTCC cars used the Mazda KL engine, being the same capacity, but apparently better suited to being modified for racing)

Basically, don't get parts from a Mondeo.
I owned one for years, great car for it's purpose, but nearly impossible to get parts for in Aust.

there is nothing much wrong with MX5 engines and the car has a good reputation.

Mr Morlock wrote:there is nothing much wrong with MX5 engines and the car has a good reputation.

The trouble is stuff like the inlet manifold point the wrong way for a fwd application, the same basic engine is in the 323 already set up for a fwd setup.

project.r.racing wrote:

dyln.bxtr wrote:Also, any ideas on the price of a 323 engine??

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So basicly nearly a whole 90-94 323 Astina SP car. You can buy them for $1-2K. Then the costs of swapping it all out/in.

This would be the cheapest way to convert to a 323 donk, especially if you are not chasing power.

So much effort though. Good luck.


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