HP Engine Rebuild

[sabretooth]

The parts you have listed there seem like overkill for the amount of power you're intending to produce.

my engine rebuild, including parts was approx $4000 worth. With the exception of the machining, I did all of the labour myself. Parts included:
* ACL triple layer head gasket
* B6T rods
* Wiseco forged pistons
* Standard valves
* ACL main, thrust, big end and small end bearings
* Stem seals
* Oil pump
* Water pump
* Various other seals and gaskets
* Thermostat, radiator cap, etc etc
* Valve guides

The shop did all of the balancing, grinding, honing, other machining, 3 angle job, shotpeen, alignments, welsh plugs, etc etc etc. The list goes on, and the engine would easily meet your power goal.

There's only so much you need to do to the internals of the engine - there's no need to go all out for a modest power goal. While you're getting a tax break, there's still money that it's costing you to spend needlessly.

[16bit]

dont mean to hijack the thread but for about 170 - 190 wkw about how much should be allowed for a built motor? Would about 6 grand do it?

[hamish71]

sabretooth....and the name of the shop was....?

[bruce]

Yes, to gain a tax deduction you need to actually SPEND the money.

A person once said to me, just buy it as it's a tax deduction and the company pays. But who pays for the company - ME !

[Mactype]

Yes, to gain a tax deduction you need to actually SPEND the money.

A person once said to me, just buy it as it's a tax deduction and the company pays. But who pays for the company - ME !

oh dear....

[4sfed5]

what is it they say about a fool and his money??

Lets face it...the engine DOES NOT NEED to be bult to that spec for the HP you want...ESPECIALLY if you are going with a S/C route....you can do things differenntly but you will not gain any Cred from MX5 owners who know better than to throw money on wasted items...trust me if i saw a car that had $20,000 spent on an engine that made no more power than a basic avo kit and be no more reliable then i wouldnt be impressed at all, let alone buy anything from that company......

A STOCK MX5 ENGINE WITH A TURBO WILL MAKE MORE HP THAN THE DRIVE TRAIN CAN HANDLE!!! YOUD BE BETTER INVESTING IN SHOTPEENED STRAIGHT CUT GEARSET AND hEAVY DUTY DIFF.

[mr_rotary]

Any ol tom dick and harry can whack on a turbo kit even in their own back yard. My hat goes off to you hamish71 for doing something outside the square and will always perefer anyday to have a tuned atmo engine over a boosted one. My other project in the build in a 13B 6 port extended bridgeport with quad throttle injection, quite out of the norm in the rotary field however I am doing it to do something a little different and to prove it can be done. And yes, I could of had a 400+rwhp turbo beast for the same coin however I just dislike the sound and feel of a turboed rotary.

Once you have dríven a performance atmo motor and the response and feel the motor gives back to you, you will perhaps see where he is coming from.

Everyone goes ooh and aah over the cosmo engine in the other thread but unwilling to give a hand when needed. Lay off his back and give him a hand guys

[4sfed5]

the original poster stated that he was going with a forced induction engine and so all the extras listed are not needed....now if he were to build a high HP quad throtlle body 9000rpm screamer then id look at it differently.For a turbo motor its just a waste of money to put in all that gear for such a modest HP turbo motor....My 200WHP turbo car is based on a junkyard turbo and an engine which has seen over 160,000 kays on it....my biggest reliability concern isnt the engine..its the gearbox and diff and if i were to track the car, then id be looking at cooling before doing ANYTHING to the engine internals.

[bruce]

Everyone goes ooh and aah over the cosmo engine in the other thread

Where? Just looked for it - Cosworth

[Sean]

Matt at HiTech Modifications (in Sydney) would build you an MX5 engine on a cost of parts plus $XXXX for the assembly and machine work. I can't tell you the exact price, but I've seen a few bits and pieces he's done for quite good rates. He's had a fair bit of involvement with Steve Gosbee's multi award winning turbo MX5 too, si knows what he's talking about with these cars.

He's generally quite busy, so could take a while for him to get your project into the shop/finished.

[Oni]

Gee, u guys are talking about an engine rebuild that is gonna cost 2k more than my whole car i love my mx-5 but gee thats alot of money

[Alex]

I'm amazed the reply I got before hasn't come up yet, last time I tried taking about getting a turbo on my car I think I only got 2 replies they went something like this
\"Buy an SE\"
\"Buy an SP\"
I didn't like that advice either

If I was in your position I wouldn't be getting quotes yet, I would be looking on the Big Forum and the Turbo Forum for a car with the power level I want then I would just copy them, or finding someone on this forum that is making that much power then asking them about how they built it, or even going down to the track and finding out what the race cars were running
For example the MX5MANIA race car, just buy issue 52 of autosalon and it's all listed for you

Simota air filter
Denso injectors
Mania ECU
custom ported head
Wiseco pistons
Carrillo rods
custom oil pump
Mania oil sump
Walbro fuel pump
PWR radiator
3 inch exhause
mania blow off
mania intercooler
custom piping

Spool diff
Exedy Clutch

Tein coilovers
racing beat swaybars
Mania custom front and rear rotors
Wilwood four piston fronts
adjustable swaybar end links

Maybe you have already looked into all this and the parts you mentioned are what you found?

PS if you want something hard then DIY like some people on this forum, Boags although the power level isn't as high as what you are after it would be a good way to spend some time

[Alex]

You want reliable HP. Have a few $$$$$. Upgrade to a Honda S2000.

and the first time you get a bump on the front end you have the bill for replacing the whole electronic steering system

[hamish71]

OK... I have actually received some good advice, most of it by PM. Just to provide feedback, so I can assure people I am listening, here is an update.

Background.
I have a 140k engine with a (slighlty) bent crank. Wanted more power, advised not to do it on bent crank. Went and priced performance rebuild and was quoted up to $11k just to rebuild the engine (no turbo/supercharger). Asked for advice on this forum, got lots of criticism, but some good advice.

Action.
I bought a preformaance engine rebuild kit form the states, which included performance nitrided crank, pistons, rods, rings, o/s valves, titanium springs arp head and mains bolts, gaskets etc. Landed in Australia for $2900. Have been quoted $3000k to have the block cleaned, decked, and bored, engine assembled, heads flowed, and a cam grind.

Result.
An 8.5:1 40 thou over engine capable of 15psi and higher all day. Will easily get my desired 160rwkw from about 7-10psi, and will be capable of higher state of tune when required. $5900 against a quoted $11k here in Australia, or the $1800 low km import option, which would not be anywhere near as durable.

Other parts purchased/fitted.
Replacing the Koni/Kings with Teins based on advice that the koni/king combination will struggle to keep the power on the ground (plus one of my konis is leaking).
PWR radiator with twin thermos.
DBA slotted discs.
Custom alloy undertray (I made it) to ensure airflow through the radiator and intercooler.

Still remaining.

Forced Induction - still undecided between the rotrex supercharger, and a Garret T28 based turbo kit, plus engine management.

Thanks for the advice re the article on MX5 manias car. I believe there is also a recent performance mag article on a WA based company as well.

Oh, and the S2000. I think they are a great car, I really do. But I traded out of expensive sports cars, and wanted a toy I could modify, for half the budget. My MX5 came with all the good bits, for 18k. 10-12k on mods. Lets call it 30k all up. S2000 - 40-75k depending on year, plus, it still needs BOOST.

[Fatty]

that all sounds very sensible. you should have a nice car once it's all done! the teins are great, you won't be dissapointed.

can you give us a bit more info on the \"performance engine rebuild kit\" ? ?