Engine/model identification

BPTravis · Postby **BPTravis** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 1:47 am

Hi guys,

Can any one confirm if this is correct?
Relating to mx5/miata BP motors.

NB series 1 has BP with 9.5:1 cr, solid lifter head (similar to BA Atsina head), without VVT, usually 5sp if manual.

NB series 2 has BP with 10:1cr, solid lifter head with VVT, came in 5 or 6sp if manual.

Trying to figure out which model I need to ask for when hunting for a motor, cuz the people selling them have no idea what they are talking about lol

Cheers fellas.

tescoking · Postby **tescoking** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 2:31 am

If it is VVT engine then that should be from NB8B/C

BPTravis · Postby **BPTravis** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 3:24 am

What does the "8bc" represent?

The only info I can find is on redbook/Wikipedia.

tescoking · Postby **tescoking** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 4:26 am

BPTravis wrote:What does the "8bc" represent?

The only info I can find is on redbook/Wikipedia.

8B/C is the NB that built from end of 2000 to 2005.
8A is from 1998 to 2000.

VVT engine was presented in newer NB which is NB8B/NB8C

First NB was not using VVT engine as I remember.

I don't know how to tell by looking at the engine, but to tell which NB you can simply look at their head lights. NB8A is using normal headlamp. NB8B/C is using projector headlamp, also they come with factory foglight on the bumper. 8A is using 15" wheels, 8B/C is using 16" wheels. They reason for NB8B/C equip with bigger wheels is mostly because they are using the newer model engine which is VVT, so for the higher power generate probably it has to have a bigger wheel.

de Bounce · Postby **de Bounce** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 6:54 am

Someone posted a great thread explaining the various differences
Very informative
http://mx5cartalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=76&t=31669

project.r.racing · Postby **project.r.racing** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 8:02 am

Jap NB8C is the same as Aussie NB8A. Newer NBs became 8Bs.

BA Astina only had solid lifters 96-98, same as NB8A.

Post a picture of the engine, will take 1 second to identify.

Pretty easy though. Look for the VVT controlling stuff. The VVT engine has a little black box on the top front of the engine covers with some pipes attached to it. The non VVT version does not have this. You'll know what I mean considering the knowledge you have a 90-94 BP engines.

BPTravis · Postby **BPTravis** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 9:35 am

Cheers guys! Another fantastic forum!

Project,
If u r familiar with the motor ben (soul) put into my 323 BG, (BA Astina with solid lifters and 9.5:1cr)

I'm looking at getting the same or better depending on how much $'s I can find them for in a mx5 format (rwd application)

I was quoted $1600 for the '01 vvt, 10:1cr from a wreckers.
I don't really wana spend that much on a BP lol

speed freak · Postby **speed freak** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 12:03 pm

One way to tell the difference (if the engines are complete) between the nb8a and nb8b engines is the nb8b engine will have the oil control valve thing on top of the valve cover on the intake side for the vvt gear and a nb8a engine will not have this because it has no vvt.

project.r.racing · Postby **project.r.racing** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 3:47 pm

BPTravis wrote:Cheers guys! Another fantastic forum!

Project,
If u r familiar with the motor ben (soul) put into my 323 BG, (BA Astina with solid lifters and 9.5:1cr)

I'm looking at getting the same or better depending on how much $'s I can find them for in a mx5 format (rwd application)

I was quoted $1600 for the '01 vvt, 10:1cr from a wreckers.
I don't really wana spend that much on a BP lol

yeah i am familiar with your setup. do you remember how suggested you use 9.5 and solid lifters to you? :lol:

as for rwd format. it depends on what you end result is to what you actually should be looking for. as per the green rwd laser, anything is possible. the bp-ze fwd and rwd formats are 90% the same, just a few outer differences. bp-4w bp-ve share mainly the same parts, but there are a few major differences.

BPTravis · Postby **BPTravis** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 5:20 pm

Haha, nah I don't remember lol

So I could just mod a fwd motor to be rwd relatively easy?

BPTravis · Postby **BPTravis** » Thu Jan 16, 2014 12:15 pm

So if I bought a BA Astina motor that had the 9.5cr and solid lifters
What parts from the mx5 motor would be required to convert to rwd?

If it needs the dizzy, are the plug the same on the bpt loom?
Or will anything else that needs changing fit the bpt loom/ecu?

manga_blue · Postby **manga_blue** » Thu Jan 16, 2014 1:49 pm

emily_mx5 has done an Astina conversion. Check out the garage thread starting at page 20 at viewtopic.php?f=57&t=49039&hilit=astina&start=285

project.r.racing · Postby **project.r.racing** » Thu Jan 16, 2014 8:02 pm

BPTravis wrote:So if I bought a BA Astina motor that had the 9.5cr and solid lifters
What parts from the mx5 motor would be required to convert to rwd?

If it needs the dizzy, are the plug the same on the bpt loom?
Or will anything else that needs changing fit the bpt loom/ecu?

no astinas had 9.5:1 CR. see above thread for parts into.

again depends on the project, as the front head water inlet/outlet on a mx5 isn't the best design, and is going into something else, modding the fwd cooling system would allow better engine cooling.

BPTravis · Postby **BPTravis** » Thu Jan 16, 2014 11:14 pm

Bpt into an old ford escort.

Now I'm confused, as I thought that my BG had the BA Astina motor with 9.5, I just checked redbook, and ur correct. Now I need to find out if there's a car besides a mx5 that had 9.5cr

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 12:03 am

There are no 8a 8bs anywhere in the Mazda production system these slang terms just cause misunderstanding. It's the vin that counts and the spares guys use this all the time. how do people think Mazda supplies parts to the repair industry. Same for other cars as well. Mazda can id yr car immediately by the vin. How do cars get covered by recalls etc.