94 possiblities

nyzmx3 · Post by **nyzmx3** » October 27th, 2006, 9:13 am

ok since im getting the impression that bp swap is too much work and is the least talked about mx-3 i squashed my plans on swapping, so my question is what upgrades can i do to improve the performance and speed-wise? such as cams etc. i really dont want to sell the car and finding a sohc will be impossible here ( wishes i lived in can.) so any help is apperciated.

torpedan · Post by **torpedan** » October 27th, 2006, 10:53 am

I do not know where you got the impression that its too much work, but its easy to do in one weekend over a few cases of beer. It might seem overwelming given the research invovled but, for the money going into it and the work required its hard to beat a BP swap for what you get.

What was it that made it seem like too much work?

nyzmx3 · Post by **nyzmx3** » October 27th, 2006, 11:13 am

i guess its because im reading a lot of different things about the swap for a 94 dohc in specific, such as what engine to use and what not. and also the wire splicing for the ecu, i dunno then i read it'll cost around 2,500 for the swap itself...on top of that i know jack sh!t about swapping an engine

torpedan · Post by **torpedan** » October 27th, 2006, 2:34 pm

If you do the work itself its farily cheap. If you have to have someone do it for you then its going to cost you a lot. A BPT can easily cost you 2500 to swap it in.

My protege BP swap cost around 900 (750$ for the motor/trans/ecu I got a good deal on a front end clip though, and then the rest on assorted parts like a new timing belt and water pump). This was some years back though.

I had to do no wire splicing, as long as you get the BP wireing harness it will direclyt plug into what you need it to. Literally we had to cut no wires. This was converting from a 94 (OBD 1.5) to a 93 (OBD 1). The interior harness plugged into the protege ecu.

First though you raelly need to decied upon a speed/power goal and then start to research on how you are going to get there. I have always been big into weight redutcion and the likes.

nyzmx3 · Post by **nyzmx3** » October 27th, 2006, 2:58 pm

thnx u 2 for the info, its just alot of different things ive read in the last 5 months i read that i needed a 94 protege lx then i read that a 95 protege was easier, it kinda throws u off a bit.

94blaze1.6 · Post by **94blaze1.6** » October 27th, 2006, 11:31 pm

I hate to admit it, but I felt the same way at first. The more you research though the clearer thing become, but I definetly know what you are saying.

94blaze1.6 · Post by **94blaze1.6** » October 27th, 2006, 11:39 pm

I have the DOHC also, If you dont wanna swap and you are OK with maybe 20-30 extra HP you can do thing like intake, headers, and a cat back exhaust (check out corksport.com). Also you could turbo the DOHC, pretty much all the miata performance internals fit, and other parts are available to do that, BUT it would be much more cost efficient to just get BPT which ofcourse is turboed, and that's why you dont see too many ppl turbochargin the 1.6 DOHC. I decided to keep researching and saving for a bpt swap as I don't yet feel comfrtobale doing the swap but one day it will definatly happen.

Good luck man!

MechaManZero · Post by **MechaManZero** » October 28th, 2006, 1:46 am

torpedan wrote:If you do the work itself its farily cheap. If you have to have someone do it for you then its going to cost you a lot. A BPT can easily cost you 2500 to swap it in.

I am up to $4250, got the motor with shipping for $1800, and I still ain't drivin' yet lol. Depends on how much you are willing to work for what you like

.

xtreme velocity · Post by **xtreme velocity** » October 28th, 2006, 6:06 pm

ok..im kinda with nyzmx3, i dont want to go through a motor swap..id rather go with beefing up my lil 1.6, i dont want it to be the fastest lil car out there..but i want enough power to get down the track impressivly..and if sum honda comes along on the highway and decieds he can take me..i dont want him to..im not lookin at a 14sec 1/4 mi. but i want sum power..i have strongly thought about gettin a camro instead, but when im in my car driving i love it..so ideas on what to do for a lil more power would be good..

neutral · Post by **neutral** » October 28th, 2006, 6:17 pm

I have the 1.6 dohc. Went with a PRM CAI, timing-advance mod, cat-back and trimmed a couple hundred extra lbs. off the car. I generally drive unloaded w/no passenger and the car has a nice balance of really decent (30+ mpg) mileage and a lil zip just where I want it. Now I don't race so if you are looking for something beefier, a BP swap and/or turbo is the path to take...

xtreme velocity · Post by **xtreme velocity** » October 28th, 2006, 7:14 pm

naw..im not going down the track but maybe once a year..im going for a good show car..but if im gonna look nice i want sumthin to back it up..when u sat "zip" how quick is a "zip" to you??

neutral · Post by **neutral** » October 28th, 2006, 7:53 pm

Mods I mentioned opened up a really nice power band response on my 95 MX-3, esp from ~1700 - 4400 RPM - where this itty bitty motor normally lags. Even pre CAI, just dropping in a $40 reusable K&N air filter was well worth the money and noticed nice power increase @2200-4000RPM. By zip, mean the ability to zip through traffic on the freeway or get some punch coming outta each curve thru the twisties. This car likes to hang out more in the higher RPMs now - where it belongs. Doesn't feel like a dog altho it def ain't a beast either. Rest of my perf mods are focused on several susp upgrades, STS shifter w/bronzoils, wheels/tires, usual stuff. No doubt those handling improvements prolly make the power band feel even better than it really is. Still, for me, it's the right amt. of a little more juice combined with tighter handling to enjoy it.

xtreme velocity · Post by **xtreme velocity** » October 28th, 2006, 8:07 pm

thats what im lookin for..sumthin i can get up n go..but look good too..i was looking into sum stuff on how get things out of the motor faster, then ork on gettin it in the motor..ex. exhust 1st and headers things like that..then CAI lil stuff like that..another small question..gettin a brand new exhust on from headers bac for 200$ sounds right??

MechaManZero · Post by **MechaManZero** » October 29th, 2006, 12:41 am

if you guys don't know what you are looking for, start looking at how other cars are modded so that you can mod yours the way you want to. You don't have to only look for an mx-3.

Here are some topics to search.

Building an NA or naturally aspirated engine
Turbocharging a non turbo engine
Supercharge a non supercharged engine
Forced induction and need engine internals
NO2 Kits
Engine cooling

Also start studying the name of parts and sensors.

xtreme velocity · Post by **xtreme velocity** » October 29th, 2006, 1:09 am

ok ill dpo sum research..i just didnt know what they make for a mx3..and was thinkin ppl on here would know more boutit than me..thanx tho..