2.3L Redblock Miata.....Guess I'm NOT the First
Posted by Mylesofsmyles
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Well, 2.5 years is long enough, without a Miata...
I've since been plagued with an affinity for 4-cylinder Swedish Iron... Oh what to do??? Found a cheap Miata rolling chassis to start with....I should be acquiring it on Thursday... With the current offerings of V8roadsters, a Mustang T5 transmission would nearly bolt right in... 
It's a simple steel framerail reinforcement and transmission x-member, for use with a 'Stang T5... Is it so unreasonable to think I can't reverse build the car into running a Volvo Redblock? Well, we shall soon find out... John suggested I take a measuring tape to the old Miata motor, to see just how much bigger the B230F will be, but it can't be much bigger than a Ford 2.3... Looks like I'm not the first, with a brilliant idea... 
Someone was crazy to strap a Ford 2.3L Turbo in his Miata... And another with a Volvo 16v head... 
I think my new Miata would SCREAM with a high compression B230, 16v head, PZ Boat cams and IRTB's, in front of a 5.0L Mustang T5 tranny and 4.10 gears... Wish me luck! Myles |
Sean Medcroft Mega Moderator Location: Edmonds, Washington Join Date: 02/12/2009 Age: Possibly Wise Posts: 1,802 Rally Car: Building a Merkur |
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I spoke with the folks at V8Roadsters, today...
What a friendly & helpful source... I told them my plan, and they went for it... Said, I only need the frame rail reinforcement and transmission x-member... Not only is it NO PROBLEM, but it's reasonable & they offered to send the frame rail reinforcement and eyelets for the x-member, in the raw, so I can weld it where I want it...in case I need to mount it forward or aft of the V8/T5 setup. They're getting me specific measurements of where it is now, so we'll have an idea of how far it'll need to move. For giggles, I asked if they've had any experience, motor swapping Miata's and reusing the factory differential. Diff strength isn't an issue, with the power goals in mind, so why change a good thing that bolts in. The issue is that Miata's have a subframe, connecting the diff to the transmission, instead of a front mount. Since I'm deleting the proprietary PPF subframe, I'll need a front diff mount. Sure enough...they mentioned that in SCCA STU class, you're required to reuse factory differentials, and they listed a half dozen different motor/tranny swaps in Miata's they've done, with the factory diff. He showed me this... I think I'd like some kind of isolator/damper between the subframe and diff...but it's a cool idea. Also found this, which I like for adjusting pinion angle... Clean and simple! He also mentioned that since they've had some experience reusing the Miata diffs, that they even have production driveshafts for Mustang T5 transmissions to Miata diffs.... Sounds like the only fab stuff for me will be the front diff hanger and the motor mount adapters... The plan is to make something like the Yoshifab motor mount adapters, The plate adapter that bolts to a B230F and adapts to a B20 style motor mount, so you can stand a B230 vertical, in your vintage Volvo... 
Only difference is, I'll adapt it to a SPEC Miata mount (on the right) Left are some Gucci aftermarkets... 
Would have never guessed it could be that easy... For starters, I'm going to work on the wiring harness in the '95 Miata chassis, Got to get all the A/C, ABS, SRS, power windows, mirrors & cruise control stuff gone...It's an OBD1 car, so all that stuff will go... Plan is to reconstruct it as a stand-alone chassis harness, so I can use a Volvo 240 Stand-Alone engine harness to fire the B230F on LH2.2/EZK117 |
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:) Junior Moderator Location: :) Join Date: 03/21/2011 Posts: 224 Rally Car: :) |
:) Junior Moderator Location: :) Join Date: 03/21/2011 Posts: 224 Rally Car: :) |
Two Rivals Compete for Garage Space...
A known good 1.6L Miata motor, awaits a new owner, The new '84 B23F Volvo motor, awaits it's prep for mock-up! 
Stripped down the old accessory pumps, mounts and studs... This motor came with my favorite type IAC mount, Block Mount is cleanest! Mounted up my Yoshifab Vintage Motor Mount Adapters & 140 Aluminum Mounts... Still need some 164 Isolators... 
Installed my compact, Denso 100a alternator... Would you believe it, the Miata Oil Pressure Sender fits the Volvo Block... I used my VDO 5-Bar though, to make better use of an Oil Pressure Gauge... 
I don't think I just want to stuff an oily motor in my Miata, so it's due for some careful scrubbing. Also have to pick up a new B20 oil pump & oil pan gasket, to swap in, along with my B20 oil pan, to make the vertical mount transformation complete! Now, if I could just find a garage to start working in... It's gotta go here... 
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One Piece at a Time...
Well, that's the pace I'm keeping. 
Harvested some parts from my garage, a parts car & a little bro-dealin' A roller is what it is, and I am happy to have gotten such a great deal on one man's trash. It was in need of a few essential pieces, some of which I pulled from my parts car... 
The parts car was a '93 LE, so it's unique red leather seats & carpet had my interest, Though the P.O. had his go at the dash board, door cards and rear shelf carpet. I've filled the gaps with parts from a 1.6L black interior...looks sharp! 
This aggressive looking strut tower brace was left in the parts car as well....I found it a great addition. Notice all the wiring and accessories that have been deleted from my engine bay... 
All of the original Mazda Engine Management stuff has been deleted, ABS has been deleted, and all components have been replaced with Non-ABS parts. When it came down to it, there were only 4-wires left to my Under-Hood Fuse/Power Panel, all getting direct 12v from the battery, So I traced the wires down, and re-routed them, driver side, using a compact Power Distribution Block from a Volvo 240...tucks neatly with the relays..
Original Fan relay and it's wiring has disappeared, I'm using a 2-Speed Fan Relay from a Volvo 850... Low speed is wired to a temp sensor, set for my lower radiator hose, High speed goes to my A/C switch on the dash panel... It'll look right at home on a bracket, on the driver headlight assembly 
Harvested what was left of the passenger headlight assembly & got the overflow tank Put a light back together for my ride... Just needs a Red Cover & a driver side mate. 
Interior goes back together, with out A/C That dash is just for mock up...mine should be here this weekend. 1.6L dashboard looks cleanest, IMHO Setup with Revlimiter F1 Gauge Faces VDO 52mm gauges (Volts & Oil Temperature) That's a MOMO steering wheel from a SAAB 9000 Turbo...to top it all off! 
Looks like the position of the heater hoses will work with either the Miata or Volvo 240 Hoses...nice to have options... I reused the hole in the firewall, from the Cruise Control, to route my 7-leads to the Engine Harness... I'll reuse a Volvo 240 Firewall Connector, to house coil power, tach signal, oil pressure, oil temperature, volts, water temperature & starter trigger. Miata throttle cable stays put, for future modification 
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Those Revlimiter F1 gauge faces are sharp!
I really dig the graduation on the gauges...rather than a vague range. 
I was stoked that I got a perfect pair of Tail Lights off the parts car... And glad I found that Red Rear Finish Panel, in my garage. What got me more excited, was remembering I had a complete rear bumper from the parts car, Which was perfect, when Mike gave me a Red Rear Bumper Skin. Parts car came with a lovely "Miata" License Plate Frame! 
I didn't see the red carpet as sell-able, with the wear & tear So I vacuumed & shampooed it, and decided to let it be what it is... 
With the initial plan being a somewhat stock EMS, I brought my LH2.2/EZK-117 harness, I recently made, for a N/A 242 project. It's a combination of a 240 LH2.2 Fuel Injection Harness & a 740 EZK-117 Ignition Harness, With my own blend of subtle enhancements and revisions. Now to cleanly pass it through the firewall... 
The upper hole, from the A/C system is perfect for my starter cable... Which leaves that lower one, which'd be perfect... 
There's a considerable difference in diameter of the hole, and the firewall plug for the 240 LH2.2 harness... Oh, grind away, we shall. The half-round hand file, and a few minutes, was all I needed... 
Looks clean, as it should. The harness fits neatly in the engine bay.. I think I can reuse a certain firewall stud, to mount the igniter... I'm thinking about Engine-Mounting the Coil. 
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