Miata EJ swap??

pres589 (djronnebaum) said:

Keith Tanner said:

Why not just bolt Miata body panels on a Beetle in that case?

I was thinking more Miata shaped Boxster and am a little surprised you didn't see it that way vs. comparing it to a VW.  It also has a lot of the details done vs. building something like the FF 818.  

That said, I think I'd rather just get a Boxster, and avoid the Subaru thing altogether.

I’m putting an EJ in a VW, my mind is a little focused. Besides, didn’t your plan put the engine behind the trans?

No, engine behind the seats.  Ala Boxster.

I'd still rather have the subie awd system under a miata body. 

Everybody laughed and called me stupid when I said I wanted to see a diesel miata, then the 4BT swapped one came around. Someone somewhere has to be as out there as I am to want an AWD miata, but smart enough to actually pull it off. 

RevRico said:

I'd still rather have the subie awd system under a miata body. 

Everybody laughed and called me stupid when I said I wanted to see a diesel miata, then the 4BT swapped one came around. Someone somewhere has to be as out there as I am to want an AWD miata, but smart enough to actually pull it off. 

Well, K Miata has the kit to put a BMW trans in a Miata behind a K-series or a BP. So, in theory, and this is knowing jack E36 M3 about BMWs, you could put the transmission and transfer case from an AWD BMW xi in a Miata. I'm sure at the very least you would need to open up the trans tunnel, and I have no clue where you would mount a front diff or driveshaft or axles. But a K24, AWD Miata could be wild if you could pull it off. Big if.

Keith Tanner said:

 Isn’t the S2000 trans basically the same one as the Miata 6-speed?

They share a similar design, but are completely different internally. Here's the inside of an S2K transmission; it looks completely different then the Miata 6 speed. The cases, shifter, internal architecture, and coupling for the drive shaft are all different. https://www.s2ki.com/2010/12/02/diy-rebuilding-your-transmission/ 

While I may not be the biggest hotshoe in the world, I'm no schmuck. All my miata buddies say the same thing, including some of the students I instruct. Honestly, the transmission options is the greatest chink in the Miata's armor. Unless you spend literally thousands to swap in a BMW transmission from K swap, there's no good high power option. Oh that and wheel hubs, but those have been fixed :) 

Keith Tanner said:

A 170 rwhp CSP engine is not a “header, intake and tune”. 

That's true, but a 150 whp VVT engine is just an intake, header and tune w/ 93 or E85. That is a much more economical path than the EJ swap while making the same power. Hell it's close to the ecotec in some cases. That being said I'm all for cool and unique swaps being done.

RevRico said:

I'd still rather have the subie awd system under a miata body. 

Everybody laughed and called me stupid when I said I wanted to see a diesel miata, then the 4BT swapped one came around. Someone somewhere has to be as out there as I am to want an AWD miata, but smart enough to actually pull it off. 

because you want a nose-heavy Miata with a terrible sounding and potentially unreliable engine?  Ok.  Get to it.

Stefan said:

RevRico said:

I'd still rather have the subie awd system under a miata body. 

Everybody laughed and called me stupid when I said I wanted to see a diesel miata, then the 4BT swapped one came around. Someone somewhere has to be as out there as I am to want an AWD miata, but smart enough to actually pull it off. 

because you want a nose-heavy Miata with a terrible sounding and potentially unreliable engine?  Ok.  Get to it.

4bt has been done and drifts just fine. 

Or were you talking nose heavy due to front diff? As I said in the quote you copied, someone smarter than me can do it first. Or dumber than me with a bottomless checkbook. 

I will admit I may have quizzed Mazda engineers about parts exchange between the ND and other AWD vehicles in the Mazda stable. Nothing interesting, alas. And I’m not going to tell on what the drivetrain was as I haven’t given up yet...

The 4BT has been done, but that doesn’t make it a good idea!

RevRico said:

Stefan said:

RevRico said:

I'd still rather have the subie awd system under a miata body. 

Everybody laughed and called me stupid when I said I wanted to see a diesel miata, then the 4BT swapped one came around. Someone somewhere has to be as out there as I am to want an AWD miata, but smart enough to actually pull it off. 

because you want a nose-heavy Miata with a terrible sounding and potentially unreliable engine?  Ok.  Get to it.

4bt has been done and drifts just fine. 

Or were you talking nose heavy due to front diff? As I said in the quote you copied, someone smarter than me can do it first. Or dumber than me with a bottomless checkbook. 

Psst:  The Subaru engine sits in front of the transaxle and the diff is just behind the engine.  If you look at the wheel centerline, you'll realize that this isn't going to work, even with a flat four and its one of the reasons why Audi's tended to have longer noses and played a lot of games with moving weight around in their cars.  Especially the Audi aWD race cars.

For a passenger car, its as big a deal since they all understeer and you want as much room for the people stuff as possible.  For a sportscar?  Nah.

Yeah, I don't care about drifting or diesels.  Not my thing.

It has to be because its one of the only things that hasnt already been put in a Miata.

"What should i do with this extra Subaru engine, Fred?"

M.I.A.T.A.

Lol

RevRico said:

I'd still rather have the subie awd system under a miata body. 

Everybody laughed and called me stupid when I said I wanted to see a diesel miata, then the 4BT swapped one came around. Someone somewhere has to be as out there as I am to want an AWD miata, but smart enough to actually pull it off. 

You'd have to lengthen the nose.  A lot.  Maybe put the radiator in the trunk.  And ditch the Miata front suspension entirely.  In the end you'd have a "why bother".

That's the challenge, almost every setup that runs power through the front wheels is strut based. That's a packaging problem for the Miata. Maybe some old Civic parts?

In reply to Keith Tanner :

Stick the Subie in the trunk, add Subaru gears, add front diff and voila, AWD! Easy Peasy (not)

Keith Tanner said:

That's the challenge, almost every setup that runs power through the front wheels is strut based. That's a packaging problem for the Miata. Maybe some old Civic parts?

Longitudinal-mount Audis are not strut based, they use the "upright that curves around the top of the tire" approach to get the lateral space they need while still having upper control arms.

(not that I think it would be a viable candidate for swapping into a Miata, but...)

Keith Tanner said:

That's the challenge, almost every setup that runs power through the front wheels is strut based. That's a packaging problem for the Miata. Maybe some old Civic parts?

The subframe is also in the way, as would be the shock.

Easier to just get an XT6.

I have never felt like "what my miata really needs is AWD and tractor sounds!"

If i was looking for a Miata swap thats different, I'd put my Matrix XRS 2zz in it