Turbocharged S-5 mazda motor in a 124

[v6spider]

V8 rx7 conversions are very popular in my part of the country. There is a guy in concrete WA that sells conversion kits to install a Chevy small block v8 in them or 4.3l vortec v6 like mine...

Rob

[BERGFIAT]

V8 rx7 conversions are very popular in my part of the country. There is a guy in concrete WA that sells conversion kits to install a Chevy small block v8 in them or 4.3l vortec v6 like mine...

Rob

Yes, I know and I have one with an LS/T56/Cobra IRS. Wonderful swaps and there are many companies that make swap parts for various RX motor/trans conversions. Very fun cars, as are Fiats; I like them both, but for different reasons.
On another note; I don't get some peoples fascination with the rotary. Its a torque-less gas hog and its not even that light when fitted with all the ancillaries (especially the turbos), then you need an extra 100# of exhaust to make them sorta civilized. I think your time would be better spent swapping a snow mobile motor.

[v6spider]

BERGFIAT: Have you every drove a 93 and up rx7? very quick in fact scary quick.. I test drove one back when they came out.. plus much better balanced than the v8 conversion too... if I did a swap in an rx7 it'd be vortec v6 not a v8 ... imo

Rob

[Redline]

They are neat little beer kegs, but I wouldn't want to live with the usual seal maintenance. On the turbo124 forum (not just about turbos), look at the motor that the user "MTH" just built. 2.0L, 180 hp at the rear wheels at just around 8'000 rpm. It runs ITBs, EFI and some improved internals, but is still at its heart a very nice, naturally aspirated Fiat TC. That is the route I would go.

[ride65]

This is why I posted the question, this kind of info , I couldn't get anywhere else. I've always been leaning towards doing a little tuning on the 2.0 I've got sitting in the corner waiting for me to get going on the tub details, as always, other priorities, and waiting to buy parts.

[v6spider]

8000 rpm's isn't feasible for street... my v6 builds more power at half the rpm's...however, the 2l twin cam is a great engine and it is easier to build it up than to do a conversion.

Rob

[BERGFIAT]

BERGFIAT: Have you every drove a 93 and up rx7? very quick in fact scary quick.. I test drove one back when they came out.. plus much better balanced than the v8 conversion too... if I did a swap in an rx7 it'd be vortec v6 not a v8 ... imo

Rob

IF you could find a turned up rotary that could hang with even a stock LS1 rx, it wouldn't be long before the rotary was coughing apex seals out the exhaust. Most of the nice LS swaps end up with the car weighing 75# more, with a decent part of that in the transmission. I've never heard or read of anyone saying that handling was adversely affected. The LS motors are a simple pushrod valvetrain, with aluminum block, heads, and composite intake, in other words, VERY LIGHT. So many of the Gen 3's have been swapped by now most think the RX7 was built by GM.
BTW- what was "scary quick" in 93 is pretty mundane today.

[ride65]

8000 rpm's isn't feasible for street... my v6 builds more power at half the rpm's...however, the 2l twin cam is a great engine and it is easier to build it up than to do a conversion.

Rob

The first build I'm gonna' stick pretty close to a stock 2L, maybe a little match porting and such. The second .....? I keep telling the wife this one's for her

[v6spider]

Btw the LS1 v8 weighs 459lbs roughly...the turbo 13b rotary weighs in at 275lbs the v8 is almost 200lbs heavier...


Rob

[baltobernie]

A lot of folks are talking about the Ford EcoBoost I-4 as a good choice for re-engine projects of all sorts. DOHC, VVT and direct injection. Plentiful, compact, 478 lbs. all-up, and power from 160 - 285 HP. The 1.6 version is now the Formula Ford engine.

[v6spider]

A lot of folks are talking about the Ford EcoBoost I-4 as a good choice for re-engine projects of all sorts. DOHC, VVT and direct injection. Plentiful, compact, 478 lbs. all-up, and power from 160 - 285 HP. The 1.6 version is now the Formula Ford engine.

It's heavier than my v6 and not as much power.. it's even heavier than the LS1 v8.. I'm guessing it's fully cast iron heads and block..

Rob

[baltobernie]

Strange ... the Ford website says is weighs 355 lbs. all-up. Who knows? All-aluminum, BTW.
http://fordracingparts123.com/crate-eng ... OgodfCQAdA Their figure includes everything, including the intercooler and flywheel. 252 HP would be a very healthy Spider

[Redline]

8000 rpm's isn't feasible for street...

I think that's a matter of opinion, not an absolute truth. There's at least one owner of a bright yellow 124 Coupe who would probably disagree. I also think 8K is perfectly useable, over and over and over again. The torque and power curves on the engine I mentioned are lovely; the torque curve is really flat and the power curve just builds linearly across the whole rev range. You don't have to use it all, but you can.

[v6spider]

I think that's a matter of opinion, not an absolute truth. There's at least one owner of a bright yellow 124 Coupe who would probably disagree. I also think 8K is perfectly useable, over and over and over again. The torque and power curves on the engine I mentioned are lovely; the torque curve is really flat and the power curve just builds linearly across the whole rev range. You don't have to use it all, but you can.

Haha of course it's my opinion... I'm more of a hotrodder then absolute purist as you could probably tell. That is what I like about the folks here they are passionate about their cars and what they want them to be... and with a name like Redline it tells it all..

Cheers!
Rob

[Ptoneill]

I to have thought about the Ford 2.0, they had one at SEMA last year. They would be a fairly straight forward fit although the only rear wheel drive setup is in the Australian Ford Falcon. ( I believe it is the Falcon) and you have to buy the ECM on the secondary market because Ford currently does not have a standalone setup. The sad part is the price...well north of 6k, you can build one heck of a Fiat 2.0 for that kind of money!!

But the rotary Mazda engine deffinately is cool!