Lets talk Engine Swaps
Thread Starter
Red To Go
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,600
From: Canton, MI
I'm not from or familiar with California smog laws but I doubt a engine swap is carb legal due to what I hear is their attention to every single detail. That being said there are some carb legal turbo and supercharger kits that are A. Much cheaper than a swap, and B much easier than a swap. With your goal of 300hp settling for a max of 250 you will be surprised how quick a 250hp Miata actually is. Just my .02
MFz Lurker
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 16
From: Fayetteville, NC
The thing is motor conversions as CA BAR calls them are legal, they have to be the same year or newer that the body they are being swapped into and must retain all smog equipment for the chassis and motor.
A vehicle that had a CA version made must use a CA version motor and pass CA visual and tailpipe inspections.
Etc.
I figured out that NATS (Nissan Anti-Theft System) is not required to be maintained. And the immobilizer I'll be using is a Viper 5904 alarm so I know if they decide I need an immobilizer since that one meets/exceeds OEM immobilizer security I'll be good.
The biggest thing is that I want to use the 350Z clusters, which means i will have to modify the 350Z and Miata dash harnesses, and I'll have to tie in the OBDII-B port with the 350Z ECU and ensure that I use UpRev to tune out the NATS and set everything up so there are no CELs showing.
I want to keep the engine OEM.
The biggest thing for me is fitment issues, which I've figured out won't be a problem even with the two manifolds from other build attempts people have made threads with.
Every one I have seen on a miata has been abandoned though.
I need to ensure I can wire everything properly since I will need the chassis harness, the chassis computer (controls the cluster) the ABS harnesses/sensors/module (gives 4-wheel speed reading) and obviously the actual ECU.
I could keep the NATS and its harness and get an ignition and immobilizer and 350Z transponder key and RF module, then get everything programmed to match up by a Nissan Dealer (but I'd prefer to avoid that because I get the feeling its going to be retard expensive).
That's not entirely out of the question though.
A vehicle that had a CA version made must use a CA version motor and pass CA visual and tailpipe inspections.
Etc.
I figured out that NATS (Nissan Anti-Theft System) is not required to be maintained. And the immobilizer I'll be using is a Viper 5904 alarm so I know if they decide I need an immobilizer since that one meets/exceeds OEM immobilizer security I'll be good.
The biggest thing is that I want to use the 350Z clusters, which means i will have to modify the 350Z and Miata dash harnesses, and I'll have to tie in the OBDII-B port with the 350Z ECU and ensure that I use UpRev to tune out the NATS and set everything up so there are no CELs showing.
I want to keep the engine OEM.
The biggest thing for me is fitment issues, which I've figured out won't be a problem even with the two manifolds from other build attempts people have made threads with.
Every one I have seen on a miata has been abandoned though.
I need to ensure I can wire everything properly since I will need the chassis harness, the chassis computer (controls the cluster) the ABS harnesses/sensors/module (gives 4-wheel speed reading) and obviously the actual ECU.
I could keep the NATS and its harness and get an ignition and immobilizer and 350Z transponder key and RF module, then get everything programmed to match up by a Nissan Dealer (but I'd prefer to avoid that because I get the feeling its going to be retard expensive).
That's not entirely out of the question though.
MFz Lurker
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 29
From: Sunny SW Minnesota
Yes I need brakes but I really like good old fashioned American muscle
0 to 100 to 0 with a V8 Miata - YouTube
0 to 100 to 0 with a V8 Miata - YouTube
MFz Lurker
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 29
From: Sunny SW Minnesota
Just did a much better swap video than that ^^
Start to finish process of adding 300 hp to a Miata in a couple minutes. Sound required so crank it and click it!
Start to finish process of adding 300 hp to a Miata in a couple minutes. Sound required so crank it and click it!
Last edited by charchri4; Dec 13, 2013 at 11:02 AM.
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