Engine machine shop

Need a recommendation for a engine machine shop for stock '95 1.8 engine work, clean, magnaflux, deck if needed, valve job etc.

Older posts yielded shop that has since changed hands.

Bump.

Anyone have any recommendations? I would like to take my motor to a shop that has a good reputation with miata motors.

I'm taking my motor out and I'd like to get it cleaned and checked out at a minimum.

Day engines comes up...are they the ones that changed ownership?

What do you want done? Take it apart and check it out is a bit vague.

Exactly, I don't know what I'm doing when it comes to engine internals. Sure, I understand how things work, but I have no idea how to measure clearances and tolerances and know what is acceptable. I might take a look at a head and think it's fine, but in reality it needs a valve job.

I'm going to put a 99-00 head gasket in the car and do a reroute, so I would like to know if the surface finish is acceptable for a MLS head gasket.

I'm also thinking I want the rotating assembly balanced if it's not too expensive, I am going to blackbird fabworx motor mounts and I don't want every bolt in the car to loosen up.

Any suggestions?

There really isn't a way to just take the engine apart to check it out. At that level of dissasembly you pretty much have to do a rebuild which would cost a few thousand dollars at a typical machine shop.

There is no criteria for a rebuild without rebuilding the engine? I guess I'm in the wrong business.

I wonder if I can get the rotating assy balanced. I suppose i want the head and block resurfaced, but only if it's needed. I understand a MLS gasket needs a very smooth finish.

Have you done the basics yet? Compression Check and a Leak-down test? That would give you a baseline.

^That's good advice!

PS - You could also consider finding a low mileage (JDM) full engine replacement if the current one has issues.

I used City Motor Supply on Harry Hines http://www.citymotorsupply.com/index.php
It cost only $600 to rebuilt the short block including new pistons, rings, and bearings. Whatever machine work needed was done as well. I also had them rebuilt the head which was $175.
Turnaround was less than a week, can't go wrong there IMO.

I have a new oil pump and gaskets coming to do the rest myself.

JDM had none in stock when I emailed them, at least for mine.

Yeah I did compression check about a month ago with the engine warm, the numbers looked great, 195 psi +/- 3psi.

I can do a leak down on the motor, but will that give me accurate numbers on a cold engine? I've disconnected the engine wiring harness, cooling system and starter, so I can't warm the motor up before doing the test.

The motor has been moneyshifted a few times, that's why I'd like to know there is anything that was affected. The motor seemed unphased by the moneyshifts, surprisingly.

Andrew at TSE has me thinking about a mild head rebuild with stiffer valve springs to help prevent valve float. Decisions...

Has anyone else used City Motor Supply? Those prices sound tempting. Did you provide the parts or are those prices including the parts?

I think I'm doing to do a rods only engine rebuild and go to light double valve springs. I'll need a hone on the block and re-ring the stock pistons with new mazda rings, and do new bearings for the mains and rods. It's more than I wanted, but I'll essentially have a zero miles motor that's immune to overrevs and can handle a turbo up to 300HP if I decide to go that route in the future

You asked if the price included parts, I stated that pistons, rings and bearings were included. No upgraded rods or valve springs, just wear parts.

You say that you have no idea how to check clearances and tolerances, then you say that you decided to re-ring the stock pistons and do bearings for the mains and rods. That doesn't make sense. The wear items in the block that need replacing are the rings and bearings, the areas that need to be measured are the cylinders and the crankshaft. If your cylinders are scored bad enough you may need to get it bored, but it probably just needs to be honed. The crankshaft may need to be ground or it may just need to be polished, you don't know until you tear it apart and inspect it. To measure the crank you can get plastigauge: http://www.plastigaugeusa.com/

I know how to measure those things because I was a machinist as my first career, but I don't own dial bore gauges or 3-4" micrometers even. Engine machine shops do own the tools and get good prices on parts, including upgraded connecting rods and valve springs.

I suggest having a conversation with a shop about your wants and needs.

Another re-builder is http://www.jisengine.com/index.htm in Arlington, but I have no experience with them. They specialize in Japanese engines.

Thanks for the reply.

To be clear, I'm not planning to do the short block work myself, that's what I want a shop to do. I may do the head myself to save $ if the leak down test reveals my valves aren't leaking. Not sure on that yet.

My decision for this level of rebuild was based on speaking with Andrew Kidd at Trackspeed Engineering, who has built a lot of these motors and knows what breaks, and what doesn't. He also advised me that the stock pistons will be fine and didn't try to convince me that i might as well do a bore and forged pistons or ARP head studs or upgraded oil pump. Seems like an honest retailer. I'll be buying the aftermarket parts from him, it's the right thing to do since he gave me the advice over almost an hour long phone call.

Just FYI to anyone wondering, TSE stated that any VVT motor that gets moneyshifted and sees over 8200 RPM, even for a fraction of a second, will probably need this level of rebuild before they consider it reliable again. Lesson learned, I'm buying everything that will help avoid a moneyshift, and I'm going to be a lot more careful when shifting.

Thanks for the recommendation, it's the only input I have gotten so far. I'll give City Motor Supply a call and see if they can get me a quote.

If anyone else has any suggestions, it would be great.

::Teacher: Help me learn. What is a moneyshift? In my 55 years of working on and racing cars, I have never heard that term before.

Trying to upshift and accidentally downshifting.

2 times I've went from redline at 3rd into 2nd gear instead of 4th. Once I instantly caught it, the other time the motor fully engaged with the transmission for maybe 1 second, which is pretty bad. I bet my motor saw 10k RPM

Thanks. I my mind the money shot, money play or money recipe are all good thinks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dustin1824

....but I'll essentially have a zero miles motor that's immune to overrevs

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Ummm..... So how do you figure that it would be immune?? :confused:

I was using TSE's description. In my words, not immune, but much much more resistant to damage. According to TSE bad things happen to OEM motor at mechanical overrev of 8200 RPM. This combo is safe to mechanical overrev of 9000 RPM for the valve train, and past that for the short block. That being said, I've bought parts to help avoid missing shifts, and intend to be more careful. Those mazda comp motor mounts were supposed to help, but my shifter still swings left and right at least an inch.

I'm just looking for a good shop that is known to do good work on miata motors. Does the new ownership that bought John Day's machine shop still do quality work?

I've heard of G&Gs performance near Houston has made some good miata motors, one of which is PatsMX5 on miataturbo, and his car has like 500HP. I just don't want to drive down to houston...

Fixing the transmission sounds like it would be a wise move before you make this "Immune Motor" of yours! ;-)

This could help - http://5xracing.com/i-15909791-5x-ra...-bushings.html

Yeah I've got all new shifter components coming from Mazda Comp. Thanks for the suggestion, I may do the bronze bushing instead of stock plastic, but since I have an NB2, it would be this guy:

http://5xracing.com/i-13155389-5x-ra...r-bushing.html

I also will we swapping to a low mile MSM 6 speed I have had on the shelf for a year. I'm going with Blackbird Fabworx competition drop mounts for the motor, and delrin diff bushing if my poly mounts aren't stiff enough.

Most of the shifter movement is from the entire drivetrain flopping around.

Might want to invest in a miataroadster shifter... Full disclosure I am a sponsored driver. Torque strut off the motor helps.

With the Blackbird Fabworx mounts, that motor won't be moving at all.

I have always wanted one of those shifters, but I see it more as a luxury. Plus, his delrin shifter bushings wear out after a year of daily driving. I think delrin just doesn't work in that application.