MX-3.com

Hi as the title says im new to these forums, ive had my mx-3 for 7 months now and its a sweet car to drive. My mx-3 is a 1997 1.6 DOHC, now to the question im hoping someone here will be able to answer...

When i was flicking through my dads cam belt manual the other day (he is a mechanic so this manual contains all different car makes and models + the engines in them and how to change the belts) i skipped through to my engine which according to this book is also in the mazda 323 but in the 323 it is a 1.8, according to the book they are the same engine, obviously one is a 1.6 and the other a 1.8 but it got me thinking what is it thats different in the 1.8 to make it 200cc more than the 1.6? basically what im asking is would it be possible to change certain parts in the 1.6 engine to those that are in the 1.8 engine to convert the 1.6 to a 1.8?

I hope you understood what im trying to say, i was just wondering for example (i dont know much about these engines) would you be able to put the 1.8 pistons into a 1.6 to convert it? (bet that was a terrible example and makes me look very silly but hey)

Im asking this as well im going to be keeping this car for a good few years and well im trying to think of ways to up its power without doing major work to it like an engine swap.

Hope someone here can help me and thanks in advance

Ok, theres your problem and if your dad is a mechanic you got it EASY BUDDY, if you planned on just switching some internal components of an engine to make it more horsepower....well the 1.6 isn't the engine to do it.

Basically....go out find a BP engine (read the faq on where to find them) and unbolt your engine and bolt the BP up, (there are a ton of install guides here on the site)

Bang right there you have went from 110 to roughly 125hp and now you have what we like to call A BASE! lol, the BP is an awesome engine and has been known to take 400 horsepower on stock internals, which basically means throw a turbo on this sucker and push it to 200 at the wheels, not only will you have a quick car but with regular maintence it will last a pretty good amount of time.

or to cheaply modify it get some miata cams from a 1.6 from a wreckers cold air intake, high flow cat, headers(corksport),muffler. search turbo b6 and ull find tons of info on cheap turbo installs. if u want to switch internals and stay n/a then get some higher compression miata pistons, and stage 2 miata cams with a standalone or piggy back so u can take advantage of the higher rpm power-stock i think the motor makes peak horsepower at 6200 so if ur keeping the stock ecu then be careful with ur choice of mods. y not spray it with a 50 shot or 75 shot especially if ur dads a mechanic as he could tune it for u so ull be safe.

and 1.8l pistons definatly wont fit in ur block stock and i dont think u can bore the 1.6l block very much, as its basically a bored 1.3l i believe.

If you want to know more on the differances between mazda motors see below.

http://members.aol.com/solomiata/MX5Engine.html