Hello all,
IveI been digging around different forums, parts sites, kit sellers etc etc. I've come across Kmiata.
( https://kmiata.com/collections/kmiata-swap-parts/products/ultimate-k24-miata-swap-conversion-package?variant=31087681159 )
They sell an entire kit for a rather pricey lump of about $5,300 .This swap uses the K24A2/K24A4 powerplant out of various Honda and Acura cars. The engine I'm considering can be sourced for about $1,300 with relatively low miles and the only thing left to worry about are a few odds and ends I would say no more than $300. My math skills tell me that puts the swap price right around $6,900. Obviously there are other options for similar and a little more money. BUT $7,000 for a naturally aspirated, 200hp, low mileage, non-modified engine that will be inserted into an NA '92 Miata I feel is a pretty solid daily sporty car. Any and all opinions, positive and negative are welcome.

Side Note,
Yes I know "But it's a Honda engine. Why would you do that to your Mazda?" I know some people will think that. Frankly, I'm a Honda fanboy just as much I'm a Miata guy. I have a 9th gen 2015 Civic Si that my girlfriend dailies and we love it. While I won't disregard criticism based solely on not liking Honda for it's bad ricer reputation, I'd like a little more substance.
Thank you all.

 

The K24 is a motor pretty much filled to the brim with wonderfulness, so I cannot fault you for looking at this as a viable option. That said, my son just did a Flyin' Miata turbo conversion on his NA Miata, and while it may well lose to a K24 powered Miata in a track application, my bet is the Turbo Miata is far easier and more powerful feeling in normal non-track environments. The setup he went with is the smallest (and apparently most popular) turbo available in the kit; the small turbo gives up a few ponies up near redline but has virtually zero lag as a result.

 

Hey Shipo
I talked to you about that in my other thread. Cool though, thanks for the input. I'm wondering I. For future modifications it would be worth going the extra mile now. With the FM turbo kit once it's done as fantastic as it sounds, it doesn't seem as if there's much more to do in terms of major gains. Am I right? I'm thinking with this, for a fuel efficient daily driver, commuting 1 hour 45 minutes daily for work it would have plenty of scoot. After running that for a few years I could always come back to the idea of boosting the K24. Just my entire thought process for further analysis.

 

A few comments per my son (who now has several thousand miles under his belt in the car):

• Highway fuel economy is, if anything, better (assuming he keeps his foot off the go pedal).
• He went with the lowest power setup from FM, if I recall correctly there is LOTS of upside potential with the basic kit (different intakes, exhausts, and of course larger turbines and associated injectors and such).
• The key to getting all of the systems and parts to play nice is to invest in a MegaSquirt system and have it professionally tuned.
• As the car sits now, he has to be really careful while on wet roads, he said just touching the throttle a bit in the wet while tooling along in third gear broke the back end loose.

 

That's genuinely impressive. Looking at how he has it setup, it sounds like he has the truly base version of the turbo kit with minimal to no engine building am I correct in understanding? If so that would change my overarching opinion. My problem is, I plan on daily driving her year round. Would the turbo route be inhospitable for winter weather conditions in PA? I really don't know that the K24 would be any better but I feel like I wouldn't have as much problem with spontaneous traction loss in a naturally aspirated situation.

 

My son was discharged (Honorably) from the Navy in December and promptly moved from the Seattle area to Denver, dodging a nasty winter weather front the entire way. He had a set of decent Hankook all-season tires on it (his summer rubber was in the bed of his truck) during the drive out and they were fair. He now has a set of General AltiMax Arctic 12 (winter tires) on the car and he says it is very drivable in anything less than say eight inches of powder or less than say four inches of what I call "greasy mashed potatoes".