This is a niche request, does anyone have info for a machine shop to resurface a cylinder head in LA? preferably in the North East area but I don’t mind driving. Google searches are giving me a bunch of permanently closed shops and disconnected phone lines so I’m hoping for a good recommendation here. Thanks in advance!
Has anyone used Toyota mr2 (3sge) rods in their fe3? I want to upgrade rods for turbo and Ive heard the 3sge rods are a perfect(?) fit, and are rated for 400ish which works perfect for my goal of 200ish. Custom forged rods are looking quite pricey, so I’m hoping for a match for an existing engine.
If anyone here has fe3 swapped their mazda b series and got forged rods, were you able to buy them from somewhere or did you have them custom made? I think I read somewhere that Toyota mr2 rods can be used, can anyone confirm?
I’m swapping an fe3 in to my b2200 but this is my first time dealing with engine mods (I’m having a shop do it, relax) and I have to assemble some upgraded things beforehand so I can turbo it later.
Also if anyone has any advice on what to look for in the block I’m buying like signs of wear or failure points, please let me know. Thanks in advance!
I have a bone stock 91 Mazda b2200. I love the truck, but as you may know, it’s pushing about 80hp. The stock motor is useless and the only meaningful upgrade is a swap. It’s a common truck to swap and they do sell LS kits and lots of vids/threads on it. I’m ideally going with an N/A 4.8 (yes it’s technically an LR it still works) or N/A 5.3. It’s not a race build, I just want something that actually hits highway speeds in a daily.
I’ve done lots of reading, but a lot of discussions are geared towards racing. My question is, how deep does the swap for a basic, maybe 270hp na swap go just to drive it home? I know I’ll need a bigger trans, fan/cooling, accesories harness fuel pump ecu etc, and will upgrade over time. But will I also need a new exhaust immediately? Should I expect to need brakes immediately? Do I HAVE to swap the diff now or can that wait? I’m trying to decipher which upgrades are necessary for the extra power without crazy sends and which ones are more for boosted 500+ hp drag and drift builds. The LS will fit in the bay, AR5 fits in the tunnel.
My other option is a Mazda fe3 motor which is basically a 140hp dohc upgrade on the stock motor that bolts right up and can be tuned and boosted, but I’m having a hard time justifying the cost for a 140hp swap when the LS is so accessible. But if an LS swap is going to run me thousands more due to drivetrain factors and the like, that makes a difference.
For extra context, I haven’t done a swap before so I got together a budget to pay some guys to do it. I’m also buying the parts. Everything junkyard, which is fine with me I already do maintenance on my two old cars with scrap and marketplace. I’m prepared to spend a few thousand up front and a little more though out on things that may come up, but money IS a factor as I’m not hardly rich. I’ve looked at the costs of motors, trans, kits, etc and it’s in my wheelhouse but I’m concerned about major costs I can’t see from where I am.
I want to hear your experiences with LS swaps on lower hp vehicles and any thoughts you might have, I’m trying to get the best idea of the process before I commit. Thanks!