This is a thread for m.net or cr.net but I refuse to join them based on all the great reviews you guys give them. lol I'm not stupid, I'm just caught up with this car's PO's lack of skills. Trying to piece it back together.

Bought a timing cover off ebay the other day to replace my missing one.

Bolt holes do not line up on anything, not even remotely close. Cover was advertised as 1.8L timing cover, and it fits under my valve cover and hugs the water neck perfectly but, the mounting locations are overtop of locations where there are no bolt holes.

Pics.



Head reads "BP" on driver's side, back of timing cover has a part number which begins with "B61P" so IDK if this is the wrong cover or what.

Also noticed my headgasket is a metal 3 layer. Is that stock?

Thank you guys.

 

There is a plate that goes behind the cam gears that you are missing. That's what the cover bolts to. Lemme see if I can find a photo.

Yeah, our head gaskets are metal 3 or 4 layer, ~600whp capable, and they'll **** your mom if you talk smack about them ever again.

 

I wish I still had the guy's phone #. I'd call and harass that ****. I've corrected so many things to this car, and basically gotten no where on the turbo front. There's still JB Weld all over the lower water neck that I'm terrified to take off and find out wtf it's doing there.

 

I can't find a photo, but anyone with a spare blown motor laying around will have one. I think I threw away/sold all of mine, though. The only shitty part is that you have to remove the timing belt and cam gears to install it.

 

So it's probably safe to say this head has been off the car... because who would go through that routine just to remove that plastic cover?

****.

Thanks, Sav.

I'm obsessing over how shitty the engine looks w/o the timing cover. I can't let it go any longer!!!

Edit: So I'm guessing that's what those two mounting holes are for on each side of the coolant tube, to mount the back plate for the timing cover.

EDIT 2: Anyone know through what years does the timing cover backing plate work for 1.8L NA's?

 

Not necessarily, could have pulled it off when he or if he replaced the cam seals, im just curious if he got his timing right putting it all back together without the rear plate, I know its possible just more of a bitch without that plate. Also makes it easier to install the water pump with that plate off.

Any miata 90-05 i think you can use the back plate off of.

This is what it looks like stole the pic from 18psi's thread

 

C'mon man! Nobody cares what the engine in a naturally aspirated stock Miata looks like. Concentrate on making boost, then worry about how it looks. Put your mental energy and focus on something that will really give you some smiles in return.

 

Six, very true. I guess its just a part of who I am though. I like things neat and clean, tidy and in their place. I keep all my engines very clean, and I like to attribute that to quicker and cleaner repairs... no mess to clean up afterwards, no mess to drag throughout the engine bay, etc.

Maybe I should start worrying about more important things though. Like finding someone to tig up my hardpipes since my spoolmate 100 melts the thin *** **** before I get a chance to make a solid bead. Or getting the right oil feed line on the turbo, and finding injectors and having a MS built.

Making a new list of priorities. (Though I still want to bite my tongue off everytime I see the engine this way.)

 

I tend to disagree. Avoid polishing, stainless steel bolts, etc. Otherwise, do all the cleaning up you can do. Once you go turbo, you'll have so many turbo related expenses and projects that you'll have no time to clean anything up and it'll look like hell forever. Unless your employment situation leans more towards sugar mama rather than a 9-5. It'll also help show leaks or trouble spots once you do go turbo. I wouldn't turbo a car with a questionable repair job on the cooling system, that system is about to become much more important. I'm a little ---- though, so take all this with a grain of salt. I am also lean manufacturing/5S trained, keep that in mind. That new timing cover looks great.

 

I've already detailed the topside. Really bad cell phone pic.



Once its's running and I have the ability, I need to pressure wash the block/tranny/PPF, steering rack. It's a disgrace. I can't stand it.

 

Very nice. I pulled the entire engine/tranny just for that purpose. Thankfully the extent of my OCD still allows me to be okay with all the paint chips and scratches on the inner fenders/firewall, as long as its clean.

 

This is the "I'm busy, I can't come help you move with a pickup truck [because you're too cheap to spend $60 on a Uhaul]" or the "I'm busy, I can't have dinner with your parents tonight" way of life.

It's killing 2 birds with 1 stone. Clean engine and an excuse to get out of doing things I would rather not.

Plus I just love a clean engine. All 4 of my cars have spotless engines (topsides anyway).

Lets see a pic, Curly.

 

This is the best I could find of the most current setup. There's obviously a lot wrong with this pictures, as I've gone MS (no afpr) and the valve cover isn't even bolted down obviously, but you get the picture. Since MS the cars actually working and I'm enjoying it instead of taking pictures. Also doesn't show a very modest wire tuck I've done on driver side. Here's a hint, tuck all the wires behind the bracket the rubber hood stop is on.


Here's a crappy current pic, cause I think my COPs setup is fairly neat. That's 500* electrical wrapping, not just e-tape btw.

 

Inspirational.


Good **** man!

 

I just happen to have one of those...****'s your's OP.

PM me with shipping info.

 

This is great. Thank you so much!

PM'd ya!