"Lightweight" V8 Engines

Ya it is in a 323 not a Miata but dam what a sound. 

Just finished dean's thread.  You're making me think about changing my mind, and I don't like that.   I do like how the V6 just fits into the Miata with the conversion kit, and I think it really fits the personality of the NB2 at least.  Also apparently so did Mazda as there was a V6 concept in 2003 or so: https://www.miata.net/news/v6.html 

The only thing is apparently you have to choose between keeping power steering or keeping A/C with the Rocketeer kit, well that's easy enough to decide as would rather keep A/C definitely.

Don't discount small V6s. The Mazda KL series is a really neat little engine.  Plus it sounds like you have an F1 engine under there!

inre: Mazda KL, isn't there an issue with mounting the starter when used in something like a Miata?  

inre: Ford/Yamaha/Volvo SHO V8, that thing sounds extremely good, and they're not expensive when found in a Taurus wrapper.  What's the RWD applicability of these?  What's the recipe for getting one backed by something like a T-5 or W58 or whatever five-speed manual trans in a RWD config?

wspohn said:

Don't discount small V6s. The Mazda KL series is a really neat little engine.  Plus it sounds like you have an F1 engine under there!

Oh no of course not, any engine can be viable in its own way.  It's just that I'm wanting the V8 because that's the sound I love.  Though the Mazda KL does sound really good for a six cylinder and especially a V6.  The Nissan VQ for instance sounds terrible to me, and yet that's supposed to be a good sounding six cylinder according to most.  The N54 in my brother's 335i sounds fairly nice though, but I seem to have always liked how an I6 or H6 sounds versus a V6.

Also from the video they showed cutting the Miata transmission's bell housing in order "to make room for the starter to use the Jaguar flywheel and clutch."  So I don't know if maybe you used a Mazda V6 flywheel and clutch you wouldn't need to cut the bell housing?  Otherwise why make that comment?  Also from my understanding the SHO V8 is the same bolt pattern as the KL/Duratec V6 so you could use that Rocketeer kit in theory to put the Miata transmission behind it.

Wait a second...

Found this page on the SHO V8 with weights listed:http://v8sho.com/SHO/v8enginewt.htm

Only thing missing really is alternator and oil pan which aren't much, then a flywheel and clutch which it never had.  So maybe all in right around 410 pounds so not bad at all, and it does share the same bolt pattern as the Duratec so in theory that adapter kit from Rocketeer would work outside of probably having to figure out the engine mounts.  Plus it's sorta still all Mazda with the SHO V8 right? 

The SHO v8 uses a  slightly different pattern than the V6 Duratec (AJ) Most holes line up, but some are different, at least that is what I remember,

someone on a forum showed the AJ matched to the V8.   I have a sho v8 and a AJ 3.0   from a s-type jaguar which has the RWD transmission, and I will eventually

see if they can mate up, but not anytime soon.   Adapters are not hard to make if you have the right tools, otherwise a little spendy.

Hmmm...  That is true, would be a lot cheaper to make an adapter and then try to get the engine mounted to the stock sub-frame if possible.  Though something like that kit seems to take all of the guesswork and headbanging out of it.  Also good to know on the bolt patterns since one post I found said they were the same since the SHO V8 was based on the Duratec architecture.

Also thinking of transverse V8 engines I was thinking about the LS4 earlier as mentioned and if maybe it were any lighter since it was a special smaller block because of its use in FWD cars.  Though I imagine like most tranverse to longitudinal swaps that brings their own hosts of problems, like the oil pan, mounts, and air intake.

That's ok, after thinking about it and doing more research you and dean and others really have me considering the KL/Duratec/AJ.  Solely because it gives more power, a better exhaust and induction sound over stock, is still a Mazda engine in form, and if the Rocketeer guy is right(and seems feasible) at a weight reduction over the BP.  Oh and it'd reuse the Miata transmission, driveshaft, and rear so that makes life a lot easier.  So nothing but pluses really.  Plenty of time to look into it all more before deciding, but the more I listen to the KL the more I like it in addition to those other factors.

https://crapengineering.weebly.com

Claire "Emmet Brown" crazy lady (and I say this with the greatest of respect and admiration), who also happens to drag race big bikes, fabricates all you need to put a KL V6 into a NA MX5 inclusive on triple down draught ITBs...

Ford/Jaguar 3.9L V8 or Aurora 4.0L V8 

Judd V8?

I didn't see a budget