Light weight 500hp driveable motor for Miata/S2000/Z4

[pdq67]

The aluminum Buick/Olds 215 V8 is one of the lightest packages out there. They weigh just over 300 lb.

B&S one, either the Olds or the Buick out to right at 300's and go. I have a Buick aluminum 4-barrel intake out in the garage. I think it fits a small AFB carb?

Talk to, "Ignitionman", (aka, David Ray), about building one.

pdq67

[rfoll]

I guess I forgot about the 500 hp in the title. Surely won't get there with a Buick 215. 500 hp in a Miata seems a little whacked to me. I have that much power in my drag car, and it is all I can do to keep the tires from spinning with 10" wrinkle wall slicks.

[Newold1]

Hard sometimes for users to absorb horsepower and how its used. Peak numbers are to narrow way of thinking for a winning car.The Miata idea being discussed here in this post is a TRACK car and as such peak horsepower only is a partial important consideration. In a track (road course type) car its more important where (rpm) wise where the torque and horsepower are available and used. It's most important for a track car to be able to use its power and torque over a fairly wide range as the Miata has to slow in corners and curves, accelerate quickly when exiting curves and corners and entering straight sections of the track and it only briefly gets the opportunity to see the engine deliver peak horsepower numbers very briefly, so average power and wide torque band tend to be way more important. Handling characteristics and need to be optimized to allow the drive train to deliver the maximum power and torque the car can handle and make the car as quick as possible wire to wire. This is a major factor in winning track races! A Miata tearing down the straights smoking its tires is not gonna win races!

The reason I thought about an all aluminum V-6 turbo engine was that to improve a front engine rear drive car like the Miata, the front to rear weight distribution is very important so a smaller lighter high torque producing engine like this Nissan V-6 engine can help keep that distribution number moving closer to 50/50 and at the same time deliver quick mid to high rpm power and torque over a wider range. Obviously this is not a quick swap drop in conversion but the fact that very low miles 2016 Nissan V-6DDTT DOHC engines are available on Ebay for example at about $4-$5K range and with pretty simple reconfiguration on external components and strip down this EFI direct injected ,ECM controlled twin turbo charged engine in its stock unmolested form will deliver an honest 350-400+HP and a wide torque band. With a good ECM program the engine can be easily and finely tuned to keep it running great both track and street for thousands of miles.

If this was my MIATA DREAM, this is how I would plan my build, but to each is own and I hope the OP achieves his dream project. Best of luck! Have Fun!

[rfoll]

I was trying to imagine getting that much power to hook up on a car as small and light as a Miata. It's not like there's going to be much room for big tires. I understand about boosting power with a larger engine for a track car, but the 500 number doesn't seem reasonable.

[Newold1]

Really going to depend a lot at what rpm that 500HP is produced at. That's why I think 350-400HP delivered at under 6000rpms is more usable.