Auto & Manual engines

WideOpenThrottle · Post by **WideOpenThrottle** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 9:06 pm

Hi

Does anybody know for sure if the NA 1600 Auto engines as found in NZ are the lower HP ones with a milder cam?
According to some US sites they are!-[ between 1989-1993].
Most wreckers/dealers i have talked to in NZ have never heard of this difference.
As i am now needing a replacement engine rather than a re-build & i sure would like to have some clarification on this as it may have some bearing on being turbo'd & possible shortcomings?

Cheers

punkoutnz · Post by **punkoutnz** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 9:15 pm

Yes I believe they are. However my car was originally an automatic and I think if anything, the auto engine will be even better with a turbo bolted onto it. Mine certainly has a huge whack of down low torque! Even off boost...

sprsta · Post by **sprsta** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 7:25 am

auto engines have a variable TPS also, which is handy if you want to use tps based boost control

WideOpenThrottle · Post by **WideOpenThrottle** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:45 am

punkoutnz wrote:Yes I believe they are. However my car was originally an automatic and I think if anything, the auto engine will be even better with a turbo bolted onto it. Mine certainly has a huge whack of down low torque! Even off boost...

So do you think that they lose power/torque at high rpm earlier than the manual engine or much the same?

WideOpenThrottle · Post by **WideOpenThrottle** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:47 am

sprsta wrote:auto engines have a variable TPS also, which is handy if you want to use tps based boost control

So would that run off the ECU or be vacuum/boost based or sensed directly off the TPS?

sprsta · Post by **sprsta** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 11:21 am

WideOpenThrottle wrote: So would that run off the ECU or be vacuum/boost based or sensed directly off the TPS?

You would need an ecu capable of controlling boost

RMS · Post by **RMS** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 12:23 pm

CR is supposed to be 9.0:1 on the auto as opposed to 9.4:1 on the manual.
I would think that the lower CR would allow more boost/ignition advance that would more than offset the cams anyway?

SLYDIT · Post by **SLYDIT** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 7:42 pm

the auto engine will alow "more boost" but it won't make any more power at that boost because it is a less efficient engine, and will only flow the same volume of air at the higher boost level as the high CR engine at a lower boost level.

the lower compression will only give you a wider window to tune in before knock sets in. And with todays modern ECU's theres no point.

even if going turbo , get a normal engine and enjoy the benefits of better economy and throttle response.

as ive said before the #1 limit to how much HP you can make with a 1600 is the strength of the conrods. and both manual and auto share the rods anyway..

you can bolt on a BMW 318 tps sensor in place of the mx5 one if you need a variable TPS for an after market ECU.

WideOpenThrottle · Post by **WideOpenThrottle** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 8:23 pm

Thanks slydit on your response... a few good reasons to stick with a manual one.

Incidentally is there any engine markings to indicate a true manual one?

mazline · Post by **mazline** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 4:41 pm

Cam numbers and number on top of the throttle body,Thats about it.

zippy2 · Post by **zippy2** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 6:12 pm

is this the same for the 1.8s where the auto motor is different ?

Euen · Post by **Euen** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 9:47 pm

No, the 1.8s were the same for auto and manual.

Auto & Manual engines

Auto & Manual engines

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