How many miles on your original Motor?

[Aaronbrook37]

thanks for the clarification. The b3 seems like a good engine to me. I probably won't replace it unnecessarily, but it's good to know that there are other viable/perhaps better options.

I'd highly recommend sticking with your factory engine unless you feel a power increase offsets the time, effort, and money it takes to swap engines. Some people reach that breaking point quicker than others. I lasted three years with my B3.

It wasn't anybody's build or car that persuaded me to do the swap, but actually the Rocky Mountains. With a single passenger and perhaps 100lbs of gear in the back, my all-stock B3 really struggled to make it through the mountain passes. There were times on a full-speed open-road highway when I had to downshift into second gear to keep my speeds up. That was the breaking point for me: Westiva 2010.

If you're curious to see just how well your car is performing, have your compression tested and do a leak-down test as well while you're in there. Mind you, at 56.8mpg average... I suspect your engine is in tip-top shape. I know your driving habits certainly are. I highly recommend keeping it that way as long as possible!

[Aaronbrook37]

No offense, those are "reasons" but those seem to be mostly "opinions", meaning you though you are stating facts, like more valves per cylinder, what is the benefit of your reason(s). Even the more horsepower/torque has a downside, doesn't it? I mean, the bigger engine you run the more your gas mileage tends to drop.

Without a doubt, anyone who wants more power should do the upgrade but if you're looking for reliability and the best gas mileage, to me, I'd think sticking with the B3 is the way to go.

EDIT: What Paul said. They aren't the top ten reasons, they're my top ten reasons.

[neanderpaul]

BTW the B6 maintains the same legendary durability as the B3. Same block.

[neanderpaul]

That's why he called them "my" top ten reasons.

[neanderpaul]

2-3 mpg which is disproportionately miniscule compared to the awesome performance gain.

[Twistiva]

Valid question. Here are my top ten reasons.

1 ) It has double the horsepower right from the factory.
2 ) It has double the torque right from the factory.
3 ) It has dual overhead camshafts.
4 ) It has more displacement.
5 ) It has a turbocharger.
6 ) It has electronics that can manage a turbo.
7 ) It has a fuel system that can manage a turbo.
8 ) It has all the aftermarket potential of a Miata.
9 ) It has low compression.
10 ) It has more valves per cylinder.

No offense, those are "reasons" but those seem to be mostly "opinions", meaning you though you are stating facts, like more valves per cylinder, what is the benefit of your reason(s). Even the more horsepower/torque has a downside, doesn't it? I mean, the bigger engine you run the more your gas mileage tends to drop.

Without a doubt, anyone who wants more power should do the upgrade but if you're looking for reliability and the best gas mileage, to me, I'd think sticking with the B3 is the way to go.

Floor's open...

All of that applies to the B6t , not the B6.

The advantages of the B6 are that
1. it's barely harder than swapping a B3 for a B3
2. it gains about 30% power
3. it barely costs you any MPG.

Neanderpaul -

so how much of a dropoff in MPG?

[Twistiva]

Mine has 343,xxx miles and still ticking. Is this normal/good/great/exceptional for 93 5spd's?

343,xxx and still going?

Holy crap!

Mine is about 187,xxx and going so your numbers give me encouragement!

[mikeyjd]

All of that applies to the B6t , not the B6.

The advantages of the B6 are that
1. it's barely harder than swapping a B3 for a B3
2. it gains about 30% power
3. it barely costs you any MPG.

thanks for the clarification. The b3 seems like a good engine to me. I probably won't replace it unnecessarily, but it's good to know that there are other viable/perhaps better options.

[drddan]

What original motor? :laughing9:

[Uncle Fester]

My '91 Festy has a measly 71k miles on her. A guy stopped me at a stoplight and told me that he had a Festiva with 440k on her, and still running strong. I've put just over 33k on mine in the 4+years that I've owned her. I figure she'll outlast me at this rate.

[kumalaba]

no down shifting in the mountains

[Aaronbrook37]

All of that applies to the B6t , not the B6.

The advantages of the B6 are that
1. it's barely harder than swapping a B3 for a B3
2. it gains about 30% power
3. it barely costs you any MPG.

Agreed with you, bud. Had he not quoted me when he said it, I'd have listed those three reasons instead of my ten.

[neanderpaul]

Valid question. Here are my top ten reasons.

1 ) It has double the horsepower right from the factory.
2 ) It has double the torque right from the factory.
3 ) It has dual overhead camshafts.
4 ) It has more displacement.
5 ) It has a turbocharger.
6 ) It has electronics that can manage a turbo.
7 ) It has a fuel system that can manage a turbo.
8 ) It has all the aftermarket potential of a Miata.
9 ) It has low compression.
10 ) It has more valves per cylinder.

All of that applies to the B6t , not the B6.

The advantages of the B6 are that
1. it's barely harder than swapping a B3 for a B3
2. it gains about 30% power
3. it barely costs you any MPG.

[Spike]

11) It makes you (in a Festiva, even) attractive to the opposite sex.

That is all.

[Aaronbrook37]

why do people keep swapping to a b6 from a well working b3 engine? is there a thread explaining a plethora of advantages or is this just to have a couple more hp?

Valid question. Here are my top ten reasons.

1 ) It has double the horsepower right from the factory.
2 ) It has double the torque right from the factory.
3 ) It has dual overhead camshafts.
4 ) It has more displacement.
5 ) It has a turbocharger.
6 ) It has electronics that can manage a turbo.
7 ) It has a fuel system that can manage a turbo.
8 ) It has all the aftermarket potential of a Miata.
9 ) It has low compression.
10 ) It has more valves per cylinder.