How Much It REALLY Costs To K-Swap a Miata... Would YOU Spend This?

We break down the full build costs of Honda K Series Swapping a Miata. It probably costs more than you think!
Build Spreadsheet: bit.ly/KSwapSpreadsheet
This car is a K24Z3 swapped NA Miata, specifically a 1996. This swap was completed with a KMiata swap kit from KPower Industries. This included a full 3" stainless exhaust, replacing the timing chain and guides, sensors, seals, and more. It CAN be done cheaper, but this is the "Right" way to do it!
For write ups, tech articles, and more, check out my website!
www.cashedoutcars.com
End Screen Music: 3mbrace - Issues spoti.fi/3hpG1b0
*All links are affiliate links, purchasing through them means a small portion of the total cost goes towards supporting the channel, and there's NO additional cost to you!
#KSwap #KMiata #BuildCosts

[@CashedOutCars]

Our FULL K24 Swap Build Spreadsheet: bit.ly/KSwapSpreadsheet

[@curtraaymakers6777]

Always nice to see someone honest about the real costs 👍

[@CashedOutCars]

It definitely isn’t a 4k swap kit and pop it in! Thanks for your support!

[@Fastgirl1953]

I can attest to it costing quite a bit more than most people imagine. I bought the top line kit but of course the cost of the engine, I did pay for my install which included repeated times of parts not fitting (oil pan), having to send pieces back or replace with something else, and tweaks to the car in general. This is more than a swap, it changes the entire car. That said I’m thrilled but it took a year of testing it out (track car only) and making adjustments, tuning etc, to finally get it settled. It is not for someone on a budget and sometimes buying an already set up K swapped Miata would be less expensive. That said I have no regrets and am now happy.

[@SmooveBee1]

Thank you for sharing this, very useful information!

[@MaBcMCLAN]

Nice build, great description of the swap and all that goes into it.

[@CashedOutCars]

Thank you, and thanks for watching!

[@dannysimpson9880]

i picked up 90 miata glad you got videos on alot of the work it needs. thank you

[@siradrais]

Excellent breakdown on costs. My costs for the items listed were close to your with almost all Honda OEM parts. I purchased one of the early K24Z kits and chose to piece together parts due to the route I went (S2000 transmission and in an Exocet). Overall a good experience but I ran into issues with incorrect/missing instructions and the oil baffle hitting the crank. Seems those issues have been resolved by parts updates and revised instructions.

[@CashedOutCars]

Thanks for your comment. That sounds like an awesome build. We had minimal issues, but did have one thing mislabeled in the wiring harness. Other than that it was smooth sailing

[@squidikka]

This is my dream swap. I did want a 1UZ swap for that sexy V8 sound, but the cost would be insane. Someday I'm going to do this. Thanks so much for the list. Seriously.

[@Yerocco]

I hope you’re further along in your build than I am.

[@Pagelos]

Appreciate this a lot. I am thinking of k swapping mine, but living in Sweden means 30% import duty + freight. FML

[@goncalorosa5963]

I know the feeling... I live in Portugal, want to turbo mine and have the same issues...

[@Pagelos]

@@goncalorosa5963 At least before, many parts could be bought from the UK. But then Brexit happened! 😭

[@goncalorosa5963]

@@Pagelos I have my Miata since March, so I didn't had even that chance, but I've heard of 500€ miatas selling there... Will try to be sure and if yes I'll go there to pick two or three!

[@jamesrobertson3853]

I'm 50 years old And ive seen engine swaps done by people And a lot of them wished they'd spent 5 grand on what they had !!! As the worked out they'd have less headaches less expenditure and less brain tumours from the stress 😩 My advice update original engine brace them lighten and strengthen the reciprocating parts turbo them e85 them nitrous them if you're crazy keen Had a mate put a v8 where a 6 was 5 grand 20 years ago Said he wished he'd spent that on the 6 My 2 cents worth Jmo

[@Salvisol]

Just turboing the stock motor seems like the best bang for buck.

[@CashedOutCars]

After 3 years with my 1.6 turbo'd, I agree :)

[@mastergator9641]

I’ve been reading the engine doesn’t like to be supercharged and a lot of them don’t last 5 years like that

[@Fastgirl1953]

I’d counter that. I supercharged and built my ‘02 and ran it for years. Or let’s say tried to. With low valve clearance that engine is not designed to be revved like that and it kept breaking, one thing after another, particularly the at least three valve jobs I had and more. loved the beast and driving her but after too many huge costs over and over I finally went to the K swap for speed but reliability. The more complicated you make the car the more things can happen. Your experience may vary with a turbo if you don’t build the engine.

[@TheAmbrose20012002]

Thanks for sharing, is the part list same with K20?

[@miguelnaranjo5035]

Really appreciate this video, been thinking of going kswap in my 91 NA Miata and now that I got a guide on how to most definitely will be doing this soon. Also the kmiata kit comes with a subframe ( I believe ) and that's so you don't have to cut out your hood or get a custom valve cover, what convinced you guys to go with kpower ?

[@CashedOutCars]

KMiata became KPowerIndustries! The custom sub frame is for the A2 swap and isn't needed for the Z3. Matt picked this swap for cost purposes believe it or not, over the A2!

[@miguelnaranjo5035]

@@CashedOutCars thank you for replying, appreciate the info. Happy holidays 🎄⛄

[@WorstPaperCut]

i knew right away this was going to be in the 5 figures range. at 0:36 if thats not a big hint i dont know what is. LOLLLLLLL

[@kylensloyer]

The link for the oil pump adaptor kit in the file doesnt work is it the same as "K20 Oil Pump Upgrade for K24Z3"?

[@cre8tivegarage157]

K swap is the way 🚀🚀

[@kevincrawford6864]

Nice to see pricing, awesome swap but I think after watching this I'm gonna go the supercharged 1.8 route.

[@CashedOutCars]

I think you’ll have plenty of fun that route as well!

[@JoseBrisenoJr-hj1pu]

Can you post the parts list and cost or a pdf called K24 Swap

[@jeffarchibald3837]

Will the ac work?

[@edgarnegrete81]

I have My 96 Miata and a K-24 but no kit and no experience in installing the 2 together 😢 someone! Please help me.

[@miataK24]

How did you get the hood to close? I just finished mine and cannot get the hood to latch even after cutting out pieces

[@CashedOutCars]

Did you buy the modified valve cover with your swap kit?

[@miataK24]

@@CashedOutCars yes

[@picklepee2771]

10k-13k is a steal for a miata with a nice motor

[@willmgames1775]

It’s been a long and expensive process but my 91” NA has an Sr20det which has been rebuilt with forged internals. I didn’t go cheap. I have an aftermarket ECU as well. It cost over $10k for the build.

[@cashstapleton283]

👍

[@millenialmuscle8254]

Might as well get an S2k

[@Hashbasherz]

I’ve seen a few of these K swapped Miata’s rev to 8200 rpm, I’m assuming they were all the k24a2’s. How high were you able to rev the z3, safely lol.

[@CashedOutCars]

If I remember right Matt went for 7800 RPM, but it can likely have gone higher, we went with that for safety. I believe we show it in the Dyno video we did!

[@Fastgirl1953]

My K242a revs to about 8K so far

[@dylanpalin4727]

this kid matt actually the cat

[@CashedOutCars]

I cannot believe you just revealed that to the world

[@82raptor]

I would just keep the stock block and add a supercharger. The stock ECU and fuel system is already to go for boost from factory on the NB. Good video but this is way too much money to get not that much.

[@jebus914]

You need to trick the ECU with a way to retard timing and add more fuel. Also it is really easy to overwhelm to OEM cooling system with boost. But you are mostly correct, the injectors are good to the limit of the stock bottom end.

[@matthowell8985]

I have an automatic Rihanna NC. Question is, does it matter with these swaps whether you're putting it into a automatic or manual?

[@b1kbrd986]

much much easier to swap in a manual while youre in there anyway

[@jamesrobertson3853]

Does it make 500rear wheel hrsprs Greg's does for less probably

[@CashedOutCars]

It does not but that’s not the idea of the build. High revs and a reliable stock engine is the name of the game with these. I can assure you Greg’s car costs a lot more than this to build. He needed a full driveline upgrade, a expensive turbo, manifold and downpipe, and tons of custom work on a built engine. That’s not cheap and it also hasn’t been the most reliable for him unfortunately. Insane car and great channel though!

[@mikeb1039]

EVERYTHING custom costs a lot more than you think! Add another 2k? for installation if you can't do it yourself. I'd be ok with the $, but then you've still got the constant concern of if it was done right and not going to fail you down the road. Read about an awful lot of those!

[@patthonsirilim5739]

a good k series engine properly cooled with proper maintanance should be bulletproof if you dont go overboard in the hp department and keep it relativly stock and honda 6 speed box is pretty much bomb proof at those level of torque levels so really your only concern should be the instalation process and the wiring process if those are done right this mx5 na with k series motor should be just as reliable as your typcial honda civic in fact it might even me more so due to less stress on the box and motor due to the feather weight nature of the na mx5.

[@DanielHidalgo9560]

I have a welded diff is that aight lmao

[@supergamingboy3578]

Would the kit work with a k20z3

[@CashedOutCars]

I'd recommend asking K Power direct to be sure!

[@AnimalMother316]

How did you end up fixing the oil pan leak?

[@CashedOutCars]

It wasn't the ideal way to do it.. but we dried the area really well, degreased it, and filled the suspected leak area with more RTV. So far, so good

[@AnimalMother316]

@@CashedOutCars good to know, I'm very scared mine will suffer the same fate. haven't started it yet

[@sametayaz4891]

Bizim hayaller siyah poşete usta...

[@stephenthompson6651]

Do you get away with this swop on the rode?

[@johnnygoesfast9397]

not to mention all the tools you had to buy...Easily 300+

[@CashedOutCars]

Definitely, it tools quite a bit of stuff to get it done

[@sg7682a]

I'll never understand swapping engines with the same number of cylinders.

[@KrGsMrNKusinagi0]

cheap AF I spent that much just on m suspension on my forester not including the coilovers

[@1990tankard]

hi, will you take 20/25k to do the build and do an international shipping? :D

[@SandbaggerJoe]

cadence

[@aimbot0x01]

ok I'll go buy a s2000😂

[@CashedOutCars]

Buy me one too ;)

[@AmericanHmongPatriot]

4300 for the swap kit? I want whatever they're smoking. That kind of money could get you an awd swap kit for a civic. How about those coke heads stop charging an arm and leg for an transmission adapter plate and engine mounts.

[@sv2697]

The motor is cheap, the swap is expensive. Not worth the 10k+ for just a 90-110 HP gain.

[@CashedOutCars]

That's how most engine swaps go unfortunately. For the most part, I agree

[@anthonyvelarde6964]

Worth it if your planning to turbo it tho

[@RPG-oh1yf]

It's worth if if you want a quick reliable weekend car or dedicated track car. Forced induction setups aren't that much cheaper and are definitely not as reliable.

[@sv2697]

@@RPG-oh1yf just get a faster car. When u start modding car the reliability start to go down.

[@nevrlow]

It’s worth it as future proofing the car. Miata engines are climbing in price fast.

[@slaughterhousechi]

Just open with $12k Jesus.

[@realdamageboy]

but wait ! for 10K $ what car You can buy there that is stock and faster than MX-5? a cheap ferrari ? Porsche ? maybe other exotics?

[@quinn1536]

🤦‍♂️

[@xxxdemonitation9538]

Where you from bro?

[@realdamageboy]

@@xxxdemonitation9538 I am from Europe - Latvia , I have mx-5 but only because it is cheap car with RWD [winterbeater]. for us there is no go to put in money in this car, because for 7,5K we can buy porsche boxter with 2.7L engine and get instant fun of power.

[@RPG-oh1yf]

Hello? 2022 called. You can't buy any decent used sports car for less than $20,000. I'm looking at this swap because the Honda S2000 has doubled in used value over the last 2 years!

[@thatsright2352]

Turbo is better 🤓 the K is to pricey 😂

[@danielinacar]

Why not both ;)

[@thatsright2352]

@@danielinacar price tag

[@xxxdemonitation9538]

Facts I’m gonna turbo first and if I ever want to push a little more then I’ll do the l swap

[@RPG-oh1yf]

Reliability is the reason to K-swap. Those K motors will go 400,000 miles with little issues.

[@n0t_fast]

U can make easy 1000+ with k series, unlike Mazda engines. K24 easy handle 400hp,when Mazda engine need everything forged.

[@chucknorris9511]

About $10k? Not bad at all.

[@CashedOutCars]

Not too bad for a lot of fun, expensive when compared the cost of the car itself