K-swapped, All Motor, No Frills, Loads of Fun! Put a tried and proven high performance engine in a nimble, short wheelbase chassis you've got yourself one quick track weapon! Aaron Leichty, the owner-manager of The Winning Formula Inc. and a talented wheelman talks to us about his all conquering K24 powered Mazda Miata (MX-5). Enjoy:)
Great video! Aaron and The Winning Formula are why I drive from Cincinnati to Louisville to have any tire or alignment work done on my car! I'll defiantly be getting out to a racing event this year!
Excellent Interview...! Aaron and the Winning Formula team are outstanding. I have learned so much from these guys. Just like Aaron....I took my aspiring track car in for a race setup to Winning Formula....and came out with a Miata.
We found that most of the Miata bashing comes from people who haven't driven one in anger. They are a solid package and with an upgraded engine and suspension make a formidable circuit racer.
K swapped miata is a really cool build, but he said it ;) S2000 is on a higher level ;) hehe. In a power to weight class, you made the right choice. The lighter, the better
Seems strange to allow the possibility of the driver to increase max hp at will :P Could just have a switch inside the car that changes to the higher hp maps. I guess only way to make sure is to use a restrictor in the inlet, or a max rpm rule based on engine displacement.
Rules that attempt to limit the power figures by hardware restrictions (displacement, rpm, restrictors) often devolve into an arms race where the driver with the most money makes more power than the other competitors. This system allows people to make the maximum allowable power figure easily and cheaply, which makes it accessible to more competitors and evens the playing field. The more cars you have on track, the larger the sample size is to pull from regarding what a "reasonable" lap time is for cars who obey the rules. That makes it easier to spot cheaters. Anyone who limits their power gains to where it's hard to spot is taking a big risk for a small advantage, and can still lose to a better driver. Is it a perfect system? No. It does rely on the driver's honor. Any rules do, though. Cheating happens regularly at the highest levels of racing with the strictest rules, including stuff like restrictors and RPM limits. What i'm trying to say is that the problems you present here aren't solved by harsher rules, but the harsher rules do often make the racing less approachable, fun and interesting. So you'll probably do more harm then good that way.
@@Talynen Yes and no, if everyone drive by honor then it works. But you could basically have a button on the steering wheel allowing you more power to mask a mistake you made, and get your reasonable lap time even if you made a mistake that lap, thats hard to catch. What they have done with the K24 miata is also to use a bigger displacement engine and de-tune it, which gives you a much wider powerband at the "official power" than the next guy with the same 180hp but from a Honda B16 engine which will lack the torque in all other ranges of the powerband compared to the K24. Like he is saying they also have the option to make more power and place weights (in the optimal position of the car) a feature maybe the other cars cant afford. I´m not sure THAT is fair tbh. I´m simply pointing at the flaws that these regulations allow, but what youre saying is also true about the gains being more dollars if a restrictor or rpm limit based on displacement and car weight is used. However I think that those ultimate hp that you would spend thousands of dollars for, wouldnt make the difference in the tournament ultimately. In swedish touring car championship, there was a way of evening out the field by giving the previous events top 3 or so extra weight to lug around, to give the others a fighting chance, that would also be a way to counter an uneven field.
Love this car.. I been trying to find more photos /build threads on this car over the last week or two as I rebuild my nb8b for wheel to wheel racing here in aus 👍
ya the only reason you'd ever want to drop a k engine into a miata is if you're trying to stay in a particular race class. otherwise, a j swap is a better option. just doesn't make any sense to swap a weak 4 cyl with a slightly stonger 4 cyl when there's plenty of 6 cyl options.
Like the power that a KMiata makes with a stock K24 engine (220 whp/190 torque). But the kit to install that engine is so freaking expensive ($5000), plus $2500 for other biits, plus $1200 for the engine. WOW, money pit.
Look at how much it would cost to turbo a Miata, or to do a forged shortblock for a turbo Miata. Don't forget that a set of cams and manifolds and such can get you to the 275 HP mark rather easily on a K-series.
Sub 10k for an engine swap is CHEAP. Not that you'll likely come out under 10k putting a k24 (a2 or z3 since the z3 kit is cheaper) into your miata, but swaps are generally 10k before you factor in the motor or transmission. If you're doing something one off or not commonly supported; expect double that unless you're a hell of a welder with electrical and autobody expertise as well. Tuning isn't cheap, nor tools and shop time if you don't have the garage space. Kpower will sell you the kit with everything you need and install it all for about 9k; it doesn't get better than that, honestly. Throw another 2.5k in if you want a zf bmw transmission and getrag diff + the adapter kit to handle the power more reliably (easy enough to do yourself though) and for 12k+ engine costs you could have a miata capable of reliable 350-450 whp (wouldn't put that out without FI ofc, which is another 2-4k or so depending on what route you take). Find another rwd setup that can have that output at that price and weight while being reliable and I'll sell my NB tomorrow lmao, till then ima keep saving to do all of what I just said. 20-25k for a reliable 350hp at 2300 pounds with 50/50 weight distribution (that's without doing ANYTHING to make the car lighter) is a rare sight, especially of its rwd and street legal.
That k series is the same as the nc 1 engine from the sound of it. Mine has exhaust cold air intake and a tune and makes 225. I still got 550cc injectors and a new throttle body coming to put in
There is no way an internally-stock NC engine is going to make 225 _at the wheels_ with just an exhaust, intake, and tune. The BBR NC kit needs cams and ITBs to do that, and that's at the crank, not the wheels.
They do it all the time lol. K20a2, K20z3 will also make that power on stock cams/valvetrain. They need big intakes and exhausts though, like 3", and a tune. That's Honda engines for you.
210 to the wheels from a stock tsx I call bs. The actual hp rating is 205hp at the crank on premium fuel. You can have just as much from mazda/ford mzr/duratec 2.5L for the same price
Stock _internally_ , it still has all of the bolt-ons, e.g. large-diameter intake with a cold-air airbox, headers, exhaust, and mapping on a full standalone. The K-series are known for making a lot of power (for an NA car) with just airflow mods. If you don't have class rules, you can make 275+ HP easily while still NA with a K-series, and the aftermarket is HUGE, neither of which apply to the Duratec/MZR.
The K-series was used in a lot of cars so they're more plentiful than the F which was only available in the S2K. The K was in Integras, Civics, Elements, RSXs, TSXs, etc.
The K can be modified to higher power levels NA than the F20C, and for less money. It's also plentiful, whereas finding a donor F20C is going to be expensive. The K is newer than the F20, and everything Honda learning from making the F20 they used when designing the K series.
Significantly lighter, shorter wheelbase, less expensive to purchase, less expensive to modify. I owned an S2000, but a properly-modified Miata can be a heck of a car.
My perfectly road drivable BBR GTI NC = 385 BHP using the standard block with forged internals + a Turbo. No body modifications or cutting at all. [In addition - BBR GTI do a 225 BHP standard aspirated version as well....] Also - the K series has a smaller bore than the 2L MX5 NC engine - so not as able to be gas flowed or tuned?? why bother swapping a whole engine that has so much less power than a turbo setup? Unless there are "no turbo" rules? But then - Its not an MX5 as it has the wrong engine to start with? Strange inconsistent stuff for what is apparently "MX5" racing?? Are you allowed a "non-turbo" V8 flying miata too? weird.....
The GridLife Touring Cup series this car is configured for does not bar the addition of an aftermarket turbo. But it does add a power/weight ratio modifier for installing one. GLTC is also, at it's core, a power-to-weight class. Simply stated, more power = more ballast weight, therefore more power =/= faster car. GLTC is open to all makes and models. Not MX5 specific. (A short part in the video describing "Spec Miata" is a different series this car was originally built for 15 years ago.) More detailed information here: www.grid.life/gridlife-touring-cup-gltc
K20/24 is still a superior engine to that pos in the latest mazdas.. and with the amount of mods they do on a BBR the K's do better power output more reliability... but anyway its good to see Mazda has almost caught up to 15 year old Honda tech... also 400whp turbo out of stock block and internal K series everywhere..
Tell that to all the Porches, corvettes, ferraris,........the list goes on. Like the miata most legit sports cars are rear wheel drive while some of them are all wheel drive.
@@haltech ..:) ok . . I have a turboed RX8 (tuned on a Platinum 1000) I have rebuilt it many times (lots of different configs) and with a EFR7163 and only 8psi you can make low-end torque plus top end with the bonus of nice braping:)
@ChrisHallett83 But then you also get the sound of an uneven firing order V8 and precisely "grandma level" of revs. I get that the LS family is an easy, straight forward, reliable, compact and price effective route to go for a whole lot of builds... but no matter what you do to them "sexy" is just not part of their DNA.
@ChrisHallett83 ... Iv'e spent $160Kaud and 10 years designing and redesigning the setup to Turbo the Renesis, so I can't give up on it now:) Plus I hate any swap from different manufacturers. Also rotaries sound better than any motor imo:)
K-swapped, All Motor, No Frills, Loads of Fun!
Put a tried and proven high performance engine in a nimble, short wheelbase chassis you've got yourself one quick track weapon!
Aaron Leichty, the owner-manager of The Winning Formula Inc. and a talented wheelman talks to us about his all conquering K24 powered Mazda Miata (MX-5).
Enjoy:)
Love seeing different cars developed with the k series. Mx5 would be so fun.
Aaron and his team know what they're doing! Awesome video guys!
Gradually turned into a honda s2000
Great video! Aaron and The Winning Formula are why I drive from Cincinnati to Louisville to have any tire or alignment work done on my car! I'll defiantly be getting out to a racing event this year!
Excellent Interview...! Aaron and the Winning Formula team are outstanding. I have learned so much from these guys. Just like Aaron....I took my aspiring track car in for a race setup to Winning Formula....and came out with a Miata.
We found that most of the Miata bashing comes from people who haven't driven one in anger. They are a solid package and with an upgraded engine and suspension make a formidable circuit racer.
Great interview. Damn I want a kmiata so bad.
K swapped miata is a really cool build, but he said it ;) S2000 is on a higher level ;) hehe. In a power to weight class, you made the right choice. The lighter, the better
What beast I can’t wait to kswap my civic
Awesome Miata 🔥🔥🔥🔥
I'm interested in your drive by wire conversion. Do you have more info or a write up?
:D those guys do good work , KY ftw
I seen this car at gingerman grid life event this year and it’s seriously no joke quick,👍
heck yeah thats my uncle!!!!!
Where did you get the turn signal/headlight conversion LEDs?
Seems strange to allow the possibility of the driver to increase max hp at will :P Could just have a switch inside the car that changes to the higher hp maps. I guess only way to make sure is to use a restrictor in the inlet, or a max rpm rule based on engine displacement.
Rules that attempt to limit the power figures by hardware restrictions (displacement, rpm, restrictors) often devolve into an arms race where the driver with the most money makes more power than the other competitors. This system allows people to make the maximum allowable power figure easily and cheaply, which makes it accessible to more competitors and evens the playing field.
The more cars you have on track, the larger the sample size is to pull from regarding what a "reasonable" lap time is for cars who obey the rules. That makes it easier to spot cheaters. Anyone who limits their power gains to where it's hard to spot is taking a big risk for a small advantage, and can still lose to a better driver.
Is it a perfect system? No. It does rely on the driver's honor. Any rules do, though. Cheating happens regularly at the highest levels of racing with the strictest rules, including stuff like restrictors and RPM limits.
What i'm trying to say is that the problems you present here aren't solved by harsher rules, but the harsher rules do often make the racing less approachable, fun and interesting. So you'll probably do more harm then good that way.
@@Talynen Yes and no, if everyone drive by honor then it works. But you could basically have a button on the steering wheel allowing you more power to mask a mistake you made, and get your reasonable lap time even if you made a mistake that lap, thats hard to catch. What they have done with the K24 miata is also to use a bigger displacement engine and de-tune it, which gives you a much wider powerband at the "official power" than the next guy with the same 180hp but from a Honda B16 engine which will lack the torque in all other ranges of the powerband compared to the K24. Like he is saying they also have the option to make more power and place weights (in the optimal position of the car) a feature maybe the other cars cant afford.
I´m not sure THAT is fair tbh. I´m simply pointing at the flaws that these regulations allow, but what youre saying is also true about the gains being more dollars if a restrictor or rpm limit based on displacement and car weight is used. However I think that those ultimate hp that you would spend thousands of dollars for, wouldnt make the difference in the tournament ultimately.
In swedish touring car championship, there was a way of evening out the field by giving the previous events top 3 or so extra weight to lug around, to give the others a fighting chance, that would also be a way to counter an uneven field.
Kentucky gang!!!
Love this car.. I been trying to find more photos /build threads on this car over the last week or two as I rebuild my nb8b for wheel to wheel racing here in aus 👍
Here is the write up on the car: www.haltech.com/haltech-heroes-aaron-leichty-and-his-k-miata/
Aaron and his staff is why I only trust them with my car.
He got that I-VTEC in a Mazda no more zoom zoom it’s bahwahwahhh vtec
Now we gotta see a s2000 with a Miata swap
Jesus what a mega downgrade that would be hahaha
Great guy neat story.
what transmission?..from
cool vid
ya the only reason you'd ever want to drop a k engine into a miata is if you're trying to stay in a particular race class. otherwise, a j swap is a better option. just doesn't make any sense to swap a weak 4 cyl with a slightly stonger 4 cyl when there's plenty of 6 cyl options.
All motor k series k24 in a silvia/240sx/200sx drift build????? Where it at..
I have a 2004 Honda Accord with a stock k24. I really want to tune it possibly add a turbo
@Anita Ayon how
Anita Ayon yeah what’s the difference it’s a early model k24 which are the more desirable k series
Like the power that a KMiata makes with a stock K24 engine (220 whp/190 torque). But the kit to install that engine is so freaking expensive ($5000), plus $2500 for other biits, plus $1200 for the engine. WOW, money pit.
Yet people spend 20K on a stock S2000 with 100k miles. A mint Miata with a K swap would cost you the same.
Look at how much it would cost to turbo a Miata, or to do a forged shortblock for a turbo Miata. Don't forget that a set of cams and manifolds and such can get you to the 275 HP mark rather easily on a K-series.
Sub 10k for an engine swap is CHEAP. Not that you'll likely come out under 10k putting a k24 (a2 or z3 since the z3 kit is cheaper) into your miata, but swaps are generally 10k before you factor in the motor or transmission. If you're doing something one off or not commonly supported; expect double that unless you're a hell of a welder with electrical and autobody expertise as well. Tuning isn't cheap, nor tools and shop time if you don't have the garage space. Kpower will sell you the kit with everything you need and install it all for about 9k; it doesn't get better than that, honestly. Throw another 2.5k in if you want a zf bmw transmission and getrag diff + the adapter kit to handle the power more reliably (easy enough to do yourself though) and for 12k+ engine costs you could have a miata capable of reliable 350-450 whp (wouldn't put that out without FI ofc, which is another 2-4k or so depending on what route you take). Find another rwd setup that can have that output at that price and weight while being reliable and I'll sell my NB tomorrow lmao, till then ima keep saving to do all of what I just said. 20-25k for a reliable 350hp at 2300 pounds with 50/50 weight distribution (that's without doing ANYTHING to make the car lighter) is a rare sight, especially of its rwd and street legal.
Whadda about the beauty shot in front of the strip club? Mass respect!
He Drive on winter with -10°C?
What? It's a racecar... I don't see how -10*C in winter has anything to do with it.
I think its time for me to become a hero..
Time to take on a main quest
Indeed.
What kind of trans? I zoned out
OEM Mazda 5 speed.
More detailed setup info and pictures can be found here:
www.haltech.com/haltech-heroes-aaron-leichty-and-his-k-miata/
Did I just see a Honda Odyssey in that line up??
Yes. yes you did. Look up Team HMA facebook.com/HMARaceTeam/
That k series is the same as the nc 1 engine from the sound of it. Mine has exhaust cold air intake and a tune and makes 225. I still got 550cc injectors and a new throttle body coming to put in
There is no way an internally-stock NC engine is going to make 225 _at the wheels_ with just an exhaust, intake, and tune. The BBR NC kit needs cams and ITBs to do that, and that's at the crank, not the wheels.
How the hell does an unopened K make 220whp👀!?!?
They do it all the time lol. K20a2, K20z3 will also make that power on stock cams/valvetrain. They need big intakes and exhausts though, like 3", and a tune.
That's Honda engines for you.
My k20z1 made 230whp, with a header, 3" intake and mugen ecu
Hell yeah 🤘
Ha, I know dis guy.
1.) Comment
Congratulations!
210 to the wheels from a stock tsx I call bs.
The actual hp rating is 205hp at the crank on premium fuel.
You can have just as much from mazda/ford mzr/duratec 2.5L for the same price
Stock _internally_ , it still has all of the bolt-ons, e.g. large-diameter intake with a cold-air airbox, headers, exhaust, and mapping on a full standalone. The K-series are known for making a lot of power (for an NA car) with just airflow mods. If you don't have class rules, you can make 275+ HP easily while still NA with a K-series, and the aftermarket is HUGE, neither of which apply to the Duratec/MZR.
Somebody give this guy a drink of water for Christ's sakes he can barely talk
video NEVER PLAYS. ONLY THE AD FIX.
That's not something we can fix, sorry! That's a UA-cam problem.
Ig?
Why not doing it right and put a F20C in it?
The K-series was used in a lot of cars so they're more plentiful than the F which was only available in the S2K. The K was in Integras, Civics, Elements, RSXs, TSXs, etc.
The K can be modified to higher power levels NA than the F20C, and for less money. It's also plentiful, whereas finding a donor F20C is going to be expensive. The K is newer than the F20, and everything Honda learning from making the F20 they used when designing the K series.
Moist
We're happy to hear that... I think.
Why/how would a Miata be better than an S2K in any way?!?!?!?!
Significantly lighter, shorter wheelbase, less expensive to purchase, less expensive to modify.
I owned an S2000, but a properly-modified Miata can be a heck of a car.
The way this guy says um/ah makes my ears bleed
My perfectly road drivable BBR GTI NC = 385 BHP using the standard block with forged internals + a Turbo.
No body modifications or cutting at all.
[In addition - BBR GTI do a 225 BHP standard aspirated version as well....]
Also - the K series has a smaller bore than the 2L MX5 NC engine - so not as able to be gas flowed or tuned??
why bother swapping a whole engine that has so much less power than a turbo setup?
Unless there are "no turbo" rules?
But then - Its not an MX5 as it has the wrong engine to start with?
Strange inconsistent stuff for what is apparently "MX5" racing??
Are you allowed a "non-turbo" V8 flying miata too?
weird.....
The GridLife Touring Cup series this car is configured for does not bar the addition of an aftermarket turbo. But it does add a power/weight ratio modifier for installing one.
GLTC is also, at it's core, a power-to-weight class. Simply stated, more power = more ballast weight, therefore more power =/= faster car.
GLTC is open to all makes and models. Not MX5 specific. (A short part in the video describing "Spec Miata" is a different series this car was originally built for 15 years ago.)
More detailed information here:
www.grid.life/gridlife-touring-cup-gltc
K20/24 is still a superior engine to that pos in the latest mazdas.. and with the amount of mods they do on a BBR the K's do better power output more reliability... but anyway its good to see Mazda has almost caught up to 15 year old Honda tech... also 400whp turbo out of stock block and internal K series everywhere..
@@pswmetalmonkey yeah, you could boost k series engine to 500+whp on an stock unopened block
too bad the miata is wrong wheel drive.
Tell that to all the Porches, corvettes, ferraris,........the list goes on. Like the miata most legit sports cars are rear wheel drive while some of them are all wheel drive.
Sacrilege . .. .
Use a Renesis. ffs. . .
The objective was to add low-end torque, not decrease it for the sake of ultra-cool brap brap sounds. ;)
@@haltech ..:) ok . . I have a turboed RX8 (tuned on a Platinum 1000) I have rebuilt it many times (lots of different configs) and with a EFR7163 and only 8psi you can make low-end torque plus top end with the bonus of nice braping:)
@ChrisHallett83 But then you also get the sound of an uneven firing order V8 and precisely "grandma level" of revs. I get that the LS family is an easy, straight forward, reliable, compact and price effective route to go for a whole lot of builds... but no matter what you do to them "sexy" is just not part of their DNA.
@ChrisHallett83 ... Iv'e spent $160Kaud and 10 years designing and redesigning the setup to Turbo the Renesis, so I can't give up on it now:) Plus I hate any swap from different manufacturers. Also rotaries sound better than any motor imo:)
@@r1yamahamini Turbo RX8? MATE! Where are the videos? I need it!