IhasMIATA?

I have a NA Miata with nearly 200k miles on it, and its COMPLETELY stock.
I want to make it into a decent sized project, I wouldn't call it a budget build. But I also don't want it to be a money pit.

So I'm going to ask for everyone's suggestions:
Since it's going to be my DD whenever I'm done, and possible do some autocross with it, what do YOU think would be the most reasonable thing to do.

A) Do the 1.8L swap/turbo
B) Build the 1.6L/turbo (as well.)

P.S, if you don't mind, could you tell me what your set up is like, how much it ran you total (so far) and what kind of power your making.

jedduh01

iTrader: (4)

mY SETup iS THE best,,, YOU SHOULD build a clone.

IhasMIATA?

Lol, I'm sure more than one person will say that about their set up. And I dont really want to "clone" anyone's set up. Just use it for some guidance.

So is your's a 1.8 or 1.6, and how much did it cost you. (your sig pretty much answered what you set up is.)

jedduh01

iTrader: (4)

The signature is the point... read more posts... read what other people post and what they say, you will get a quick idea of who has what, what power they are running and how they got there. Most everyone has a good signature (sort of a pride to update it).
Read around, stickies, faq and learn more.

Goodluck

airbrush1

If it's a greddy kit, it's almost certainly a 1.6l car

Gryff

iTrader: (6)

I LOL'd

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

Since you asked what I think, the most reasonable thing for a daily driver is to add cupholders and save your cash for a second vehicle. Then tear your Miata apart.

IhasMIATA?

I have a 96 Protege for my current DD, the Miata is going to become my DD later on down the road. I just picked up the NA from my old shop teacher for $700. But I don't plan on setting it up for strictly track, so I was looking more for opinions on a street friendly set up.

edit: I have guidelines for a 1.8 build from someone on my local thread, but even with searching I haven't found anything to helpful with my decision. Mainly 1.8L build threads.

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

Well, in that case I'd use the 1.6 since you've got it, and take advantage of the ilovetacotaco bargain manifold for the 1.6. And I'd buy a chinese turbo for under $200 as several others have done. I'd either pick up some used bandaids for fuel and spark or buy a MegaSquirt ecu depending on just how tight the funds are.
Fun and economical and you can double your stock horsepower with the stock engine internals.

How does that sound?

IhasMIATA?

sounds likee, I wasted my time posting this thread, actually looking for help. Even though my searches didn't provide me with the information I was looking for.

Whether I might not be using the wrong key words, or just looking in the wrong areas.

But I mean don't worry about it, even though I don't know much. I'm sure I'll figure it out if I did something right when I try to start it.

SKMetalworks

iTrader: (7)

Building a motor will cost you bank. Around 240-250 whp the stock 1.6s see an increase in failures. Still 240 whp in a miata is nuts! Thats what im doing

webby459

iTrader: (8)

I took this as a serious answer, and if you don't know what he's talking about, you really do need to do more research.

I think this is the best option, with MS, and you can find some cheap 460s out there. I fricken love budg builds, but didn't do one. Getting a 1.8, especially in my case when I have a perfectly fine running 1.6 with MS and a right sized turbo and injectors, is proving to be an absolute bank-breaker, especially since I just ordered a '00 head...........

18psi

iTrader: (76)

This is a decent very low budget idea that I would definitely consider if I owned an older miata.

However I am more than happy with my setup

18psi

iTrader: (76)

Good luck. You're going to need it

2k6750

iTrader: (6)

Is this how people get the ban hammer? Good luck .

curly

iTrader: (25)

We're harsh, but we have good advice. If you want all out power, build a 1.8 since you have the protege and once that's running, turbo it. If you want decent power, just buy a junker 1.8 and turbo that, or turbo your 1.6 (assuming it's a long nose crank, 90's usually have short nose and they suck, look into it at miata.net). If you want turbo power now, just throw a budget turbo kit on the stock motor, as sixshooter said.

Flyinmiata can provide 1.8 conversion kits. For now I'd STRONGLY suggest you read ALL the stickies in the DIY turbo section, and in the mean time get your car running as best you can. Change all fluids, fix all leaks, replace gaskets, brakes, tires, top, paint, windows, and anything else that sucks, cause once you go turbo, you'll be throwing all your money into keeping it running, not making the rest of the car look/run nice. I say this cause you said you bought it for $700, so I'm assuming your budget won't be huge.

browning

iTrader: (16)

first off 200k miles have you thought about going through the car. redoing the bushings suspension ect.... getting the car back to somewhat new form. thats alot of miles. you can spend of money on go fast goodies just to have it nickle and dime you to death.

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

Wow... Cut the guy just a little slack maybe?


1.6 vs. 1.8 is almost meaningless. Yeah, it's easier to start with a 1.8 car since you get the stronger diff and the better electronics, but hey, you've got what you've got. Mine's a 1.6 as well.


One school of thought, if the engine is still running well, would be to just turbo it and see if it fails. Worst-case you end up building a new engine.

Too many different options for us to list insofar as which turbo to run. I'm using a tiny little TD04H-15G that came as part of a Greddy kit. Some folks are Garrett-worshippers (and even there, you've got everything from 2554s to GT30s and beyond) while others are jumping on the Chinacharger bandwagon.

Let's forget about which turbo to run for the moment. How's the car itself doing?


Where in Ft. Myers?

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

My answer was both thoughtful and serious. Maybe if you read a little bit more and posted a little bit less you'd figure out how to recognize helpful advice when you received it. It might keep you from acting ungrateful when people were sincerely offering their assistance. Good luck, sir.

IhasMIATA?

If that was a serious answer, I apologize but when i read "Ilovetacotaco" I automatically assumed you were just being a dick.