I like the square tube there idea. Maybe 2 or 3 1.5x3" lengths run down there to take up the gap.

3 hours driving in the car today in surprising comfort. My limbs seem to rest where they were originally intended.

Another question - what should I do about a head rest? The kirkey is designed to support a helmeted head in a crash, but without a helmet there is a big gap. It's likely to be very painful in a rear ender. Does anyone know of a good solution with a removable headrest? I'm looking for something designed for crash safety not comfort.

I am picking up a 02 parts car so now for future NB2 cars I can design the DP around that stupid brace.

:party:

I made chipped away at a couple little projects today.

I finally got around to relocating the washer bottle. I used a kit from Amazon that turned out to be surprisingly decent, and I slapped together a little aluminum bracket to hold it in place.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1455692944

I'm not sure what clogged the nozzles up, but I had to poke them clear with a staple, and now they squirt in straight lines like a super-soaker. I'd prefer a gentle mist, but whatever, I didn't miss not having washer fluid for like 6 weeks.

I also made myself a little headrest for street driving so I don't concuss myself in a low speed rear ender. I just splayed open some roll bar padding, cut it up a bit to make it headrest-shaped, and zap strapped it in place. Surprisingly comfortable! I'll remove it for the track.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1455692944

Did some more stuff...

Installed an EBC. I got everything done except for running the wire from the MS3 to the engine bay to connect it all up. Really looking forward to turning up the boooooooost!!!

I also went ahead and bought a built short block from Silentorio34 - CP pistons (PO said 8.5:1, but I can't find anything other than 9:1 anywhere... like it matters for my application), Manley Rods, ARP hardware... should allow me to test the limit of the MK setup. I'm trying to snag a cheap VVT head so I can put the new engine together at my leasure and then either swap it over when I have time.

I think all I need to get now is an oil pump and some head studs :party:
It will be a few months before I install it, so I can enjoy each additional psi as I turn up the boost until I'm really craving the extra power.

Any ideas on how/where to run my ebc wire before I just drill another hole in the firewall? Thinking I could drill slightly larger than the wire, get it lined up nicely, and then wrap it with layers of shrink tape and jam that into the hole so it stays put and blocks sound and stuff.

My other options are the hole than I drilled for the vac line, but I tried that already and it would need enlarging, or where the rest of the wiring goes through... The second options is probably the most factory looking approach, but its bound in there pretty tight.

Ideas?

You have the EBC on the driver side of the engine bay correct? Cut a tiny hole in the rubber boot that that stock wiring harness goes through. Run the wire through that.

I've got it on the passenger side, but that will work all the same. I'll give that a whirl.

That's what I did.

Worked like a charm. Thanks!

Had some issues with getting hesitation under boost. Sonofthehill helped me pin it down to spark plugs. I went with BKR7E that everyone seems to run around here, gapped to .030, and I did the wires while I was at it.

Pulling out the old plugs was very telling. The two plugs under the coil packs (2 and 4) were finger tight, and showed signs of blow by. The other two (1 and 3) seemed to have lost the pins on the central electrode, making for an effective gap of .080. To be honest, I'm surprised my car even ran.


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1458537952

Much better now. I hit overboost the first time I put my foot down. I've got it dialed up to 11 now.


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1458537952

Glad I could help.
:fael:

So a new house (and associated wannabe handyman projects) plus a 2-year-old have kept me from moving this project forward with much speed. However, I'm almost ready to kick off the built motor swap. Ultimate plan here is to find the limit of my Flow Force injectors, which I'm hoping will be in the 300whp territory. 95% street toy, occasional HPDE. Probably do a 7500rpm rev limit. Looking for a sanity check here and see if I've forgotten anything:

Built bottom end, bought unused from a member - reportedly JE pistons 9:1, Eagle rods, possibly ACL bearings. Block decked and honed and everything assembled.
Head, bought unused from a member - reportedly new OEM valves and lifters, supertech single springs. A half-assed port.
APR head bolts, new.

My plan is to have a shop check the clearances on the bottom end, and tell me what's actually in there while they are at it. I'll also have them plane the head. Any good recommendations for a shop to do this work anywhere between Palo Alto and Monterey?
Once that's done, I'm going to put it together, and then once I'm ready to pull the engine from my car, swap over the intake and fueling bits and the oil pan. I'm also considering re-using my oil pump. I know there is much debate here about that, but I'd love to avoid paying the $400 for a BE pump. Especially considering everything else for this build cost me like $1200. Thoughts?
Finally, what am I missing that I'll smack my forehead when I'm halfway through? Probably timing belt and stuff...

TSE Inconel studs need to be purchased if you want to get it on track. I would buy the BE pump to be on the safe side.

Or try the newly suggested Peterson external oil pressure valve. Supposedly saves pumps too. I'm curious to see someone on this side of the world try it and document it.

you bought the head from that omar n00b?

oh boy

add "get it inspected by someone who knows what they're doing, and if at all possible, save the head by re-doing the porting on it"

Basically. I paid less than it would have cost to buy the springs, assuming they are in fact supertech.

I would never in a million years consider reusing an oil pump. BTDT.

Fine.