Looking good. Did all my hardware go on easily and fit decently?

 

Yes! Your stuff went on very well. We had to grind down a wrench to tighten the bottom manifold nuts, but other than that it was easy. Hardest part has been the hot side routing.

Buttoned up a lot more stuff today. Pretty much done aside from getting the pipes made.


Also....

So apparently once you cut one hole you want to keep making more.





Finally installed these Zoom side markers I've had for quite a long time.




Also... small homage to the car that started it all.

 

Got some updates from my fab guy on the hot side pipe yesterday.







I expressed some concern about wheel clearance, and got this picture today. He knew he could do better, and now I've got miles of room.

 

 

So, you could say that you rev this car to the moon.

 

Lol I guess I could.



Got my stuff backs from coating.

 

My manifold actually looks halfway decent after the coating.

 

Lol sure does.


I can finally say I have a turbo Miata.




Took a celebratory photo after taking a short drive.



Also installed fender braces from Garage Star



I also finished my Zoom winker wiring like a pro. Individual heat shrink over each connector, braided loom over it all, terminated with a larger heat shrink.




The car has been down for about two months, and we've done a lot.

Install Torsen
Install full exhaust
Install Garage Star fender braces
Install MkTurbo kit
Install oil lines
Drill pan for drain
Swap valve covers
Add Joyfast bolts
Install boost gauge
Extend IAT wire
Install Zoom side winners
Had pipes welded and turbo ported by Wrench Masters LLC
Had hot side ceramic coated by Engine Armor Coatings
Installed Garage Star tow hook
Installed rear mud flaps
And I'm sure I'm missing stuff.

 

It's been a bit, but I've done some stuff to prepare for MiataPalooza, last minute, of course.

So I've been boosted on borrowed time.


The factory radiator has been turning colors, and was a ticking time bomb. As some may remember, I picked up a CSF radiator and the FM shroud kit. They'd been sitting in my closet for at least 6 months. With MP coming up, it was time.









Week before MP, taking the car apart, no biggie.



CSF with FM kit mounted. Looks so good.



Slight difference here.



These were the lovely hoses I had apparently been using.


These will do a little better.




Oooooohhhhhh........Ahhhhhhhhhhhh........







And of course we had to test the fans.......

I have to give it to both CSF and Flyin' Miata. FM's kit was complete, and had great instructions. The CSF is just beautiful. The pairing is something I think would be hard to top.


Also. Turbos make jobs much harder. I had to take the turbo off the manifold to get one of the hoses off. It was such a pain. But so worth it.

 

Also. It's been a long time, and I didn't realize I hadn't posted my dyno vid. I had the car tuned by Linfert performance, and got roughly 230/230 with weather correction.

 

So. After a wonderful trip to MRLS, and driving Bucky 2500 miles, I found motiviation to work on Lobo. It's been on jacks for over 3 months.

A couple months ago the alternator died. I refurbed it. Then I noticed an oil leak. Then I noticed most of the trans bolts were missing. Guess we never torqued them when I installed the turbo. And then the car sat for months as I lacked motivation to touch it.


So I got to work and pulled the trans, clutch, and flywheel last night.

It's not pretty. NSFW ahead.

It's pretty ugly. But we're just getting started.




Here we have a hole, the size of a pencil eraser, that goes straight through.



And what looks like stress fractures all over the housing mounting surface.







Oil and grease coating the interior of the bell housing, the starter, and the throwout bearing.







The rear main



And a leaky CAS to top it off.

 

The hole is there for "stuff" to drain out. Those stress fractures are actually just casting details. I don't think I've ever seen a transmission housing without them.

 

This x100.

These are from cracks in the transmission case permanent die casting mold. They should have zero impact on your transmission and it's functionality.

 

Awesome. Thanks guys. I'm still considering whether or not I should put a different trans in or stick with this one. Not sure if anything was damaged while the trans was relatively loose from missing the majority of the bolts. I know the PPF keeps it in but not sure.


I think the rear main was damaged from the vibrations but I can't see anything clearly wrong with the rear main, at least to me. The CAS was leaking as well but I dont think it would have been leaking as much as I had.

Either way I'll be replacing the rear main while I'm down there.



Should I just pull the motor and clean everything and gasket stuff or just do the stuff in back and put the trans back? Anything to worry about with my clutch and PP, or recommendations for cleaning it before putting back in, and same with the starter since it appears to be coated in oil.

 

Dang it man.... now that I've met you I guess I gotta subscribe to this lame *** build thread.

Something smells like feet in here.

 

I think you are the first person to take one of my setups on a cross country trip. I am very happy with see that it made it with no problems. I wish you would have let me known you were going. I would have hooked you up with stickers to hand out.

I am planning on hitting up MRLS next year. I will probably have a few questions for you.

 

Full disclosure I didn't drive it cross country. I drove RevLimiter's NB. My car has been on jacks for 3 months.

But I am considering driving it there next year unless I find a trailer. But I can answer any questions you have.


I've decided ultimately I am going to pull the motor and set it on a stand. That way I can clean evertrhing and do other gaskets with easier access.

So far on the list is the CAS o ring, rear main assembly, oil pan gasket, and probably the assembly/gaskets behind the trans shaft in the bell housing.

And while I'm at it I'll probably have a fitting welded onto the oil pan.

 

After one round of degreasing and brushing.

 

Coolant re-route while engine is out.

 

That's also on the list.


Decided I'm just gonna pull the motor and replace/clean a lot of things.


Slowly but surely removing stuff to get ready to pull.



When you take the lower hose shower only to remember your CSF has a convenient drain plug.



And out...