Five Star build thread
 

I figured it was time to make a new build thread for my new car. I simply can not continue this on my last build thread. New car, bigger and better goals. My goals for this car is to achieve 350whp no matter what it takes. I will be starting off with a GT2871 and may end up with a GTX2867 here soon. Any thoughts, advice and suggestions on this build please let me know. I want this car done right and do not plan to rig this in any way like my old car. ;)

Now, time for the pics :party:

Some of you remember my old car.


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750

Here is how it left my house.


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750

After parting everything out I found a smoking deal on craigslist about 4 hours away. His price was a little out of my range. He wanted $6200+ TTL so I talked him down a bit. After talking for awhile I drove out to and took it home for $5300 cash with the TTL, so roughly $4900 for the car! I couldn't pass it up.

Car is a 2000 SE. So, 6 speed, 3.9 torsen, what else could I ask for?

Here it is back home after nearly 9 hours worth of driving there and back, well worth it! Here's my gay showing off my new ride :giggle:


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750

After getting it home and cleaned up I drove it for maybe a week or two, I had to start tearing into it! I picked up a 99 longblock for basically nothing and did a all forged bottom end.

Specs:
SuperTech 8.6:1 pistons, .020 bore
Scat 4343 forged h-beam rods
Polished crank
Balanced internals
ARP Head studs
New reworked OEM oil pump
Stock head, valve job, new seals.
BEGI coolant reroute

I can imagine a few people are asking, what's in the box?!?!? Well I can't contain my excitement any longer. Here you go gays!

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750

Now, time for the real pics.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366493750

fast back looks awesome, I placed and order for a one a while ago, waiting patiently!

Thanks! I love it, needs to be lowered a bit but it looks great while driving.

The paint matched perfectly. I just need to buff the car it should look 10x better

Everyone is going to ask you what kind of car that is from this point on now, haha. I might just paint mine gloss black since my car is red it might not look so bad

Driving it yesterday/today everyone on the streets was staring at it. Looking for badges most likely, I might just put the old mazda logo on it to throw some people off. But I like the car de-badged

crap dude, you are making some MOVES!! very nice, 'grats :)
Can't wait to see the finished product with the 350whp goal.....I happen to have the same goal :party:

The car looks great already. Very nice fastback top

Thanks! I have been following yours just waiting for your turbo setup, I hate this waiting game.

Currently waiting for my ECU from Dimitris. After I get my new MS3 I will start focusing on my turbo setup. Right now I have talked to Gary with Track Dog Racing and I may be buying his over the radiator setup, I don't know any other way to go. It is either Gary's kit or do a custom OTR setup, which will cost me just under what Gary's kit would so it makes sense to buy his. I am weighing my options right now.

But the future setup is as follows:
Built engine (have)
MS3 (waiting)
ID 1000cc injectors (have)
DW300 pump (on its way)
Honda intake (looking)
Stage 3 snow meth kit (on its way)
Bigger radiator (have)
GT2871 (have)
ARTech exhaust/manifold (have)
Harddog M2 (on its way)
Oil cooler (have)

What am I missing here? Anything else I need to be considering? For a casual track mostly street car, what suspension should I get?

Really nice car. :bigtu:

Missing BE oil pump and a damper. Looking really good though! Don't do everything right just to have your oil pump fail. that would be super :fael:

If it was a track car then I would do the oil pump, and damper is definitely on my list. This thing sees the street more than it ever will a track, if I even track it.

Did they ever make it to where you still have a trunk with the fastback?

I still think the stock coupe version of the miata is best looking all around. So very rare though :(

Why you build motor before MS?! D:

I was going to say the same: missing the BE pump, but on a street car its not as crucial.

What does the TDR otr setup cost? I have a very hard time believing it would cost just under to piece together your own. I dunno

Yes I have full access to my trunk.

I built it so I could get the motor broke in before I tried to tune a freshly built motor. Only difference is compression, I wouldn't see it hurting anything.

I understand this as well... just seems silly to put so much time and money into something to not insure it for a extra couple hundred. I'm sure you'll be fine with the stock one w/ a damper.

Since i'm local and will pick it up $995 cash. Having a I/C built will cost me $500+, piping, couplers, labor in making mounts, ducting, all that crap. I feel it wouldn't be that far off from the TDR kit. The hot side just seems to be a bitch if I try to route it like others, and I do not want to cut behind the headlight since I have NB1 lights.

The real question is which damper! SuperMiata seems to be my best bet, I don't remember the other/s

ATI damper from FM. I don't think one is better than the next. Super Miata is less money.

I am noobish when it comes to this.

From 949:
What's the differences?

Depends on what trigger setup you go with. Neither of those is for stock trigger setup IIRC

Damn, baller parts. Subscribed to see how they all come together.

Is there a thread on advantages and disadvantages on the trigger setups? I figured I would just run stock

I think Emilio touched on the subject in the thread where they initially introduced these.

I think more teeth gives you more resolution or something, but I've never had issues with the stock trigger setup so I don't try to fix whats not broken

Yeah that's how I think also. I don't know that much about it so not going to bother.

Anyways I just bought the SuperMiata damper!

That's like, badass and stuff.

Gary's OTR setup is awesome. Since you haz NB now, you can use the Mazdaspeed routing for the FMIC through the behind-the-headlight-hole if you want to and save several hundred dollars. Details in my build thread.

Car looks great!

Thank you sir. :party:

Since I have a NB1 I can't even see the hole, the headlight is covering it up. I really, really do not want to cut the car to route intercooler piping. I would much rather buy Gary's kit than hack my car like my other one (looks like I was drunk with a cut off wheel, hornetball can agree)

Will the ARTech setup position your turbo in a way that will work with the TDR kit?

You could save a ton of coin by doing your own.

I cannot possibly imagine a diy setup costing more than 300-400 but I dunno

You can buy piping for ~$150. + Any coupler or flanges you may need.
if you can weld or a buddy who can its really cheap to do your own.
that's what I'm going to do, and get everything powder coated to. because bitches love dat shit.

Yes, the ARTech setup is almost identical to a FMII setup, it is a basic log manifold setup for a t25 turbo. If anything it will be less than an inch difference.

If you guys can piece me together a kit for less than a TDR kit, please do. Thing is I need an intercooler, that's the bulk of the money. I've been quoted $500+ shipping for a decent intercooler, I don't want that egay stuff.

About time you started showing us your new parts!

Looking good!

Fastback looks great. Any fitment issues? How well is it sealed against water penetration and wind noise?

You can order FM's silicone pipes separately from their intercooler kit and buy an off-the-shelf intercooler from Precision or Vibrant for cheap. It will still be a very high quality setup.

Heck, you can even buy the complete FM intercooler setup and save 230 bucks off the TDR kit.
Have you been shopping for gold intercoolers from a Saudi Prince? That's ridiculous.

You can buy these bolt-in units from a member on here that use a high quality vibrant core- Miata 350HP Bolt on Intercooler

You can also pick up Precision 350 units for under 300 dollars.

The advantage of Gary's kit is that you know it has been tested, will work, and it has ducting bits included. There's some trimming involved but most everything's been thought of for you. You're paying for convenience. Sometimes that's worth it, depends on you.

I used a foam weatherstrip around the polycarbonate and a few other places to weatherproof the car. Wind noise is very very minimal, mostly around the door seals but I cheaped out and used the old soft top weatherstrips when I should buy some hardtop stripping. Besides 2 small small little hairline cracks, that's the only places where you can hear a little wind.

The coolers are custom built that's why it gets expensive. I personally love the look of an over the radiator setup and it's easier to route. I have all of my old piping and my intercooler from my old car still, but fitting it just seems like a bitch.


^^^^ This. Not only has Gary's kit been proven on several cars it's very very convenient. I don't have to worry about routing or ducting, that comes with the kit. Better brackets to move and tilt my radiator back, well built intercooler, it just seems to be a no brainer to purchase his kit than piece one together.

I really would like to do an OTR setup because:
1) No room behind headlight for hotside (not cutting a hole)
2) Looks
3) Routing the hotside around my a/c and p/s seems like a huge bitch.

You don't have to buy a custom one. I linked you to a bolt-in unit for just over 300 dollars.
I think the thing I can't get over (as well as others on here) is spending a grand on an intercooler setup that won't work any better/worse than the ones people make for around half the price.
Clock the turbo down.
FM sells their hotside piece that clears both a/c and p/s. It's one solid piece that connects the turbo to the intercooler and it's just over 100 dollars.

I guess this is what it comes down to. It's hard to stray away from aesthetically pleasing parts. I know, lol.

Good luck and post lots of pics.

Maybe that's a better route to take. FM piping with a vibrant cooler? I didn't know if FM would sell the piping separate or not, would definitely be cheaper if all I have to worry about is cutting a few holes in my under tray.

This is where I buy my intercoolers:
Precision Turbo Complete Air-to-Air Intercooler: NLM

After spending hours and hours researching intercoolers, I've concluded that If I wanted the best intercooler, I'd get a Precision, Garrett, ETS, or Bell.

That's about it.

Don't get the FM. From what I've seen their cores are nowhere near the quality or design yet cost just as much as the above mentioned.

Vibrant is also a good quality knock off. I know this because I have one. Its nice, but the design is similar to the ebay knockoffs, just better constructed and using better materials, so its way more sturdy.

You're welcome to take any route you want, its your cars, we're just giving input to help you better make your decisions. If ultimately you want the least amount of fabrication required least amount of headaches, then yeah the kit you're looking at is not a bad idea at all.

ETS quoted me $500 for a cooler (that's the OTR cooler I want), waiting for Stephanie with BEGI to respond tomorrow with her price (assuming bell as in begi?)

I would just want the piping from FM, not the actual cooler itself.

I have a EIII USA cooler, which didn't give me bad IAT's, they were pretty smooth but I guess it's similar to a vibrant. Not sure really
Welcome to E-MOTOR

I think this is the hardest decision on which route to take for my whole build, I pretty much have everything else planned out.

Would FM piping be worth it? Or should I attempt something else. I just do not want to half ass this step cause then I will get angry and cut more shit than needed like my last car. Again, that's not going to happen! :vash:

IF you go the traditional routing, a Precision 350 is just under 300 bux new. They are one of the best. The FM piping will likely work with it, so you're at about 700 and would have to make 2 very simple brackets to hang the cooler, and you're done
Yes bell is begi, though bell intercoolers appears to be a "seperate" company.
I also heard begi can make you some nice IC piping for roughly 400 (what they did for y8s and his non-traditional ETD setup) and his looked and fit great.

I'm not trying to talk you out of the TDR setup. Just giving you other options. I personally don't like otr setups but I'm weird like that.

BEGI's kit, for my WHP goals, will cost me more than a TDR kit.

If my old NA coldside will work on my new car, (with minor adjustments) than all I have to worry about is the cooler and hotside, so I figure $500 max on that?

You are referring to the precision wittyworks had linked, aren't you?

I understand your point, and that's why I want others opinions and thoughts on how I should go about this build. I don't want it half assed like my old car and you people are the ones keeping me from doing so :bigtu:

yep. Precision is awesomesauce

and yes, your coldside should work just fine.

Then I need a Precision & hotside. Seems like that problem is solved, for now.

This coming up week should be a good one. I should have 5 packages coming in that will get me closer and much more eager to get the car turbo'd.

I miss boost. Driving the fastback is cool, cause fastback, but this car needs much more attention! There are a few guys locally I really want to run. One is pretty personal about an argument we had a year ago. I really want this car to not just beat but smoke his ass to finally shut him up. The suspense is killing me!

Taking a few things to one of my buddies sponsors to get ceramic coated, what all should I take? Figured I would do the manifold and downpipe, what about the turbo turbine housing? it being an internal wastegate would it stick or seize some how during the coating process?

I coated my turbine housing. No issues.

Depends on who's coating it. Most places the coating process involves media blasting it, then painting it with a paint that has some small ceramic balls in it then baking it at somewhere around 500*F for a little while. Where as swain and the place in socal that I cant remember the name of, media blast it, then spray a thicker layer of ceramic (not paint) at somewhere north of 1000*F and let that cool at a certain rate.

On the intercooler front. Why are you so stuck on a high end intercooler. Is the extra weight reduction and slight gain in efficiency really worth it to you? I mean sure the CX racing IC I have is like a 20 pound boat anchor, but its built like a tank, I may have stepped on it by accident and its still fine. I'm actually really surprised with how good the welds are and the actually core design at least looks decent for efficiency. Although I too plan to go to a baller IC once its in the budget in order to cut some weight off the front of the car and maybe get some better efficiency.

Thank you sir!

More air flow, smoother IAT readings. I don't see any reason purchasing a "ok" cooler til I can afford a good one, i'm just buying what I need now and not worrying about it later. That's just how I roll :dealwithit:

There isn't a slight cooling efficiency difference. There's a significant one. Which matters a whole lot when running high boost and on pump gas.

So yeah, don't listen to him lol
Get a good heat exchanger.

I didn't plan on it lol

On my way home from work I had so many people stare at the car. A few people would slow down... look around.. speed up... no badges? Their faces are priceless.

One package delivered, missed one from FedEx, should receive 3 tomorrow :)

Got a few things done tonight, installed my new Hard Dog and my DW300 fuel pump. Removed the carpet to find a note written in sharpie that the fuel pumps been replaced a few months ago, so now I have a spare bosch pump on hand!

Roll bar wasn't as easy as I had thought it would be. Getting a drill for the back mounts was a pain, I ended up only bolting down 2 of the 3 bolt holes it gives you.

I think i'm all set for boost. Car is all cleaned up, waxing it this weekend, most likely visiting the local track and showing off the new ride, if only it was boosted :facepalm:

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366867568https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366867568

That's about as 180* difference from your first build as you could get and still stick with a Miata chassis. I'm trying to think of another modified NB that color and am drawing a blank, so bonus points for relative rarity.

It's rare to see a fastback, a color matched mahogany mica fastback? First ever I think.

This build is much better than my old pig. I'm loving it more and more each day, besides no dam boost lol

I sure would try to get that third bolt in. Aren't you supposed to use an extra-long drill bit?

I will have it bolted down this weekend, I was to tired to finish the last bolt last night.

Right-angle drill ftw.

drill bit extension ftw as well.

I have a better idea, was just way to tired last night. Just going to drill through the bottom side. The brackets given have holes, so drilling through it will just end up going through the bracket the roll bar is welded to. Shouldn't take me but 10 mins.

Moar goodies showed up. Snow Meth Stage 3 and SuperMiata pulley.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1366923199

Recency bias: My most recent experience with meth and water injection was back in the mid-aughts with Evos and Supras. I saw way too many damaged engines to ever want to run it.

That ignores lots of other people who have had success and what I am sure is plenty of updates in terms of safety measures and ECU control advances.

I will have to play around with it to get use to it. Stage 3 comes with its own controller but debating on setting it up on the new MS3. I just hope to be as legit as hornetball's setup where it will lower my boost if/when I run out of meth.

Exhaust stuff gets picked up here soon, ceramic coating will be done by next weekend!

Automatic safeties are critical for WI. Otherwise, what Scrappy said.

I am extremely happy with the safeties I setup for mine. It was easy and inexpensive to do. I've posted the wiring diagrams and theory of operation. Any questions, just let me know.