MicaCeli

iTrader: (1)

At first, Begi ones (NAPA). They leaked. Then OEM ones...now also leak but I put some gasket sealant on there...that could be the issue. Also it helps it you take like 1/4-1/2 inch off of the longer bolt as it was a total pain in the rear end to get that bolt out and in with the firewall there.

Oh make sure that the T-Stat sits PERFECTLY inside the BEGI housing. Mine had an issue where it looked like it sat perfectly but there was tiny little lip that made it sit just a tad higher on one side then the other, caused a leak. I had to shave it down a tad.

I need to work on my fueling map, I think I will turn down the boost and get working on that as much as I can.

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

Has Bell changed their source on the gaskets? I received the very first 1.6l kit they made, and the gaskets which I got were fairly thick and laminated with a peel-and-stick adhesive on one side. I absolutely loved these, as it avoided the problem of trying to keep the whole stack perfectly aligned while installing it. My recollection is that the inner edge of the gasket slightly overlapped the thermostat itself, and held it perfectly in position.

Didn't have any leaks, either. (Well, apart from the one at the front caused by me failing to use any sealant on the freeze plug which I elected to install in lieu of the blockoff plate which they supplied.)

hornetball

iTrader: (4)

Started my new long block over the weekend and did the first couple of break-in drives. I've got a good seal at the back (thank goodness). My only leak is an oil leak from the front, and I'm expecting the worst. Sigh.

BEGI still supplies the peel and stick gaskets. The ones I got were noticeably thinner than OEM. Since I installed the spacer with the engine pulled, I opted for OEM gaskets.

Be careful about overtorquing. I've been able to make waternecks leak in the past by being a gorilla. Unfortunately, if you're installing with the engine in-situ, not much room to use a torque wrench.

Savington

iTrader: (31)

Dear noobs,

This is what your parts list should look like when you search a bunch and buy the right ****.

Love,
Andrew

Braineack

iTrader: (62)

he forgot the 1.8L swap though...

MicaCeli

iTrader: (1)

I know :(

I learned it form watching you Brain.



Honestly since I collected parts of over the years some of them went out of style. The things I would change now would be:

- 94 bottom end with a 99 head
- MS2 or Brain Built MS3 (this might actualy happen)
- Abe's manifold and DP if staying with a 1.6 or even the 1.8 his stuff is nice looking and functional at the same time.
- 6 speed
- Bought a good bodied 1.8 N/A as a base.

Hindsight though.

MicaCeli

iTrader: (1)

I might of done this the second time because I was HULK mad at it.

curly

iTrader: (25)

Are you actually running multiple torsens? Lol.

I'd also change the injectors if you're upgrading your parts list. What year did the miata/rx7 injector design debut?

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

Huh.

It's been a while, but I seem to recall the gaskets which I got being rather on the thick side. Then again, I don't recall what the OEM ones look like, except as brittle, broken things that need to be carefully scraped off of delicate aluminum surfaces with a razor blade.

hornetball

iTrader: (4)

All I was saying is that the peel and sticks that I got (purchased maybe 2 months ago) were quite thin. I can only conclude that the source has changed since you Beta-tested some years back.

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

Weird...

The ones I got came from NAPA, though I can't recall whether they were spec'd as OEM fitment on a Miata or from some other car. Might want to call Bell and ask- they were quite nice.

MicaCeli

iTrader: (1)

Sure and I have headers everywhere on the car Fourth language, my spelling and grammar skills lack sometimes.

You know, as soon as I started the car and heard how horridly loud the injectors were, my first thought was to get some nicer injectors. Sometime down the line it will happen.

Looking to buy another house and rent ours out. Also need to get rid of some cars and get one of them running so that I don't have to take the whole harrem to the new house.

So new purchases will need to be on hold for a little bit. I'm happy that I got the car running, as it gets warmer and I have more time I will start fine tunning the car.

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

I am constantly amazed by the fact that ALL of those members of our forum for whom English is not a native language seem to have a better grasp of spelling and grammar in English than certain of those members who were born and raised in the US.

Lord knows that I have only the most pitiful, rudimentary grasp of German (mostly words and phrases directly related to needing to borrow a soldering iron from someone, etc.) and I'd be completely lost in Greece or Turkey.

Leafy

iTrader: (1)

Oh the irony. I really shouldn't talk, I often get distracted half way through a sentence and it stops making sense. Or I wont check what I wrote beyond making sure that there are no squiggly red lines and fail to see that I properly spelled a word, just not the correct one, or the order of the correct words was wrong, or the order of incorrect words was wrong.

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

Failing laptop keyboard is failing...



(chicken facepalm)

MicaCeli

iTrader: (1)

I think it's mostly due to how much actual English education us immigrants received vs natives. I spent about 3-4 years in ESOL classes where they crammed English down your throat for 2-3 hours a day. Most natives only get an hour class of English and the semester curriculum is so drawn out that boredom sets in and they learn nothing. Don't get me started on the 'murican Education system.

Funny enough most people who meet me have no idea that I'm anything but a white American kid. Tell them my name and I get an eyebrow raise.

Saying that, my emails at work are very concise and well worded. Get on a forum and I sometimes have a hard time even reading what I wrote myself. I think it’s mostly about the audience I guess. My wife’s favorite thing in the world is to read my posts on other forums and face palm the whole time.

German is number 5 on my list. Most of what I remember is stuff like 'I collect stamps' 'I play soccer in the summer' I need to brush up on it.

Leafy

iTrader: (1)

Bringing this back. Mica, what thread do you have going into the 1.6 water neck it isnt 1/2" npt. Its close though doesnt look tapered and the npt goes in like 1 thread. So 1/2" BSPP? Or maybe M14x1.5.

MicaCeli

iTrader: (1)

Sorry Leafy, have been busy and haven't been on for a while as I had no updates other then my Kia waterneck is leaking again and I hate the Koni's.

I got as much use out of the oilpan tap that I could and re-tapped the coolant neck with the 1/2 NPT so that I could use all the Lowes fittings that I had laying around. Then put thread sealer on there and screw it in as far as it will go. Works good.

Leafy

iTrader: (1)

Its no big deal, that housing wouldnt fit with the turbo any ways. I ended up going with the stock water pump inlet turned around backwards and with a threaded aluminum elbow welded to it.

MicaCeli

iTrader: (1)

Cool. Honestly most of my mods are a compromise because of me not able to weld Alum at the moment and being too lazy to take it to someone that can.