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Jumpster's "Jackstand Hero" Build Thread
First off, I can't thank the members of this forum enough. I joined with very limited automotive knowledge, and years later have what I feel is a fairly wholistic knowledge of automotive and performance systems.
This thread has been a long time coming and would not have been even close to possible without the valuable knowledge shared on here. This is entirely a hobby to me and unrelated to my Computer Science degree. Here is the build as it "currently" stands. The build parts list can be found here: --- Build List --- https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7bb185ec23.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...2704002fcc.jpg Being Gen Z and all, I documented the whole build on Instagram @apexmiata but MiataTurbo deserves a review of the history since its mildly entertaining: . 2016 - Looked into buying my first car. A friend's older brother had a Miata and mentioned people race them on tracks. I thought that was hot shit, test drove one, and decided it in fact was. After purchasing a bone stock 90' Miata repainted candy apple red, learning manual, and getting my license, I put in plenty of work fixing little issues and cleaning it up to be a fun daily. I learned from the internet to fix some simple things like the clutch slave, headlights, shocks, and oil leaks. Soon after, an acquaintance in high school noticed the car and told me that he and his family raced Spec Miatas. He took me out to his track/garage, stuck me in the passenger seat, and I was immediately hooked when he showed me what a Miata could really do, even at 100hp. 2017-2018 - Enjoyed the car as a daily, but realized that I wanted to get more out of the car and try autox. Ended up selling my Miata and buying my current (White 95'), but with a handful of decent budget performance upgrades. Kept learning how to do more repairs on my own, got some good seat time, but inevitably decided I needed more power. 2019 - Here’s where the fun begins. I decided a turbo was in my Miata's future and started reading everything I could find on this site. It took a few months, but I had planned out a solid T25 budget build, bought everything, and knew I could do it before my freshman year of college was over. I spent the entire summer building it in my parent's garage to their bewilderment and barely managed to write the street tune and drive the car to get dyno-tuned (without issues) the day before I moved back to college. I'll elaborate on the first build in the following posts. I was in love with the car and the whole 230hp it made, and everyone I gave rides to agreed it should be illegal to have a car be that much fun. 2020 - After a few months, I learned about this underrated quote from Keith Duckworth, “An engine runs at its best moments before it disintegrates.” With a friend in the passenger seat, a random Miata downshifted and drove past on an empty highway at night, so I flipped the NLS switch, gave it the beans, flew by feeling like Ricky Bobby, and promptly blew the absolute shit out of my 3rd cylinder, adding a 5th and 6th exhaust port, seizing the motor, and leaving the bottom of my oil pan looking like a 5yr old’s rock collection. I'm guessing I retarded the NLS spark a bit too far, and the torque spike caused the stock rod to take its leave. Since I wasn't a complete idiot and knew there was a chance it could eventually happen, I had set funds aside to pick up a daily, which I promptly did, and simultaneously inspired myself to set some bigger goals on the rebuild because I simply could not quit Miatas and wanted even more power. After another month or two of reading, I decided I was ready to go all-in, build a forged engine, and throw on every supporting upgrade I could think of as a long-term project that I could drive on weekends and grow into as a track car. Obviously, my autox skills were nowhere near what is needed for a track-prepped EFR Miata, but I still convinced myself that it was the right call. Even better, I had no garage and decided to make it work in the basement of the gated apartment parking garage I was living at since only my friends and I parked down there. Yes, you read that right, I built most of my project in a parking garage on jackstands. 2021 - Moved into a storage unit that allowed me to work out of it, then later a shared industrial garage with friends building their own cars. Currently (2/22) - I have nearly stripped the car down to the bare chassis, built it back up with an overkill list of parts, spent an absolutely unreasonable amount of time/money on it, and guess what? Still doesn't run. The variety of setbacks have been interesting and I barely have time to work on it between school/work/life, but hopefully, after finishing the oil pan leaks I developed, I'll have a car ready to hit the dyno in its “final” form. . With how much this build has stalled out, I put off making this thread, but I am confident that we’re close to getting dyno'd at full boost. Anyone reading the parts list will quickly realize I have built a car beyond my own skill level, but I am looking forward to the challenge of catching myself up, even if it takes a few years to master. I’ll post the documentation of the car to where it is now for completeness, but I'm more than ready to just have it driving and kissing apexs again. More coming soon. |
Currently swamped by college and job offers / interviews, but also need to move to a new garage at the end of the month. Slightly stressed with my subframe sitting on the floor...
Where it started: https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...05fa900390.png First time at a track, sensory overload can be observed: https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ffae3eb8da.png Current Miata. Karen hit me in a parking lot first day driving it expediting removal of the "jdm" foglights: https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...5aad901769.png |
heck of a story, thanks for sharing! What made you choose the 8.5:1 compression instead of 9:1?
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Of course. The vocal majority of members here seem to be older and more experienced, but I know there are plenty of members like myself starting from ground zero. Hopefully this thread can be another useful reference for someone wanting to go from A-Z.
As for the compression, honestly, I did all that research 2 years ago and cant remember the exact deciding factor, but I believe I choose to run as safe of a setup as possible knowing my turbo would produce more than adequate power with <25 psi on 93 octane when I don't have e85 available. Squeezing that little extra performance out seemed unnecessary considering the raised EGTs and knock potential. Also, my engine machinist is one of the go-to builders for Spec Miata teams, and gave me a heads up that the decked block and shaved head would bump me up to approximately 9:1, which is what I was shooting for. |
Now to get into the fun stuff. Ill spare most of the details because there's plenty of detailed documentation on this site for how to build a budget T25 stock engine turbo kit, but ill post up the trials, tribulations, and revelations that I can remember from the first setup I built.
There's plenty of things I overlooked, so noobs, feel free to ask unless you haven't already read and understood this by heart, in which case learn to recite it backwards. Here's the original parts list for reference. This was the cheapest collection of mostly used parts found at discounts that I felt would be "reliable" in the long term. I still stand by this and think much less than this is likely "unreliable". https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a2425337c1.png First thing on the agenda was to rebuild, port match, and polish the T25 turbo. The Chinese cast eBay manifolds are sometimes T3 ports with T2 spaced threads despite photos, so I took the liberty of porting and polishing my exhaust housing to match it and get some efficiency back. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...637fb77372.png Yes, use ducting. Made a huge dent in the overheating issues I was seeing, and eventually upgrading to an aluminum rad and SPAL fans solved it. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...4448f063ca.png https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ed818ffe7b.png Likewise, I like many, read for hours on here about catch cans, remained confused, and reverted back to a diagram that made sense in my head. It worked until the engine didn't. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...128499b8b5.png I've done a few 2twisty flushes on multiple cars, and they've always resulted in higher compression tests and quieter HLAs than before. Has worked like magic for cleaning out any engines for me. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f6eebc5689.png Drilling the pan should not be stressful if you do the research. Just tape the bit, use grease, and blow a few psi of air though the engine to clear shavings out. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7985f3c321.png https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...d60e7ec36b.png |
Up next, more nitty gritty details.
I loved the feeling of quick revs from a lightweight flywheel. Made the car noticeably more fun to drive imo. Its a one piece chunk of metal, no serious tech involved, so I didn't see the need to drop serious money on one. Installed a lower end 10lb chromoly flywheel and never looked back. Surface wear and hotspots may be a valid concern, but mine never developed hotspots and came balanced when I checked. Still running this same one. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c1fe60fb01.png For the intercooler piping, I chose to follow what @hornetball did here. Routing is clean and worked great after figuring out how to cut the hole. I used a ebay aluminum IC piping kit, chop saw, a cheap home made "bead roller" I made from customizing old pliers with a dremel, and an autozone rental pipe expander to make slip fittings and JB weld pipes together. Pretty ghetto solution but its held up for years and looks fine after a light coat of paint. BOV positioned right in front of intake. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...15457049fb.png Had to bite the bullet and get a downpipe custom welded for the T25. Gave the welder the T25 flange and told him to work his magic while keeping material costs down. V-bands are easily worth the cost for ease of use however. Flex pipe as well to prevent cracks down the road from vibrations. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...0ed36fb6a5.png To use a eBay cast manifold, make sure you use proper hardware and you'll be fine. They're bulletproof. Wish I could find the specs, but you'll need to remove the studs and use extended bolts for the 4 corners, apply resbond on everything, and use quality studs and lock washers on the turbo/manifold connection. Never had any issues with this setup with street/autox use other than burning out a turbo/maifold gasket (note burns on hood in 1st post). Instead just verify both surfaces are flat and skip the gasket. I took some machining metal (straight edge) and worked on the mating surfaces until I couldn't see any light pass under the straight edge on the mating surface when held together. Never leaked after that. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...6c545ec4d5.png https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...08e17a0931.png After sorting out all the other details, I wrote a quick street tune and had a professional tuner do his work on the dyno. As a testament to reading this forum religiously before starting, I had zero issues besides a quickly fixed vac line popping off under boost. Ended up making 230hp w full tq at 3.8k (dyno scale was skewed). https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...4cb5cf955f.png As a final addition to the OG kit, I later switched to an ARTech downpipe. Definitely was not necessary, but I couldn't pass on the deal + just look at it. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...63cba09c40.png |
Most people watch UFC for the knockouts, so here's the blown engine. Enjoy the carnage.
First step: Try to change the oil. First definitive confirmation of fuckery... https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7c1ebf0207.png Second step: Remove and tear down engine. Fuckery undeniable. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...cfe296a90f.png Third step: Deal with your pain and misfortune with arts and crafts https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...079ff85d1a.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9e9fff22b0.jpg |
Next, I sat the car on jackstands and focused on school/work for a few months while researching what it would take to seriously build out the car. I set my goals on building a long term dual purpose car for weekend street driving and as a track car I could grow into. There's still a few aspects like transmission and suspension that will be upgraded as tracking becomes more serious.
I was in a good spot financially, but it was still a DIY build and I wanted to do all the work as an experience and to teach myself new skills, so this meant building a new engine myself. There's plenty of documentation on BP building but here's a few points of interest I ran into: I stuck with the stock valves, but tried to at least give them a refresh. In hindsight, this probably wasn't the smartest decision of the build because of potentially taking any material off the valve shafts, but I stuck each valve in a power drill and carefully removed the carbon buildup with some fine steel wool, polish, and a cleaning. After that, I did a standard valve lapping job and called it a day. If I were to repeat this, I would at least tape over the exposed valve shafts to prevent any scratching. I had extra OEM valves, however, I didn't observe any scratching, they cleaned up great, and I ran through a full engine break-in without issues so I think this turned out ok. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...030503645a.png https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3ddd4bbc17.png Next was installing the valves and Volvo springs and man this an unenjoyable learning process. The method I eventually found to work the best while cheaping out was to cut a window out of an appropriate sized spare socket, use a 10" C-clamp with a rag underneath, and use a magnetic flathead to pull the valve retainer locks out. For installing them, I put some grease on the end of the valve, the tip of the flathead, and the retainer locks, stuck a retainer lock to the tip of the flathead, and then stuck both retainers locks in place on the valve through the socket window using grease to hold everything in place while I let out the spring. This actually proved fairly effective and much more efficient than other advertised methods that left me sweating and punching thin air. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f735c27f08.png For painting the block, I definitely had an OCD moment, but painters tape and a razorblade did pretty quick work. This of course was after an ultrasonic bath at the machine shop (machine specs in build list link up top). Not saying much but the VHT block paint appears to have done its job and looks new after putting 2k on the motor and sitting for 1.5 years... https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b9e5f05fc6.png Finally, this photo offers no value except for proof that I in fact built my motor, and as an addition to my hand modeling portfolio. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...43d1118849.png |
ENGINE
I've now realized that from building this setup for 2.5 years, I have way too much sharable information and detailing everything would be a huge PITA. The build list speaks for its self and more details are always a question away. Instead, Ill post about each category of currently installed parts, then get back to the chronological posts when we get there. First of course is the engine: BP4W - Obvious pick. Best flowing head and living near Dallas (a hub for miatas/racing) made sourcing one easy. Built the engine in my parents garage and covered it with a trash bag between sessions. This is a story of dedication, I certainly didn't follow all the recommendations.Valve cover - From a Protege. Will be repainting eventually, but I drilled out the air passages for more flow, used some copper scrubber material in the baffling, and had it locally hydrodipped. Cam gears - Fidanza. Mainly splurged for looks since I got a deal, but ill go ahead and adjust them on the dyno. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7766f4fdef.png Forged Rods - maxspeedingrods. cheap and proven Forged Pistons - 84mm Supertechs. Again, cheap and proven with Wisco rings Bearings - ACL Race. The standard Head Gasket - Just used a new OEM HG, but I've heard many good things about permatex copper spray and put on a coat on before installing. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e121ebcabc.png Oil Pump - Boundary stage 1. Would have gone stage 2 but a local gave it up for cheap Valve springs - Volvo B20 springs. An easy upgrade for increased seat pressure to counteract boost and valve float Main/Head/Rod studs/bolts - All ARP. The standard Gasket/seal kit - Now mostly OEM, but I originally used aftermarket seals. Do not do this, something is bound to leak and you will deeply regret not just paying the extra money Squaretop - For better flow. Had mine shipped from the UK, then coated it in heat paint. Also tossed on EGR delete plates https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f0000f34db.png Throttle body - Junk2. Picked up off eBay. seemingly decent quality, and the alleged spring issue had been fixed Harmonic damper - ATI Superdamper. Huge pain to install/remove, but was clearly the best option at eliminating harmonics from what I found https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f3c142dc4f.png Oil baffle - Supermiata. Just there for when I get to the track. Pressure is good Machine shop - I was lucky to catch X-factor racing in a lull and had them work their magic. The experience building hundreds if not thousands of spec miatas/motors showed. Here's what I had them do before assembly: - 84mm overbore - Hone cylinder walls - Deck the block/head - Polish and mic all the bearing surfaces - Balance rotating assembly - Line hone main bearing caps for ARP hardware - Gap the upper/lower/oil control rings - Ultrasonic hot tank everything https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...42f19ca15a.png |
I'm nearing graduation, so my responsibilities are through the roof at the moment, but I had to take a break and post something to get the thread closer to where I'm at currently.
Turbo/Hotside For the hotside, I went with the EFR 6758 since I believe it will realistically make numbers in the 400 range with a good powerband. After riding in other turbo miatas, and reading over some great comment threads (on FB of all places... also here) this is about the max I figured would be manageable for the street, and would need to be turned down for the track. I also installed a Turbosmart BOV for better control and to get rid of the whistle. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1442e8268f.png https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...931296a882.png For the manifold and downpipe, the obvious pick was a Kraken kit. Got lucky again and a local guy ended up not using the exact kit I needed, so I had it immediately available. The quality of this kit exceeds OEMs. Amazing pieces. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...fb550bfdc5.png For the exhaust, I went with full vbands, a switchable vibrant resonator, and the MF12259 Magnaflow muffler, all from polished stainless 304. The car wasn't tuned for boost when I drove it so I cant comment on the sound much, but it had good tone and seemed fairly unassuming without stepping on it hard. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...d8eb4e6695.png Ill include the catch can here too, but I just went with a DaveFab unit routed straight from both breathers VTA. Construction looks great and its performed on the companies personal track cars, but I haven't run the car enough to give any personal feedback yet. The drain plug on the bottom will be handy though for adding a valve and hose to drain it. Also grabbed a coolant reservoir to match. Just for looks. Thanks COVID stimulus. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ce3a6164ba.png |
I finally graduated and have a bit more time on my hands before I start my job. Getting this build assembled and fully tuned soon is a high priority so this thread should start moving faster.
Fuel/Ignition For the fuel system, I went with the most tested and well-reviewed parts with the intention of running flexfuel E85:
I also ran into a really specific odd situation where the ID1000 tophats and radium rail are both designed to be OEM compatible, but are not actually directly compatible with each other leading to a lot of confusion. Youll need to add 10mm of spacers to the rail so everything sits correctly. Luckily ForceFlow makes a rail spacer kit that makes for a easy fix. Finally, don't take any shortcuts to the fuel system... I originally skipped buying an extra NB fuel quick connector for the old OEM FPR when i was using the stock rail, and used a random fuel clamp i had laying around instead. I was sure it was secure, but when I was breaking in the motor, it popped off on the highway after just a few hours of driving and sprayed about a gallon of gas around my engine bay, windshield, and car before I had it shut off. I got lucky that nothing ignited it, but quickly trying to find a route to the emergency lane while pulling out the extinguisher is something I hope everyone else avoids. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f802955273.png https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...160523c15c.pnghttps://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a490ec2745.png https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a8f76f9aab.png For the ignition, I had heard some say that toyota COP's handled everything they thew at them, and others say they were shit. Given I found a good local deal on a set + harness, I went the Toyota route and will be finding out myself once i get to add the boost. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...30fbd924dc.png |
Cooling
The cooling system is probably the most lacking besides aero, but works great on the street. Ill definitely be upgrading a few things before seriously tracking the car, but here's where it stands now.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1f7687c501.png https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e4247d5502.png https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...0f85e3b10c.png For future upgrades, I'm thinking a SM Crossflow radiator, fan shroud, more ducting, hood vents (sitting in garage), and potentially an oil cooler if data shows i need one. For now this setup is adequate for spirited drives and autox, but I'm sure the track will be a different story. |
Drivetrain
A BMW Getrag and diff swap is likely in the future for reliability, but for now I set up the best drivetrain I could with OEM/Modified Mazda parts due to simplicity. I am very curious to see more about this 6spd mod from @jrmiata42069 and potentially give that a try as well. Here's the currently installed parts:
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Suspension
This is probably the area I am least educated on. I went from Megan coil overs that came with the car, to converted Koni yellow coilovers, to all new DIY Bilstein coilovers. Xidas are certainly in the future, but that will come when I get the car on track, learn more about spring rates, and feel that the current setup is inadequate.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...8bbc641640.png https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...85cd80999f.png https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f9d133c8be.png https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e3e186b916.png Refreshing all the suspension bushings (poly?) is definitely in the future as well, but that will also be as needed once I hit the track. |
In a few free days, I've managed to put the Miata back together, get it to start up, fix up the tune to drive decently, and take it out for a few light throttle shakedown drives. The only issue I've noticed is soft brakes, but another bleed should fit that. Currently out of state to see family, but next up is finding a tuner willing to sit down and dial in the power!
Chassis Solidifying the car to provide predictability and responsiveness was essential to me after riding in a fully caged and reinforced track Miata, so I've made some solid steps short of a full cage and frame rails. Safety is ofc a big factor also.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e81014ce7a.png https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7d63407587.png |
Wheels/Tires/Brakes
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...12d9713e82.png https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e53b0e632a.png https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...63730090a4.png https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b277e52721.png I think really the only thing left here is some better rear pads, testing more tire options, and waiting on the time/money to modify/buy stronger rear hubs. This setup is clearly superior to what I previously autox'd with so the grip/braking should take some learning. |
Currently in the middle of a move, but I'm getting this thread caught up one way or another.
Interior
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...800d1bd0a6.png https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...88e9e936e8.png https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3bb0987b9c.png https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...8c3b840335.png https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...00467dcee0.png https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...fda94d108f.png |
Last notable parts:
Electronics/Gauges:
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ce761177c9.png https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...0cd8231730.png https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f259281a6a.png |
I wish I had started this thread earlier to document all the ups and downs of the build and my learning experience, but that wraps up the notable parts I currently have installed.
I just hit the dyno for the first time in 3 years a few days ago, and everything held up great mechanically. Unfortunately, however, I had not realized that the innovate ethanol content gauge outputs an analog signal, while the MS3 only takes a frequency signal, so the ECU was not actually reading the ethanol content. Also, since I took so long building the car, I had added a dash switch to the EBC->ECU wire in order to switch between wastegate and full boost. I forgot about this and the fact that it was switched off, and proceeded to spend 30min on the dyno troubleshooting the EBC and ECU pinout just to give up and realize the issue when I left the dyno. The good news however is that I got tuned for pump gas (93oct) on wastegate boost (11psi) and put down a solid 235hp and 220tq that I can drive around with until there's another opening for the dyno. The issues are already sorted out and she feels healthy. Its a great feeling to drive this car even at low power after having it sit on jackstands for years. Next up are finishing some cooling upgrade. This Texas heat is relentless. After that, its finally time to get some aero and styling on this car. I get compliments on its looks occasionally, but it deserves some cleaning up and minimal styling at least. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...36547e4636.png https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e4a56db17c.png |
All I can say is very nice.
I want to steal your fuel system... In fact, there are lots of parts on your car that I could use. Never give me your address, it will keep me honest... It was nice meeting you last month, Next time you're down this way stop by. Please bring your Miata with you, I want to drive! Have some cats... |
Much appreciated! Headroom was the name of the game.
I'll definitely be bringing it by the shop next time I'm down that way. Pretty sure I've learned something new every time we've gotten the chance to interact. |
Finally got the car back on the dyno. 350hp/330tq
Started off having to troubleshoot some EBC issues that were making it go from fully open to closed within about 2% duty. Turned out to just be the frequency. Needed to be reset to 39Hz instead of 78Hz. We tuned 93oct until we got to 320hp / 295tq @ ~16psi then switched over to E85. The runs were going pretty much flawless until we got to 350hp / 330tq @ 19psi and the clutch started slipping. I have heard multiple reports of miatas running 400hp+ on the supermiata pucked ceramic clutches but I seem to have gotten unlucky with mine. Everything looked good and was cleaned last time I was in there so I don't believe there was any oil contamination. Unfortunately, in the moment I completely forgot to take a photo of the dyno graph, so I'll have to make a stop at one of the many local motorsport shops dyno days. The car is an absolute blast to drive and I cant wait to get it out to some HPDE events. We did one more pull and had no clutch slip so I decided to leave the tune there, enjoy it, and come back in a few months with more cooling upgrades and a clutch rated for more tq. On the topic of cooling, my current system is clearly inadequate. I knew this would probably be an issue, but didn't realize how badly haha. Some of my hardware for my ducting went missing so it was left off, the Texas heat was sitting around 100deg, and my poor ebay aluminum radiator was begging for mercy. I now have an SM crossflow on the way, am planning on reinstalling my ducting + adding additional sealing, have hood vents waiting to be installed, will be removing the front radiator support, and will eventually be adding an oil cooler before I run track sessions. Texas heat is brutal, but I believe this should manage the temps well. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7b3df0d940.jpg |
Originally Posted by Jumpster74
(Post 1624767)
Finally got the car back on the dyno. 350hp/330tq
Started off having to troubleshoot some EBC issues that were making it go from fully open to closed within about 2% duty. Turned out to just be the frequency. Needed to be reset to 39Hz instead of 78Hz. We tuned 93oct until we got to 320hp / 295tq @ ~16psi then switched over to E85. The runs were going pretty much flawless until we got to 350hp / 330tq @ 19psi and the clutch started slipping. I have heard multiple reports of miatas running 400hp+ on the supermiata pucked ceramic clutches but I seem to have gotten unlucky with mine. Everything looked good and was cleaned last time I was in there so I don't believe there was any oil contamination. |
Thanks for clarifying.
Let me rephrase because I didn't intend to knock the product. I didn't get unlucky, the clutch works perfectly as advertised and has surprisingly great streetability. Others have had some exceptional results and I was *hoping* to join the club. I'll be on the lookout for one of those twin disks. I've seen a few before in my area and they do sound like the best available option. |
Another update while im sitting here waiting on parts. I got a little sidetracked and bought a BMW trans swap...
But first, I put the car on jack stands and started to fix the cooling. I cut out the front support to make for better ducting, added the R-Theory hood vents, switched to a Supermiata crossflow, and am building a better sealed ducting solution with coroplast for now. I also added Aerocatch latches to keep the hood closed. Any tips for adding a quick bumper disconnect would be great too. Whats holding me up currently is waiting on new inner tie rod safety washers to arrive since I also decided to get rid of my PS and swap to a welded manual rack that a local builds for tracked miatas. It really frees up a lot of space. Finally, I was not planning on swapping transmissions for a while, but in light of my clutch slip, and finding a great deal, I made an 8hr round trip and returned with:
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Time to update.
Got all the cooling modifications done, the depowered rack in, and had the car driving. The difference in cooling ability was amazing with the temps usually ranging from 170-190 while on the street and barely being able to touch 200 at the end of pulls. An oil cooler will still be necessary before serious track activity but I'm very happy with the cooling as it stands. I had been occasionally street driving it to get a feel for the car and test it out before any events and have had to put it back in the garage after a unsolved issue popped up regarding sync issues. Here's the thread where I detail it: https://www.miataturbo.net/general-m...st-e85-107355/ TLDR: I Increased ethanol by 10% and immediately began misfiring, hitting what felt like a soft limiter, and getting sync issues in the logs. Really odd scenario that ill continue troubleshooting. All credit to the car though, for the 2 weeks it was driving, it was every bit as much fun to drive as I was hoping and I'm dying to get it out to autox then HPDE. |
Got the sync issues all cleared up. Got lucky and turned out to just be a bad connection at the CAS connector. Some JB weld and electrical contact cleaner seemed to fix it up.
On another note, I saw oil temps jump up a bit higher than I liked mid day on the street and realized there's no way I can run track days without an oil cooler. Purchased the 25-row Setrab kit from Fab9 and have it ready to install, but I'm at a total loss for where I can fit it without blocking either the rad or FMIC since I'm running 2 spal fans for the street. I was considering mounting it like the TDR kit in front of the passenger wheel but doesn't seem like a 25-row will fit safely there. Any suggestions on where I might mount this thing? (yes, ducting is wack, but its a working bandaid untill I get a splitter and simplify the front end) https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...57c30a6eeb.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a235f045c3.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...6cb2813885.jpg |
Bout time I update this thread. Had the first HPDE lined up, but unfortunately ran into more issues the week before.
Looks like it's going to be down for a while while I sort out the last of the issues. First, don't be like me and think you can eyeball your tierod adjustments to get the same toe as before. After the rack replacement, I clearly butchered the toe and killed my front tires after just taking it out on the street for ~300 miles of driving/testing. Along with that, the MSM 6-speed didn't always like to upshift into 3rd on the first try and had a slow drip from one of the case seals. Last week I took it out to see how it behaved in the cooler weather but noticed a sizable leak trailing behind the car when I pulled it into my garage. I have almost all of the parts for a BMW Getrag 260 swap, but I'm also inquiring local shops about trying the "circlip mod" as an option for upgrading the transmission. Looks like either would work for my needs, but I don't plan on taking the car out again until I've got some type of drivetrain solution in. Here's to more blood sweat and tears!:friday: https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...96d8811b08.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...350ea18ee7.jpg |
Unfortunately, establishing your early career, a layoff, and financial turmoil is not the recipe for success when building a project car (especially one that already doesn't run). Fortunately, I believe most of that is in the past after this last year.
This car mostly got shelved as a priority, but I have slowly made some notable steps forward to getting it running again. First, right before my 6spd trans sh!t the bed, I noticed my oil temps were hitting the danger zone just from street pulls. Being in texas, and hoping to be track-capable, I sprung for a Setrab 25-Row Oil Cooler w/ Mocal 180* Thermostat. Choosing a mounting for this guy with my limited fab skills was tricky, so I sprung for removing the secondary fan, and mounting behind the radiator. Not ideal, but I'll run it until I hit the limit of this configuration. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...aa8d7e7c21.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...875659e9bf.jpg |
Second, and more significantly, I installed the Getrag 260 transmission with the K-Power swap kit. This was a painful progress. Mostly not K-Power's fault, but very frustrating nonetheless.
Notable parts are:
Somehow in my research, I first missed that there were two Getrag 260 input spline counts depending on the year, the clutch kit I bought neglected to advertise this, and I happened to get the wrong one. The second clutch kit I bought (as absurd as it sounds) neglected to advertise that the pressure plate was only meant to be paired with a proprietary ACT flywheel with a unique bolt-hole pattern, not the OEM bolt pattern used on the KMiata swap kit. Luckily the clutch disk itself worked and I purchased a B015 pressure plate to complete the correct setup after losing a then upsetting amount of time/money. The instructions for installing the kit were mostly clear except for figuring out what bell housing bolts were meant for which locations. The next issue I ran into was that my starter mysteriously quit working. I had replaced the starter and tested all the wiring I could think of, but it turned out that my car was missing the OEM head-to-chassis ground strap, and when I deleted the PPF (which serves as a motor-to-chassis ground for the starter), I did not correctly re-ground the PPF ground to the chassis. This combo resulted in the starter having no connection to ground and just about made me lose my mind for 2 months. Finally, I got the swap kit fully installed and shifting, and I put in my order for a custom driveshaft with a local shop. After receiving that and installing it, I went to start up the car as detailed in this post, and the fuel pump quit priming. I spent another few weeks trying to trace wires and understand odd symptoms before realizing my MS3 firmware had corrupted while trying to crank on a half-charged battery. Luckily a reflash solved the issue. After getting the full new drivetrain in, I realized that my exhaust and the O2 bung contact the new transmission mount, so my last step is to wait on a local welder to modify the exhaust to clear everything. Knock on wood there are no more complications before seeing this thing drive again. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7d18fb19a2.png https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7f9e5a5c09.png https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...2d75c785ef.png |
Holy crap man. Props for sticking with it and documenting it all. Have a few cats.
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This project gives me hope I can get past my commitment issues
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REALLY cool to see you back. Sorry I missed this this first time around, but excellent job, this is how it's done!
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