Mike's NB Restoration and Build
 

Finally getting around to building my 99 NB. I have had the car for 12 years and used it as a DD for 6 of those. So let's just do a progress update and I'll add pics later.

1) Did a paint buffing and really got down to some good paint. It's not perfect but it looks a hell of a lot better.
2) Aquired OEM hard top
3) Security brackets added. Place is lousy with hard top thieves
4) 205/50/15 Continental contact extremes with advanti storm S1 15x8 in gun metal grey.
5) Drum roll. . . . . .Xidas. Nuff said.
6)R speed CAI. Not sure how into it I am. Running lean. Probably need to get my exhaust sorted out and get a tune.
7) New master and slave clutch cylinder

Currently. . . .
Replacing transmission. Original one had the typical 5th reverse synchro failure starting. Confirmation when I drained the gear oiler. Golden clouds in the oil and about a cubic inch of metal shavings. Doing it myself on jack stands (Booooo hissss) in front of my house. So far I have removed the mid pipe, down pipe is ready to drop, header is coming off, PPF is loose and swung out of the way, drive shaft out, slave cylinder removed, and half of the transmission bolts are out. Bottom half unfortunately. Rebuilt transmission is sitting in the garage and ready to go. Also have a slightly used ACT HD clutch and prolite flywheel going in. Why not do it all at once?

Future Mike's projects:

1) After tranny swap is done I have a 2001 header and down pipe. Just need to get the O2 sensor out. BTW if anyone has any good tricks for getting out O2 sensors please share. I used a pipe wrench, a big ass cheater bar and a blow torch on my mid pipe and fucking destroyed the sensor and the thread o let. Which leads me to. . .

2) New exhaust after the the header goes in since I have to replace the thread o let. Why bother? I'm thinking about ordering a cobrasport from the UK. I just think it sounds the best.

3) On the fence regarding skunk2 intake manifold but considering it. Waiting for dyno numbers.

4) If I get the intake manifold, 70mm throttle body

5) Dyno tune or data collection and ecu flash. Still researching where to get it. I need to know what kind of features can be added to the stock ecu. I'm not ready for mega squirt.

Hopefully when all is said and done I will have a turtle with a little more top end grunt that will hold me over while I save up (have a wedding ring to buy as well as a wedding to think about paying for) a BEGI turbo kit. I want to stay carb legal. Because I'm boring and don't have a trailer or the status that brings dedicated track cars.

Wish me luck and tips are appreciated.

Pics soon

Tips...

1. Don't waste your money on 3, 4 & 5 unless you have the ecu to support the mods. You can't "add" any features to the stock ECU.

2. Your choice of turbo kit needs some more research.

3. There's plenty of threads on this site on the topic of what to do first.

Cheapest and easiest way to add some pep to a 99 NB is a swap to a carb approved header or the NB2 header as well as a BP5A cam swap (or exintake).
The racing beat header made a noticeable difference to my NB1.

Honestly, these are pretty much the best things you can do 'for right now'.

Changing how well the engine breathes does not work with the stock ECU. If you make it breathe better but the ECU is only giving it the same amount of fuel then it will be lean and you will not make more power and could possibly melt pistons.

Wait... are you suggesting that the stock ecu can't compensate for a header and a BP5A cam? Or are you referring to the plan to flash the ecu and whatnot?

ridethecliche: Thank you for reading my post. So I listed a NB2 header swap in my upcoming items list. So I did at least think that far ahead. However the cam swap is news to me. Thanks. I'll look into it.

SixShooter: What's up brother? Glad you read and answered the post. So I know the ecu can't handle the increased air flow. Hence wanting to get a dyno tune or ecu flash once I have all this stuff installed. It is absolutely running lean atm. However I did not realize this increased the cylinder temps. I will put the stock air box back on until i am ready for a tune.

The setup that Bell has may or may not actually be CARB legal for a 99/00. I think it will come down to your smog ref and if you have a cali car or a 49 state car.

That is the first I have heard about the Bell Tuning not being CARB legal. What makes you say that if I might ask? And I'm assuming that I would need a CA native car like always when modifying emissions parts.

No, you would need a 49 state car, otherwise it won't pass. Unless you have a dumbass, lazy smog tech, haven't met too many like that personally.
It needs the pre-cat on a 50 state car.

Also, you can't tune a stock ECU. Nope.

Dynotropics told me specifically that they could tune and/or reflash my ecu. Are they selling me snake oil?

Ok, perhaps they know something I don't, but that is news to me? :dunno:
​​​​​​The 99/00 thing though is correct, you need a Miata that didn't come with a pre-cat to pass.

Ok. Well I just removed my exhaust so if a precat is a down pipe with an O2 sensor then I'm hosed. I'll run my vin. Thanks for
info. Learning learning all the time.

Yes.

Ask them for the name/number of a reference customer you can call. Specifically for a NB like yours.

I have posted several times about it in the past, some of them within the last month of so. Several other people have also posted their experiences. Do some searching and you can find some more info about it.

Which one do you have? Easy to see...


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...8de0f6449a.jpg

Non CA Models

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a3684cc917.jpg

CA Specific Models

Woohoo! 49 state model!!! I'm glad that worked out.

Project Update:

All bolts are out of the transmission except for the two I put back in the bottom. I will drop the transmission tomorrow and pull the clutch assembly.
I will clean up the rear of the engine and pull the rear main seal. Unfortunately 5x racing took 48 hours to ship my order. However I have checked the tracking number and still have no confirmation that the box has left their warehouse. I don't think I will be using them again.
So now I wait for my seal and shifter rebuild kit and clutch alignment tool. I will post pics tomorrow.

I think I fucked up. I was trying to put a screw in my old rear main seal to pull it and put a gouge on the first 1/32 of the outside race. Seeing as how I don't know exatly how this seal works, is rtv in the gouge an option?

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c61cb02d6e.jpg30 seconds with a seal puller. Last time I ever try this without one.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...12c22fc6d9.jpgHere is the gouge i put in the race. Stupid Mike. Stupid.

And here is the installed new rear main. I would have put the clutch assembly in but like a dumb shit I forgot to get loctite. Tomorrow I have to go pick up an RX7 so Friday it is.