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.

https://www.hendyeshop.co.uk/cobrasp...da-70004-p.asp

Oh. And I ordered this today. $460 shipped. So far it's the best sounding exhaust I can find. Deepest note. Kinda reminds me of a boxster rumble.

Looks like that gouge is outside the sealing area from the picture. If you file it down, just be careful not to get any metal dust in the crankcase. A little ultra grey in the gouge won't hurt before you install the seal, but the gouge seems superficial on the outside.

Yeah. I think I dodged a bullet on that one. Would it be a bad idea to run the motor without the transmission and see if it leaks?

How deep into the seal groove does that gouge go? From the pics it only looks like about a 16th. The seal is at least 1/4" thick, so you would still have 3/16's sealing. Hard to tell from the pics, worst case you can remove the seal housing and replace it. I have a couple sitting around, they are not too hard to come by.
It's not like you gouged the crank.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...8a1825651.jpegACT prolite flywheel installed
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b2b8221a9.jpegACT HD clutch installed
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...04a6f2de1.jpegAnd everything put back.

So some progress made. So the cobrasport exhaust order got canceled. I guess they are no longer being produced but a site had them listed as in stock. So I ordered a mid pipe from flyin Miata and a cobalt dual exhaust from moss motors. I also ordered an m22x1.5 die to fix the threads on my egr port on my 2001 header. So once that arrives and I fix the thread the header can go in along with the down pipe and front O2 sensor. Speaking of O2 sensors, the rear one will need to be replaced. It was mangled upon being removed from the old exhaust.

Now i fucked up a couple things. I have an extra bolt from my transmission replacement. I am pretty sure that it's part of the bracket/assembly that supports the downpipe. I will post a picture of it later. Second, I have no idea how but I lost the bolts for the clutch slave cylinder. I swear to all that is holy I remember hand threading them back into the block after removing the cylinder. I looked everywhere for them and checked all my zip locks but I couldn't find them anywhere. Does anyone know off hand what size they are? And don't say 12mm I mean the size, length and thread pitch.

besides those two mishaps, I think it went pretty well considering my lack of experience. We'll find out when I try to fire it up.

M8X1.25 - 20mm length [25mm will also work].

Thanks bahurd!

More progress.https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...4f97565de2.jpgNews exterior weld
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f2e2a100e3.jpgMore exterior weld
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e3029d5e3b.jpgInside is ground flush
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...87eb03855d.jpgAnd I didn't forget about the bottom flange.

I love working in a fab shop.

Well bahurd you were right. Upon researching turns out this guy was a snake oil salesman. Lots of unhappy customers. Apparently he just advances the shit out of the timing. Thank you for the warning. So I guess it's back to the drawing board for an ECU solution. Pretty aggrevating. TO THE RESEARCH MOBILE!

You should really ask the advice of other CA guys to see their suggestions. You cam throw lots of money at the car to get all the “bells and whistles” but without a decent ECU that can control things your just wasting your future brides ring money. Where I live we don’t need to get the sniffer test.

I'll have to start picking more brains and doing more research. I think I need to decide on a turbo path and get a compatible ecu. I am leaning towards MS but then I can't do carb legal BEGI. Arg. Decisions decisions.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...0c81569bd.jpegSo this showed up today
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9cde8b7af.jpegReally guys? No free stickers? I'm sending it back!
Progress: Muffler is here. I am impressed with the quality from a visual stand point. I hope it sounds as good as it did on YouTube.

Progress Report: Set Back.
So I got my M22x1.5 die yesterday. And unfortunately that is not the correct thread size for the male EGR port on my 2001 exhaust manifold. DOesn anyone have a good source for finding specific thread size and pitches?

I always go to one of the 12 local fastener stores or hydraulic shops when looking for nuts and bolts or pipe fittings. Many are not open on weekends or past noon on Saturday.

I can get the die. That's not really the issue. Getting the right die is more my problem. FYI, if someone in the Bay Area needs welding, pipe, or sheet metal related stuff drop me a line and I might be able to help.

i guess I could try hand threading some metric dies on but that's kind of risky.

Build update
 

So this happened. . .
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...acc85430b0.jpgBroke my window . . .
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3f773fe42a.jpgAnd stole my hardtop . . .

Is that the Racing Beat dual? If so, could you post some pictures close up of the welds?

Sorry to hear about the top. :( Thieves suck.

So I have finally got back to working on this. Got my exhaust put back in. Cobalt duel tips with a FM mid and cat. Just need to get the shifter rebuilt and replace my rear o2 sensor and I'm back on the road. Got two replacement doors and some straight fenders to install plus my frame rails. Alarm system is also sitting in my garage to be installed. Pics soon. I like the way the cobalts look ��

Got a replacement hood for my beat up one. Paint matched pretty well. All sensors are in. Wideband and AFR gage mounted. Top replaced. I think It's time to start learning how to tune this thing while I wait to find a deal on a roll bar and seat. Wish me luck mt.net.

Ignore the crack on the blank off panel. I wasn't going to rewire the gage for fit up. Now that I have a template I will make a fresh one.

I would go Kraken with the efr and 3 inch exhaust because you'll get the full kit from him. If you want to go baller and get TSE know that you're going to have to get an exhaust made. Kraken exhaust comes with a race cat as well.

Yes, spatial orientation doesn't play nice.

You will need to cut a good portion of the rear shelf to make an exhaust that fits. I am going to guess you still will have to do the standard bang in or cut shelf near the shock also.

Hiccup. Requesting Advise
 

Dat don't sound like a bright idea

If it is burning oil after replacement of the pcv valve it's either bad rings, valve stem seals (and maybe valve guides).

If it is leaking oil it could be aged seals and gaskets or bad piston rings (excessive blow by).

There is no need to reengineer the PCV system on a stock motor.

So it looks like I am going to have to rebuild my motor. It won't stop burning oil and my compression numbers were not so good. I would love to source all the parts from a single source. I was looking at the FM kit. Am I just setting money on fire here? I was planning on building up the bottom wend while I had it apart with some forged rods, 9:1 or 8.6:1 pistons, and some upgraded valve springs. I am going to search for a guide on matching the correct springs but if anyone has any resources please feel free to toss a comment. Also Changing my turbo kit selection to the FM1 kit for the CARB approval cause im scared of the po po.

New Leak Found
 

Knock Sensor hole does not go all the way into the block. It can not leak. The black gooey stuff on the back of the knock sensor that holds the wires going into it can melt from the coolant hose that is right in front of it.

OK. Good to know. There appears to be oil coming from somewhere. If you look at the oil pressure sensor the is some oil along the plastic housing. I guess I will just have to pull the intake mani and snoop around. Thanks to shuiend for saving my the trouble of removing the knock sensor. +:likecat:

Since my car is the only one I have ever worked on can someone tell me if this amount of oil in the head is normal?

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a29407aa5c.jpgOil pooled on the intake cam side.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ba23e57387.jpgexpanded view

I don't understand what you're asking with that picture. Oil goes into the head via oil pressure when the motor is running. It drains into the oil pump when the motor is off. All that's left is the bit of oil that's coating things and pooled in a few areas.

Did you try a check valve in line with the PCV?

I was just wondering if this amount of oil sitting in the head was normal. That's all. You confirmed that yes in fact it is. So the great oil leak hunt continues. On to the front crank and cam seals!