msmola2002's Red Shitbox
 

Greetings.

I'm Michael, Austalian guy living in Central NY. I have a 4th gen 4Runner like all the cool kids, and a few motorcycles - I have a Honduh RC51 I need to sell to buy shit for the homomobile and a few dirtbikes. I have an 02 KX250, a 1985 KX125, and have a couple pitbikes - KLX110 with a 143 kit and a Honduh XRfiddy. I used to ride a lot more and ended up with a house and a girlfriend and a dog and that has slowed down.

I decided my life was not complete without more hair care in my life and in February 2018 I drove down to VA to buy my nugget.

I wrote the following on company time and will try an catch up from then until now.


So, I drove down from CNY to Roanoke to buy this nugget. I’m an aussie and despite 10 years of living here I still haven’t worked out winter. For some reason I assumed it would be warm. I drive out thru a snow storm, some time round about Scranton the snow was gone. I get to Virginia by dark and holy shit, it’s 14F. Fuck me, it’s cold, and all I brought was a hoodie cos I assumed it was warm in the south. Dumb fucken move.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c421b35a69.jpg
Love that NY salt.

Car starts, some ‘vapour’ from the exhaust. Cos it’s cold right? Sure, that’s it. Comp test looks great, 200 across the board. Bit of a clutch squeak, figure it will just be a bit of grease on the master. Fab. Little rough round the edges, but sure it’s ok. Has some frame rail damage but did some googlage and not structural. Pay the guy and I am the proud owner of a 95 pre OBD 1.8 base with

-M45 JR SC
-Bullshit powercard setup, that opens the injectors for 10:1 on any sign of boost
-MSPNP2, semi installed
-aem wideband
-JR headers with RB exhaust, magnaflow cat and a test pipe.
-SPEC 2+ clutch, lightweight flywheel combo
-Harddog M1 hardcore bar, with side bars.
-TDR Extreeeemmmeeee splitter
-GC sleeves/Eibach/Koni yellow suspension combo
-Racing beat sway bars
-konig helium 15x6.5
-pegleg diff
-and no real rust.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...2c77da1707.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...d37b63d78e.jpg




I pays the guy and and I need drag this fucker 500 miles home. Did I mention it’s 14F? So, I pulled a uhaul trailer down there behind my V8 4runner for a solid 12mpg. I roll it on the trailer and fuck, the splitter hits the front of the trailer and its schlammedness won’t let me pull it forward.

So I roll the car off, then off I go to HDR and buy some 2x12s and a saw. Cut some planks and jam them on the trailer, drive the car on.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9c2c86b125.jpg


Getting late by this point. So, I wanted to be an hour or three back up the road by this point, I’m cold, and grumpy. So I drive the car back on. My dumb ass forgot to flip the fender down on the trailer, so I can’t open the door. No worries, I bought a fucken convertible and I can Tom Selleck this shit and climb out over the door. This is my first miata and it’s 14F.

Unlatch the catches, and tip the roof and crack – the rear window shatters. Fuck.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e6d9b3ceae.jpg

So tie the thing down then make my way north to the finest motel 6 on the I81 corridor and duct tape the window up.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a7fc61d77e.jpg
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Then hit my first ever waffle house.

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parked outside the WH
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...d6876a92e8.jpg
Nutritious.


Back over the Mason Dixon
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7a48d1349f.jpg

Filled up a few fuel cans to save 50c a gal in PA and NY.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...890e87133d.jpg


Got home after dark. Turns out I also left the interior light on so I got home to a flat battery, and needed the GF to roll her car up so I could just it to get this POS off the trailer. Driveway has ice and shit all over and barely made it up. At this point I am wondering if I should have just burned a pile of cash. In fact, that feeling never went away.

So now, it’s feb, it’s cold, and I am not gonna drive this thing til the snow melts and the salt is washed off the road cos otherwise I may as well have bought an NY rust bucket right? Day 1, get this thing iin the barn.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9a6917b447.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9689ad5074.jpg
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About a month goes by and can't ignore that the vapor on start smells a bit oily. I figure might be a bit of blowby cos of the the SC. So I go all ebay catch can on it. Still smoky.

Now it is home though, a few pics of what I got.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...989c49cc45.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f65edda54e.jpg
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https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...da7fb20eec.jpg
Sexual Chocolate

Double check comp, but still smoky.

Install LED lights in barn, which flooded after heavy rain.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3336073c1b.jpg

More under hood pics
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...896e347aa1.jpg
check out my plumbing.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ab5a2f9f6b.jpg
This last one shows a problem that never ends. Fabricobbled crossover pipe needs to be maybe an inch longer. The bend is right after the outlet and shit always rubs - the belt on the coupler.


Back to he smokies
I buy a leakdown tester now. I test 1, 2. couple% leakdown. Great. Get to 3, and can't get the fucker to stay on TDC and just can't get the thing to not leak. Can’t get below 30%. Engine keeps blowing over from tdc, it’s not easy etc. Anyways, I go pull out the potatocam borescope and see this

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3a4f3b229e.png
That thar is a ringland.

So yep, engine is mcfucked. Yay. I never said this story was full of great decisions.

Not long after this, time to get it registered. Get it on the road. Sorted that out.

Anyways, so about this time I start looking for an engine, find a 96-97 with about 120k on it in Chemung NY, so I go out and pick that up. Buy a chain block an engine stand and get that on the stand, and start degreasing. Engine seems ok, but I’m guessing that one of the POs was a little afraid of oil changes.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7b41bb7982.jpg
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more to come after I get done with work tomorrow, we are only up to April 2018.

Also at this point finding shit the PO did that is less than awesome. Realise the PO, who made a big deal about working at audi was certainly not a mechanic. Looks like he crushed the rails when he put the car on the hoist to do the WBO2; when I looked at the car I thought it had been dropped on a speed hump due to some of the marks but on closer inspection, it was from the pucks on a hoist. Just yanked the wiring harness off the PPF when he did the WB as well. Good job brah.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...4b2597d6a7.jpg
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IAT for the MS is glued on to the inlet elbow for the SC pre compressor. Uh, ok. He also couldn’t get the hose clamp back on for the IAT return hose so just threw it in the scuttle and I’m gonna guess there was a vacuum leak that lead to the leaning out that roached #3. Found a few job application forms in the back, from avis and a brochure for the university of phoenix or something. The person who put this thing together spent a lot of money (have the receipts from GW and TDR for a few things, thousands were spent) and this asshole then managed to engage the passion fingers and fuck everything he touched.



https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...eb987a1e88.jpg
JB welded up the hole. Did a little sanding after this.

On another topic, how sweet is the linoleum floor in my kitchen? Renovations ongoing, that shit comes out probably over christmas this year, depending on if I gets time off.

Then come the FM tools, TB/WP/oem seals etc. Had more than a couple orders to Priority mazda who seem to have good prices - I don't have local Mazda dealer to go through. Stuff like water pump and timing belt I used amazon credit for, and bought Gates stuff.

My sweet eGay racing catch can on the PCV side. Mounted it where the washer bottle was, I put a cappuccino bottle bottle in the scuttle, bought from the rakutan store posted here quite a few years ago.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...cd47212d1b.jpg

and while I’m at it, I bought a mystery meat ally radiator to replace the chocolate/olive oem unit, a 949 reroute, some silicone hoses for the heater and to replace the rotten ones from the rear of engine to the mixing manifold – I wanted to delete the front thermostat housing, but since I’m in NY, wanted to keep the water flow to the TB, and will use this for turbo water feed in the future.

So this shit was accumulating slowly, and this is all happening in between home renovation projects. Buy a house built in 1860, you will never stop fixing shit and nothing will be straight, something something generic miata owner joke.

I have the engine on the stand and am pulling it down and cleaning stuff up.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c4870f99ff.jpg
You can really see the varnish inside, so I'm gonna guess it went an interval or 3 over on the oil change. No real sludging though

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1d8cf69a07.jpg
This thing must have run fantastically, the idler was seized and has popped off the peg at the bottom. Belt was rather loose, probably skipped a tooth or two. NFG, being a non interference engine, but looks a little maintenance deferred.

So since I removed the IAT and I wanted to get this running on the MSPNP2, I needed to get an IAT sensor sorted.

I did a bunch of reading thru the connector megathread and found there is a male plug you can buy thru ballenger.

https://www.miataturbo.net/megasquir...bc-95-a-96067/ details and part numbers in there.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3dce785375.jpg
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https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...28fe938a9b.jpg

Made a longboi too in case I need to plumb into an intercooler one day.

Because I am a dickhead, I bought myself some wanker plates for the nugget.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7728e652d4.jpg

Stripdown continues
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...205a142c30.jpg

REplacing the dead stock hoses with silicone, Used those metal coil things to allow a nice bend with tight radii, and using liner hoseclamps

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...0b5aa1e9c7.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7577737574.jpg
Installed the WP, and put some black silicone on the freeze plug and installed it - goodbye front neck.

Wrinkle black, cos of course

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...40f45c8233.jpg

Did the cam and cranks seals. The little bit on the side of the seal is a teeny string of silicone, not an issue.
THe big concern is the oil that continued to show up below, so I took that as a sign I needed to spend more money at priority and buy some more seals and shit. Half moon ones this time.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b90bda6a11.jpg

So, we are at the end of July 18 now.

I went to watch some mates racing flattrack bikes not long before this, and driving home through the back roads I nearly cleaned up a deer or three later at night in places with no cell service. Those 35W sealed beams are shitful

I didn't want to go all full instagram bro build with amazon knockoff jeep LED truck lights. I went old school and grabbed a set of e-code Cibie/Valeo H4 lenses and some decent H4 bulbs. Picked up a cheap relay harness. I think I went Ali Express cos baller on a budget.

Went to the local rite-aid after closing and aligned those puppies.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...509323b70c.jpg
High beams on, yo.

I used the info from the Daniel Stern website to aim my shit.

Anyways, my birthday jsut passed and the GF bought me a Robbins Panorama top to replace the oem style one I wrecked when I bought this thing.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...11f55cd282.jpg
Got it off.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...23efaa00e9.jpg
old one out!
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PO never actually painted the metal where it was cut for the bar install. Cool.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ac9a2dc9d5.jpg
Nekkid frame.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...97daebbb2e.jpg
New one going on the frame. No the window is not on the ground :)
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...dfb33e5fa3.jpg
Naturally, it rained during the install. Shit, central NY it rains more than it doesn't. Seattle east, yo.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...71e7e5a3f6.jpg
In Place.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...178485dfa2.jpg
working my way in with those shitty nuts.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...811c7570e7.jpg
it's on!
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...dd4170539e.jpg
Swanky.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3959f982ae.jpg
Foggy.

Ah, the adevntures of PO really shouldn't have been allowed to work on cars....

Also, it looks like the brake booster line is plumbed to the cwtch can?

Yep. The booster line has a tee, one tee was going to PCV and the other to the inlet elbow pre SC. Was some wacky shit going on there. I just plumbed the can in between the pcv and vacuum source. Setup is now long gone.

Was wondering the same...

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e81f790378.jpg

So the PO teed the booster line to the inlet elbow as a source of vacuum, I'm assuming as the inlet manifold is under pressure under bewst.

So that pipe is actually under vacuum, which is why I connected the can to it.

Probably still wrong :p

So, got my new roof on.

Back to the engine

Inside of engine is a bit bleck. Cleaned it up a bit, resealed the pan with the new half moon seals and glued it all back up. Probably should have drilled and tapped while apart.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...46b801ed80.jpg
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https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...bf2635ef8f.jpg

Ordered and received the finest Chinesium from AliExpress - got a W2A intercooler unit to piss off the ill fitting crossover pipe.


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...245e3276d7.jpg

Time to do the seals and timing belt. Asked for and received advice here that everything was lined up properly.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...aafcbbc5b6.jpg
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Envy my brake rotor door stop.

Not much happened for a couple of months after this.

Car is running on p-p-p-p-p-powercard. going to 10:1 every time I put my boot in it, it burns a good quart of oil every 800 miles and I'm enjoying life with it while work o the little stuff.

And then winter arrived and I had to put the thing away.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e4eacc1a91.jpg
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I think judging by that interior shot I had upgraded the stereo to something with bluetooth and a USb input from teh alpine POS that was in it before that had a cd player in it. So 1990s.

Car's of the road now so time to play with stuff that doesn't affect my ability to use it as the fun car on a saturday an so I can still drive to work.

I had run the car at idle etc previously on the MS2 and had basically confirmed that the thing worked.

So time to do it for realsies. Also, I think I had broken the nipple off the powercard a while back and had glued something on and it had blown off. THe last couple of weeks before it was laid up I just drove it with te bypass valve on the SC wired open. Ah, bad times, I had forgotten all about that. I mean, the engine is roached anyways so don;t care. It's not the end of the world if I blow more ringlands off, I gots the AAA, work is 5 miles away and I have another engine

THis was also my philosophy for the MS2. GEt it in and learn to tune it on the hurt engine as if I roach it any further it is strongly in the who cares bucket and short of putting a rod thru the block I have a donor for a later built engine if I go down that road.

I somehow managed to mess soemthing up and crossed 2 plug wires over and it ran like arse, was able to determine this by swapping OEM ECU back in.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9983ef9d0d.jpg
Can't see shit, captain
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...bfc7bf8326.jpg
Took crossover off to fset timing to 10 deg in tunerstudio.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...78a2a00843.jpg
Can see how the crossover pipe is a little fucky. If they had made the outlet like 3/4" straight before grafting on the bend it would be great. but nope, the thing wants to grind on the snout and rub belts on the clamps and shit. So close.Think I have a boost leak from my IAT sensor in the thin wall pipe. Need a bung welded in


Anyways, got it all back together and it ran on the MS, at least in the barn to the point where I didn;t gas myself. Cold start, idled, got to warm and then kicked fans on.

Cool, Good til spring. Let's play chassis.


Black Friday sales came and went and I gave FM a bunch of money and bought a pair of frame rails, as mine are smooshed. Too fucken bad they have discontinued the butterfly that would have gone with these gen 1 frames, so fuck me, right? No 2019 Black Friday butterfly for Michael.

So while the car's parked up, I put on my winter coat and worked on my dirt floored barn to try and fix the rails a bit and get these on.

Some undercar pics.

I bought the FM jack adapter. Can now easily get the car lifter without trying to get the jack under the TDR splitter or driving it onto wood blocks to get the jack under. Can lift a side easily. Worth it
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...53db4699a3.jpg

So now to straighten the rails

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...dd5c69a339.jpg
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The last on is jsut a gratuitous shot of my favourite tool

Love this guy. Had a chance to buy one like a foot or 18" long when I went back to oz and I didnt. Much regrets

Took a break from proceedings to drive down to NJ. Dec 30th

Met up with Russian off here, the RusEFI guy. Nice dude, sold me an NB1 6 speed box for 400 clams. Drove down to nearly NYC, Drove my ass home after finding in PAramus the IKEA is not open on Sundays. Hugely disappointing. Ikea, not the gearbag run.


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1f0dd78a9a.jpg
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.

Then back home to play with rails.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...93fe87b9a8.jpg
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Some dumbass also left the top down whie it was raining a month or two prior. TUrns out you can leave the top down a couple days and it appears dry, but the water gets under the plastic backed carpet and in the underlay and never dries out and your shit keeps fogging up, Got a couple quarts out. Fun.

THis was also new year's eve. I also gave the driver's seat a foamectomy that night.

Early january 19, went out to CT to go to the awards night for the pitbike racing series I ride in. Hilariously good fun, by the way. Took a detour and picked up a 4.1 torsen.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b6c867ed18.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...eaab3fa2e9.jpg

It's a ittle new england crusty but should be ok. Needs some wire brush love.

Got home and took a peek under the car.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ff1405e163.jpg

2 pc axles so should be easy enough to swap out

Note, at time of writing, I still don't have a torsen in the bloody thing.

Ok, jump forward to April
Mounted the MS. I really like nutserts. I R Fabricator


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...30e738f4e5.jpg

Playing around, attempting to tune shit

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b008a64971.jpg


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b783ae6f04.jpg

Anyways, SC WOT in 2nd had AFR of 10:1, 11:1 in 3rd

So, pulled up a gauge for duty cycle


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...31839fc4ff.jpg

I'm gonna call that 97% duty cycle at rev cut. Totes out of injector

Flowforce time.

So I sents Nigel a wad of cash and got the FF640s.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e05d41cf59.jpg

Also bought an LS coil wiring harness, will hit up the ole SADFab at some stage and order brackets and leads. I got 4x LS coils at the U-Pullit grabbing some 4Runner parts.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...11c9cb5006.jpg
Most important part of any install, gots to have the stickers.
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Out with the old
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Mmmm, sexy anodized

So got that back together and it honestly took a little whle to get the thing to drive nicely

I changed the req setting for he injector size and the dead times, and then drove and autotuned, but the thing broke down badly under power. Turns out enrichment is scaled off the req fuel on an MS3 and after googling on the side of the road I found the settings I needed to change and using the calculator function on my phone, 265/640x the current values and boom the thing now drives decently

I long term will get a tune on this thing but once it is in an interation tha is largely 'done'. For now, my ass is learning MS slowly.

Oh, and I forgot, I was out of the US for 3-4 weeks in Feb and March, went back to Oz to renew the ole work visa and visit family. Ah family.Cant choose em, can't choke them

I did drive down to Canberra from Newcastle to visit a mate and on the way down took a detour to MX5 Mania

I've known who these guys were since 2000 when I went to my first supersprint and Nick and Matilda were running their car at Oran Park. Didn;t know them, but could pick out of a poilce line up. At the time I was playing BMW 2002 before moving into E30s. The were there at events but again, didn't know them.

So I stopped there and grabbed some stuff
Picked up a 1:18 die cast red NA, a fire extinguisher bracket and this sweet hat. Dude behind the counter also hooked me up with the matching sticker, and a nice lanyard and some some other flair. So big thanks to the nice guy that hooked me up at MX5 mania on my trip home.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b6d141dd78.jpg


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...43c285ed29.jpg
For those not in the know, that's the logo for the aussie motorsport branch of Mazda, which was the mob that gave us the SP Mazdas, like the MX5 SP, and the RX7 SP that won the 12h production car race in 1995 at Eastern Creek. I think.

Listened to the tweed-wearers at m dot net and bought myself a pair of Esco Jack stands. These things are fucking solid and I wish I'd bought them long ago. Now I have the rails on the car, I can jack it up from them or I can drop the car on the stands on them.

Worth the money, buy em

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...0d08a19b5c.jpg
Esco 10498
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b62df7d928.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ce31a407bb.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b40efd0b0f.jpg

GAve the car a good wash before a nice run before shit got pulled apart.

A few more things on the engine on the stand.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c81de49fee.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...de696ba3f8.jpg


Time for the engine swap. I picked the memorial day weekend. Stocked up on oils, coolant, consumables, whatever. Got the HF 2T engine crane and a leveler. Got my HF bendy tip long nose pliers. I’m all set to go. Not my first engine swap, although prior to this was on BMW 2002s and a VW and far less wiring and plumbing. 2 wires to the coil, one to idiot light and one fuel hose, vs this shit .

SO in the week leading up, I get the thing in the air and start pulling stuff off. Had some other stuff on the weekend so was doing ok, but busy. All came apart relatively easily. DEcided there was no way I'd want to rerun the EGR pipe so added some EGR block off stuff to the never ending orders and go. Gee while I’m there add a wilwood prop valve cos fuck it, bling.

It got too dark outside so swapped in the real oil pressure gauge I got of the ebays
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...8eee9c6c9b.jpg
Installed the sender can on the stand engine.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...d00658ff68.jpg
It Begins!
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f03926d9f4.jpg
Bought some 949 Hybrid engine mounts in the classifieds here - test mounted but not used.

This is like the THursday night I think. I went out in the rain and yanked the rad and started labeling stuff too
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3bc7e221fd.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...8f3d17811a.jpg

Friday night was a blowout. Got out from work early, and the fucking padlock on the barn is seized up

Saws, grinders, dremel, crowbars, etc. All inside the barn. Ended up finding a mate with an old 18v craftsman cordless grinder. Burned thru 2 batteries and just got in before it died.

So, Saturday it began in earnest, after a trip to the local car show.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...51af1c3d79.jpg
Superdupercharger is off.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1cb314791b.jpg
My safety stairs made a good parts rack, until it rained
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...34a64f7f2d.jpg
scrap metal and garbage pile
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...746eb7ef47.jpg
Swapped the fans onto the ebay radiator
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...92d3034373.jpg
bypass pipe for SC removed.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1d91e934b4.jpg
Rubber buildup on tensioner from belt with damage to the edge from that hose clamp issue
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...996f127f20.jpg
Removed the blankie
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...2fe9ddf59b.jpg
More shit coming off
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...410dad75a2.jpg
It's out!
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7a6e4f652f.jpg
Empty bay

So that's memorial day weekend, saturday night.

Sunday we do the swap over of ancillaries to the new engine, drop it in and by monday night we are all reinstalled and making boost. Right? Right? Ha.

Sunday morning.

Go to lowes so I drop it all onto a moving dolly and strip the bits off to move to the other engine, swap the inlet manifold over, drop the starter off, all that fun stuff, then split the gearbag from the block
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...fad9b8f211.jpg
Linus has decided he has no interest in being site manager
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...46982de0d2.jpg
little surface rust, will clean up later
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...63dbb0980f.jpg
swapping manifold over to the other engine, taking injectors and rail and all that shit over.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c09ba36f59.jpg
Stuff going over. Got the pax side engine mount installed

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...624b8ff2b7.jpg
Shiny or something. Alternator is on.

Aaaand thiss where it’s all mcfuckered. I was trying to do this as cheaply as possible, cos I’d rather not waste money. I figured the SPEC clutch had only a few thousand miles so i would reuse it. Ride it out for a while, when I go turbo i’ll overpower it, then swap out the 5 speed for a 6 and throw a clutch at it.
When i split it, the bellhousing is full of oily schmutz. And the clutch is wrecked. Rekt. The pilot bearing is seized, the TOB is worn on the surface of the race, the fingers are grooved and the disc is worn out on teh kevlar side but not the metallic puck side. I’m gonna go ahead and guess that the organic surface wears while the puck grabs, so it does twice the work. Also with a bit of a leak from the CAS seal, that’s not doing the organic material any favours. Add to that, some hotspots on the friction surface and I’m in new parts territory - the PP is munted so not jsut gonna throw a new disc at it either. I have a new FM HD throwout I was gonna throw in, and a new pilot.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ac8576e78d.jpg
That dark stuff is all greasy shit
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...6e82481ff0.jpg
my mount looks nice and clean tho.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a99b612979.jpg
Disc is all heatfucked. hot spots all over it. Pilot is seized in the flywheel.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e7c01e0e22.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...69d8fcd807.jpg
organic side is damn near worn out, puck side has nearly no wear.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...786bee1453.jpg
fingers are wrecked.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b7da8eb6b0.jpg
At least I got the manifold swapped over.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a6bd100d5d.jpg
FF640s in
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...77adb04a68.jpg
My high tech bolt storage system.

So that wiped out the weekend.

I gave supermiata some more cash and ordered an organic 1.8 clutch. That was the easy part.
The hard part was getting the friction surface. TDR sold the clutch initially but on the website did not carry the friction surface. So I googles spec and I find a website with spec’s name in the URL, they are allegedly their biggest reseller (looks like spec just drop ships their shit) So I pay my hundred bucks and I order it. SPM clutch arrives, then the friction surface. For a fidanza. this is where it got fucken fun.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b75e8dc5f8.jpg
Pack says Fidanza
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...00fe588300.jpg
Pec Flywheel and part number
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...17f68bc96b.jpg
Not the same, yo

I have the email chain to prove that LMperformance (who runs the spec clutch site I used) are not sending their best and brightest. I mentioned there was a difference in the number of mounting bolts, and that they did not line up and the guy at the other end spent all this time trying to convince me I had a fidanza flywheel (despite SPEC and the SPEC part number in big letters being engraved on teh back) Eventually he was confused enough he told me to jsut call SPEC on whatever number they had, to ‘work out which flywheel I actually have”. Spec dude is jsut a tiny bit more switched on and immediately realises I have a spec flywheel and was sent a fidanza friction. he sends a friction out.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...6861ea0736.jpg
well, the bolts line up
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...df105fd02c.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...d116b823b7.jpg
tool marks
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...fdc8aba7e3.jpg
"new"
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1e72786aa2.jpg
this was installed and sat a while
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...2402f9f8d0.jpg
minty fresh
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a46bc93ced.jpg
wrong fucken screws

It shows up a week later, it is correct, however it is an open box item (surface rust, some scratches and shit, looks like it has been installed, sat for a while but hasn’t been run) and the mounting screws are ½” too short. Call back. Ships out another set of screws. Another week down the shitter

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...45b9058763.jpg
bag o screws
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ccab17c8ae.jpg
??
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ad81d64360.jpg
???

A week later I can start to put this thing back together. At least during this time I had time to buy an NB 6 speed starter on ebay and grind the spacer plate to suit so i could drop teh 6 speed in.

949 clutch.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...061035ce37.jpg
1.8 organic
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ceb285877e.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...2090c631b7.jpg
OEM bullet connectors on the 5 speed
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...45aeb0658d.jpg
wires cut on the 6 speed
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1f0316e8c4.jpg
Bought a bunch of the oem style bullet connectors on eBay. Neutral switch on 6 Speed box has apparently failed so didnt bother to connect it.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9935f37cd3.jpg
As 6 speed is of unknown history, I ordered a couple of these from the local NAPA, to put through as a sacrificial 1st fill. GL4 and reasonably cheap. HAve a couple bottles of motorcraft on the shelf for fill #2.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e17b673ffb.jpg
I broke the mounting tabs on the gauge hood. New one showed up from priority mazda.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...070a607bd7.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f78bddfa28.jpg
Mounted the flywheel, assembling clutch
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3fb50a5143.jpg
PP on!

Now, during the several week hiatus of waiting for parts, I extended the wiring on my chinesium headlight harness. As an aside I discovered that the wiring on that thing is sketchy AF. Was supposed to be 12ga wiring, I cut it back and it is all insulation. Probably 18ga of copper if lucky. Anyways, while doing this I was disconnecting and reconnecting the battery so i could pop the headlights up and down.

getting back to the engine install, lowering it all in going in nicely, then CRACk! Sparks! Fireworks! right near fuel lines. Turns out I hadn;t pulled the battery, and the hot wire from the battery was touching a mounting bracket and attempting to weld itself to the bracket off teh coil mount
Ran round teh back and yanked it off, but very nearly burned the thing to the ground. So learned a lesson there.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f7d3e71375.jpg
Engine back in! Stuff getting bolted back on!
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...4d37a68b9d.jpg
Filling up the 6 speed from inside.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...5f666f9cb0.jpg
More stuff going in
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...81dc5e24b8.jpg
Looks a lot cleaner without the schplitter
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...fbf488f15a.jpg
looks like she's had a tap in the nose
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b189c3529f.jpg
bendy.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b6ef14cda1.jpg
marking up the under bumper plastic
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1552eefe04.jpg
The SixShooter oil cooler rides again
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a43fb829de.jpg
Did I mention I love rivnuts?
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...758759551e.jpg
Plumbing up the radiator
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...d8c5855369.jpg
MAF delete, quick run to vatozone for a pipe
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...40231f78ec.jpg
Yeah, the PS hose hit the fan blade.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a45bf1f210.jpg
We have oil pressure and it runs!!!

So the thing runs and with a little tuning goes ok.

Then ridethecliche who sold me sixshooter's oil cooler sends me a message, Bronson M of BroFab hub fame is liquidating his turbo stuff as seen here
https://www.miataturbo.net/diy-turbo...ngement-91285/

So, I'm now the proud owner of a BEGI cast exhaust manifold, a journal bearing T25 turbo, and a nicely made 3" downpipe. Turbo has the same part number as this guy.
https://www.miataturbo.net/diy-turbo...t-turbo-88205/ did some research to work out what the drain is, as I'd like to use the MKTurbo oil line kit. It came with a drain line screwed in so I'll use that. It appears to have some bizarre inverted flare thread in it.

I also picked up a Boundary oil pump.


Suddenly the scope of everything has changed. I was still thiking about setting up the water to air intercooler on the SC, had the lines and bought a pump but this gets me going turbo at a bargain basement price.

So now, the SC has to come off to finance the turbo shit.


Shopping list has changed. Need a bracket for the wastegate actuator, an intercooler and plumbing, BOV, oil lines and bost control solenoid. Will also need a water line that runs to the heater modified to get it out of the way of the turbo downpipe

For now, plan is to use the test pipe I got with the car, and cut it. Measured the inside diameter of the DP and the OD of the test pipe -
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9233c6d211.jpg
this will get me going til I can get a big boi exhaust

Also, somewhere in here, I don;t recall the actual timing - I picked up another torsen. I was heading out to Boston to go see Nick Mason do the vintage pink floyd tunes and before I left I checked the craigslist

Was advertised as a 4.1 but tooth count says 4.3. Don;t care, for 100 bucks it was worth the severe detour, and even if I just use the torsen unit out of it in an imported 3.636 fuji carrier, or something, it's worth it to just gather dust on the shelf, or trade for something. THing is clean, was out of a low mileage car. Much nicer than my ratty 4.1
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...8b5fb34201.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...97dfd52d35.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ae8c3f9c5c.jpg

Because I have the attention span of a squirrel, something else I looked into was brakes. I've always wanted a BBK on something, never installed one on my 2002 or my E30 so fuck it I'll do it here

Now I'm rolling on Heliums which are not wide and not a snowball's chance of an off the shelf Wilwood or TSE or similar kit working with it. Enter the Mini brake kit. I was able to obtain the mounts for the 11" mini rotors. Now, long term I'd love a nice set of 15x8s, but even if I do get a set the heliums will probably hang around for a second set. So whatever I do, for the foreseeable future, they are in the picture.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...04d6c7e4ab.jpg
So then I ordered a caliper to ensure the thing all fits.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...77a8375f4f.jpg
Dynapro. Hawt

Only have the one for now. Promised the GF that the brake kit would cost me nothing out of pocket (besides the brackets) and am burning CC rewards points for the rest. Second caliper will be on track quite soon. THen just need pads and hoses. Leaning towards the 949 stuff. Or could jsut get the wilwood kit. Either/or

Pads, undecided at this stage. Car is unlikely to see a track in the near future. I am thinking either porterfield R4S or BP20 wilwood pads, and i;m sure I'll make an impulse decision in due course.

GOt a bit of time and dummied up the brakes to ensure fitment and see if I'd maybe have to run a spacer, and if so how bigly.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a27a9cd04c.jpg
Looks fucken cool :)
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...21c0fbbf33.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...463121798f.jpg
They fit!
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...6f37679149.jpg
plenty of clearance
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ee9986222e.jpg
Daylight
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...857b893bf2.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...4566085c08.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...315058cdcb.jpg

So, I got my info, put it all back together with the stock stuff and started to get to stripping off the SC.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...2072c7fe92.jpg
Under the car bushing looks side. Need to contemplate future options. HAve spent hours going all OCD and reading, debated the oem Sport bushes, the megan knockoffs or IL racing kit from FM, or maybe SADFab poly retrofit. Dunno. it's down the list. for ease of install if nothing else I'd be inclined to go poly retrofit. I should get myself on the list soon if that's the case.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3ba914e148.jpg
had some weeping from teh oil cooler lines, replaced clamps with Breeze liner clamps and tightened up
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...721398dbf8.jpg
Some dickehead left the top down then we got 1" of rain or two while I was stuck inside at work. Ooops.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...40ad54df8f.jpg
Interior back together.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1abf88fd24.jpg
LAst pics while supercharged. Bittersweet. GOnna miss that whine.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7626b76237.jpg
Farewell
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...5ffeea83d6.jpg
And what I did. Yeah, I read the 949 recipe for the intake but the U elbow I bought was too big of a radius and shit hit the light. So I bought a smaller one. THen it fouled on the reroute hose. So on the list of things to dois to chase the chevy tahoe hose and go to a metal conduit to the rear of the engine . I did take the opportunity to remove the relays and solenoids for the emissions stuff. So yeah, I was running out of daylight so I just sent the filter across to the driver's side.
YEah it's likely costing me HP, but I really don't give a shit right now as it will all be yanked out in the near future. For reference, I used the silicone intakes npt hose port Silicone Port System which I screwed in a 1/2"NPT to 90 deg 3/4 barb. THen I used a small amount of hose, which I ran to the IAC valve.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3efa0f1d3c.jpg
Picked up a GFB BOV from the classifieds here, remove from shopping list. Comes with a trumpet for sick noises or a 3/4" barb for plumb back. Which I will use
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...dbd7a57466.jpg

Since then, haven;t really bought anything, quietly saving shekels for parts. Then the winter hit and a couple weeks ago I parked the car up for the season

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3a37ed27db.jpg

So, as of 1205AM black Friday, where am I at?

I have had the FM intercooler setup in my cart for months and have had finer hovered over the BUY button multiple times. Not quite pulled the trigger.

I have no welder - if I did I'd probaby burn my barn down with the shitty wiring. It runs off a 15A breaker that also runs 2 rooms of my house and porch. I nearly repaced my electric stove with gas, but the extra cost to do so paid for a dishwasher, so I lost a nice power feed for the barn

Probably here at this place for another maybe 3 years, maybe a little longer - so welding gear has to wait.

So that leaves me using Ebay elbows and silicone joiners, or buying a kit. I can probably save a couple hundred with a Fab9 core, save anothere hundred with an ebay intercooler. But then I have to install this, and my tie and sanity is worth something so that's where the FM kit makes sense, and just cobble some bends on the end to mate up with wherever my turbo points.

I am typing this waiting to see what the sales look like at FM.

Other consideration. ECU.

I know the MSPNP2 is limited. MS3 gives me better idle and boost control, resolution, knock, potential to upgrade LS coils to sequential ignition and more i/o. And VVT. I now have an oil pump and a core engine, If I do build an engine I'd be nuts not to choose the best head option.

So I have been thinking hard about this. I spent some time at work and made an excel sheet, plotting cost of building an MS3X, with/without stuff like real time clock, knock etc vs a rev unit thru BOFI, or a DIY MSPNP Pro. 1080 for black friday DIY seemed to be the best option. Another option was the MSPNP chip and buying a westfield-mx5 board, and doing the stock case thing. this was the same if not a little more than a black friday PNP from DIY.

Now, as an Aussie I have a soft spot for haltech. my dad had a BMW 2002 touring with a 2560 on it and an E6A. vintage 1997. Hot garbage compare to today, but sentimental

Anyways I figured the elites were out of reach, then I got an email from Haltech.

15% off for black friday. I can get a 1500 with PNP adapter for 1530 shipped. I blow jsut about all my miata fund I have right now if I buy it, but damn they are sexy.I may also need the CAN wideband setup, I should be able to run the AEM I have as an analog input but after playing with the ESP I cannot confirm or deny. need to do more home work. If I need the CAN WB setup it is another 253, and we are getting well beyond what I planned to spend on the ECU.

Plenty of other pros and cons - more data/support here for MS - I can google a common question and have pointers in seconds. but more likely to have a dyno tuner to play with haltech, Not sure about a few i/o things on the haltech. The MSPNP is well designed for adding stuff like a subharness for VVT etc, make a harness and plug into the spare ports and go. THe stock 2 plugs go in and there are another 3 Aux ports I can run wiring to. HAltech looks like it has one aux plug with limited wiring options and the rest of the i/o go to wires already in the oem loom so if I want those for something, do I need to depin the plug? I need to ask some Haltech master race people some questions. It looks like MS is the nicer plug and play option, but then no self learning trims and stuff like that either, can have the haltech dial back timing if it hears knock, etc etc, better flex fuel, 32x32 resolution and Haltech is probably a better option if I ever decide to swap engine, eg K swap or more cylinders. There is an awful lot to consider, and also whether "I" am capable of making the thing work.

Decisions.

I have til cyber monday to pull the trigger I guess.

If anyone has suggestions, I'm all ears :) And it looks like FM sales go live at 1201 MT and i'm not waiting 1.5h. Sleep!

For ECU's I always start with finding the tuner I want and then picking the ECU they recommend. I'd vote the best Megasquirt you can get, just because you will have the support you need anything you need it. Can be rough running something with limited experience. ...coming from a Hydra owner.

Yeah I did consider a tuner. I am in bumfuck nowhere so most likely would be do myself then remote and/or travel to a dyno.

Evans is about 3h from me, and he does MS and Haltech.

So I just pulled the pin on an Elite 1500 and PNP dongle

Guess I'll have an MSPNP2 for sale in a few weeks :)

Good job and i've used Evans for a local and remote tune before on my boosted S2000. Great guy! I'd make the drive.

Awesome, thanks for that, good to know it's not a bad choice.

Concealer404 has a 1500 on his list of things to install. His build is N/A, but when (if) he gets it installed, he tends to be a good resource.

Mishimoto site shows a big sale on intercoolers.

https://www.mishimoto.com/race/race-intercoolers.html

Intercooler: Vibrant or Precision

Concealer has been a strong source of motivation to get on the Haltech Choo Choo train. I was --> <-- this close to buying his PS1000, but I was a little worried I'd blow something up repinning it for a 94-95 from NB1 not so hotness. That, and current platform, considering what i invest in I'm gonna be stuck with for a decade.

I blew my wad a bit with the Haltech, I had budgeted only for a Bracku Friday MSPNP Pro at ~1080, so need to sell off the PNP2 and recharge the Miatafund account, so I'll be sitting tight for a little while on the intercooler. I have read the great debates of egay vs the vibrant/treadstone stuff. If I am DIYing a kit, and piecing it together I think I'd be going the Fab9 vibrant with the mounting tabs on it, otherwise kit would be FM, I think the Mishi stuff is the same as ebay but with a big M painted on it and another hundred bucks - see: Ebay mystery meat radiators.

Unless this project takes another jump to the left and I see a shiny object and do something different.

SQUIRREL!!!

Haltech is here, had it a while. Looks nice, been playing with the software.

Haltech and my (based on the way megasquirt does it) idea of PNP differs somewhat.

Whereas you buy an MSPNP Pro and you have a full pinout of the expansion ports
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9d7c17e85d.png
Haltech's doco just shows the pinout of the wiring harness that goes to the breakout box.

So, the 3 tyco plugs that go to the board. Nowhere does it say where to connect the IAT sensor for instance. I had to work out the pin distribution with a multimeter to determine it uses the same points on teh harness as a TruboKitty setup MS3X, from the MAF plug.

So, of the 60 wires coming from the Haltech harness, we have 25 wires for essential functions going to pins for the factory harness.

These functions have wires that go nowhere.
A2 - AVI 4
A5-A8 (all for 2500 only, so N/A)
A12 - 8v
A13 - IGN output
A16 - AVI 2
A17 - AVI 3

A25 - DPO 3
A27-A28 - 2500
A31 - Step 1
A32 - Step 2
A33 - Step 3
A34 - Step 4

B5 - Trig (-)
B6 - Home(-)
B7 - SPI 4
B8 - SPI 1
B9 - SPI 2
B10 - SPI 3
B12 - AVI 6
B20 - AVI 5
B21 - Knock 1
B22 - Knock 2
B25 - DBW 1
B26 - DBW 2

These wires go nowhere. The 12 and 16 pin plugs in the middle of the 76 pin header are not conncted. there is no copper trace from where it is soldered to the board. 28 pins from where you could attach a nice patch harness, unused

Haltech's solution is to clip the wires going into the 3 plugs that connect to the BOB and crimp on your own connector. Not PnP, but cut n splice.

For a 750 where you are using every available output this would be fine, but in my humble opinion, for a fully functioned ecu (and a harness with an RRP of 550 bucks) this is fucking lazily engineered. Had I known this going in I'd have sourced a 76 pin ECU plug and the pair of AMP superseal plugs and built my own harness. I bought the PNP so I wouldn't have to fuck with it, so here we are.

Buyer beware, If you are planning a haltech elite, don't buy the PNP harness, roll your own.

So, I will address that mess when I get to it, my plan is to solder directly to the pins and run wires to the unpopulated 12 and 16 pins in the same manner as the MS and i can use the 96.97 miata and rxy 12 and 16 pin plugs for my own patch harness for extra stuff, eg VVT down the line and I'd like to add shit like Fuel pressure, oil pressure, knock and a baro sensor for correction down the track.



As of right now i have the wiring run for the WB02 (was using options port on the MS, now using the engine bay NBo2 socket and an extension run into cabin.

Connected the ECU, and played with laptop. Set timing to 10* and no spark so the timing light wasn't working. Getting a 'home error', so packed it up and went to bed. More to come when i get to it, but need to investigate, so right now in the rabbit hole about reading about CAS outputs.
https://speeduino.com/wiki/index.php/4G63 has some info and a plot
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...be8e32890d.png
I did try to capture a log but laptop would not connect to wifi back in the house and I got the shits and walked away.

Finally made it back out and pulled a log. Home angle is a flat line. getting a trigger tho. Spitting the same home error, and it also threw a P1300 code. For the same error.

It's cold out there @18F and dropping and 11pm, so will get back out there and check continuity to the pin on the haltech plug vs the plug connected to the CAS. Beyond that, I can swap to my spare CAS I guess in case this one is funky, but it ran on the MS until I unplugged it, which I am sure is worth exactly nothing.

Cool.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...23cce2f283.jpg
Well overdue for an update. Will come soon. But for now here is a BP4W valve cover I bought from @nigelt which I stripped and hit with some VHT cast iron coloured engine paint, curing on the grill. One burner on low with the lid propped open with a bolt gets me about 110c which is a little warm but I'd be murdered if I did this in the house.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3d20c6b3dd.jpg
looks like it turned out quite nicely. Have some silver paint I'll drop into the letters and will clear coat it.

Ok so where was I? Haltech wasn't working and in cracked the sads. I did some testing and I think the pnp box is wired incorrectly with the home and trigger wires are crossed over. They are both white wires. Found this out by using a multimeter and working out which pin on cas plug went to which pin in the ecu. About this time I found I had an intermittent problem on the cas plug. If I touched it while running the car died. So, about this time a week or two after the post above with the log I plugged the mspnp2 in to drive the car and forgot about the haltech for a while and worked on a kitchen renovation. Looks nice, got fuck all done on the car. There were some brakes involved but those pics will go in another pair once I find them from Google images.

so. Cam sync issues. To troubleshoot the plug I bought an extension for the CAS. 12", would be a good addition for an na6 BeePee swap with the cas on the exhaust side. https://www.bmotorsports.com/shop/pr...oducts_id/4162 Plugged that in and jiggled stuff. When I jiggled the cas, stayed running. When I jiggled the plug on the harness, car shut down. Cool. So about this time I did several nights of reading then bought some Deutsch connectors and a crimpmset. Decided on SG tools kit https://www.jbtools.com/sg-tool-aid-...18-20-22-gage/ as I can use the open barrel crimper on pressed pins and the other one on the machined pins, and bought a bunch if plugs from Prowire. I bought a pigtail for the cas with the extension so had that ready to go, but didn't do the swap.

anyways somewhere in there I was browsing craigslist and a guy in Rochester was selling a supermiata damper for 75 bucks, hell yeah. Asked nicely and 2 days later I have a supermiata damper.

A week after that and I have a supermiata 36-2 trigger wheel. https://www.miataturbo.net/engine-pe...-pitch-103400/ my post here confirmed the thread size and a 20 pack of screws from a bolt supplier on Ebay and off I went. Can also confirm at 70 in.lb you will snap a head off. This led to the only time in my life I have had an ez- out work.

So now I have a slightly crusty SM damper with a 36-2.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...950a81d1f3.jpg
But crusty, but rubber looks ok.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7fa9672277.jpg

So now since I have a 36-2 I need to run this. So that's when I bought nigel's bp4w valve cover. I plan to chase down a crank and cam sensor and make a harness that runs to the CAS plug wiring. Both the MS and the haltech can drive the 36-2 and an NB cam pulley with the 2-1 triggers.

https://www.miataturbo.net/ecus-tuni...0/#post1539044 reference here so I don't lose it.

So thinking further, since I need to pull the valve cover off and have to swap the cam gear, I am 80% of the way into an exhintake swap. Now, I also bought @sixshooter 's bp26 cams. When this thing sees boost I will swap those in or according to some protege website I read, the best option on the dyno there was using the miata exhaust cam and the bp26 exhaust as the intake. Since this thing is NA currently and I have a blowed-ass up bp05 on a stand, I yanked the exhaust cam the other day and cut the cas drive off, and while I was there I pulled the lifters, for science. They were quiet on that engine. The mnet recommendation was to pull the plunfpger out and soak in a gallon can of carb cleaner so I will do that when I pull this thing open.

Another goal I identified was the throttle body. If I go to a 4w or 6d head at some stage, I will need to run an nb throttle body. Right now I have an across the front inlet which is a hot air intake and I am aware of this. I did it cos I couldn't get the u shaped inlet to work with the reroute hose located where it is. This also touches the iac valve on the throttle body. I check it every week or so for evidence of damage and so far so good. I have sourced a Yukon or Denali or whatever radiator hose and a 1,25" joiner.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...95f73b1fb9.jpg


Ugly routing.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...16eb906e2c.jpg
somethingorothe like this.
and with the iac going to the nb style, should free up room for the 949 style intake on the coldside. Since this thing had a superdupercharger and 2 feet of extension so the tops wiring would reach the TB on the hot side, I needed to redo that and so I cam send the extended wiring to the as yet undisclosed MT member on the other side of the country who is taking my m45 off my hands.

Another point here is that I'd love to be able to return this thing to stock ecu should I need to sell, so I don't want to commit to the NB body permanently. So I wired the iac plug with a 2 way Deutsch and the tps in the same way.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...6e0877d573.jpg
Deutsch plug 3/4" from wherr plug was originally, mounted with a nutsert on the coil bracket.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...8ab469eb22.jpg
My tps and iac plugs
and while I was there I extended the amount for my crossover pipe as it was angled back toward the engine and triggered my OCD. It is now parallel.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...811a59e45c.jpg

so probably October or November when the driving season is dying will yank the rad, install the SM pulley, cam and valvecover so I don't have too many variables, and do the reroute hose. Once that is ok, swap the TB, of which I have one on the way. I did learn today that if you wire the tps wrong you will get 138% throttle and it won't run. So one more reason to stage it, and do one part at a time. Then hopefully the haltech gets its home signal and it is rock and roll time and post the mspnp2 for sale.

Also, gonna use the kainjection gear cos drilled for exhintake and I don't trust a paper template. Next on the list.

Woooo updates!
I like the color on that 4W valve cover, I used the same paint on my block. Quick note on paint and spray clear, specifically the VHT high temp clear coat: don't get brake or carb cleaner anywhere near it or you'll be a sad panda :(

Thanks for the heads up. Will avoid solvents in the engine bay. I have slipped all sorts of stuff on the vht crinkle black and it has lived, but not any aerosol solvent. I did get brake fluid on it but rinsed it off quickly.

Nice build!

How do the ESCO stands handle being used to only support one half of the car? Like if I only wanted to jack up the nose, or the left side of the car for example? Trying to replace my HF stands after all this recall nonsense.

Not OP but I <3 my ESCOs. No problem with front/rear/side only. They are plenty stable, just make sure you have a jack tall enough to get the car up to minimum height in order to get the ESCOs under there. I got the shorter ones and my blue Hazard Fraught Racing jack leaves me about 1" short (story of my life, that's what she said, etc) ;)

The Big Red stands on Amazon also seem to be well liked if you are price sensitive to the ESCOs

I use my escos all the time to just raise the front. and yep, you do need a fair bit of lift. I have used them without a pin, and the shaft just resting in the frame, below the lowest setting. They worked well holding up my 4runner when I did my exhaust after it rotted off, too.

Can't speak personally for just the side as I have not done that. Buying the FM rails was worth it just to have a surface to sit the car onto those stands.

You know, I've never been super comfortable jacking on my FM rails. They seem to deflect an awful lot, almost to the point where I wonder why I installed them

Glad to hear such good reviews of the ESCO stands. I'm torn between them and the Torin double locking stands, not so much based on price but also versatility. I was going to pull the trigger on ESCOs after the jack stand fiasco began, but I read some mixed reviews on build quality and post to base fit on Amazon so I hesitated. I've got the HF 3 ton low profile jack, no concerns about lift height here! Maybe my best option would be to buy a set of each.

IMO the single greatest reason to get frame rails is to use them as jacking points, then for protection, and lastly for actual stiffening. They've deflected on my car as well after using them to jack the car up constantly, but only to the point that they contact the stock frame rail. I had the exact same set on my last car, I took them off, straightened them with a hammer and put them onto the new car.

Put the jack right behind the side mirrors and you can lift up the whole side of the car in one easy go.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7da1603644.jpg
cool. Gave the car an oil change today, too.

Did this last weekend.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9e0c353ae4.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c0b68fbf1f.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f665f6cc4b.jpg
Oops.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9bf49f8526.jpg
turns out when you install the upgraded centre panel you have to cut two traces on the circuit board. If you miss one, you uh, fry it. I peeled up some copper on one end of the burned up section and soldered in some wire, then covered the joint with hit glue. Other end I crimped on a ring terminal and used a screw on the board.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...487993616d.jpg
Setting the needles

Update time. Took a long weekend last weekend and got a fraction of the way through the current project.

The plan was to pull the radiator out, install SM damper, crank sensor, ExhIntake cam swap, new valve cover, NB Throttle body and clcean up the intake and the reroute plumbing etc

I filled and primed my HLAs I cleaned up, then pulled everything out.

Lubed shit up with assembly lube and dropped the cam in, with the new KAi pulley. I ordered new cam seals from miatamecca because cheapest "oem" ones I could find. The only markings on teh seals are the dimensions and "japan". My 2k mile old ones were a less shiny material, have a brand (NOK) and raised nipples the whole way round the face. And the dimensions are different. The ones from miata mike are 8mm thick, vs 7 for the OEM ones sourced from Priority Mazda. I wasn't gonna wait four days for new seals so YOLO'd and reused the actual oem ones, being seriously all of 2k miles old.


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a1f4038efa.jpg

Installed the damper by drawing it on with the bolt, then handbrake and jammed in gear, torqued on.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...996f0cea07.jpg

After that attempted to mount the crank sensor I bought for it.

Turns out that NA8 OBD2 shit is not exactly the same as an NB oil pump. There is a tab cast into the pump as the crank sensor for misfire detection is attached to a bracket screwed to the pump.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e4d57d587f.jpg
see rectangular tab on right, just under tone ring. flat file and about 3 minutes took care of it.


Then there is the difference in threads.
Comparing part numbers from the jim ellis fiche, then googling the part number to find bolt thread sizes shows me that both instances are 20mm long, but the OBD2 NA8 bolt is an M5, vs the M6 on an NB pump, confirmed by threading in an M6x1 into the boundary pump I have on the shelf.

So, I measured the hole as best I could on my back. appears to be about 2.5mm deep, 6-8mm wide on the outside, then 10mm of 5mm hole, unthreaded, then 6mm or so of threaded M5, way in the depths of the hole.

I was way over thinking this and looking at buying a selection of shoulder bolts from mcmaster-carr, then said fuggit, and just tapped out the 10mm of the hole that is 5mm wide. Installed sensor and gapped it with a credit card, blue loctited that shit down in case of not so great thread. For what it is worth, my local Curtis Lumber hardware carries a nice range of JIS bolts as well, supplied by Midwest Fastener.

Oh, on that note, I bought a 60mm I think long m8 bolt to retain the NB throttle body as it is thicker on one corner - bottom left, than the NA part.

Also fabbed a bracket, not pictured, that I am mounting my shitty taped together plugs for the TB IAC and TPS wiring from last time, you can buy mounting tabs for the deutsch plugs.

So tonight I will hopefully get the 2 new harnesses made for the IAC and TPS - the IAC uses a different plug despite being a similar 2 pin arrangement. After that, reinstall radiator, coolant and magic funnel, coil, leads, then route a 949 cold side intake, and divide that real estate with the reroute hose, set the cam angle offset with the timing light again (I'd not be surpirsed if my crusty old damper was a little tiwsted/offset), recalibrate the TPS, and do some VEAL tuning.

One step at a time though, at the rate things are going this will be a month.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3eda6e2ce1.jpg
Got a little work done last night. Tested and confirmed TPS and IAC solenoid are functioning. Will secure those harnesses to the bracket, drill a hole and use a rubber lined saddle clamp to prevent them from moving, or zipeties cos rAcEcAr

Worked on this the last 2 nights, not the shitbox

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e7be1491c1.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f4a7f8df74.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...d26970b73a.jpg

Car is together, but I decided to change all teh map scaling and ignition map to that of the trubokitty diypnp maps. Bled the cooling system, need to drive it and make sure the VE table is ok. Has been rainy and wet and my motivation has been lagging, but I expect that will be the job for this weekend.

Ok, so I drove the car around a bit with the rescaled tables from Brain's base maps and it seemed to drive nicely. Couldn't get the bugger to idle down at all. I tried dicking with the targets and as many CL idle targets as I could play with and a 1300-1400 idle was about all i could get. Idle screw does nothing.

So it ran ok, but was a bit 'meh'

I was feeling saucy and decided to play with my Haltech.

I was having the same sync errors at before with the injectors turned off, and the timing set to 10 deg so I could hit it with the timing light.

So, back to my prior logic that the harness may be wired incorrectly. I read up and watched some haltech videos, the tyco plug that goes into the box, I found instructions in Japanese on how to unpin the plug, but to unpin the Superseal, there is a wide white tang on the bottom and 2 on top. Push the wide tang in and the 2 others pop out. Unlocked. Pull wires of choice out, reverse, push back in and push on the 2 tabs to lock the connector. Thankyou Haltech Youtube channel.

Go back outside in the rain and attempt to turn car over on starter.

Instead of a sync error, the error states wrong number of teeth for selected sensor.

So pulled the harness off back into house and return trigger and home wires from whence it came and go to bed.

A few days later I had a little time, so try again. I figure since I set the timing using the MS, and adjusted the timing when i checked it with the light to zero offset but turning the CAS, I should hypothetically be at zero on the Haltech.

So, I turned on the injectors and set the timing to use table not locked at 10*, and YOLO.

What do you know? the fucker started straight up as soon as it had sync, so even completely untuned with 640cc injectors started easier than with the MSPNP2.



Sonofabitch.

So 11 months have passed and I have been lazy and I need to piece together WTF has happened since then.

Car fired up ok on the haltech straight off the bat with the base map settings with a couple of caveats

The car would idle but if I gave it a rev, the ECU would not "catch" the faling revs and would stall out, the tach would randomly go from reading correct RPM to suddenly read double then randomly go back to normal, and no AC were the big problems

I drove the car around and played with the idle tune and got it to the point that it sort of catches the falling revs at about 1500-2k then it falls slowly to idle. On start up it starts off the key and gives a rev to like 3k then the revs fall, then goes to a 1k idle as well. I need to fiddle a bit more and get it so it catches a bit lower.

Tach was an email to haltech - had to set the number of pulses down from 4 to zero. based on socal14's issues he had with no tach from his setup, that ended up requiring a tach module, I think since the tach is triggered by the coils, if the pulses were out of phase with the 4 generated by the coils the ECU firing 4 pulses would result in 8 and a doubling of the RPM. So set to zero so effectively the tach is running off the coils and not the ECU and it works fine.

Not sure what the deal is with the AC. If I go into the software, the power switch should get 12v when I turn it on. It sees a constant 0.3v, regardless of the switch position. Is set up as <1V off, > 2V on as set points. If I change that set point to 0.1V, the AC fires up and the fan comes on. return it to 1V and it turns off. Also changing high/low triggers I can turn the fan and compressor on, so is the switch trigger. I did read that the NA6 and NA8 are wired differently and the PNP box from haltech looks to be very much set up as an NA6 box with the only jumper for the fuel pump, but beyond that is NA6.
I need to get back to this.

But that's the update on the ECU. It works, It idles nicely and runs well. Drives beautifully. Starts easily and doesn't kick back or do any of that shitty MS2 stuff.

Tuning - runs in closed loop, you can see target vs actual lambda and the ECU compensates to a max setpoint. Drive for a while then go into long term trims, and apply to base map. So like using VEAL but it is always on with LTT enabled. LTT also available for the cold start and some other features.

I have a bunch of other stuff and pics to attach, need to get back to documenting this, mainly so I can find this info later.

So what next? I am a fancy hotboi with a Haltech Elite 1500 so why not plan for all the features.

So in December I started ordering shit off ebay. I did some research and it appears that pretty much all DBW TBs are square bolt patterns, I looked at bosch stuff, which is vailable in 60x60 or 65x65mm patterns, there are NC bodies and plenty of others. For some reason I don't recall I settled on Subaru. A Subaru crosstrek/impreza/forester body is a 65x 65mm stud pattern, with a 6mm stud. 60mm Diameter..

16112AA380 Is the part number

NC is also 65x65 mm spacing and has a 65mm throttle diameter FWIW.

22 bucks on eBay later

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...2b41358781.jpg

Behold in all its shitty glory
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...37cad11666.jpg

So for a pedal, the chevy one seems popular.
Natch, I had to do something different.

I follow a lot of aussie FB groups and either Al from the Skid Factory or benny from benny's custom works recommended a subaru BRZ pedal assembly as it has a metal arm which you can bend to get the pedal where you like it, and it looks like it will match my IL motorsports pedal covers.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...556cde2e27.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...07f619e350.jpg
https://www.corsa-technic.com/item.php?item_id=627 Throttle body connector
https://www.corsa-technic.com/item.php?item_id=1224 Pedal connector

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b5d7d88f9a.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...452f57ce71.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c86d68bead.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...2efb490e1d.jpg

Cleaned up my spare manifold, the side with the gold stripe I filed down so the motor body on the TB sits flush.

Sent it off to a mate to weld the stud holes up, and weld up the EGR holes.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...cb4a72f10.jpeg

And work on the DBW stuff has stalled there for now.

Subaru gasket PN is 16175AA243 - 60mm hole with 65mm stud spacing. I have a scanned PDF as well for those who may want to trace.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...6766ff2822.png
Putting here for safe keeping so can find it, info for extra sensor additions

What next? Black friday did approachI noticed about this time that my outer shift boot was falling apart, again, so waited til black friday and bought a miataroadster 6 speed shifter for my NB1 6 speed box. Good opportunity to flush out the CRC sta-lube I put in as a sacrificial fill like 18 months prior. So I ordered that, and since the box was being drained I ordered some trans, engine and diff magnetic plugs. I am as tight as they come and did look elsewhere, like Mcmaster and Belmetric but MR is the only place I could find that had the plugs with a JIS sized head. Fuck outta here if you think I will be adding a 15mm to my kit just for doing oil changes when everything can be 10, 12, 14, 17. I just had to pay for the privilege. They do look nice tho.

my shaft and knob
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b04e6f7362.jpg

Also stainless, so they might survive that sweet sweet east coast road salt 😛

knowing my luck probably form some super stainless to alloy hybrid corrosion and super seize in there.

Good news! You can change the oil in the 6 speed from the shifter turret with a vacuum pump! Though I'd imagine it would be quite the trick to clean the magnet on the drain plug.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...286ad6870e.jpg
No problemo. Has a brand new pump on it too. Turns out if you don't look where you are walking and step on the cast outlet pipe it will snap off, and that's about a 120 buck mistake. #themoreyouknow

At this point needed to clean up the interior of the shitbox.

Pulled the door cards off

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...de830b01db.jpg

floppy saggy cardboard is sad

Also found this
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ae2ebeee48.jpg
So a set of durrlen window bushes and some door bushes were ordered.

Also found non matching speakers.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...4a0e220601.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3989022fc9.jpg


I did some research and decided to go Primer3D forever panels from https://primer3d.com/ which can also be had on etsy and from moss, but I don;t want to pay 10 bucks more and more in shipping vs free ship from primer nor have him lose in commission to etsy

the goal - from his website:
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ff4b8173f.jpeg

How hard can it be?

Honestly, not that bad.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...86fcf645ec.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...cf5e36ed70.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...65453e24b7.jpg

Contact cement in a spray can, I think i used 3M headliner adhesive. spray on door and foam. join

cut out holes.
Repeat with vinyl

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...6c73b47811.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...0e7b234c8f.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1a8a0ef622.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9a75ecda77.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3375ffa00e.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b6c3fba3c6.jpg

Top bit is not hard mounted here. I needed to repair that.Now, I had a mate teed up to 3d print me some of these https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2482054/files to fix my door panels, but he was moving house and I ran out of time to wait, so did the m.net approved method of PEX plumbing tubing and a puddle of JB weld to repair the mounting posts

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3dbae674d0.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...cd2dc329c3.jpg


The finished product
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...84456b5861.jpg


Now. I do like these panels but on the stock panels have metal standoffs in 2 locations to raise the clips further from the door panel and I have found these fuckers like to pop off and you have floppy door, at the front near the hinges,

Over winter I will remove, peel the trim back and rivet on the ones from the old panels I think. Hindsight being 20/20 I would have done that first time round.

I also bought a radiator cover/shroud thingee from primer3D cut from the same material. I went to vatozone and bought 4x 6mm trim rivets to hold it in and done.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...982d6fab51.jpg

And while we were in there doing prettying up stuff, I figured I'd install an NB wheel

Out with the poverty pack Base vinyl wheel

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...33fd4951af.jpg
In with a leather nardi NB wheel with NB2 airbag.

Wiring swap was simple. I cut the wire pigtail off a spare NA airbag and crimped/heatshrinked the join. Plugged right in. Used a spade connector for the horn to go into the plug on the car. EZPZ

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1b0d49046b.jpg
Much more thicc, feels better in the hand. I like it.

Finally, one more thing
Ever see these on Moss?
https://mossmiata.com/interior-light-kits?336=287
76 plus tax plus ship, those will be 100 bucks

A guy on mnet was rolling his and selling kits for about 65 shipped. I'm still cheaper than that. He mentioned in passing mercedes lenses.

Boom
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b55d430c1b.png
Part number
126-820-13-01

So I pulled my covers off the side of the dash, and went at them with an x-acto and some patience.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...8b4cb229c0.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...be144084f0.jpg

You want a 36mm bulb. I will not link the ones i bought on ebay as one died and I had to buy 2 more, but the listing states
"Improve the light and style of your car's interior with GENSSI LED bulbs. Long-lasting design, eye-friendly daylight effect. LED Festoon (36mm) for 6411 6413 6418 C5W"

https://mossmiata.com/media/instructions/159-950.pdf using the moss instructions, I just replicated the wiring. Ran a pair of wires from the interior light down to the first hole, a pair of wires from hole 1 to hole 2 with extra to cut off. crimped my terminals on, and shortened to length and plugged em in.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7c9245d7ba.png
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...80e3c06538.png
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a4837a6116.png
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9e4d0802d6.png

So, 15 or so for the lenses, 6? bucks for ebay LEDS and maybe 10 bucks of terminals.

I loooooove those panels. The Primer3D guy will also take reasonable, small custom requests as well. Communication is excellent as is the product.

Big props for Merc bulb things! If I still had those covers in my car, I'd build a set. I'll have to keep an eye out for an NA in the junkyard. :bigtu:

These merc things are excellent for NB/NB2s as well (on both sides of the dash/tunnel)

"36mm festoon bulb"

​​​​​​How are those measured, tip to tip? I've got a handful of Phillips Osram festoon style LEDs leftover from another project but I've never actually tried to measure one of these things.

I am at the Corning museum of glass
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...5fb7e144f5.jpg
I just made a sandblasted tumbler.

I will measure my spare I have when I get home

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...baa8ab06b7.jpg
tip to tip of shitty ebay "36mm" festoon bulb measures 37mm. So tip to tip measurement.