LOL...

So I went to Sebring this weekend for my second track day. Last weekend I had made some quick and dirty top and bottom ducting for the radiator using PVC rolled plastic from home depot and aluminum tape. I would have taken some pictures but it was pretty horrid looking because I was in a huge hurry and it needs to be redone.

HPDE 1&2 go out on the track together with our NASA group and this time it was something like 48 cars. I must have gotten out in just the right part of the grid during the first session because I only hit real traffic one time. I was passing a lot of cars and having tons of fun. During the download meeting after the first session I was hearing about all sorts of huge issues about certain drivers refusing to give point-by's and blowing past others with point-by's. Second session out I grid behind this bright orange 2013 Boss Mustang. Once we are out on the track I gave him quite a bit of room on the first yellow lap while they were still getting people onto the course. The flags go green on lap two and it takes me all of two turns to be on this guy's ass because he is essentially drag racing from corner to corner and where ever his car ends up at the end is where he turns in. I am waiting for him to point me by and I park my car in his rear view and wait.......and wait...... then we hit a straight and he floors it and walks away from me. That is of course until the next set of turns where I am riding his ass again. It was so bad that my foot was coming completely off the gas and I was just coasting. This went on for about 3/4's of a lap while my instructor is just losing his shit because he doesn't understand why this is happening. I ended up just backing way off and the rest of the session went really well.

That brings us to the third session. I am on point and pushing the car hard. People are giving point-by's at every chance and I am just passing car after car. This is HPDE 1 & 2 so its not exactly all that impressive but it still made me feel good and my instructor was complementing my line and car control. Well most of the way through the session I am flying around corner 16 onto the back straight and I look down at my gauges and HOLY SHIT pegged H on the coolant temp. I immediately let off the gas and the temp comes right back down and I decide to PIT and inspect the car. I had assumed that my ducting just had not been working as I had hoped and I was just pushing the car too hard. Well I pop the hood and there is a fair amount of coolant on the driver side and some on the throttle body elbow. Then this happens:

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1381149904

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1381149904

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1381149904

After inspecting the radiator it appears that the plastic end tank was forced to slightly separate from the aluminum core and spray pressurized hot coolant into the engine bay. I searched for a replacement radiator and one of the spec miata teams happen to have a used all aluminum triple pass crossflow that they were going to let me have for $200. My excitement was quickly squashed when I realized there was no way for me to secure my fans to it. None of the autoparts stores had a radiator and I could not find another team with a spare. I was out for the weekend so I decided to put some stop leak in the radiator and drive it home, which has held up so far no problem. I have also seen no signs that I blew the head gasket which has me counting my lucky stars. This morning I placed an order with Emilio for his crossflow unit. I should be back on the track before the year is out.

Ugh, now you have stop leak everywhere in the engine and heater core. Good luck getting all that shit out. I would have just driven home with a cracked radiator (which I've done before).

He doesn't have the gummy tar-ball type of stop leak, but rather the one with the copper flakes. It costs a little more but doesn't leave a mess. It will flush out with ease. And it was that or pay a tow truck for four hours.

Okay so time for a little update. I was able to get the new 949/FM radiator in with little drama. I also received some springs and sleeves from summit and will be putting them on my OE bilsteins as soon as I make the time. I have also begun purchasing parts for the engine build. I had pretty pictures of all of these things but my phone broke and I lost them because I hadn't uploaded them to the cloud yet. But don't worry I don't want to disappoint...

Today I placed my order with Abe for one of these

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1390949969

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1390949969

The only difference is that mine will be v-band. I have spoken to a local BorgWarner master supplier about the new v-band housings for the 6758 and will likely be going this route. In speaking with the vendor I realized why the new 7163 with the v-band housing was so much more expensive than the 6758. It is not because it is a larger turbo but because it has an aluminum bearing housing that saves about 3 pounds of weight from the original iron bearing housing. You can get this same aluminum bearing housing option on the 6758 and the two turbo's will cost exactly the same. I also learned that the 6758 v-band housing will have a 0.85 AR instead of the 0.64 AR. This will cause it to spool slightly slower, obviously. Now I am wondering whether I should go with the 7163 (0.80 AR v-band housing) or the 6758 (0.85 AR v-band housing), both of which are internally wastegated.

Any suggestions?

Have you seen some of the 7163 stuff, like the below screen cap. If having the ultimate in transient response doesnt matter to you, the Mixed flow Turbine in the 7163 looks like the new jesus.

http://blogperrinperformance.com/wp-...17barboost.jpg

And I suggest you really really read the graph labels, because they dont make sense but are the correct labels.

I have seen those graphs. As well as the dyno graph. My question, as you mentioned, would be how much the transient response is affected. I have not seen hard data on part throttle and transient response between the two.

If I wasnt auto-xing The 7163 would be my choice hands down. Whats left to be seen is how much of a difference the extra inertia makes, but also how the mixed flow turbine reacts at low shaft speeds and the transition from low flow. Its entirely possible that the turbine geometry can improve the transience response too.

Get the new one. Nobody likes last year's Vera Wang handbag.

Lots of new goodies that need to be installed. Now I just need to find the time....

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1393119276

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1393119276

I still need a few things to complete everything I need but I should be able to get this engine built pretty quickly. That is the plan anyway.

I ordered my EFR 7163 (v-band) from FAB9 today. Great vendor, good price, fast response. I am having it shipped to Abe at ARTech to make my ballin manifold.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1394252423

Inb4glory :fael:

Damn it, I hate you Ryan! As soon as I saw Fab9's ad for the 7163 v-band I immediately start contemplating if I could sell my current EFR setup to have Abe make me one for this turbo but I don't think would be able to get away with it without my wife losing her mind. I also thought to myself if Ryan hasn't bought his turbo yet he will be buying this one... So jealous buddy, I can't wait to see your build progress! Hopefully you will have this beast running early next year and I can get my Miata back down to Clearwater, maybe for a track weekend even!

Hey Frank, wanna sell me your current EFR setup? :naughty:

Ryan, what is the status on the motor?

Right now I have pretty much all of the needed parts. I think next weekend I should have the time to separate the block from the head. Then I just need to break everything down so that I can get it to a machine shop. Now that I have dropped money on the turbo the engine is going to be top priority.

This is the fun part. Engine building!

This weekend I installed the 600/400 spring combo I have had sitting around for a while now.


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...315_155201-png

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...315_155233-png

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...315_155256-png

http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/...psxvutooax.jpg

The springs and sleeves went in with ISC 1.5" top hats in the back. I had another pair of tophats for the front but the strut tower brace bracket hole was too small and I didn't feel like cutting it today. When pulling the rubber boot off of the rear shocks I found that the bump stops in the rear had quite literally disintegrated. Sixshooter gave me some NA bump stops as a temporary fix. I will need to order some new ones.

Why have I not met you? I feel neglect

You should come out and meet us on the track at Sebring. :party:

Ah fixed yer pictures.

Do you still think the new springs ride well?