Superefficient cooling via geographic location
 

So I decided to make a build thread instead of just adding to my post in the noob section.

So the story of how I bought it and imported to Iceland is here in one page
Buying a miata - Album on Imgur

Right now I'm talking to Reverant about buying an enhanced pnpms2. I've already gotten the turbo which is a t25 disco potato from a sr20 buddy that wanted bigger. Just waiting on a rebuild kit.

I'm still in the process of making the car nice before boosting. But gradually collecting all the parts and using the time until boost to get used to the MS and upgrading one part at a time.

Until then this will be where I put in small updates and pics.

Last nightshift I got bored at the hangar. So I decided to use the facilities there to work on the car a little. The upper radiator mounts were ratty so they got tackled first.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1437346715

Sandblasted them
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1437346715

Primer and paint
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1437346715

Installed!
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1437346715

While I was doing that I remembered beatrush's radiator airflow plate. So I thought, Fuckit. How hard can it be?
Almost done here, Just need an hour more to finish and clean it up
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1437346641


As some pointed out during my introduction the headlights were hazed and ugly. Tackled that tonight.
Left after stage 1 polish, Right after stage 4 polish
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1437346641

How it looked during the surgery
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1437346641

What the finished product looks like
Attachment 233126

That's it for now. Bigger updates to come

little projects like this make wrenching on the car fun and rewarding.
little by little you'll work towards a fully sorted car in tip top shape

removes rusty brackets, spends time cleaning them, bolts them back down with rusty hardware.

hahah I know. Forgot about the bolts until my shift was over. Need to find a place where I can buy all those bolts, small stuff like this is surprisingly hard to find in Iceland.

And while I've got your attention.
https://www.flyinmiata.com/nb-diy-tu...-downpipe.html

I've always felt like the log manifold design just shouldn't flow properly. Would I be better off having something tubular made here?

What are your end goals with the car?

The log cast manifold should be pretty stout & reliable (no headaches, not going to crack)

My plan is to have a fun daily that I can occasionally hoon around in during the few track days we get each summer. 250 and upwards would make me happy.

The reason that logs aren't as bad as you're expecting on turbo engines is because the turbo itself is so restrictive. Here's some reading for you:

https://www.miataturbo.net/engine-pe...-theory-71503/

And documents it with absurdly large images ("4K"+ is noticeable over mobile).

yeah. that is overkill. I'll resize everything tonight

Are the stock miata engine mounts soft? like reeaaaally soft?
Mine felt like they were toast so I bought Gomiatas 40% stiffer mounts. And thse just feel exactly how I'd image that stock mounts should feel. And the old ones looked like there was nothing wrong with them.

I was going to change my timing belt, there was just no way I was getting the camshaft pulley off.

You need a bigger breaker bar then...

Stock mounts are really soft. I'm not sure what the go-miata mounts are, but I'm thinking they're Mazdaspeed mounts.

Mazdacomp mounts will be even stiffer, and they're the stiffest you can go before AWRs. Which are crazy stiff.

Yeah, they might very well be the mazdaspeed ones since they looked exactly like the ones I took out.

Not so happy news.
I was sitting in traffic yesterday and started to smell something foul. I pulled over and popped the hood. I saw a small whiff of smoke and turns out that the nut that holds the battery cable to the alternator had worked it's way off and had a reaaally small contact area, which meant that it was glowing from heat. and had managed to melt the insulation of the cable.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1440626868

What I'm wondering now is how I should go about fixing this.
As far as I can see the wire goes into the wiring loom and I simply don't trust the rest of the wire not to burn anything else later on. So should I replace the end or lay a new cable all the way back?

I say we take off and nuke the site from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.

(new cable, IMHO)

--Ian

so is there any chance of removing the original wire without a maaajor hassle or should I just leave it there and lay a new one alongside the wiring harness?

Is the conductor still useable? Just the insulator that toast? If so, maybe a couple layers of heat-shrink insulator over the conductor?

It's usable. I currently have it wrapped in electrical tape as a temp fix until I get to fixing it on monday(12 hour nightshifts yay).

I'd replace at least 6 inches of that cable. When you cut it, look at the cut end to assess condition and see if you need to go further. Also look for corrosion as that can really increase resistance (and heat).

Mine did the same, except in my case the nut broke loose, unthreaded partway and the eyelet was arcing to the stud slowly melting through it. I cought it about 1/2way through the stud and put a new locknut on; luckily the worn through area is above the nut and not a risk of failure but wow.

frábær!

I don't remember ever seeing a Miata in Iceland. Lived in Sangerði for almost 9 years.

Great imgur album. It's so crazy to think of the trouble you had to go through to get one, when they're all over the place in the US.

Good work so far! Can't wait for updates.