Taifighter is building a Miata
 

build thread for my '94

I picked up this Miata from Ft Wayne, IN. It was on Craigslist for a while and I really liked what I saw in the ad.
There was lots of documented work done by previous owner, with receipts for almost everything:
Tein lowering springs
AGX adjustable shocks
RacingBeat front and rear sway bars
suspension bushing and diff bushings with new energy suspension bushings
Beat rush tower braces
Beat rush lower rear brace

15 inch Konig wheels... wrapped in all seasons :(

Jackson header
Racing Beat exhaust
Track dog exhaust header cover
Magnaflow catalytic converter

Oiler cooler kit with filter relocation kit

NB Miata factory big brake kit
NB Miata factory big brake booster
Stainless lines
slotted rotors

Interior replaced with the factory tan interior
Factory hard top
Hard Dog M2 sport hard top roll bar with pad

NACA duct in headlight
H4 headlights
Factory front lip
TSIs

Recent new driveshaft
Respray


intro thread:
https://www.miataturbo.net/meet-gree...ew-home-64536/

CL ad pics:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1360163056
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1360163056

on the way home:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1360163056

at home:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1360163056

first thing I did was go over and address any maintenance, like the shifter turret:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1360163056

I picked up some wheels more to my liking:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1360163056

Iold the ones that came on the car, made enough to cover my cost on the new wheels. Erat now has these but he didn't get them from me directly:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1360163056

I joined MT to learn as much as I could about boosting this car.
The first thing I learned is that I need one of these:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1360163557

I added these first:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1360163557
I figured I'd need a boost gauge eventually, and I was really keen on the entire a-pillar replacement piece.

Brain built this and I installed it with no trouble, until I fired it up for the first time. Bouncy inconsistent readings and running rich as fawk.

MAP sensor wasn't soldered:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1360163557
No worries, I have a friend who is a MS genius and he helped me figure out the issue and resolve it in a few minutes. STIM tested and good to go:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1360163557

Visually, the exterior of the car is where I want it:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1360163863
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1360163863

I think the ride height is perfect, and the stance isn't stretch and poke but it isn't passive. It probably looks just like a lot of the other black Miatas with the same wheels, but in my area it's the only one.

I replaced the original tan leather seat covers with replacement black covers. I'd like to switch out to black carpet and get rid of the tan. That would leave me with a tan lower dash and door cards, black everything else.
Here's an odd panoramic shot that didn't blend correctly.
http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/r...720_144917.jpg

I'm just now starting to finalize what direction I'm going for my turbo setup. Once I hear back from a couple vendors on some specific parts I can get serious.

Maybe I should do injectors and a clutch first?
Maybe I can hold off on the clutch for a bit. The one in the car now hasn't slipped, maybe it will hold under low boost while I get things tuned.

Injectors seem easy, just rescaling to compensate for the size should have them running off my current table with a bit of autotuning.

Go injector now and get the re-tune down.

Yes the clutch will slip, however pulling the motor/trans to install the turbo kit plus freshin the seals and gaskets, timing belt/water pump cam cover seal, is the way to go. Drill pan while it's off the motor for peace of mind. Replace clutch and related parts with ease, on your feet or on a stool...

Good looking car too.

Awesome, i'll be following this!

I do own them wheels now, but i'm trying to sell them. They're just as nice as when you had them, i have not found a single ding on them.

Do you mind me asking how much you paid?

Looks like a much better starting point than my POS 96...

I generally check the Indiana CL for miata's, missed this one though. I'm not far from Ft. Wayne so I usually check it's CL.

PM'ed

Wheel whore?

Me too. I went through 7 sets of wheels over the course of 4 years on my TT. 2 were winter wheel setups, but still... that seems excessive now that I look back on it.

Started to get some responses from vendors about bits and pieces needed to boost this thing.

Artech products look awesome. That stuff is like an art form. Hmm... something in the name cluing me in to that?

Currently doing some comparos between a 2560 and 2860, and seeing how the BEGi s4 tubular manifold holds up.

Made some decisions:

Begi is allowing me to configure a kit based on what I need. I think I'll stick with the 25r, SGDP, cast manifold, hard lines, etc. Nothing spectacular but enough to be fun and give me a challenge.

FMIC will be from Bryan here: https://www.miataturbo.net/miata-par...ordable-70801/ Also got an IAT bung on the end tank :)

Piping most likely a DIY setup from Silicone Intakes, thanks to Soviet for the write up/pics in his build thread.

My old SSQV from my TT will be used.

FIC 650s

Clutch will end up being FM1. I might see how long I can roll with the stocker until it slips. My intent is to run lowest psi possible for initial tuning (this could take a while as I learn), which will allow me to set aside more time and funds to put toward that job.

Oh, the joys of a modified car...
I installed my FIC 650s without issue. No leaks!

Still trying to figure out my idle droop issue, I posted up a thread and have got some feedback that I used to try and fix the problem of idling up in the 1400 rpm range. I believe this issue is not mechanical, as sometimes the car will level out to about 900-1k and not have a droop.

Now I'm faced with a more important issue: my MTX-L started to malfunction. Over the past 6 months, I've had to recalibrate the gauge several times. I turned the car on today and the display showed CAL for a second or two then showed a reading of 22.8 to 8, back and forth AND the display went from standard lighting to very very dim (the gauge is not hooked up to the dimmer switch, the dimmer lead is grounded so the gauge does not dim when the lights come on... that will change but as of right now it's full brightness all the time) When the display was dim the car idled like shit.

I second guessed myself on the required fuel setting. I used the calculator that showed my 4.85 should have actually been 4.7, but surely that wouldn't make the car idle so rich. It has to be the gauge.

I unplugged and recalibrated the gauge, it worked better but still had the dim display and crazy readings. It actually popped up with the normal brightness a few minutes later and gave a reading of about 13.8-14.3 for idle which seems normal. Then the gauge went dim and started flashing from 10 to 15 to 22.8 and back, pretty much just going crazy. WHEN THE GAUGE WORKED NORMALLY my idle was perfect, I wonder if the gauge has something to do with the idle issue?

THEN the power cable to my laptop came unplugged and the laptop would not let TS connect to the car. I restarted the laptop and car several times but never got the connection back. I decided to call it day.

Next on the list of things to do is get the MTX L figured out, reinstall it and hook up the dimmer for that and my boost gauge.

Then I can address connection issues with my laptop.

By then my FMIC and Begi kit should be here. I plan to autotune to the new injector size first before I install the kit. That should only take a few hours on a nice day once the snow is clear.

After that I can uninstall my full exhaust and ship it to the buyer in Cali and recoup some of my expenses.

Some parts came in

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1362886291

Some parts are still being made by Begi and should be here in a week or so.

Some parts (cough cough Innovate) are taking way too long to be warrantied/inspected.

Whoohoo!

Mounted up my FMIC since it was here and I was bored on my day off

First thing to do was to move my oil cooler back out of the way. I used some heater hose to create a bumper between the oil cooler and the AC condenser. I tied it to the lines on the condenser above a bracket and secured it with zip ties. I might find some of those tabs that you attach fans to a radiator core with if the zip ties don't cut it. Or maybe both.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1363032353
It's solid and I'll see how it works.

Next I test fitted the core, again by using zip ties.
First thing I noticed was that I was missing the tow hooks. Quick research showed that the threaded holes would accept a 10mm 1.25 pitch bolt. I took some measurements and went to the hardware store. I had about a half inch gap between my mounting tabs and the frame of the car where the tow hooks once were. I fixed this problem by a small sleeve, a washer, and a cut of heater hose to give it some vibration dampening.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1363032353

It's solid and it sits exactly centered and level. Stoked.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1363032353

This is the 350 HP Vibrant core from Bryan: https://www.miataturbo.net/miata-par...ordable-70801/

Looking really good. You are well on your way to a damn nice miata.

Thanks man, I appreciate that.

Man, you just had to go and one up me; Mounting it all professional and what not. :D

I was gonna hit you up and ask how you mounted yours when I saw that the core would hit the AC canister if mounted to the frame where the tow hooks used to be. Upon further investigation of your build thread, I concluded it had to mount below it and I was just missing a piece off the car.

But I lost your number when I got this new WinMo phone from work ��

I bet yours went on faster.

what size is that core?

Core Width: 20" Width with End Tanks is 26
Core Height: 6.5
Core Thickness: 3.25
Inlet Diameter: 2.5"
Outlet Diameter: 2.5"
Inlet/Outlet Location: Center

Approx. Flow Rate for this intercooler: 520 CFM at 1.5PSi pressure drop
Approx. HP Rating for this intercooler: 350 HP

Dude, not sure what happened with the above post haha but that was totally me posting

WTF staff?? ^^

I removed my tow hooks just like yours.

There is a bracket on the canister that has like a 10mm bolt. I just loosened it and pushed that canister up, and over to the passenger side a little. That gave me more than enough room. The rubber is a good idea though, i just slapped mine on using two of the existing two hook bolts.

I think i'm going to buy the HF heat knife to cut the top tabs on the bumper off.

Hmm... I might check that out. But I kinda like how it is, there's a bit of a channel above the core that lets air flow over it

and that's fitting with the dryer in place?

Yup

buy me one.

Good to see my intercooler working out. I see you used some type of spacer? You can loosten the canister and lift it about 10mm. When I built these I actually had an NA with AC in the garage to test fit these. Looks great though! Thanks for the support.

I'll contribute to your FMIC fund if I can get some help with tuning this thing. Fo realz yo.

I'll probably try that before its all said and done. It's asymmetrical mounting is aesthetically pleasing to me now.

Not that the way you did it won't work just fine but you'd get the IC to sit a little higher if you did this. I should have included these photos with the intercooler.

Take a marker and draw a line on the canister mount:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1363094235

Then loosen the 10mm bolt on the mount, make sure it's free and the canister is broken loose from the clamp:

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1363094235

Then lift it up about 10-12mm and re-tighten:

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1363094235

Should clear perfectly and you can get a nice flush mount with the mating surface on the tow hook mounting area. Should make the intercooler a little more ridged.

The other reason for the spacers was because of the oil cooler which is now directly behind the intercooler. It might have to stay where it is for fitment purposes.

Ok great - I just wanted to make sure it was not related to the fitment of the IC. I intended them to bolt right up. Good luck with the build boss. Looking great so far.

Thanks man. Sorry about all the shipping changes/messages etc... getting packages at work can be tricky.

Good news: Innovate warrantied my mtx-l so it should be here soon. Yay.

Now I will hook up my dimming capabilities:
Also, you can take it from the back of the dimmer knob, same red/black wire goes there.

Pretty much anything in the interior that is backlit when the lights are on will have a red/black wire and a red wire going to it. The red/black is the switched +12, the red is the variable closure to ground through the dimmer knob. FYI- they're not using a rheostat, it's PWMed.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1363317934

Perfect for doing away with the tan lower dash. I used it on my lower dash in V8 Miata to great success. Mine was black but scratched up.

Have also used it on typical faded silver-looking black seats - right on the fabric. Nice black color that didn't come off.

Nice build thread so far.

Would that work on carpet? Any lingering smell?

I too used that stuff on interior panels with great succes

Panels are fine, I just want to change the carpet color.

I'm not sure if it would work on carpet. One thing to try -and you can test it under the seat to see if it takes - at the grocery store or drug store they will sell little bottles of dye - commonly they will have RIT brand. It's really cheap and because it's a dye there is no build-up so it can't rub off. Try it under the seat first if you want to test it.

EDIT:

I just did a quick search and boom, there it is. Writeup on another forum.

Dying your carpet with Rit dye - DSM Forums

Brilliant!

Ok, wideband is back in and now has dimming for night time eye comfort. Car is pretty much retuned to the larger injectors.

Time to get rid of parts I won't be using anymore.

My exhaust system is sold to a member here on MT so I got that off and ready ASAP. I got slowed down by this
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1364100545
PO had stripped the nut. Now I admit that I made it worse trying to get it off, but come on... how do you strip a nut and not get a replacement? At least it was in the easiest spot to get to. I had a friend bring over a nut extractor (def adding a set of those to my tool box) and it was off in minutes. Exhaust system is boxed up and will be shipped on Tues
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1364100545

As I was taking the header off I noticed that I was missing the port on the block where most 94 owners can add an oil supply line for the turbo. It turns out that this replacement engine is a newer year and thus does not have the port. A quick call to Begi got my order corrected and the appropriate oil fittings will be sent with the kit which should go out on Monday. Note: it did not go out on Monday.

Looking good man. I wish ARP made a stud set.

Spent a little time today figuring out IC piping. Got GM IAT sensor in the core and had to adjust it to get it to fit... damn AC lines. I'm not even sure that thing works, hopefully it just needs a recharge.

Cold side to TB was a bit challenging. Seems like some people get a 99 TB to get rid of the clutter of TPS and IAC. I chose to simply go over and around them, hoping to combine a 90 with a 45 and mimic the Begi hard pipe that I see in their install manual.

Hot side looks fun, trying to eyeball and guesstimate where the piping will run once everything is in place. I used Soviets build thread as a guide to general shape and size, and ordered a few extra pieces so I will hopefully be able to knock it out and not have to place a second order.

Piping, fittings, clamps etc came to just over $300. We'll see how well I did once the kit is on.

In other news, the kit should be here Thurs but will be missing the snail, as it is being ceramic coated still. I expected about 6 weeks from order to delivery, but this is running a bit long. Oh well... the weather hasn't fully turned yet, I've been working a lot of OT and I'm playing bass in two bands right now, so there's not much time to wrench on the car anyway.

Here's my attempt at piping connecting to my TB
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1365202028
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1365202028

You can just barely see where I clearanced the plastic support of the fan nearest the TB to allow room for the 90 silicone elbow. I may get a set of slim fans, and if I do that I'll just get an upgraded radiator.

More homemade piping
[IMG]http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr349/taifighter/temporary-7.jpg[/IMG
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1365202227
Attachment 185586

The 90 off the core has to be shortened about 2in, to allow the tire enough clearance to move without hitting the piping.

The rest is just a pipe w/SSQV flange. I think it'll reach just fine but I haven't made any permanent connections yet.

I just found a receipt in a box from Begi informing me of a back ordered turbo, which I knew about, but the model is the 2860 not the 2560 that I had ordered.

I'm wondering if I should use the potato or send it back and wait (again) for a 2560 to be prepped and sent. 2560 v 2860 research in three... two... one...

Cold side piping complete

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1365395230
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1365395230

Tapped the pan. Looks pretty damn good.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1365395328

Got manifold temped up, no thanks to the PITA egr tube
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1365395328

I understand this to be the 'new' way that Begi is doing the lower radiator hoses
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1365395460

Quick trip to the parts store and it was all finished up
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1365395460

Got turo and DP on after having to cut away the lip and lift up the motor.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1365645870

Making gaskets
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1365645870

Just waiting to do oil supply line. Why wait? Cuz trying to remove the oil pressure sending unit is fucking re-tard-ed. It's impossible to get to. 1 sandwich plate ordered to get around the problem.

Don't you have a 94 block?

There is a capped off oil supply on just the head on the block next to the bellhousing. Look it up.

Nope, the block was changed and its not got that port. It also has the huge oil pressure sending unit instead of the small one.

I just re-read what i wrote. I need to stop posting at 3:30 when i wake up because it makes no sense. haha

making gaskets?


you're fail.

at least he's putting that one at the end of the dp where it doesn't matter much.

if he put one of those between the turbo/mani or turbo/dp then he'd truly fail

'splain?

we're not the gasket using sort of folk around here.

They are unnecessary if you're flanges are flat and true. They will just fail eventually, regardless

I guess we'll see what happens. My biggest concern is the way Begi attaches the DP to the cat with that pliable exhaust band clamp... doesn't seem tight enough.

explain?