Tony's Build (plus a little turbo porn)
 

I've been lurking here for a few years now. The whole time I've been learning and buying parts. I'm just about ready to start the build. In fact, I've actually already started installing some of the smaller items.

This is list of what I'm installing:

Garrett gt2554 Turbo (pulled from a MazdaSpeed Protege')
e-bay intercooler
older (but unused) FM manifold
older (but also unused) BEGI downpipe
Emanage blue (installed already)
AutoTune (last thing yet to buy)
326 cc injectors (from turbo probe)
BOV (recirculated)
LC-1 Wideban O2 sensor with a G2 gauge
GlowShift boost gauge
and lots of little fittings to get everything to work.

Here are some photos of what I've done so far:

http://www.fat-tonys.net/His/Miata/T...3028-small.JPG
This is a custom panel that started life as a metra install kit. I installed a plastic panel and redrilled the holes in it so that the face of the stereo is flush against the panel.

http://www.fat-tonys.net/His/Miata/T...3029-small.JPG

http://www.fat-tonys.net/His/Miata/T...3034-small.JPG

http://www.fat-tonys.net/His/Miata/T...3034-close.jpg

I like the way the glowshift gauge looks at night, but it is a bit difficult to see the whole thing from the driving angle. I'm thinking about replacing it with an Innovate G2 boost gauge.

http://www.fat-tonys.net/His/Miata/T...3036-small.JPG


Here is some turbo parts porn for those interested.

http://www.fat-tonys.net/His/Miata/T...3041-small.JPG
http://www.fat-tonys.net/His/Miata/T...3045-small.JPG



I'm going to be taking week off at the beginning of June to do the hardware install and start the tune process. I'll try to keep this as updated as possible. Please let me know what you think. If you see me going wrong somewhere, let me know. Thanks for your input.

Tony

What year is your Miata? I'll assume 1.6 for now.

A T-coupler is the easiest way to mount that BOV... and you'll also want to recirculate it. A section of 1" radiator hose will work fine.

I'm not an EMB guy, but do you plan on running an AFPR with this setup. I'm curious as to the max boost you're going to be limited to with those injectors and the capabilities of the EMB.

I like everything I'm seeing so far. I went a very simliar route to you without the EMB... but here's my old build thread. https://www.miataturbo.net/forum/t4455/
It's fairly long, but I cover every single little "thing" that popped up that you just can't anticipate. Have a read through it, might save you some pain.

This is a 94 (obviously that makes it a 1.8). I was already planning on recirculating the BOV. The hardware to do it is one of the last things I need to get.

The EMB is the limiting unit here, but I got it really cheap ($150 with both harnesses) so I went for it. The injectors are about the biggest that the EMB can handle. I think it'll be OK without an AFPR, so that's what I'm doing. I'm only looking to push about 10 psi anyways. I've been lurking here so long, I might have already read your build thread, but I'll look it over again.
Thanks.

Sweet! I was able to install the injectors and make the change to the emanage unit, and the car fired right up. I hope this means that it will idle this smooth when the turbo is installed. Woohoo! Another step down.

Tony

Grats.

I installed MS in 30* weather and couldn't get the mother to start..lol

I had the last week off from work, so I've been working on the turbo install (just like I planned...mostly). I'm happy to say that it started up and idled perfectly the first time. I've not been able to take it out on the road yet, as the front bumper is still disassembled and I still need to fab some sort of heat shield. Here are some pics of the progress I've made so far.

This was right after I disassembled everything. It looks like you have loads of room, but it gets tight quick.
http://www.fat-tonys.net/His/Miata/i...l/IMG_0843.jpg

This is where I hung the IC. I'm proud at how well it's in there. A gorilla could hang off of it.
http://www.fat-tonys.net/His/Miata/i...l/IMG_0847.jpg

I used the BEGI and FM install manuals as a guide and drilled the pan right where they said to. It helped that I was using a BEGI upgraded drain kit.
http://www.fat-tonys.net/His/Miata/i...l/IMG_0850.jpg

The IC piping was probably the most time consuming part of this whole project. Measure, measure, test fit, test fit, test fit, cut...over and over. This is the intake coming off the throttle body.
http://www.fat-tonys.net/His/Miata/i...l/IMG_0853.jpg

This is off the turbo:
http://www.fat-tonys.net/His/Miata/i...l/IMG_0854.jpg

Hot side routing:
http://www.fat-tonys.net/His/Miata/i...l/IMG_0858.jpg

Cold side routing:
http://www.fat-tonys.net/His/Miata/i...l/IMG_0860.jpg

Here the manifold is torqued down but the turbo is only temporarily in to run the oil and water lines.
http://www.fat-tonys.net/His/Miata/i...l/IMG_0862.jpg

turbo in place with the down pipe. Boy, that's tight!
http://www.fat-tonys.net/His/Miata/i...l/IMG_0863.jpg

Oil drain about to be tightened.
http://www.fat-tonys.net/His/Miata/i...l/IMG_0865.jpg

At the same time, I installed an LC-1 WB O2. Here is where I had the cables coming into the passenger compartment.
http://www.fat-tonys.net/His/Miata/i...l/IMG_0868.jpg

I also installed Older Guy's Autotune. Here it is just above the ECU.
http://www.fat-tonys.net/His/Miata/i...l/IMG_0873.jpg

Here is the final IC installation. That thing doesn't move at all.
http://www.fat-tonys.net/His/Miata/i...l/IMG_0871.jpg

This is the cold side pipe going into the throttle body. I had to add a bung for the BOV as well as one to connect to the IAC valve.
http://www.fat-tonys.net/His/Miata/i...l/IMG_0872.jpg

This is the elbow the goes into the turbo compressor. I drilled a couple of holes for the BOV recirc and the valve cover vent.
http://www.fat-tonys.net/His/Miata/i...l/IMG_0874.jpg

This is everything torqued down and installed.
http://www.fat-tonys.net/His/Miata/i...l/IMG_0877.jpg

Now I just need to learn how to tune it!

Wish me luck!

Tony

Kudos for chopping up your own IC pipe, make sure to file the edges smooth and clean 'em out well! ( <--- pointing out the obvious there...)

I realized that during the fab process. After I had the intake all together, I pulled it all apart to smooth an clean everything.

Tony

Nice build. Similar setup to mine, but much cleaner! Just finished my Begi-S install about a month ago and I'm running an EMB as well. Couple things you may want to consider:

You will want an AFPR and a Walbro 190 HP fuel pump eventually. I have 330cc injectors, a Begi RRFPR, and a newly discovered weak fuel pump (holds 80psi until 4K rpms, can only push 55psi by redline) and my duty cycles are at 85% at redline (though my tune is quite rich and would probably be closer to 75% if I tuned it better). At 7.5 psi, I saw duty cycles hit 100% and had to turn the boost down. You won't be able to push 10 psi at stock fuel pressures. 5-6psi max I would guess.

The fuel pump is the only thing holding me back from 10psi+.

Also, do you have a MAP sensor wired into the EMB? I wired my GM 3 Bar into the TPS input and it's working great.

You might find your wideband being a bit useless down there to look at while doing a pull. Might want to think about that.

Actually, both gauges are fairly useless down there for anything other than a quick reference. But, that's all I'll be using them for anyways. If and when I'm looking to do any real work with the gauge signals, I'll log it. I have a greddy pressure sensor connected to the boost port on the EMB. It seems to be working well with the base tune I got from Bruce when I bought my Autotune. I definitely have to learn to tune it better.


Tony