Oh yeah. A/C is gone now too. Everything but the evaporator. Based on how much the condenser weighs it doesn't seem worth the trouble.

Oil cooler upgrade time. Rivnuts are awesome but either I suck at installing them, or it's worth paying $60 for the tool. In the process of installing 12 of them I've gone through 8 bolts and trashed 5 rivnuts. Some of them are expanding at an angle and I can't figure out why.

Top bracket will be mounted once I get the ducting sides cut and mounted. Using 1/8" ABS which will be bolted to the frame with holes drilled through for 90* brackets which then get bolted to the top aluminum angle.

So far I'm pretty happy with how it's turned out, for once something is I built looks like it did in my head. Only concern is the flexibility of 1/16" angle, it felt much stiffer in the store. Rebuilding it with 1/8" is going to suck.

Bracket
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1397272208

Driver's side lower mount
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1397272208

Passenger's side lower mount
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1397272208

View from above
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1397272208

Been a while since I've posted anything. Passengers now enjoy the same creature comforts as I do. Harnesses and race seats for all. It only took Ultrashield 11 weeks to ship my seat. I know it was a bad time to order it, but seriously that is ridiculous.

Added a Home Depot Racing catch can / separator to the PCV line. So far it's stayed empty which is a little surprising since the intake clearly shows evidence that oil was running through the line previously. I need to take the manifold apart and clean it out to determine if this is actually doing any good.

No pics because I am lazy and y'all know what these things look like.

I spent the weekend in at Heartland Park in Topeka with NASA. Awesome event, they did a fantastic job keeping us entertained. Friday night was drag night and there was an 8.2 second RX-7. That thing is a serious beast.

Saturday started off really well, my phone decided it wasn't going to charge via USB or the car dock. 3 different cables and 2 different cars. Thought I had Shadow Dash logging in the background but apparently not. Fortunately it randomly decided to charge again before the 2nd session. Apparently lots of Galaxy Nexus owners have had this problem.

Sessions 2 and 3 were completely wasted. 3rd lap on session 2 and I blew a charge pipe coupler. 2nd lap of session 3 I blew the off a different coupler that was compromised to ensure the first issue didn't reoccur. Fucking awesome.

The gods of racing took pitty and allowed for a full 4th session, MS hiccup be damned. Bask in my glory of sloppy driving.



Day 2 was much better, lost only half a session all day long. We ran the full 2.5 mile course on Sunday and it was awesome.

Picture time! These are from Heartland Park a few weeks ago.

Parking next to a Corvette sure does make a Miata look tiny.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1404427434

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1404427434

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1404427434

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1404427434

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1404427434

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1404427434

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1404427434

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1404427434

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1404427434

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1404427434

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1404427434

So I had lots of problems keeping charge piping together at HPT. Lost 45 minutes of track time because of it. Something had to be done.

Dad busted out the stick welder and made this for me. I did a really bad job of explaining how it worked but once it was done it made perfect sense. Works great too. Only took a few minutes to bead all the new piping.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1404429229

This section right here was my nemesis at HPT. Lost the IC side first, even though I've run for several years with no bead on that pipe. Then after compromising the upstream joint in an effort to make it stay attached at the IC, I lost it next. Lost the IC side again late in a session on Sunday. New piping all stayed together for a weekend of fun at Hallett.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1404429229

This is where I first realized, though should have known, the turbo outlet is 1.5" and the crossover pipe expands to 2". Couldn't find a 1.5" to 2.5" elbow so the stock 90 was reused and another joint added for a straight reducer.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1404429229

I did the exact same thing except I used 2.25" piping up to a 2.5" reducer at the IC. Where'd you find the molding for the hole your IC piping goes through? I bought a bigger coupler and just threw it there over the pipe.

We replaced ours too but I machined the adapter from aluminum instead of trying to do it with a coupler.

Vacuum tubing spit down one side. Bought a 50' spool from Amazon for cheap and use it for everything. 2.5" is very much overkill but I figured since the IC was 2.5" why not run it all the way.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1404486884

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1404486884

Damn that looks good. I'm only 5 hours away, how about you bring that welder up and I'll buy the pizza and beer.

I feel like we gained lots of throttle response from replumbing. Just seat of the pants of course. Best part is we lost almost 10lbs. We are going to do the other side of the intercooler after we finish the intake manifold project.

By the way what kind of times are you running at Hallett?

1:30 2 weeks ago on 205 Rivals and the new pavement. Disappointing since I had a 1:29 a couple years ago on 225 RS3 and I'd like to think I'm a better driver now. Are you going to Miatas@Hallett in September?

Either it's time for a new turbo or someone installed intake and exhaust oil injection ports while I wasn't looking.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1411086792

Something is missing here...

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1411099517

Oh, yes, this little guy.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1411099517

Where did you find it? Hopefully in your intercooler?

Stuck in the compressor housing, it was very slightly wedged in the fins and came loose soon as I started to spin and prod the wheel.

I'm looking at a few options now. Leaning towards a 2560 and keeping it in the sweet spot of <250hp/tq, or possibly a 2871 and trying to keep boost low enough to not bend rods. Built motor is not in the budget right now.

With that I'm either going FM MSM kit which includes oil/water lines to match stock locations (super easy install) or ARTech Axial and figuring out my own plumbing (performance ftw!). 3" exhaust as either a complete package or adapting to my existing Corksport cat-back and removing that stupid MSM-only dip at the dp/mp joint.

I really like the idea of a 2560 for awesome spool now and upgrading to a 2871 down the line when the motor can be rebuilt. A 300hp street monster and 250hp reliable track beast is very enticing.

I'm in the same boat. I'm feeling the FM setup pretty good. Just cause I'm slightly lazy.

Awesome MSM!

It's expensive, especially once you upgrade to a 3" exhaust. But oh so easy and complete. FM kit will install in an afternoon, diy will take me weeks trying to find and get parts. It's the oil and water lines I really want, I think those will be the hardest to source. What turbo are you going with?

Thanks!