Decided to post my project to get some help/feedback and give you guy's another noob to laugh at maybe. The original plan was to add FI to my 1993 Mariner Blue project, but it has been dragging on due to home upkeep, “emergency” projects, and cold weather in upstate NY keeping me from working in my un-insulated shop.







Tired of waiting to experience FI life I decided to upgrade my 1995 M Edition, at first I wanted to keep it “original”, but the previous owner had made some changes, including a loud/boomy dual exhaust, interior appearance package (stick on pearl stuff along doors and center console, and aftermarket stereo with amp located behind the drivers seat). The amp was removed immediately and a slim one was located in the package tunnel behind the spare donut and eventual replaced the exhaust with something much quieter without rasp. After reading a ton of posts on MT and other forums I got the bug and started doing more less invasive upgrades, Tecna coil-overs, Flowforce MSPNP2 (micro PNP?), long tube headers and gutted the MAF leaving only the AIT. I managed to get the idle tuned and used autotune for the rest of the VE table, overall the butt dyno noticed a difference from the as purchased state. I got involved with the Nutmeg Miata Club in CT, attended several tech days and their autox day at LRP and had a blast.



Goals are ~200WHP on the stock internals and reliability for street and some autox. Learn how to tune FI.

 

I started purchasing parts around March, everything except the turbo kit because “The shipment is overdue, so we hope to have stock soon” I opted for the Link MX5 PNP over a MS3 variant.



Upgrade plans start with tuneup, including timing belt, water pump, front crank, cam valve cover seals, fluid damper.













Once complete went for a test drive to ensure timing was good and then dived into the fuel system. I found the typical house mouse, I believe this was how it was when I purchased it because my fuel gauge never went below E and the yellow wire appeared to have one strand still intact and during winter storage I place a bucket of moth ***** under the fuel tank area to keep them out. I hate those little bastards, some one should start a rent a barn cat app or something.

 

Installed the fuel pump wiring upgrade kit and replaced the old fuel hose with Gates Barricade SAE 30R14T2. Started up to verify everything worked and no fuel leaks. The rewire kit I got from FM is very nice, but the ground and power wires are too long and the trigger wire is too short to allow me to mount the relay where I would like, I just followed the instruction and zip tied it down for now, I will probably fuss with it once the everything else in up and running well.

 

I keep doing everything incremental because if I mess something up I can assume it is related to the last project. Up next is replacing the remaining fuel lines, installing the ethnol content and fuel pressure sensors. Based on the space aviable in the engine bay I’m thinking of installing the ECS at the fuel filter or possibly at the fuel sender, but that space is cramped and prone to rodent issues.

Here are my current plans for wiring up the sensors.









The kit arrived a few days ago, they do pack these very well

 

Looks like a good start so far. Which turbo kit are you looking at getting? FM I assume?

 

Yep FM, I was considering Kraken but opted for a more complete bolt on kit. I enjoy fabrication but I’m not quick enough for my current patience level. Also I think the cost of kraken kits went up because tariffs and the only apparent usa based dealer does not have a good reputation in this and other forums.

 

You'd want an Aux out for your EBC, not an AN volt. You can use both wires for the FPR solenoid.

 

Thank you very much!
Will this work?

 

Yes that’ll work. Or use both pins from the solenoid like a mentioned. You should be getting boost reference from the intake side, post intercooler/pre throttle body anyways.

 

Any recommendations? I think I remember seeing some threads here where people sourced a flanged barb that had a washer and threads in the barbed side. Drill a hole in the silicone hose, insert the fitting from the inside then washer and nut on the outside. Anyone know what this fitting is called so I can find one? Or any other ideas?

 

This sounds like what you're describing. https://www.siliconeintakes.com/liqu...gs-p-9697.html

That said, I prefer to put weldbungs on aluminum IC tubing, and have the least amount of silicone couplers possible in my systems.

 

That's right, the FM intercooler pipes are all silicone huh. I think they have an aluminum coupler below the throttle body elbow, that's where I'd pull them apart a bit, weld a 1/8npt bung, and add a hose barb there. Don't let me over complicate it though, if you don't have easy access to a competent aluminum TIG welder, it's not necessary. You'll just see benefits described best in this thread:

https://www.miataturbo.net/diy-turbo...eed-ebc-47532/

FYI this method will increase the length of your intercooler pipe slightly, because I believe they're made to otherwise butt up against each other. In general, I'd be prepared to shorten some of the silicone pipes anyways, they tend to come a bit long.

 

You guys are right, I will do it the right way. I can tig steel so so, but don't have the gas or experience for aluminum, so to ebay I go to get a prefabbed one for 30 bucks and might be here soonish.

 

Loose Belt?

Installing the ECU and extra wiring was easy once the dash was pulled, glad I did it because it gave me a chance to clean up a nest of wiring that a PO made installing a car alarm. Added some sound deadening and insulation to help with hot foot.



Got the Link into the original ecu case, of course I forgot to move the jumper over to the 1.8L location after reinstalling the cover.





After correcting that and reinstalling the cover I noticed the connector was crooked in the case, took the cover back off and finally noticed a relief in the mounting surface where a heat sink is located on the OEM ECU, as I loosened that mounting screw I could see the new board was flexing as well, 3 small washers straightened that out.


Got all the sensors installed, located the ECS on the supply at the fuel filter and ran the wiring up into an existing hole in the right tunnel area, drilled a hole in the existing grommet to pass through.




The 10 bar flue pressure sensor is just hanging out on the hose. Think it will be OK, or should I mount it to the engine?

Slowly getting there



Sunday I took a break and went to Cars and Coffee at Palmer Motorsports Park in Massachusetts, this is my second time there, $35 gets you 5 parade laps. Definitely getting the bug, I hope to attend one of their HPDE classes with a track provided rental car.

This was probably funest car at the meet.

 

Don't let getting old and gray stop you from enjoying the car hobby. Lots of us old farts still out there seeing how much junk we can tear up lol....