Budget Turbo Setup?
 

I just bought a 1991 1.6 miata and promptly pulled the motor to fix an oil pump leak and a rear main seal leak. I've been looking at some budget turbo setups and I just need some advice for how to get there. I need to do it on the cheap as I am a student, but with that being said I dont mind dishing some money out in places to make things reliable. I'll make a list of parts and I just want to know how cheaply they can be had

I'd like to,

buy a cheap used t25 (or Ebay?)
ebay cast log manifold
Find a used fmic off local classifieds
ebay or used ic piping
ebay lines
diy megasquirt (lots of soldering experience)
rx8 yellow injectors

what's a good option for a cheap Downpipe?

you gon learn today

Oh boy here we go. Im already smiling :drama:

Unfortunately, you bought the wrong car.

You will need to spend 800 or $1,000 on a 1.8 rear differential and Axle shafts and driveshaft. The 1.6 diffs often fail at stock power.

The next big expense you cannot live without is a megasquirt ECU. Figure a bargain-basement unit will be about $400 up to build yourself. You will also need to purchase a wideband oxygen sensor at about $200.

Then you'll need a stronger clutch because the 1.6 clutches do not handle any boost at all. And the cheap ones on eBay don't work. Figure 300 to $450.

You will need injectors. Even used ones will have to be cleaned and tested so you don't blow up your only motor so figure 300 to $500. The eBay RX-8 injectors are almost all fakes and not 550cc.

I almost forgot, you will need a variable throttle position sensor since the 1.6 cars don't have one. Figure about 40 bucks for the modification.

Now you are ready for boost parts. They are by far the cheapest portion of your build. Anybody can figure those out on their own so I won't bother.

Noob to Noob, you dun fucked up.

:bowrofl:

No such thang as a cheap turbo build. well, at least one that works reliably. and doesnt blow up the car.

and as said, starting from a 1.6L car, puts you in a big disadvantage.

for a basic 150hp setup, you might be ok with stock clutch and diff for a street car, beyond this, at a minimum you need a 1.8L diff and 1.8L clutch and flywheel.

Minimum to have a working turbo car is $2000-3000, do you have this kind of budget?

I hope this isn't your only car. Mine was down for two weeks just getting the parts I needed that I didn't know I needed until I was trying to get it done.

They've become self-aware :rofl:

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...72704fedd6.gif

I like this guy. He's n00b of the week

Is there a way to get him a "noob of the week" image under his name where it says proud supporter or something

I'll take that title hahaha. I have to start somewhere right? And no it isnt my only car its staying in the garage for the winter. I often get lost in my dreams when buried in homework, and these things seem more attainable than they truly are. Guess I need to stop moonlighting and create a better plan.

thanks!

Also mines the vicious lsd, is that just as bad at handling power?

VLSD's are wear items. Considering the newest one is from 1993, essentially all VLSD's are open nowadays. They are also just as weak as 1.6 open diffs, they will break, it's a matter of when, not if.

You seem like the kind of guy who only has friends on the internet.

Not even here. As you can see :cry:

This is true, he banned his very last friend today.

18psi and 0 balls

You come into his forum and disrespect his family?

:laugh:

Hey 18, is that gonna be a duo today?

:drama:

I'm just butthurt dude

To any new viewers, you're witnessing my initiation roast!

put some vasoline on there and quit crying, it will eventually stop hurting so much

https://youtu.be/Fc04_XHDoKQ
Just go watch this and stop making fun of me

Speaking of which, I just because a supporter 3 minutes ago. This site is easily worth half of one night's drunk taco bell budget a month :likecat:

I just watched that video.

I now have mesothelioma and should be entitled to compensation.

Initiation implies that you'll be staying a while

I don't think that's what you meant

​​​​​​Or that's when you know you have permanent nerve damage lol .

slick

Summation of this thread in 71 seconds:

I can shorten that for you.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ee389af66a.gif

While l I have everybody's attention my oil pan gasket came in the mail today and I thought it was supposed to be two Half Moon gaskets that go on the front and back and some rtv but this one is one piece that goes all the way around the sealing surface, should I toss this and just get the half Moons? Dont want anymore seepage

Yes, toss it and get OEM half moons +
Not necessary, but I love this tool. No more hand cramps from applying RTV:

Do you also use it for hemmeroid creams and toothpaste?

Level mx5 burn right there ^^^

Noob checking in, stick around and you will learn through the power of online bullying.


Check out my build thread. I asked the same questions. Got the same replies. In short, 18psi is right in that to do a turbo build correctly on a 1.6 you will need to spend more. the 1.8 diff is non-negotiable, the 1.6 diffs are known to fail at STOCK POWER. I'm in the market for one but as long as you are boosted with the stock diff, be prepared to call a tow truck at any given moment.

All I needed to read was "7 months the then I'm off to college for 3 years" to know that turbo is a bad choice right now.

wait until after college. You are inviting a nightmare and a huge waste of money otherwise. IMO

If you are asking how to do a DIY budget turbo setup, you don't know enough to do a DIY budget turbo setup. Though you are closer than a lot of people we have show up here. Keep reading, follow the formula and all will be good.

The quickest way to totally change how your NA6 feels is to put in an ECU and tune it nice.

You can get a 1.8 open with shaft and axles for $350 or less. Though so far my 1.6 diff has held up to 145rwhp for two years and my friends put up with 180 for three. If a tow home isn't a huge deal, just fix it when it breaks. Noone is gonna cry over a toasted 1.6 rear end.

They listed a DIY Megasquirt in their list.

Clutch I agree with. Mine held a whole 3psi...

Injectors, just go flow force.

You don't need the VTPS to tune. MapDot works just fine for accell enrichment.

:cry: Reported for cyberbullying.

I'm dying


OP, no matter what it's gonna be rough because as others have mentioned you're starting from what many here consider to be the "wrong car." But as someone who did it anyway and still enjoys their car, all I can say is follow Sixshooter's first comment and if you can afford to do all that and learn to do it correctly then it shouldn't be too hard to finish from there. Or just read constantly while you save up more money.

Solid posting, A+ Noob

If you've not turbo'd a car before, don't rush it. If you're trying to keep the budget down without sacrificing quality, its going to take a while to gather your parts. Rushing a build is only asking for problems that are going to take more time and money later to fix. Do the megasquirt first, learn how it works, collect parts along the way, read everything on the board.

my plan was never to rush it, I was just checking if I had a good idea of everything I'd need. Which it seems like excluding a clutch I pretty well do. I would want to be at a pretty conservative power level at first, so the diff is something I can worry about later. I'm an electronics student and for my final project I'm designing my own afr gauge so that's why I didnt include that in my list.

I'll do the megasquirt first, and then hoard some parts over the course of the next year or two. I just wanted to make sure I had a good idea of what I needed so when I find a good deal I can jump on it.

I know it would have been ideal to start with a 1.8, but the reality is it isnt really easy to find a miata where I live period, so this is what I have.

I will learn along the way, it's not like I have all these items in an ebay cart ready to check out, and doing it on a "budget" does not mean I want to cut corners. I just want to save money where I can.

1) People have said multiple times that the stock diff on a 1.6 will fail at stock power levels...which is like 75 hp.
2) You have stated that you'll replace the diff later because you'll start out at conservative power levels...implying that you're confident it will not fail at whatever power level you intend to achieve initially.
3) The only logical conclusion from this is that your target initial power is less than stock.

The stock 1.6 diff CAN fail at stock power levels. If you do clutch dumps with sticky tires and such.

Mine has been humming along at over 140rwhp for the last two years (up to 180, pushing for 200 soon, I don't expect it to last much longer).

I don't see why everyone is so upset someone.might blow up their diff that noone cares about and need a tow home?

Would ban just for mentioning RX8 yellows, personally.

Haha, that seems excessive.

In my defense, they're real RX8 injectors, and when I got them, they were considered an acceptable choice.

I like how we're discussing the parts he'll break with a setup that's little more than a wet dream

We don't even know tha OP isn't a 5 year old Nigerian prince that came here to solicit us

#FAKEBUILD

Ive seen this made-up word used a lot lately. please allow me to clarify:

Cool. Lets see you not make typos on a phone keyboard.

A internet grammar cop who has bad grammar.

I'm assuming you're not using "Ive" in its suffix form. If you're using it as a contraction for "I have" then there must be an apostrophe between the letters I and V.

This is true, the only miata I actually own is a dinky car.

ive nava seen n00ne use a gr33dy kit on a yata'

n00ne

ama take dat as a sign of disrespec

Not you, silly. OP.

I kinda like you and Ive been drinking so ima take a stab at it

buy a cheap used t25 (or Ebay?)- sure
ebay cast log manifold- yup
Find a used fmic off local classifieds- an intercooler isnt a front mount until you.... mount it. Read this if youre trying to be a cheap ass like myself https://www.miataturbo.net/diy-turbo...tercool-83180/
ebay or used ic piping- look at mine or aidandj intercooler routing, its less than $100
ebay lines- buy some hose, buy some ends, make them. Or hit up MKturbo
diy megasquirt (lots of soldering experience)- yes, do this first
rx8 yellow injectors- gtfo with that cancer, flowforce or diy flowforce or dont turbo your car. (or id1ks, or really an ev14 injector that meets flow needs)

what's a good option for a cheap Downpipe- your mom.

Yeah...I figured that out right after I posted :-P

I agree, though, get flowforce. It's not that much more monies, and much more betterer everything else.