Crazy Grandpa

I am getting the BEGi DIY for someone to install. Trying to save some money - that I do not have.

At this time I am ok with 175 whp. So I thought that with the KOYO 53mm and a coolant reroute and a MEGASQUIRT I might be ok. - i.e. no early engine death.

If my assumption is correct, how many hours would it take to complete a coolant reroute and costs of parts needed.

Am I getting over my head???

concealer404

iTrader: (3)

Probably not necessary for a street car.

Re-route is $250-$350 for the off the shelf kits. Couple hours of shitty work due to close proximity to firewall.

Crazy Grandpa

Thanks It will be "on" the track most of the time. What might be a safe boost and afr with that set up.

concealer404

iTrader: (3)

On track? Then yeah, i'd do a re-route.

Safe boost? Don't know. Bit of a meaningless question without far more information.

AFRs, i try and stay in the 11.8-12.2:1 range. I'm told that max power is probably in the 12.5:1 range depending on tune and blah blah blah but i don't run bleeding edge in my cars.

Crazy Grandpa

Thanks for the info. I will never go over 12.0:1.

hornetball

iTrader: (4)

I'd do the reroute whether track or street. About 20K into my install, managed to crack my block at #4 when I got over-enthusiastic without warming up the engine. I'd like to say that if I had a reroute, that original block would still be alive. Maybe, maybe not.

The MT.net standard reroute is the BEGI spacer, GM truck hose and Kia waterneck. Good pics of mine in the build thread for the Silver car. The spacer is the most expensive part at ~$90 new. Total cost of these parts (all new) is around $125. I always install with the engine pulled -- which makes it easy. Installing with the engine in and the limited space in the back looks like a real pain.

I run and track with an OEM auto radiator and no intercooler at ~190HP. No heat issues in TX.

BTW, I'm a crazy Grandpa too!

Full_Tilt_Boogie

iTrader: (1)

I hope you dont actually mean that you will never go over 12.0:1

Seefo

iTrader: (5)

reroute is good. 53mm koyo is probably over kill...but not bad to have margin. I would atleast give 2-3 hours for the reroute if you are doing it inside the car.

Crazy Grandpa

Thanks!

I guess I do not need this then

BEGI Miata Turbo Rear thermostat coolant re-route

Crazy Grandpa

Well, I lost 2 engines due to detonation. I had the FFS on both engines. No one can tell me why I lost the 1st engine. I figure that the $275 timing card failed. The 2nd engine blew up because the Spec Miata shop instructed their Perfect - No Fault Tuner to tune it like a Spec Miata. **** I never knew squat about AFR at that time and figured they should know about that. After the engine blew up, I found out that I an afr of 15.3:1 @ 5,300 rpm was ******* crazy. We both got our lawyers and we both lost.

Nightmares are almost gone.

Seefo

iTrader: (5)

nahhh.

you need this: XL-1215 radiator hose. you cut it, similar to revlimiter's blog post.

then get the spacer from begi. I ended up with a kit with barb fittings and two gaskets I think. Not sure if that's what's in the link, but you can call them (or maybe read the details, could have a list of components).

Then you need the Kia water neck (0K24715172A).

Lastly, I had to extend the wires on my temperature sensor. Not sure if that's dependent on model year of your miata...

revlimiter

iTrader: (1)

And if you're splicing hoses, get one of these inline drain kits from Jegs. Fantastic way to connect two hoses.

hornetball

iTrader: (4)

This is my reroute shopping list:

Spacer ($93): BEGI Rear Thermostat Spacer 1990-2005

Waterneck ($23.50): Miata Thermostat Housing

OEM Thermostat Gaskets x 2 ($3.62 each): GASKET,THERMOSTAT (B621-15-173) - $3.62 - B62115173

Front Waterneck Block-Off ($20): Trackspeed Engineering

Radiator Hose ($15 -- partsgeek.com link provided but get wherever): 05 2005 Cadillac Escalade Radiator Hose - Cooling System - AC Delco, Dayco, Gates, MacKay, Lower, Upper - PartsGeek (Dayco Radiator Hose -- Upper)

Plus some odds and ends. If your thermostat is old, replace it while you're doing this. Look at the condition of your heater hoses and bottom radiator hoses too. I've got a lot of pictures of the reroute I did in my Silver car build thread. I also removed and plugged all those little, annoying coolant lines that run all over the engine and tossed the 1.6L Air Valve (made an aluminum block-off for that). Bottom line, uber-reliable.

BTW, the AFR you should target is much more related to manifold pressure (i.e., boost/vacuum) than it is to RPM. Make sure you are rich in boost. When cruising on the interstate, you can run it lean without worry.

Crazy Grandpa

Thanks, Just sent my order to Stephanie

BrilloHeadBen

Hate to sound like a cheapass, but is there any other option than the BEGI spacer? I get that it's a boutique piece, but that price point seems mighty steep.

EO2K

iTrader: (37)

That depends... do you own or have access to a lathe, drill press, and an assortment of drills and taps? Is the 01-05 MLS headgasket cheaper?

Cooling system is already compromised in the Miata so its probably best to save your shekels until you can do it right with a known working set of parts. Hornet's outline above is the "cheapass reroute" thats proven to work. See my sig about reinventing the wheel.

BrilloHeadBen

Not looking to re-invent the wheel at all, Just wondering if there were any other off the shelf less fancy solutions at a lower price. Since there doesn't seem to be, I'll pay up.

Chilicharger665

iTrader: (2)

Thanks hornet! I have an engine that is due for a T belt change, so I think I will roll all these parts into that job, plus a 94-00 headgasket, since I have an 01.

DNMakinson

iTrader: (3)

The Begi spacer was developed as a joint effort between Begi and many folks from this forum, principally Joe Perez. Then it has been proven by hours of real world use. Hence, other than price, I would be surprised if it were not viewed as the best starting point. Moves the TStat and return to the back of the engine, while pretty much leaving everything else (heater feed, sensor) in their stock locations (functionally).

Being who I am, I may try something else, but I know it will be a risk.

hornetball

iTrader: (4)

If you really want to save money on the spacer, then just keep an eye out for a used one. I scored a used one for my Red car for about $40. In fact . . . I think there's one in the classifieds as we speak (not mine)!