Do-overs?
 

Saw this mentioned in another thread.

Armed with what you know now, what would you have done differently with your setup from day one?

Example:
I wouldn't have bothered with my 2.5" exhaust and would gotten 3" from the beginning.
I wouldn't have bothered with a bipes/fpr setup and would have gone straight for megasquirt.

I think this might be a useful thread for the noobs to steer them away from the temptation to make quick cheap decisions instead of the right ones.

shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit, i dunno when the list would end...

-would do MS stock and then boost once sorted
-would go with the herd and stay away from Tial BOV

lots of things really, but no regrets just knowledge for next time!

I would have asked a certain injector cleaning outfit to make extra sure none of my injectors were leaky.

:)

I wish I had not ignored everything that had to do with turbo's while I was researching and building a SC setup. Cause I never finished the SC setup and then had to "start over" and learn everything I could about turbos. In short, don't distract yourself with a SC for any reason. Turbo FTW.

And if you have moddest power goals, get high ohm injectors and MS1 to control them. I got MS2 and low ohm injectors and come to find out MS2 doesn't like to fire them. It works, but not well. Should have got high ohm injectors since they're only 550s.

Would have built a 1.8L when I first blew my motor.

Would have bought a +94 when I crashed last year.

you mean two SCers ;)

:cool: It would have been potent for a SC setup. It might find itself on a 94' one day.

If I hadn't wasted money and time on all kinds of parts that I ended up taking off, I wouldn't know as much as I know. Experience translates to knowledge. As far as a recommendation for somelike like a Newb, I'd say...only buy quality parts. Stay away from e-bay, and only buy from FM or BEGI. If someone was installing a turbo, I'd say, get a BEGI "S" series kit with a GT2560 for a 90-97 and run MS. For a '99 on up I'd go the Hydra route and get the FMII complete kit. I'd also say, stay away from anything like a voo-doo box or a Zoom3, install a FMU that you can run more than 8psi on, cause you'll want to run it eventually. Do one thing at a time, cause it makes things a lot easier to troubleshoot.

stay away from a voodoo box eh? I just bought one from you:)
haha, im just messin with ya man, I know exactly what I bought. its strictly till I get the car running and sorted....then it comes off for something worthy

i just would have bought a cleaner car to start with and 94-95

I wouldn't have searched high and low for the best possible buy on used parts that sometimes turned out to be junk. I would have bought exactly what I wanted new or near new from reliable sellers. I wasted a lot of time and money settling for what I could get used, at the time I convinced myself I needed it. I wouldn't be happy and I'd end up buying and installing yet another used part that again wasn't exactly what I wanted.

Lot's of stuff (particularly suspension parts) it didn't pay to be cheap.

S4 or 5, yeah.

I'm gonna put a BIG +1 to this comment. I'm lucky that, for the most part, I didn't get screwed on used parts. But I did a couple times. Thankfully they weren't expensive parts. But more and more frequently I read where somebody bought a used turbo and it wasn't what the seller said it was, or it has shaft play, or it's supposedly "rebuilt" but then it fails, etc.

My best theory is if it moves, buy it new. Or course there are exceptions. I bought a new (not rebuilt) turbo. But I bought it second hand to save some money. Really, the only thing used I bought was a manifold (took my chances but it looks good) and a clutch. Wish I had bought a new clutch, but I got a deal on it so I figured if it was bad I wouldn't be out too much. But now I need a TOB and pilot bearing, and an alignment tool. So add in the cost of those parts, and I get closer and closer to the cost of a new one that would have included these essential parts.

oh yeah, i wouldn't of let this happen:




or this:

http://boostedmiata.com/blown_engine/pistons.jpg



or this:

http://boostedmiata.com/blown_engine..._piston001.JPG

Actually, I like the badaids for low boost. I don't have to worry about cold starts, or any of that crap.

And I also wish I would of left the 2 1/2 inch exhaust. For a race car,,,, 3" all the way. But for a DD I would prefer something that I can hear the radio in.

But I did go ms from the start for my higher boost car. I know this sounds bad. But I would of hooked up the turbo and bandaids I had instead of waiting months of fun saving for mspnp. I thought it would take me a month. Everything kept coming up.


It isn't that hard to tune MS, You just have to find a abandoned road or parking lot, and slowly work your way into it. AND NOT FLOOR IT TO THE BOOST YOU WANT! FIRST TIME OUT. You work your way there.

Buy the name brand stuff. If you are planning on spending $1300 on a diy, I would buy begi S kit.

I'd buy a fucking kit with a working turbo.

BUt...whatever, I learned a lot.

I would have sold the miata & purchased a S2000 & turbocharge or supercharge it.

I also would have done a 3" to begin with instead of a 2.5" exhaust. Still sportin the 2.5" right now.

Other than that, I'm extremely pleased with my setup.

Ooh, other than I should have gotten an ACT instead of cheaping out and getting the Ebay F1 clutch.

I would have built up on a nicer car, would have spent more time looking for the right car to buy at first. would not have put $800 carillo rods in a motor that is going with a car I am about to sell for around $1000.

V8 Swap

Would've gone with Absurd Flow and diy the rest if I had the know how that I do now. But I didn't so I don't really have any regrets.

keep it coming guys, this thread is great. I am just starting my turbo install, and lots of good advice here.

Never would have bothered with the emanage or with retrofitting an NA cas once I went with the MS.

I saw them before. Broken ring lands suck!!!:cry:

I would have built a motor(didnt realize how cheap belfab is) rather than the faster(time wise), mildly cheaper crate option

I would have looked longer for a car thats already sorted, projects are fun, leaky rain rails that lead to rust are not.

I would have done an NB.

No big do-overs here, just small things. 25% of the parts that I buy never make it on the car, I either change my mind before installing them or install it and decide "nah" and sell them. The only big regret I have is buying my actual Miata. I was younger and didn't know anything about buying cars, has a lot of rust that showed up later that I now have to fix. Should have shopped around more.

Do over list:

-Not spent 10 + hours pulling the original loom and computer out of an MX5, and then later deciding on MS
-Get a MS way waaaay earlier
-Focus on modding one thing instead of trying to be the man and mod engine, chassis turbo, steering, paint, etc etc
-Not be a cheap ass all the time by trying and to rangi up homemade parts.

I have no regrets with how I have done my build. Although I often wish I would have chosen an older Porsche to build instead of the Miata.

paid begi to install
3" downpipe
maybe kept the 1.6...we'll see after tuning.

I'll take that 1.9 with 99 head off your hands if it helps.

I see this thread as being required reading for us noobs. I hope more of the vetrans chime in. Anybody else got parts regrets while I'm editing my build parts list?

+1


I built my car with knowledge gained from here and from other auto-projects, but all the mistakes I made were definately worth it. You can tell someone a million times that the stove is hot, but they won't truly know unless they burn themselves on it.
Methinks no one will heed any warning you give them ;p

But, I would have:

bought NEW intercooler piping/intercooler/turbo instead of a used one. Although everything worked perfectly, save for a needed rebuild, I eventually replaced it with what I really wanted, versus what I wanted at the time.
And because I wanted it to look prettier :)

Not regrets, no mistakes. <knock on wood>

Except for being hosed on downpipes, twice by members on this forum and once by Begi to be exact, none of which I had control over; thats the only thing im really pissed about.

Wouldn't have spent so much on an SR20 T25 that ended up needing a rebuild.
Parallel MS install instead of standalone. Not sure why I even chose standalone, seems like an unnecessary pain in the ass.
Wish I hadn't settled on KYB shocks, not that it is turbo related.
Biggest of all, I wish I hadn't rebuilt a stupid 1.6, should have just rebuilt a 1.8.
I'll have more once I get to my install i'm sure.

Look for a better base car vs. someone elses ex-project to start. Never use a blitz BOV on anything again and to kick anyones ass for trying to sell one to anyone. Should have boosted the car the second day i got it instead of waiting over a year. just so much wasted fun time :( /cry

Would have gotten full refund for the hosed turbo I bought, rather than a partial refund and the parts. Also, would have saved longer for a real IC setup. Still looking, if anybody has something ;)

???
I've been using one since Jan. '07 with no issues, so have many other people.

Don't really have any do-overs I can think of. Got the car when it was already pretty well sorted, just did a lot of things that I wanted.
Now it's completely taken apart and I'm building the engine and drivetrain up to be exactly the way I want instead of the stock engine and older FMII kit.
Forged rods, tri-coated pistons, MSM MBSP and oil pan, lightly worked '99 head swap with Supertech valves and viton seals, BEGi log manifold and downpipe, GT2871R, 6-speed, cryo'd 3.636 rear gears (coupled with the Cusco 1.5way LSD that was already installed).
Still have to decide whether I want to do the FM intercooler kit or just a DIY kit, trying to keep the amount of failure points down is tough with the DIY route.
And hopefully BEGi will get their new turbo intake manifold done in time for me to put it all back together.

Please elaborate.

it hasn't happened yet, but i have a feeling before long I'll be saying "i wish I had bought a hard top instead of another soft top"

For the same price + some patience I could have more displacement.

This will start a few flames I am sure...but since this miata is turning into a track only car, I wish that I had tossed the 1.6, found a 1.8 to rebuild with a hotter cam, high compression and throttle bodies.

I love the turbo on the street, but prefer the NA route on the track...even with a 2554 (insta spool)

Oh and I loved my electromotive on a previous track car (RIP)...MSpnp may be best bang for the buck..but I wish I saved my pennies.

come to think of it I do wish my suspension was a bit less harsh or that the roads here were better. Too lazy to change it now though.

reliability?

Im surprised that you didnt like the power at T-hill with those nittos. Give it another try, get your suspension fixed, throw a front sway in there and figure out what kind of tire pressure you like. Then i think you will enjoy the car much more.

Bad experiance with blitz BOV's. Aluminum body with brass valve working on a spool valve action. spool valve is good design for high pressure hydralic directional control 3000-5000psi. Not the greatest for a BOV. Had mine for 7 months before it started acting up. Then one cold morning while getting on I-5 north to UCSD my car built full boost first - 3rd then got into forth and no boost. WTF??? drove all the way to school and poped the hood to see if i could find a IC hoses may have poped off or something else maybe. visual inspection nothing. Went in to school and Called everyone i knew with the same blitz valve. Suprisingly got the same answer from 7 out of 9 people i called "check the BOV valve mine would seize open and the car would not boost" :(. looked at the inside the horn of the BOV, valve stuck open. took BOV off and then took it apart to clean it up. The BOV inner bore and piston (valve) were oily with a lillte grit and all scrached up/ scored.:eek5: So i cleaned it up and put it back together, all good for a few weeks :) then it happened again, damn is it me i was wondering? checked the BOV and sure enough the valve was stuck open again :( called my peoples again and asked them what the fix was? everyone had the same answer " replace the valve". I asked with what? anything poppet type/ digaphram controled. Have a HKS SBOV on the civic for 7 years and a Greddy type S on the miata for 2 years and never had a problem or looked back :)

Cool. Whatever works. Haven't had one issue out of mine. Had one on one of my RX7s too without an issue. Guess it's hit or miss with them. FWIW, I am changing to another valve, so please don't kick me in the nuts when I sell mine. :)

Probably wouldn't have turbo'd the miata, or bought one for that matter. The money I spent on the car, JIC coilovers, and FM kit could have easily bought another RX-7 that I have been desiring since I sold mine. Maybe its just the cold winter talking, topless springs and summers have a way of changing my mind.

Same here, spent 300$ on a fucking turbo that finally needs to be machined to fit bigger bearings and would cost 550$ to be rebuilt. I won't ever buy again a used Turbo unless the seller show me a proof that it's ok and have been checked by a turbo specialist.

I would have started with a 94-95 for obvious reasons

started with something besides a used greddy kit, probably complete diy build from the start, or maybe just a new greddy kit. brand new intercooler and around the radiator pipes instead of over the top, and like a few have said, go to a 1.8 for a while before turbo'ing that.

snowboarder, sure I like the power, but its just the delivery and how it feels...I don't know, its hard to explain. The Toyos seemed nicer once hot. but not enough to warrant the extra dough.

hustler, Reliability..hmm, with the way I drive, I don't know which would be more reliable. neither probably.

I haven't turboed mine yet, but at least in the "part amassing" stage, I don't think that I have bought anything yet that I would have done differently. I did wait a while before I started buying, read a lot here first. I knew it would be winter before I got to it, so I was able to jump on some deals piecemeal at what have turned out to be pretty good prices. Not much has passed by since making me wish that I had waited. That said, for about $800 more, I could have just done a BEGI-S and been done with it, but that covered my clutch, exhaust and about 1/2 of the Zoom3.

For a while there, I lamented the Zoom3, but if I get 200 to the wheels, it will be fine for a driver.

I'm also glad that I started with a super clean low mile 99. I think that the best thing one can do is start with as nice of a car as they can find. It would be a shame to pile a bunch of time and $ into something that you weren't proud of.

I also wish I would have jumped on Ben's 10AE the first time it came up for $7500. Heck, it was up for two days at that price.:giggle:

I guess there is one thing--I really like the bronze Sportmaxx wheels I got, but wish I would have just went with the 6UL's. 6.5" fits a 205, but that's it.

+1

Always always always add 5 psi to whatever you are absolutely sure will be plenty to make you happy with a turbo kit when you are planning out your build. I swore up and down as many do before I had my turbo that I would be happy with a modest 5-6 psi and my original plan for parts reflected that - I was going to use band aids (mechanical fuel control and bipes) to control things since they would be fine for 6ish psi.
After several people told me about their do-over advice about how you always end up wanting more than you forsee yourself wanting, I scrapped the original plan and formulated a new one using Megasquirt which could control bigger injectors and timing the right way.

Now here I am, at 6 psi currently and I have cleaned and flowed 450cc injectors on my desk and I'm buying a nice downpipe upgrade and cranking it up to 10-11 psi very soon. Boy am I glad I listened to people wiser than I.

-Ryan

would have used a different exhaust, something other then the Begi S4 manifold. Or I would have bought it off ebay and saved myself some cash and been less surprised when it fell apart. Stainless lines from day one, and not day two.

warning! -- noob question
 

How has MSdiy standalone changed your life? Yes, you have control, knowledge, and power, saved some money, all good things. I'm curious about the darker side of this. Has anyone lost jobs, girlfriends, years, sanity? Would MSpnp ( or hydra, aem) help me to hold on to some of those things? I'm kind of serious. Or is it not too bad with all the present accumulated knowledge. I don't have ac.

another:

I wish I had checked my car more thoroughly.

It came with a torsen from factory, but apparently it broke and was replaced with a junk yard open. I didn't know till I saw the junkyard markings all over it and I did 1 tire fire.

I hope I didn't cool off the thread, I was just trying to get a sense of what kind of commitment MSdiy is. Maybe I didn't ask this in the best way. I know that MS was started in part as a learning environment for engine management and this does appeal to me.

Thanks everyone for sharing your reflections with those at the beginning.

Make sure you have a second car to still get you to work.

shouldn't have sold my hardtop:mad: