"Ebay" pipe kit modifications?
 

My turbo build is going to be mostly the begi-s kit, but its "DIY" in the fact that I'll be running aftermarket injectors, MS2E, and I'm hoping to run an "ebay" (cxracing?) fmic and an ebay pipe kit.

I know the ebay pipe kits are not exactly "plug and play" but what sorts of modifications are going to need to be made? Cutting and grinding I'm fine with, but I don't have pipe benders... will I be needing them? I think a mate might have some, but it won't be mandrel bent..

I know lots of people run ebay ic and ebay pipe, just curious what kinds of modifications are common to make them fit.

What I'm about to post would be the worse case scenario, I started with a CX racing universal kit. AND used a pipe routing that no one else has ever used before with a non standard turbo placement.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1389129213

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1389129213

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1389129213

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1389129213

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1389129213

Also required welding new mounting brackets onto the intercooler, some couplers not included in the kit, and cutting the hood.

But you could totally buy an intercooler that the others have made mount easier and assemble the whole thing by just cutting the tubes and using silicone couplers without welding at all.

the whole damn point of the kits is so you have all the bends and couplers you needs...

I assume by "kits" you mean the BEGI/FM etc. kits? If so, you're right, but an ebay kit would be $500 less or better.

Both FM and BEGi sell their IC setups for roughly $800. I'm assuming I can get all the pipes, IC, and any fab work I may or may not need for less than $300 easy.

No he means the whole point of the ebay kit is so you just have a shitload of bends and couplers and figure it out. FM r BEGI kits just bolt right in with more or less no modifications (unless you have a/c or ps).

Got it, thanks for the clarification. And thanks for being one of the more pronounced members here to give good answers to almost any question--no matter how simplistic. It doesn't go unnoticed.

As an aside, I did some searching prior to making this thread, and found https://www.miataturbo.net/diy-turbo...r-setup-59123/ which has post #4 stating explicitly that most ebay pipe kits are not plug and play and require chopping/modification to make them work.

This isn't my first time joining a well established forum, and I understand that the "omg search noob" mentality is certainly not unique here, but it seems a bit silly to me getting "negative props" for asking in a DIY TURBO forum what kind of modifications someone had to make to a DIY piping kit to make it work.

Agreed. If/when you do this, can you try to post a sort of build on this? I may following route you are trying to do.

I've never put one together myself, but I would absolutely count on cutting the pipes at the very least. For the most part there's a good bit of room to work with so it doesn't have to be too precise. I would think putting something together wouldn't be terribly difficult.

I agree with Lexar, if you do it, please do a writeup. I've been looking at ebay kits to upgrade my piping as well, I just hate to get halfway done and realize I need a lot more stuff.

Also considering this for my build. the $200 kit is way more appealing (at least from a $$ point of view) than $700- $800 for the begi/ FM kits. Also worth noting is that Corky and a guy at FM said the Ebay FMIC kits were "pretty good"

Well, it sounds like I'm not the only one with the question.. Maybe a good place to consolidate "Intercooler pipe methods" from multiple build threads and sticky it? Anyone else have shots or input from a build besides leafy?

There was another thread that had about a billion different routings in it with pictures for like a year ago somewhere on here, about this time of year.

Found one thread, might be the one Leafy is talking about: https://www.miataturbo.net/diy-turbo...routing-61721/

There's not really any big tricks to it, you gotta get around the radiator somehow so you're either going over it, you're going under/around it, or some combination of the two. Most "kits" go down and around because it doesn't require any modification to the car. It's made much easier when you don't have PS/AC.

Thanks, pdexta. Fortunately I have both PS and AC, so that will be fun..

The car is also pretty low (for autox, not hellaflush), so under will be hard to do.

It's in storage at my parents' house right now, I'll be heading down there this weekend to run the compression test and just sit in it again because I miss it. I'll poke around the engine bay while I'm there.

Thats the one.

Being low isnt an issue for the pipe routing, have MASSIVE tires could be but really isnt. Just stick it just below the swaybar like you see on my low side shot, and keep it inside the swaybar so that tires 225 or bigger and wheels 9" or wider dont rub on it.

if there was only a way to search this site and find threads like: https://www.miataturbo.net/useful-sa...ing-kit-17032/

and in such threads, it had content much like this:

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...-pipe_dr_1-jpg


If only...

NO SCOTT!!! THAT'S IMPOSSIBRU

Not sure what wizardry you used to actually search, but its obviously not working for the average peasant.









:jerkit:

Not trying to start a flame war, but I honestly would like to know what sort of search string you used.

Here's the first page when I search, and the second page isn't any more promising.

I know when you've been here for a while and seen all these threads before it's easy to say "omg search!" but most of the time the new guys actually *are* searching, they just can't find what they're looking for buried under all the "OMG SEARCH NOOB" posts and random for sale threads.

Granted, there are many times when people just straight up don't look...

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...1&d=1389195859

Here's a tip that may help you tremendously:

instead of using the MT search function, go on Google, and type in "miataturbo *insert your search topic here*"

*whatever you're trying to search.

Its actually more effective than the MT search function.

to be fair i knew what i was searching for, but it's probably why that thread is on page 2 in the useful saved posts section ;)

so my search terms were: intercooler by threads started by Joe Perez.

When I want to find something on here I normally google, "<what I'm searching for> site:miataturbo.net"