freedomgli

Yeah, I can't wait to get the motor and MS3 installed so I can start tuning the thing. Been wanting ITBs for like 10 years and finally had enough funds to make it happen. It's just a challenge working on a car that's located 350 miles away at my dad's house!

It was tricky getting the 1/8NPT hole tapped correctly for the water pump inlet/ mixing manifold plug because of the taper. I would cut some threads, then clean the hole, then dry fit the plug and turn by hand until it got tight to see how far it went in. Then I would cut some more threads, clean the hole, dry fit again. Rinse, repeat. I wanted to leave 2 threads exposed. But the Permatex Aviation Form A Gasket No. 3 acted like a thread lubricant. I applied the liquid gasket stuff, allowed it to tack up for a few minutes and turned it in by hand until it got tight. When I put my wrench on it I was expecting to turn it just another 1/4 to 1/2 a turn until tight. But it went like another 2 full turns! It was very close to bottoming out the threads so I stopped turning. I hope that the sealant tacks up even more and forms a tight seal. Won't know if it leaks until we get it all hooked up and the cooling system pressurized. If it leaks then the plan is to remove the plug, clean it up, wrap with teflon tape to take up some of the clearance and try again.

curly

iTrader: (25)

This is actually very common when tapping NPT threads. There's a "rule of thumb", but I forget exactly what it is, I think 2/3rds of the tap, but don't quote me on that. There is an actual proper depth for the taps, and then properly made plugs should be more or less perfectly flush, and/or not bottom out.

bahurd

iTrader: (8)

This might help. Note the "hand tight turns".

pipe threads

StealthNB

freedomgli I am afraid the nipple in water source, back of the cylinder head for the oil coolant lines is going to give you issues once cooling system is pressurized/running on car. The safest thing is to remove it entirely and tap and plug the source since you won't be using anymore.

freedomgli

How so? It's capped like that on the 1.6. Hornetball is running his the same exact way. I'm not worried about cavitation breaking up the JB Weld because it is a dead end so there will be very little flow there once the system is pressurized. Please explain your rationale.

hornetball

iTrader: (4)

Removing and plugging the nipple on the back of the head would be more elegant. But when I researched it, this is what I found:

https://www.miataturbo.net/engine-pe...le-head-73402/

So, just plugged the nipple instead. JB Welded set screw works just fine . . . track approved.

zoneorigins

Very curious about this exact situation, kinda in the same place. could'nt you just add a bung 2 the spacer? that would save me a huge amount of headache.