Nb turbo build
 

Been building this lately. All fab is done parts are off to be powder coated.

specs are 2001 type rs bp6d engine. Running a megasquirt pnp for an earlier 99-00 with a patch loom adapter (got it so cheap $300) no vvt control yet.

going to be using pink sti injectors for fueling.

hope to make 150-175kw
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How is your radiator mounted? Is there still room for a fan?

Factory bottom mounts I am making up a cover for the top that hides the intercooler and radiator as well as mounting it. And yes factory fans still fit

Can you add a picture looking straight down on the radiator? I'm intrigued by this setup, I like the short boost tubing simplicity. Doing any ducting behind bumper and hood louvers?

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It’s all up and running now started it on Saturday just gone really happy with it so far

Been getting as much time as I can tuning this beast. Really impressed with the mspnp. Have dabbled with megasquirt before but that was an old ms1 custom everything on a Holden Gemini with a turbo Isuzu piazza 4ZC1 engine had heaps of issues with noise etc.

This project has been a breeze to get running and tune so far. Spent some time today on cranking starting and idle control only in open loop happy with my results cranks starts and tapers down to 900rpm (hot) idle really nice.

my after start enrichments are really low because it was fouling spark plugs after starting maybe because of the 565cc injectors not sure anyway it’s running awesome!!

New gen MS is awesome!

How is airflow/intake temps with that IC setup? Looks extremely tidy and cool

I’m really happy with the way it looks few bits to tidy up over my Christmas break. Intercooler/radiator cover, install and wire red Audi coils, tidy up ecu loom and wire up gauges in the cabin.

intake temps are between 5-8’C above ambient when moving. Ambient has been 25-27’C lately it sits around 30-35’C actually stays at its lowest when I’m hard on boost. It defiantly gets heat soaked when idling can see as much as 45’C it comes down quickly once car starts moving.

Well I broke it😂 was so happy on 10psi had the tune awesome only cruze and decell were bit lean, in boost was perfect but I decided for more boost 15psi only got maybe 50km. Knew I shouldn’t but hey🤷‍♂️ Bent number 2 conrod😂 after a good boost against another car (I won just) I notice a big end noise I limped it home was only about 4km. Has low compression on number 2.

Probably not big end, more likely the bent rod touching the side of the bore around BDC.

What is your next step, throw some rods in, or source a secondhand engine?

Unfortunate, but there’s only one way up from here! More boost!!!!:D

Believe it’s a bent rod I measured piston height down the spark plug hole number 2 is 2.77mm lower at TDC than the other 3. I have a FWD BP block from a Mazda 323 I intended on building I may just throw that in to keep it driving been summer in NZ.

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Holden Gemini's rods, pictured Jan. 12th, 2022

Haha that’s pretty funny I'm real keen to pull the block down and see the damage but I’m back at work now and have other stuff on the go so its going to be a week or two before I get to it.

Ok so stuff I had on this weekend got postponed until next weekend. So I went and got the car that has the BP engine I intended on building as in forging etc. it’s a JDM spec Mazda Astina 323 GT.

It was at my Dads farm about hour and a half away so was a mission to get it home. I’ve stripped the engine down because odometer in the car was little over 300000. I believe it’s been rebuilt at some stage because there’s a heap of assembly engravings that don’t look factory.

Bearings look great as well as the crank. Block is standard bore with no lip and can clearly still see the hone pattern.

My question is, are these blocks identical? As in everything will bolt on no holes to drill and tap etc . If so I can drop it in at an engine shop this week to check it over and clean it up. Otherwise I have to wait until after I’ve pulled my engine which could be week or two be great if short block was ready to go. Just trying to speed it up got withdrawals already😂

The pistons are in great shape also using them should bring my compression to 9:1 rather than the 10.5:1 my type RS engine was so much more turbo friendly.

I have been swapping 1.6 L Miata vs 323 GT blocks back and forth many times. They all have the same mounting holes, you just have to clean up the threads of the ones that are not used because they are full of dirt and rust. The 1.8 L Miata look just the same as the 1.6 L Miata from the side, except for length of course. So you should have no trouble with all the mounting points on the block itself.
The pistons will be lower compression than the Miata, but the connecting rods are probably stronger, They certainly are in the 1.6 L 323 GT.

The heads and the oil pans are different. You have to use the "car correct" oil pan, oil pickup, etc. And the 2001 and up bolts the windage tray to the main bearing caps, while earlier models do not. Of course, you can simply not bolt it in place, that worked on all the earlier models.

You might be able to use the 323 head, but there could be some fitment issues with the intake manifold, and with the valve timing sensor, which moved around a lot over the years. You can certainly swap the Miata head onto the 323 block. On the 1.6 L you can use a Miata intake on the 323 GT, but to use the 323 intake you have to use the 323 valve cover.

Will be using all components from Mx5 just the block only from the 323. Was just wondering if there was anything that needed to be drilled or modified before I take it to have bores checked and the block cleaned up.

I’ll take heaps of photos swapping bits over for reference.

Had bottom end looked at and all cleaned up. Engine shop cut me a really nice deal 24hr turn round👍 Need to order all the bits now and get the engine out if the car not going to happen this weekend so much on! squeezing all my pockets of time I have on getting it boosting again!
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Sourcing parts locally of good quality seems to be an issue. Have managed to sort acl race bearings eventually not cheap! Blaming covid for the cost😂 gaskets and seals tho wanted genuine can’t justify the cost and the wait time (6 weeks) so I’ve gone after market will be here this week under half cost of genuine.

Have you tried Amayama or Partsouk?

I’m in Australia and bought parts from all sorts of places for my engine build.

Lots of people seem to have poor results with non genuine seals.

I’ve experienced non genuine seals myself in the past. Not Mx5 on a 98 wrx didn’t cut any corners with the internal bits forged everything quality bearings etc but went cheap on seal and gasket kits. Couldn’t get rocker covers to seal at all they leaked on the engine stand they where that bad😳. Ended up using old ones which never leaked even after another 30k before I sold it. I wanted genuine but wait is to long head gasket is quality tho was able to source quality there.

Only use OEM rubber seals in the miata motor. I have used just about every off brand out there over the last 15 years. The vast majority of them have leaked on me. It sucks to have to go back in and swap leaking RMS or crank seal after a week.

Granted I don't have much time for my track project since I am a full time student and working, but my build has been set back 5 months at this point due to using non OEM seals in my fully built engine. In the first 2k miles, I developed rear and front main leaks, and both oil pan moon seals leaked. After pulling the trans twice + FMS + currently dropping the subframe, Ill basically pay/wait whatever is needed for OEM in the future.

Food for thought.

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Poor thing😂

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Mx5 on top astina 323 below. Although all parts will swap between blocks there are small differences with all of them except rear main seal housing they are identical.

flywheel at a glance is identical but measuring it up the ring gear is offset 5mm further away from clutch face than the Mx5 so won’t work. Clutch fits perfectly tho.

can confirm blocks are identical except 323 block has taped and blanked oil and water on the rear of the exhaust side of the block. Mx5 block is completely blank there.

That makes sense. On the two bosses on the MX5 1.8 L block you can drill into them to create the oil and coolant feeds for the turbo. The coolant feed, a wee bit more towars the front of the engine is easy to drill, you just need to be careful that the drill and tap do not continue deeper into the sidewall of cylinder 4. The oil feed is more nerve wracking, and needs a long bit. It goes in about half way across the block before it contacts an internal oil feed. Feed air into the main bearing oil line while drilling to find out when you have broken through. Or don't and feed oil from the cold side like most people do.

But of you are using the 323 block, then wonderful, you have a local oil and coolant feed for the turbo.

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Found a difference with the blocks. This is the 91 323 block at the top right there is a threaded boss in the block just below in the water pump there is a hole in the 2001 miata block there is a threaded boss to match this. The 323 water pump is threaded it’s for the cam belt tensioner. I’m assuming this was a weak point and remedied over the years. My miata pump is only 10000ks old so I want to use it there’s room for a nut in there. I would source a new 323 pump as they are identical besides this tensioner bolt hole if my pump wasn’t so new.

Interesting difference. I imagine the reason is what you say.

I agree, you should be able to get away with a nut. But it won't be as well centered as it would be with a bolt into the threaded 323 pump, or into the block behind the pump.

So you will want to think about which way the rotating belt forces are working on the tensioner, and position the bolt within the hole so it butts up against the side of the through-hole that the tensioner is being pushed or pulled toward.

It’s alive again only issue I have is the an fitting on the oil return has failed and won’t tighten so it’s leaking.

only done about 50 ks so far but all seems well! Was expecting much more lag with only 9:1 compression but doesn’t seem to bad.
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Next upgrade should be a set of 15" rims - trust me as the owner of an MSM, going from the OEM 17" Racing Hart rims to smaller 15" rims makes the ride MUCH more comfortable, you don't get the shit jarred out of you when you hit a small pothole, don't need as much power to accelerate, improves the car's handling, tyres are MUCH cheaper and you have more tyre options.

Small rims is on the cards, want to re-paint this year and get the turbo build certified as well lots to spend haha.

looking at black rims or black with polished lip. Also want to black out few bits on the car

A month turnaround time from blown motor to a fresh one, props on the speed and success!

I’m pretty motivated it’s mainly the fact I turned the boost up when I shouldn’t have that motivated me I was kicking myself now I feel better😂

my poor Holden Gemini been sitting for about five years with a half finished diff conversion now I’ve robbed the oil return off it. It’s a cool car need to put my motivation into it this year it made 300hp on 20psi just before I started the diff conversion.

Does compression ratio affect fuel requirements? I’ve had to add 8cells to the ve table to get the idle down to 14:1 from 17:1. Only had to add 4 to most of the rest to get it close going to need to fine tune again. It’s strange to me nothing changed engine wise except compression ratio from 10.5:1 to 9:1🤔

Compression = more air which requires = more fuel. I wouldnt be fussed about it, just tune it until the ratio is good.

Yeah I’m not fussed working on it everyday driving it for work and it’s going well.

Only done about 300km so far want 1000 for run in so started finishing off other bits installed Audi coils this weekend next is finish of intercooler/radiator mount and cover. Going to make a custom tank that houses the coolant over flow and washer fluid as well.
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Been awhile since posting added few bits. Currently running 11psi goes really well love the pnp Megasquirt. Dyno next but nearest dyno to me is 1 1/2 hours away😢

Factory bottom mounts I am making up a cover for the top that hides the intercooler and radiator as well as mounting it. And yes factory fans still fit

that enginebay is very clean! Nice!
How did the block turn out after bending the rod? not salvagable?