Oil feed line from oil filter adapter
 

I am turbo chargine a 1.6 that doesn't have the plug on the left side of the engine like it is supposed to so I was planning on using an oil filter adapter. Is there a better solution? If not how long of a line will I need to reach the turbo from there?

Jeff

A 1.6 that doesn't have the plug? Where did you get that?

I can take a pic and post it but neither of the plugs are there (the larger one or the smaller plug for the oil channel below it), they are just blanked off parts of the casting. I have several other 1.6 blocks in my shop, in and out of cars and I did find one other that didn't have the plugs either.

JDM / EUDM engine? Non-Miata donor? Never heard of a US/Canada 1.6 Miata block that didn't have the correct oil fitting on the side.

Whatever the source, a sandwich plate under the oil filter will get you excellent flow and pressure, though bear in mind that oil enters the filter on the "outside" and exits the filter through the tube in the middle. So the oil which you will obtain from a sandwich-plate adapter will be unfiltered oil straight from the pump.

The common solution on later 1.8 engines is to install a tee into the block at the point where the stock oil pressure gauge is installed. This fitting is threaded 1/8 BSP, so adapters are a little hard to come by. There's also been speculation about the weight of a stock 1.6-style oil pressure sender hanging off of a tee could cause failure of the tee, though I can't recall hearing of this actually occurring.

Great info Joe. I do not know the origin of the block. It is in a Spec Miata so it is probably its 5th or 6th engine. I know that one of the other engines that I have is a JDM so that is possibly why it doesn't have it. This is a track only application so the weight of the 1.6 sending unit could be an issue.

So any idea on the distance? I see lots of 36" lines available. I can get in there and measure, was just wondering if anyone had ever done this.

sandwich plate works perfectly fine for me - also allows me a place to mount an aftermarket temp and pressure sensor

Thanks Jeff, so how long of a feed line did you need to use?

You should check out Bat Inc for your lines. They will do to your specs and also cover the lines in fire sleeve for an extremely good price. I think they charged me about $5 to assemble the lines.

@Lars, THANKS, just the info I was looking for!

Also, as to length, just get a piece of rubber hose and use it to mock-up the oil lines you intend to run. Cut it precisely to length, and measure it. Much easier than trying to route a measuring tape or a piece of string through the engine bay.

I imagine 48" should suffice to get you all the way around the back of the engine. Any less than that, and you're probably going to piss yourself off.

so the only danger in feeding the turbo from one of those sandwhich plates is having unfiltered oil going to the turbo? will it get sufficient pressure with two gauges and a feed line all coming from that sandwhich plate?

Pro tip:
Make bulk-head connectors on the driver's side of the car and run the hoses under the car.

You could put 40 gauges on it. Since no oil flows through the gauges, you get no pressure drop.

right on.

@Hustler, what do you mean "run the hoses under the car"? Do you mean under the engine instead of behind it? And by bulk-head, you mean have the line come to a bracket so that it isnt a single line?