Ok so I'm not sure what to do....
 

I have a NA Miata with nearly 200k miles on it, and its COMPLETELY stock.
I want to make it into a decent sized project, I wouldn't call it a budget build. But I also don't want it to be a money pit.

So I'm going to ask for everyone's suggestions:
Since it's going to be my DD whenever I'm done, and possible do some autocross with it, what do YOU think would be the most reasonable thing to do.

A) Do the 1.8L swap/turbo
B) Build the 1.6L/turbo (as well.)

P.S, if you don't mind, could you tell me what your set up is like, how much it ran you total (so far) and what kind of power your making.

mY SETup iS THE best,,, YOU SHOULD build a clone.

Lol, I'm sure more than one person will say that about their set up. And I dont really want to "clone" anyone's set up. Just use it for some guidance.

So is your's a 1.8 or 1.6, and how much did it cost you. (your sig pretty much answered what you set up is.)

The signature is the point... read more posts... read what other people post and what they say, you will get a quick idea of who has what, what power they are running and how they got there. Most everyone has a good signature (sort of a pride to update it).
Read around, stickies, faq and learn more.

Goodluck

If it's a greddy kit, it's almost certainly a 1.6l car

I LOL'd

Since you asked what I think, the most reasonable thing for a daily driver is to add cupholders and save your cash for a second vehicle. Then tear your Miata apart.

I have a 96 Protege for my current DD, the Miata is going to become my DD later on down the road. I just picked up the NA from my old shop teacher for $700. But I don't plan on setting it up for strictly track, so I was looking more for opinions on a street friendly set up.

edit: I have guidelines for a 1.8 build from someone on my local thread, but even with searching I haven't found anything to helpful with my decision. Mainly 1.8L build threads.

Well, in that case I'd use the 1.6 since you've got it, and take advantage of the ilovetacotaco bargain manifold for the 1.6. And I'd buy a chinese turbo for under $200 as several others have done. I'd either pick up some used bandaids for fuel and spark or buy a MegaSquirt ecu depending on just how tight the funds are.
Fun and economical and you can double your stock horsepower with the stock engine internals.

How does that sound?

sounds likee, I wasted my time posting this thread, actually looking for help. Even though my searches didn't provide me with the information I was looking for.

Whether I might not be using the wrong key words, or just looking in the wrong areas.

But I mean don't worry about it, even though I don't know much. I'm sure I'll figure it out if I did something right when I try to start it.

Building a motor will cost you bank. Around 240-250 whp the stock 1.6s see an increase in failures. Still 240 whp in a miata is nuts! Thats what im doing

I took this as a serious answer, and if you don't know what he's talking about, you really do need to do more research.

I think this is the best option, with MS, and you can find some cheap 460s out there. I fricken love budg builds, but didn't do one. Getting a 1.8, especially in my case when I have a perfectly fine running 1.6 with MS and a right sized turbo and injectors, is proving to be an absolute bank-breaker, especially since I just ordered a '00 head...........

This is a decent very low budget idea that I would definitely consider if I owned an older miata.

However I am more than happy with my setup:D

Good luck. You're going to need it

Is this how people get the ban hammer? Good luck :noob:.

We're harsh, but we have good advice. If you want all out power, build a 1.8 since you have the protege and once that's running, turbo it. If you want decent power, just buy a junker 1.8 and turbo that, or turbo your 1.6 (assuming it's a long nose crank, 90's usually have short nose and they suck, look into it at miata.net). If you want turbo power now, just throw a budget turbo kit on the stock motor, as sixshooter said.

Flyinmiata can provide 1.8 conversion kits. For now I'd STRONGLY suggest you read ALL the stickies in the DIY turbo section, and in the mean time get your car running as best you can. Change all fluids, fix all leaks, replace gaskets, brakes, tires, top, paint, windows, and anything else that sucks, cause once you go turbo, you'll be throwing all your money into keeping it running, not making the rest of the car look/run nice. I say this cause you said you bought it for $700, so I'm assuming your budget won't be huge.

first off 200k miles have you thought about going through the car. redoing the bushings suspension ect.... getting the car back to somewhat new form. thats alot of miles. you can spend of money on go fast goodies just to have it nickle and dime you to death.

Wow... Cut the guy just a little slack maybe? :rolleyes:


1.6 vs. 1.8 is almost meaningless. Yeah, it's easier to start with a 1.8 car since you get the stronger diff and the better electronics, but hey, you've got what you've got. Mine's a 1.6 as well.


One school of thought, if the engine is still running well, would be to just turbo it and see if it fails. Worst-case you end up building a new engine.

Too many different options for us to list insofar as which turbo to run. I'm using a tiny little TD04H-15G that came as part of a Greddy kit. Some folks are Garrett-worshippers (and even there, you've got everything from 2554s to GT30s and beyond) while others are jumping on the Chinacharger bandwagon.

Let's forget about which turbo to run for the moment. How's the car itself doing?


Where in Ft. Myers?

My answer was both thoughtful and serious. Maybe if you read a little bit more and posted a little bit less you'd figure out how to recognize helpful advice when you received it. It might keep you from acting ungrateful when people were sincerely offering their assistance. Good luck, sir.

If that was a serious answer, I apologize but when i read "Ilovetacotaco" I automatically assumed you were just being a dick.

From what I remember, theres not to much wrong with it. It was my old autoshop teacher's car. and he kept up with the regular maintenance. It runs and drives fine for being nearly 20 years old.

And I live more or less in Lehigh Acres, but Ft Myers is better known, so I put that in my location instead.

ilovetacotaco is an ebay store full of precious goodies.

I can give you my $0.05 worth....

I started with a stock internals 1.6 long nose. Added TD04-15G, 1.8 injectors, Greddy EManage Blue, RX7 Series IV IC mounted as FMIC. Did the install myself with help from friends. Olderguy's O2 clamp. Got the initial base tune from wherever the hell the EManage maps are stored on here - someone emailed them to me - I can't remember who. Downloaded EManage tool software to my laptop. Installed it all, took it to a dyno tuner who got the base tune close to right (EManage kept data buffering and crashing the laptop) so when I went home I spoke to the tuner, did some reading, and tweaked the fuel map myself, probably with some advice from here. Never looked back - power isn't HUUUUUGGGEEEEEEE!!!!! but now with stock internals and upgraded cams (HKS264 intake and reground exhaust) it's probably making between 120 kW and 140 kW at the wheels on about 8lbs of boost. Buckets of fun on boost, brilliant on hills, overtaking and freeway driving, and perfectly driveable around town off boost - like it's a factory car with a slightly bigger engine.

Cost me all up around $5K-$6KAUD, including brake disc upgrade, diff upgrade, clutch upgrade, custom SS pipework and exhaust (done by a good mate), gauges, and miscellaneous other requirements, having paid $1300 for the original kit.

If I had to add anything now, it would probably be the BEGI FPR which I bought 2nd hand here, just to give me a bit more buffer with the fuelling - leaning out is bad m'kay.... and while it doesn't now, I just don't want it to.

Just do your reading - and then ask specific questions - it's hard starting out - feels like a minefield, but be specific - your first question was a bit of a 'catch-all' and probably hard to answer cause every setup here is different.

I never knew that.

I bought my cast manifold and china turbo from him 6 months ago and everything is holding up fine. I have found nothing wrong with going cheap on some things so far.

See, those "in the know" knew it was serious. By that I mean those who have hung around for a bit or have read the stickies. I'm sure ilovetacotaco is specifically mentioned in at least one of them.

Oh, and be sure that "turbo not hit block". That, again, is a good thing on Chinese Domestic Market, or CDM parts.

OK, that's a bit of a joke.

Just take a bit of time, breeze around the other threads. I find that going through the build threads shows the good (and mistakes) of a DIY build. Yes, most of us will post up and admit that their decision was wrong, they bought the wrong part, etc. You can learn as much from seeing what others did wrong as what they did right. It just doesn't cost you anything.

+1 ilovetacotaco

By the way, I have the tacotaco miata manifold, but with a T3 flange, I ended using a different mani as it was going to be installed in a Protege, it is too far out. So I may be selling it...

If it were my project with the goals you stated I would find a complete engine from a 2004 Mazdaspeed. It would give you the extra displacement, it would be a fresh engine, it would have a turbo on it, and it would cost less overall than building an engine and adding a turbo.

As long as your power goal dosent exceed 250 or so.

Make sure your doing more then just a turbo. If the car has 200k on the stock shocks and bushings. I didnt read the whole thread so maybe you already talked about it but if not its something to think about it

Oh no, I'm not just going to start moding it from the get go. I've learned the whole maintenance before mod saying. I'm just trying to see what everyone else's set ups are like, to give me an idea of how I want to go about moding mine, when the time comes.

Surprisingly you've received none of the usual abuse we tend to give rookies here. As its been said the suggestion given was actually very useful and IMO good advice.

Its been said but, read around and get the feel for the MO of the forum. Threads are great, and lots of information can be found on the stickies, as well as archived area. A wealth of knowledge and humor here once you understand the overall mentality. Don't let certain things you see scare you off as you'll soon find 99.9% is in jest, and you'll soon figure
out that the knowledge/information found here is incredible.

The biggest annoyance for most is when a new member comes on and very excitedly asks a very vague or very common question without first browsing the site a bit to reveal the answer. Although the question may seem very specific, simple, and new to you the fact is that almost all of the questions/scenarios/options you're considering have been discussed and at length. And thus the reason for some jabs being thrown.

I say this all first hand, I experienced it and am thankful and grateful for this forum and its members.


THAT SAID............ The advice given really is pretty dead on. Having gone through a 1.6/1.8 swap myself, now owning a factory 1.8, and seeing the great success many are having on 1.6s; I would most certainly take work with what you have.

I'd make sure the motor is up to par so you don't waste time on a lazy engine. Then
I would get yourself a budget setup for now, either knockoff parts or even better used parts (turbo, mani, dp, IC). If budget allows spring for a Megasquirt and some 460injectors as to avoid dealing with bandaids and when/if you decide for more power you'll want/need to go this route anyway. Keep boost relatively low, and enjoy it for a bit. At 6-8lbs the difference over stock power is VERY enjoyable. Boost is addicting, and you will likely want more. But this will MORE than allow you to enjoy and flex the car some as you develop an understanding of what you want, and what you need to get there.
At that point, you can be fortunate enough to have a better idea of where you want to be, build a motor/setup to what you want, AND have a running boosted Miata while you do this!

As mentioned, do not focus only on power. Make sure you take the time to go over the car. While 200k miles is not near the end of a Miata's lifespan, you will want to replace (upgrade) things. You bought the car for $700, you don't need much more to get boosted, so this should allow for the rest of the car to be brought up to date.

And I can't believe I took the time to sit and write this...you better appreciate it or I'll pay hustler the usual $1.29 fee to come over there and skull fuck your granny with his enormous muscular body and abnormally small penis.

The best setup for most people who want a faster more fun to drive but still reliable drivable car is to just stick a gt25 on the stock motor. Now if you have a shortnose crank i would consider doing a 1.8 swap, if not then i believe there is someone on this forum selling a really nice 304 stainless manifold and down pipe for the 1.6 that would be a great place to start. you would need a clutch a mega squirt some injectors and maybe a walbro 255 as for the intercooler i wont use anything but a precision on my car because i have had great success with them in the past but im sure about anything will work for such a small setup. although you will spend a little more money going with the stainless manifold and downpipe and a garret turbo over a china charger you will have top notch quality parts that will last a long time. a gt25 with a good intercooler on a stock 1.6 should not have trouble making enough power to push the limits of the stock shortblock components. you could prolly get into the 220-240hp range for under 5 grand. If you pay someone to do your work the price will be much much higher.
I have not turboed my miata yet but i have assembled tons of turbo kits on other cars mostly mustangs and mitsubishis. My miata made over 170whp with less then 400bucks in upgrades and lasted just long enough for me to get bored with it, it burnt a hole in a valve making 191whp with literally no mods but a nitrous kit and lack of an ac ps belt.

And thats with the 1.6l? Wow, someone on my local forum, did the whole 1.8 swap/turbo and spend about 2 1/2k more than that. And He's still under 300whp I believe.

I'm not doing anything to the engine that's in it currently, because I would like to drive it around for a while. I want to get a second block for whatever route I go. And build it on the side, so in case I run out of money, the car is still usable.

I'd like to build the engine the first time. So I don't have to worry about the internals as much as I would, if I left them stock. So I'm going to try not to cheap out when I start getting parts together.

when the search feature fails.... google it

copy my set-up if you want an sti/135/evo/f360 substitute. I had a choice of buying a $40k sportscar, or running a crappy daily and an insane miata. I chose wisely. My friends and girls don't think I'm cool, but your GF does.

Welcome to the site.

Hey Scott