Is it possible?
 

Hi there,

I have eventual goals of boosting my 1.6. I'd like to start with 150-160hp, safely, with intercooler and enough fuel. Whatever I do will be a work in progress though...I know I won't be happy with 160 in the end. I have a new clutch that can handle a mild turbo setup, but the diff is original and wouldn't be change before going turbo I don't think. I'd like to upgrade as I go, and eventually megasquirt the ol' dog. For now though...mild improvement.

I've been waiting to see prices of used GReddy setups, but they all seem to come with a bunch of goodies, which I don't want to be tied to. And in the end, I don't think I'd end up keeping much of the GReddy setup anyway.

So my question is, if I want to do this extremly cheap (my Miata was nearly free, and it has become a personal challenge to mod on the cheap...think <$1000), what is the suggested route? EBay 16g mani/dp and rebuild a small dsm 16g? Or go with decent used BEGi mani/dp and rebuild SR20det T25 or similar? I'm willing to wait to accumulate parts, but I don't want to start accumulating if it isn't realistic to do. So, what's the cheapest you could go and still be reasonably reliable?

Thanks so much!

This reminds me of the saying "Cheap, reliable, fast. You can only have 2"

I would say that 160HP is basically impossible for sub $1k if you want to intercool it. A used greddy kit will run you around $1k alone I would think. Then Stripes kit from mx5projects.com is a little over $500 which is a VERY good price for what you get. That probably wont net you 160HP though, I could be wrong though. I personally am beginning my project with an EMU and large injectors, so I will be able to see pretty high HP numbers out of the gate. If you want to take your "analog" engine management to the max you'll need a rrfpr and a bipes at the least. Those used will probably run you another $200. You really need to sit down and take a look at what you want for the future. Otherwise you are going to be spending alot of money unnecessarily. Take a look at brgracer's latest dynos. He around 220+HP on the turbo from the greddy kit, but he has the proper supporting mods.

My setup thus far with approx prices:
GT2554R $400
BEGI mani $250
BEGI "new style" dp $260
RX7 550cc injectors $100
EMU $300
boomslang harness $200
Devils Own progressive kit with extras :) $370
ebay "F1 Racing" clutch $140 (a few member have used these with much success on turbo cars)

I still need a crossover pipe, bov, exhaust, and wideband which will all cost me close to $600 more for a total approaching $2700. Some would say "thats close to the price of a FM or BEGI kit" but it wouldnt come with engine management, clutch, exhaust, or WB. I want to put down 250HP....scratch that, I EXPECT to put down 250HP once I have everything tuned. So yes I spent $1k more than you, but my build has many things that yours doesnt and in the future if I want to make more power all I have to do is throw on a GT28 and retune. So like I said, you need to think long and hard about what you think you'll want down the road.

Brian

I suppose the best thing for me to do is save save save and wait wait wait. Thanks

What I did was figure out the basics of what I wanted to do and then started buying parts as I could afford them and when I saw great deals. I would say the biggest benefit to not being able to afford what you want immediately is that you can wait for all the great deals. You could save hundreds of dollars on that fact alone.

Maybe I should start building a megasquirt and have some fun with that while I'm accumulating parts... :-D

I think if you got a used kit for around $700 and 1.8 injectors for $50 and a fuel pump for $70 and water injection for $170 you could make 170 whp no problem for just under $1000. I sure as hell wouldn't wanna leave it at that though.

Check out my vbGarage. I just updated my expenditures list. My original budget was $1700. I'm going to go over by about $300 once I resell the extra turbo parts I've aquired.
I know it's long, but if you haven't read this thread, it's worth it:
https://www.miataturbo.net/forums/showthread.php?t=4455

My install will be very clean and I will never ever ever ever have to worry about anything breaking (except the stock dif). I knew when I started out that I wanted a new Mani and DP. Everything else I was willing to buy used. Some I still bought new, but most of the other major components were sourced used for the current going rates for those pieces over the past three months.

I may be deluding myself, but I think I should be able to bolt everything up as it sits now w/no tuning and crack 160rwhp at about 8psi. My eventual goal with this setup is 9-10psi and I'm hoping for 180rwhp... maybe a pinch more. That's going to need some tuning, but totally doable. I'll also have the knowledge that low 200's is just an eManage and 440's away.

I've been following your post sam, and have been very intrigued. Your approach is very holistic, making it complete right off the bat. I'm kind of hoping to get into FI cheaply, allowing room for continued upgrades and weekend tinkering. Perhaps it's best to see how much of a tax return I get...

Sam, I think you are gonna hit your goals pretty easily.:)

I hope so, but I'm aiming low so no disappointments... and not getting greedy.
I've got a buddy at work with an '03 WRX (stock) he swears is the fastest car ever and has always made fun of my "Tic-Tac". He's always talking shit. I think they make about 170awhp stock. If I can roll in with 180rwhp and 1000lbs less weight. It should be a massacre. I shouldn't even lose much on the launch.

The guy flies a 10,000hp/55,000lb airplane and can calculate all the crap that goes into flying the thing, but his ego won't adjust for the "get your ass handed to you" calculation. Plus I heard he's got a really small wang.

You can always get into a base used greddy really cheap. I've even seen some fairly well modded ones for around $1k. You could sell any "extra" parts that came with it and just stick with a stock setup.

Turbo/Mani/DP/FPR/CrossoverPipe/BOV. You should be able to do that really cheap and keep it to 5psi with your base timing pretty low.
Then purhcase over time:
Bipes($175)
WI or IC($300)
Walbro 190($80)
New FPR disc($?cheap)
1.8inj's($50)
MBC($25)
Now you're sitting pretty at 9-10psi.

The next roadblock would be the stock greddy DP... Begi sells their kick-ass divorced wastegate model for about $310 shipped.

FWIW I walked away easily from a WRX with a Perrin air filter, up pipe, downpipe and full 3" exhaust in my Miata when I was making a whopping 3.5 psi with my T3 60 trim. Best case I figure I was making 150 whp and even that sounds high. You are gonna slaughter the Rex easily.

my 200whp 8psi was 1200 dollars minus cllutch it can be done do a saerch of the names of peoples setups you like and see what you think is the best wya for you.