Impuls

iTrader: (1)

Hello guys, I've been lurking on these forums for few days now.
Just gathering this and that information, and I thought that I should introduce myself to you guys and try getting more involved.

My actual name is Nicholas. I am in the military, United States Air Force. I have a passion far cars, I may dislike certain peoples outlook on cars (Hellaflush/stance, and pretty much any and every civic, or huge *** rims)

Well, I've recently obtained a black 99' Miata.
A friend of mind got one while I was deployed a few months back, and he's planning on going SCCA spec with his unless he gets tired of it.
So I drove around and it's just something about these cars haha, just had to get one.
Now that I got one. I gotta get more out of the car then this factory stuff right?!

So, so far, I've just done regular maintenance for it.
Had to replace the Alternator after a 700mi road trip,
Oil change and inspection,
Found gasket leaking in the back driver side corner of the valve cover (So might as well paint it too right?).
I'm probably just sticking with a Black/blue theme with the car. Going to de-badge perhaps.
It's my daily driver but it's going to be my little street monster after it's all said and done. Pump gas is a must, so I'm going to end up having to put premium with the turbos/compression, which is no big deal at all.

I'll probably be coming to you guys for my questions and guidance for the art form of putting a turbo on this girl.
But other then that just to get all around knowledge and to figure other things to upgrade before the turbo, as in suspension, wheels/tires, this and that stuff to make a more performance based car.

Thank you to all who reads, for your time and everything.
I will be glad to finally become one of you guys.
Awwwhhhhh yeeaaaaa

thirdgen

iTrader: (26)

Welcome!!! Perfect car to start with since it looks pretty unmolested!
My suggestion: read a lot and ask us before doing things. That way you'll make good decisions and you won't make mistakes and end up with like 5 different turbo setups and countless dollars thrown away. What are your power goals? I guess what I mean is, what do you want the car to be able to accomplish?

Impuls

iTrader: (1)

Thank you thank you, Yeah defiantly don't wanna end up with the mistakes and have to piece together everything to make things work having to spend 3x the amount :P
Hmm from what I'm seeing 250hp seems to be relatively good for street and road course.
So somewhere around there most likely. I'm pretty much going to upgrade until I'm happy and comfortable with the power and speed. As long as I tear those guys that think their badass because they got the "awesome car" at a redlight. I'll be happy

Mainly gotta find a set up that's still safe for daily driver, yet:
---Can go threw a road course/back roads with ease and make the power fun
--I've gotten into drifting as well.
-Maybe go to the drag strip here for test and tune night every now and then and see what I can do.


So pretty much seems like and over all upgrade, but it's pretty much in greatest to lease priority/want. I could care less about throwing down REALLY low numbers at the drag, but I do want that acceleration. Gotta beat those damn hondas ya know.

aaronc7

iTrader: (8)

where you located?

buffon01

iTrader: (9)

I have the same color valve cover

Welcome

fooger03

iTrader: (2)

One of your listed goals is "road course"...

How serious are you about the road course goal?

I ask because the road course is easily 10 times more demanding on your car than any other of your goals. If you add power to your car, you're going to have a LOT of other requirements with the road course that you just wont have with any other type of driving. If you can forego the desire to put your car on a lap-track, this hobby will be a hell of a lot less time and money consuming.

Impuls

iTrader: (1)

Tampa, FL

xD Awesome haha, I didn't really get to prep it all to well but it seems to have come out well.

Not really to serious, not going to be going out to competitions and trying to get 1st in regional or anything, Mainly we have autocross tracks around here and you can go out and have fun and try to make your best lap. Also some intense back roads here where they host a 200mi event called the "Poker Run". Yeah I can defiantly forgo the desire for a lap-track for sure, It's more of just going out and having fun type deal. Last night we took out around 9 cars to go threw the first check point of the poker run, It was pretty crazy, but alot of fun. With my stock wheel/tires I was more less sliding around corners, and was one of the only non-boosted cars there besides a 350z. but I managed to stay up with all of them especially in corners... not so much in the straights.

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

Another local! Welcome!

You are not alone. There are several of us here. Put your location so it shows up under your screen name and the other locals will find you too. If you hurry up and get a legal roll bar for that thing you could drive it on the track at Sebring in March.

Impuls

iTrader: (1)

Thank you I didn't realize FL was the local for you guys. Sweet
Ohh man! I'll have to find out what they classify as legal, Really think a rather stock miata can hold up tho :P haha
Hmm when is it in March? Maybe I'll see if my friend going for Spec miata will want to go.
Any other requirements you know of?



P.S.
I so need that
I am: chet
Changed to
I am: Nicholas
or just Nick

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

Nichetolas, lol,

You will need a rollbar made of a certain thickness and a certain diameter tube made of a one piece main hoop with at least one diagonal brace and etc. etc.

You really only have a couple of choices that are legal to use off the shelf. Either the single or double diagonal Hard Dog Hard Core. If you never plan on using a hard top get this one or if you might get a hard top someday or want it easier to re-sell up the road get this one.

There is a competitive brand to that one called Boss Frog and they have the single hoop clearview and clearview maxx. The maxx won't fit under a hardtop. There are some other brands but the Hard dog is the most popular around here.

Some people get by with the Hard Dog Sport M2 Double or Single Diagonal but they aren't 100% legal in every organization but most org's accept them without question and they are a little cheaper. You should get the special high density SFI approved foam padding and the vinyl cover kit if you get one. Otherwise if you get rear ended without a helmet on it will split your melon open something nasty.

Other than that all you will need to run is a helmet rated to SA2005 or SA2010 standards and you are good to go from an equipment standpoint. The cheapest I saw lately was a Zamp brand helmet for $159 (European branch of Bell Helmets I've heard). Make sure it has the rating before buying it. They will advertise it prominently in the specs if it does.

I'll go over car prep with you later if it looks like you will end up going.

We are looking at attending March 31st event. There will be four 20 minute track sessions, classroom sessions in between runs, and you will have an instructor (usually a race car driver who is competing that weekend) riding with you teaching you the fast way around the track. It is 3.7 miles around Sebring Raceway and there are 17 turns.

Impuls

iTrader: (1)

I'm probably going to be getting the HardDag hardtop bar, just in case I go hardtop one day. I surly want a roll bar, for safety and all. haha

But I probably wont have everything I need by the time the event is sadly or I would defiantly go.

If you feel like spreading the knowledge tho, I wouldn't mind learning about some race prep down the road

Impuls

iTrader: (1)

I'm currently trying to plan out the turbo setup.
Can't decide what ECU to go with. Hydra or Megasquirt.
After that I can start making me list and lining out the items I acquire.
If anyone wants to point out thing's I'll need that would be awesome I'm about to do some searching to see if there's any list of everything I'll need. Just to make sure I'm not forgetting anything.
Will be a fun project

thirdgen

iTrader: (26)

You are in luck! I could offer you the package deal of the century!
SR20 turbo w/spare CHRA and compressor and a bunch of spare bolt flanges,
FM cast turbine outlet
FM downpipe
FM airbox
Air filter
Filter to compressor elbow
and...
MS2 full standalone PNP with EBC solenoid.
Make me an offer I can't refuse.
You'd need to buy a manifold, an intercooler, BOV, piping, wideband, and also some other little misc items. Then you'll be set up for 200whp on your stock injectors.
I'm getting ready to do some upgrading, but I want to fund my new setup. That's the only reason for my selling, otherwise it's all still on my car running perfectly.

Impuls

iTrader: (1)

I dunno, I'd rather have everything, but I'll have to think about it.

On another note. I got an EGR Valve a while back because I'm getting that Excessive flow fault code thrown and now one about O2 senor bank 1. Should I return this 200$ useless part and just do an EGR delete?

thirdgen

iTrader: (26)

Egr delete...buy and run my ms2 cause no check engine light from egr non sense.

jmann

You well need the roll bar as stated above, but then you well need a better clutch, better radiator just for adding the turbo. Then you well need suspension, shocks, springs, sway bars, tower bar and so on if you are going to track the car or autocross it. If you just want around 250 whp for screwing around on the roads the later mentioned stuff can come later. I have a 02 SE and a 99 and I have the FM11/Hydra setup on both. The 02 has been done since 2007 with no issues, it has the 2.5 Hydra and it is just street driven. The 99 is strictly a track car and it has the 2.7 Hydra. It has been an ongoing process as I bought it early last year and they had just came out with the 2.7 version. The main issue was controlling the voltage in the alt., but that has been fixed now they say as of last week. I went around the issue by installing an earlier alt. which has an internal reg., works great. I have ran the **** out of the 99 on lots of tracks last summer with no issues at all, pretty much plug and play.
Alot of the guys on here like to do it from scratch and that is fine, it cost less, but since that was not an issue with me I opted for the kit way and as far as the FM11 setup goes I really like it and the customer support is very good. John

PS also better exhaust and with the stock motor I wouldn't go any bigger then 2.5", which is what I have on the 02 and have no trouble keeping the boost under 12 psi. I went with 3" on the 99 and had to put a necked down insert in the muffler tip to keep the psi down, I have since built another short block with 9 to 1 compression and beefier rods so I can run more psi as necking down the 3" exhaust seemed counter productive to me.

fooger03

iTrader: (2)

Jmann, welcome to the site! What part of the world you from, bro?

jmann

Anacortes, Wash., and I've been here before for a couple years. Thanks John

Impuls

iTrader: (1)

Ohhh nice thank you, as now the plan is for the FMII/hydra set up with alot of the upgrades, Full 3" exhaust, stage I clutch and lightweight flywheel, and probably going to get their cross flow radiator too it seems to be promising. I would just do fabricated system, like you said it's alot cheaper) but FM and their lifetime warranty is enough for me to pay out a little extra. I'm going to do this turbo set up first, them I'm going to do tire/wheel, roll bar. then upgrade the whole suspension. Which all in all, seems like a pretty great deal to me.

jmann

Impuls I would do the 2.5" exhaust unless you plan on building a stronger motor down the road. As I said above being able to keep the psi below 12 was not in the book. My friend and I tried porting the waste gate, stacked washers in the waste gate mount brkt and on cool days was not able to keep the boost down enough to keep the Hydra from shutting the fuel off as Jeremy sets the shutoff value at 14.4 psi for the stock 99 motor and it hits it very easy in the taller gears, so the solution was to insert a 2.5" restricter in the muffler tip and that solved the problem. I now have a 99 block with forged rods and pistons with 9:1 compression, so I plan on running 15 to 16 psi. But now I have a high boost miss in the coils so I have a big spark kit setup coming from FM. that uses LS3 coils. Man its never ending. I do believe you well be very happy with the 2.7 Hydra, especially now that they have it sorted out better. You well really like the auto tune feature, it works very well, and unlike the 2.5 you don't have to have a laptop plugged in for it to be working and save, plus Jeremy installs a really good base map. Good Luck. John