Abandoning/redirecting my build....opinions welcomed
 

Am I a complete dumbass for considering selling the BEGi turbo stuff I've got and saving up for a DIY Rotrex setup?

I'm 95% of the way to having all the parts necessary for my turbo build. And I have been for months, and months, and months. At this point, I need an exhaust flange welded back on to my downpipe (BEGi said they'd do it for $70), and I'd be ready to start bolting stuff on.

For various and sundry reasons, I've been dragging my heels. Problems with our other vehicles, occasional shortages in my mad money fund, other projects/hobbies taking precedence temporarily, etc.

In the meantime, I've been reading and reading all the various issues with turbo track reliability, blown engines, nicked or gouged oil pickup lines, and so on. Some of those issues wouldn't necessarily apply to my situation -- for example, it's unlikely that I would track my car anytime in the near future (on the other hand, I do have a loose plan to hold on to the Miata and turn it into a track car some years down the road).

At the same time, I've been going back and reading all the threads on the Rotrex setups, and honestly it seems like the perfect setup for me. Installation seems about as idiot-proof as it can be, and by all accounts it's about as bullet-proof as a FI system can get, including heavy track use. I know that there are track-worthy turbo systems, but the money you'd spend on making a street-setup truly track-worthy would go a long way toward a Rotrex kit.

Soooo.....

Money's been a little tight in the household, and I've been thinking of selling off the BEGi stuff, saving for a while until I can afford the DIY Rotrex kit from 949 and an eBay IC, and restarting my build from there.

Now, tell me why I'm dumb for considering this. Or if you don't have any helpful opinions, feel free to make UrbanSoot part-out jokes.

Keep the BEGi parts!!! It is well worth the wait. I collected parts for about a year and half. You'll enjoy it!

Location? Mebbe a member or two can help u with the install and help avoid early turbo system woes.

Btw I put on TSE incolnel studs and so far they work great. I pulled a stud last week and it didnt looked burnt or hurt at all. Was shiny in fact.

Trust me when I say this I have had 4 friends now one with a miata one with a sunfire one cobalt and one Honda that all put on superchargers instead of turbos because they were worried about reliability and other such things. The Honda, sunfire, and cobalt all have turbos on them now and the miata got sold and the new one has a turbo. It will be well worth it to stick with the turbo set up. The output from a turbo all around is better than a super charger. I have two friends with Saturn ION's with the boost turned up a little bit and the blower causes more problems than any turbo car I know of. Stick with it, it will be worth it.

If you have Inco hardware, what is the worry? I expect my Inco CHRA bolts to cure my problems and get back to glory road.

Besides, will you be able to make 240wtq with the Rotrex? The Rotrex kit looks awesomely reliable, I wish it were available 2-years ago, but I'm not sure it's comparable to what I have now.

Do you have to build the car to a class spec?

Come on, guys, it isn't as if I said I was considering buying a M45 setup. The Rotrex is legit and easily capable of 220ish whp which was my target for the turbo setup, is nearly as efficient as a turbo, safer, easier to install, and is ready for track use immediately.

I'm not opposed to forging ahead with the turbo build (I'd say I'm still 75/25 in favor of completing what I've got) but the Rotrex is seriously tempting and I'm trying to figure this out before I spend any more time or effort on the turbo. Giving me the same old arguments about roots blowers isn't helping.

Threads like this make me wonder if I should sell my turbo parts and go for the rotrex as well...

Turbo

If you're short on cash, selling your parts and buying a new supercharger system isn't going to fix that problem at all.

Don't be a wimp and go turbo. You'll feel better about it once you finally get this build done. If you sell out now, you'll be thinking later on "why didn't I finish that turbo build?" Hell, it's not like the parts will be hard to sell if you change your mind later on. Just do it man and finish what you started.

Rotrex seems legit, I think you'll be happy with either choice, with or without the torque of course, lol.

Had to stick the knife in there at the end, didn't you?

Dammit. Anyone else? Rotrex owners?

:inout:

Thread summary:

I'm currently gospeed81, but should I UrbanSoot and then eventually Emilio?

I vote to keep the turbo. I have had both supercharged and turbo miata's, the fun factor alone is priceless for the turbo's. Let alone the fact that when you get bored with the boost of a supercharger there are upgrades but eventually you hit the ceiling. Turbos on the other hand are pretty much sky's the limit, theres always something upgrade-able and can make as much power as you could ever really need.

So you've owned and driven a Rotrex Miata? Because that's what I'm talking about.

you'd need a proper exhaust to take full advantage of the rotrex. I'd stick with the turbo.

None of the above for reliability. I've got $8,000 total (and hopefully $7500 as soon as I sell some more parts) in my V8 Miata and donor car. 350 ft/lbs of torque FTW

Yeah, but how many of us have the good fortune of pulling the trigger on a 90% finished LS1 Miata (with an egg tooth!).

I've done the turbo miata track car. It was fun, and my set up was stupid fast for how little money I had in it.

That said, when I build another FI'd miata track car it will most likely have a rotrex on it. I've read too many of Hustler and Savington's threads...how many chra's have the two of them gone through?

If you're not going to track the crap out of it, then why worry about the turbo? The turbo reliability problems really only start show when you're going properly quick on the track.

Okay, so I've (finally) sold another toy that should take care of my short-term cash flow problem. Don't need to sell the turbo stuff right now.

I'm still tempted by the Rotrex setup. I think my plan will be to work on the secondary stuff first (1.8 rear end, clutch, MSII + injectors, radiator), and then re-evaluate before I start the actual turbo part of the build. If I decide to go Rotrex at that point, I will not have wasted any work, and can still sell the turbo stuff and pick up the DIY kit from 949.