Build for $2009 challenge
 

I am working on a Miata for the Grassroots Motor Sports (GRM) $2009 challenge.

I bought the Miata with a Greddy turbo kit and a Megasquirt already installed. I ma primarily working on tuning the car, perhaps some suspension work, and perhaps nitrous and/or water methanol injection, intercooler sprayer, roll bar, etc

I am looking to get (ideally) 250whp before any nitrous.

Any insight would be appreciated, I am located in the Jacksonville FL area.

what is the question?

If its yellow let it mellow, if its brown flush it down.

Ohhhhhhhh, you mean about the car.

I got nothing, you want insight, post pictures and more specs.

Main point of the post was the intro, not so much a particular question.

Currently I am running 10psi boost, I believe there is a full 2 1/2 inch exhaust and short air intake from the turbo into the engine compartment. I have not been able to get the Megasquirt to hook up to the laptop so I am not sure of my fuel tables. The car does feel like it bogs at WOT. I am guessing the timing and fuel map are conservative, causing the bogging.

I guess a good question to start with would be, what is the boost that I should expect to run to put 250whp? I believe I have seen people in that range with around 13psi, but I am not sure what else they have done.

What is a "safe" boost to run on a stock bottom end and not expect to lift the head or put a rod through the block?

I am uploading one picture, and as I go through the build more, I will add more pics.

I think 250whp would be about the limit for your stock engine/tranny.....

250whp is about all I would expect. The car has about 125k miles on it, I have not done a compression test, but from driving there are no major concerns.

Sorry to come across with the standard NOOB posting, just wanted to put something up, since I will probably end up asking a few dumb questions as I go forward. I am an engineer that likes to tinker, so I can run the numbers on what I hope to do, but nothing is more dangerous then a engineer with tools in hand.

Thanks

no problem man, welcome...

Hey, I meant to reply to your post earlier, but I'm also in the Jax area (Julington Creek). I went to the last two challenges as a spectator. Lots of cool cars there for sure. I'm sure you'll have lots of fun. Let me know if I can offer any assistance. I just installed my MS and I'm about to turbo my 93. I'm holding off on the turbo install until after a track day at Roebling road at the end of this month. What part of Jax are you in?

I live in Jax Beach. I will shoot you a PM and we can look into meeting up. I have not heard about the Roebling track day, do you have more details?

The Roebling track day is through the SE-R club of America. They are having their national convention in Savannah and the track day is Fri March 27. Even though I don't have my SE-R anymore, I've got lots of friends still in the club. I'm driving up Friday just for the track day. You are more than welcome to sign up. They are a very friendly group and I'm sure they would be glad to have you. Some folks will be flying in from the West coast and driving rental cars on the track. More info here:
G Spec Performance - SR20 National Convention Registration
and here:
2009 SR20 National Convention (Savannah, GA) - SR20 Forum

Track day is $99+$25 registration fee. $124 for the day isn't bad at all!

Alright another new Jax guy! Welcome tripp. I live on the northside. You ever go out to the sonic by St Johns Bluff on saturdays? Lots of cars meet up and hang out

a turbo miata that hasnt been rolled or something is going to net you a LOT of BS points i think

oh wait this is $2009 challenge, not 24 hrs of lemons... haha

nevermind, carry on :)

a turbo miata that hasnt been rolled or something is going to net you a LOT of BS points i think

oh wait this is $2009 challenge, not 24 hrs of lemons... haha

nevermind, carry on :)

I remember seeing that car at the 2008 challenge.

http://inlinethumb41.webshots.com/42...425x425Q85.jpg

Let me know if you have any questions about my build or the event.

I bought it off someone who ran it in the $2008 challenge. I will need to swing out by the sonic one of these weekends.

psudosport, I will have some questions about the LC-1 wideband set up, how much did it cost, are you willing to share your maps, etc

I still need to get my laptop to synch with the megasquirt (I think I finally got the right cable) and then I can get my baseline for tuning.

Do any of you run a rising rate fuel pressure regulator?

Wow thats a steal if I ever saw one. Very nice! Welcome.

thanks

The LC-1 cost me $170 on ebay. I tuned the car with it then removed it for the challenge so I would not have to include it in the budget.

Since I'm using Megasquirt I don't need to run a rising rate regulator. Stock fuel pump and RX7 injectors work fine for me.

I'm willing to share my map if you promise not to load it on your car. I don't want to blow up your car. It might be a better idea to post yours up in the Megasquirt section along with some more info about the engine and have others take a look at it.

welcome, I'm In St. Augustine, I'm in the same boat as far as tuning just waiting for my cables and harness..... but yeah I talked to the guy who owned that car for quite a bit, I was trying to get that HT i still need one....... Oh well welcome again!!!!!!

Are there a few people on this forum in the Jax area? Are there any good drives down your way?

disapointing dyno day
 

I took my car to the dyno yesterday, to get a good baseline before I started playing with the tuning (not having tuned before).

was putting about 140 hp to the wheels with the spark blowing out at higher rpms under boost.

I could use a little advice on the AF and spark tables I am running. I believe they are relatively conservative, but I was hoping for a little more power.

They guy at the helped me out a bit (and charged me a bit) and smoothed the AF ratio out. We tweaked the boost up to about 14.5 psi (not looking for a daily driver, I am aware that this has the potential to do more engine damage then the original 10 psi it was running at). The car feels smoother until it starts blowing out the spark in the higher RPMs, but not the power I wanted.

The AF ratio stayed around 12 on the wideband that was hooked up at the dyno, I am going to install an LC-1 for my own tracking.

My car has a Greddy trubo kit, front mount intercooler, 550cc injectors, welbro 255 fuel pump, 2.5 in exhaust from the down pipe back.

I know that I can gain some more power from new plugs, which I purchased yesterday and need to put in (along with wires). Also, I know the down pipe is a restrictive point in the exhaust. Any other advice would be appreciated.

I am posting my tables on here hoping for some feedback, figure this question is asked just about daily by most other noobs so I would not post to the MS forum, and keep it in the intro forum.

Thanks for the advice.

ps Also, I realize that my tables are a little too close to my max boost pressure (being tables up to 215 kpa and the boost up to 14.5 psi), but the AF ratio seemed ok at the dyno.

thanks
Tripp

sorry having trouble posting the tables:

lets hope that third time is the charm........https://www.miataturbo.net/images/smilies/noob.gif

Attachment 11446

Attachment 11447

Attachment 11448

thanks
Tripp

I am posting this in the megasquirt section, thanks for looking it over.

Welcome to MT

Good luck on 250 WHP, I'm up to 15psi with only 210 ish. I know my motor is getting tired but I'm sure yours is too. Even 200+ is good for prob high 12's and a very capable autocross car. Don't push it or the greddy is just going to become a heat pump and create more issues than its worth.

Just my .02c

14 psi gave me 240 on the more conservative spark map, and I hadn't left much on the table.

Don't get caught up in numbers though, a little over 200 and you'll have a very capable challenge car.

I can always go with a little extra weight cutting, my goal is for mid 12's to stay competative. Thanks for the input.

With the Greddy am I better looking to find a used 16b, or something a little larger, from a junk yard or locally and flowing more air?

I opened a similiar thread on the MS forum tryng to get some advice on the tables I am running. I can't figure out why I am not putting more power to the dyno, unless the guys is screwing the the dyno settings trying to get me to keep coming back...

Thanks

Flowing more air = more lag, more budget spent elsewhere.

Reserve judgement about your current turbo setup until you've sorted out your EMS issues!

cool, just wanted to run it by you guys before datalogging and tuning the wrong set up

thanks