First turbo build, Westchester NY!
 

Hey guys,

My name is Chess. I'm a 24 year old IT tech, competitive shooter, and aspiring tuner. Right now I have a stock '93 LE with 118K miles. I bought it around 115k miles, and so far it's had a new TYC radiator, a new Exedy OEM clutch, LuK Flywheel, new Robbins top, and general things like oil, shifter fluid, etc. I planned on keeping it stock when I put the Exedy clutch in, otherwise I would have upgraded.

My goal is about 200rwhp, but it's a long way off, as I'm just starting my journey, and have a lot of reading and learning left to do. My first step, besides, studying, is going to be a Megasquirt DIYPNP, so I can get some experience with tuning. I also have a Torsen diff out of a '94 that will be going in.

I'm a member of the Nutmeg Miata club, but if any turbo guys out there want to hang out, go for a drive, or even need an extra pair of hands to work on their own car, hit me up!

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...33ab96277e.png

Welcome to miata turbo. We have talked briefly on /r/miata. I go by mkturbo there. Skip the DIYPNP and go with a MS3 of some variety. Plan on budgeting between $3000-$4000 to turbo your miata properly and have it be reliable.

What sort of IT work do you do? I am a DevOps Engineer and we have a good amount of other people on here who do IT work.

I remember you! I was actually just on your site doing some more reading.

Why do you suggest the MS3 over the DIYPNP? I was leaning toward the DIYPNP for both cost and fun (Making my own ECU sounds cool to me), and my responses on /r/Miata seem to indicate the DIYPNP should be good for my goals, but I'd definitely like to hear your thoughts as well.

As for IT, I am but a lowly Helpdesk tech. We don't have traditional Tier 1/2/etc but I'm about Tier 2, so just a little past "I need to change my password" and "My computer is slow". My goals are toward security, but my turbo rstudying is far more interesting than my CompTIA studying...

udemy.com has some decent sells going on right now for IT training. There are a few courses you could pick up for about $10 each.

Here is my group buy thread for mkturbo where you can read all about the design, development, and what all has been done over the past 3 years that I have been making setups.

If you wanted to play some video games would you go out and buy a PS3 or a PS4 right now? I know you are going to say PS4. Think of the MS2 and MS3 the same way. Yes you can run your car on the MS2, but the MS3 is the newer better system. It is the one getting all the latest features and all the updates. The creature comforts that it allows are far better then what the MS2 offers. You are also very limited on inputs and outputs with a MS2, which personally is a bit annoying. As I said on /r/miata check out TRUBOKITTY for info on how to build your own MS3X. You can do it for between $500-650 I think. It has been a while since I priced out everything. Only slightly more then a DIYPNP, but will be far better overall.

Also don't worry about modding your LE. It has over 100k miles on it, so it has lost the collectable edge it might have had. I have a LE fetish so I follow their pricing a ton. Currently I have a relatively stock 93LE with 193k on it, a 94 with an LE interior swap with my built mkturbo setup and everything else a turbo track car gets on here. I have another 94 with an LE swap that has the standard VVT/flattop/ms3x/I/H/E NA motor build. Then I have 1.5 full LE interiors in my garage as spare parts. Pretty sure sometime in the next year I will be swapping a LE interior into the 99 I have.

I'm actually working on my A+ right now (I got into the field and am retroactively doing A+. Sadly, it's all information I've long since forgotten). I will definitely check them out, thank you!

I totally understand your metaphor, and I actually didn't realize I could build my own MS3, I thought the DIYPNP with the MS2 CPU was the only DIY one. However, in the stickied MS Family thread (Linked below), Joe Perez says of the MS3 "To be avoided by all but the most hard-core techie types.". That's what really put me off it.

https://www.miataturbo.net/megasquir...wcomers-81522/

And I totally forgot you mentioned you were an LE fan. I'm really excited to see how your NB LE build turns out! I was hesitant to mod it at first, but after doing a little research, I really have no qualms about strapping a turbo on there. Thanks!

PS. What's with the Turbo and Cat connection? I see it here, TRUBOKITTY (Which I thought was a typo) and your site. I love cats, I just don't get the connection

Thanks again for everything!

Cats are everything, collect enough cats. Win some kitty kool prizes. :likecat:

My roommate (Mom) is allergic :-\

I tried to get the NY plate "MEOWTA" and it was either taken or restricted. It was very sad

Not sure why that is there. MS3+MS3x isn't too much more involved than a DIYPNP, but the benefit is huge. I upgraded from a DIYPNP to an MS3+MS3x and the driveability, ease of tuning, and features were well worth it.

Interesting, no reason not to do with the MS3x then! Thanks

Welcome aboard! Update your location so locals can see where you're at. You said nutmeg miata club but mentioned NY plates so I'm not sure exactly where that leaves you!

Thanks for the welcome! Are you saying to update you location in my profile? I will do that!

I'm in North Salem, right on the border of Danbury basically. So I live in NY, but I actually work in Sandy Hook, and will travel deeper into CT for Nutmeg events. Not too close to Woostuh sadly, but we actually just did a tech day with Mass Miata last month! I wasn't able to attend unfortunately. Are you a member?

Welcome!!

As for that clutch, keep in mind it won't last long with that kind of power. I recently did a clutch job as mine was slipping and I thought I was too harsh on my break in period. I pulled that Exedy Stage1 out and the disc was almost worn to the rivets!!! When I went turbo, I thought it'd be good enough, but come to find out its not rated for much beyond stock :/ . I have been running 12psi, so definitely not the right clutch in this instance.

I too am in a IT DevOps role :) I have been working in the San Fran dotcom industry since 2000 and Linux is my gig. I built my MS2 from scratch from components, way too much fun :)

Yeah, I really should've upgraded it. Especially because it took me about 16 hours..... (Easily the biggest job I've done, and I did it alone in a dirt driveway). But I feel pretty comfortable now that if I had to do it again, I can. I probably won't really get any boost for another year or so, at least until this autocross season is over, so I can stay in the stock class and I'll just sell the clutch for a 12 pack next year or something. It was under $200 for the clutch kit and flywheel.

I love meeting all these IT guys! Except, like on here, I'm a noob. I just got into it about 4 years ago with no experience, a GED, and no college diploma. Fortunately my boss gave me a shot, and it's been going well ever since

I'm really excited to build my MS (Probably MS3x), and have been checking out all the different boards we have laying around, haha

So on 12 psi, what hp does that put you at

Yeah, I hear you... I though I was staying stock too, but got the itch to learn something new, and thus why the turbo plunge. With IT, just helps to keep learning, cause it's never ending. No different with Megasquirt :)
12 psi on a 1.8 is conservatively around 225rwhp. Haven't had it dyno'ed, but its funny fast for me.