pelamelachilli

im rewritting this cause the first time was just a sad attempt at not being a noob. so im rewritting this in another format i saw from someone else post.

so yea ive been lurking these forums for years even since before i got a miata. i finally got one and im still on here to learn as much as i can to be able to turbo my car without blowing up the engine. after spending week reading this forums i find i still need some insight and guidance inorder to comfortably pull this off successfully so im comeing out of the shadows and denoobing myself..properly this time.

im 25, always been interested in working on cars and learning to modify them and making your own personalized piece of art. i first started with my daily changing oil, breaks, putting a cat back exhaust and intake on it but it just wasnt enough. i found myself wanting to do more. however i couldnt risk having my daily down for more than a day so i began searching. at first i was looking into audis bmws mercedes and would drool over how awesome it would be to own one of these. but then i started to get real and think of how much parts would be and how hard they would be to get, so the search continued. the more and more i would search and read the more and more miatas would pop up, a car i would never even give a second look. it was the perfect platform to do what i wanted, learn how to drive manual and learn how to work on and modify cars. After a few years of searching i found it, a 1990 mazda miata, 76k miles, with logs of every oil change and gas pump it ever had. i couldnt pass it up. although i had hoped to get something i could learn to fix i was happy, it meant more money i can put into making the car my masterpiece. (my end goal is to get a small turbo running at 6 psi to make between 150-200 hp)
what ive done so far;
roll bar; blackbird fabworx roll bar
steering wheel; an nrg quick release steering wheel
what to do next;
breaks; im probably going to go with the NA8 upgrade as it should suffice for what my end goal is
suspension; xidas seem to be the holy grail but im still looking for a good reliable less expensive set (but i really want xidas not sure if its needed though)
wide band; ive been watching car passion channel so im probably going with the innovate motorsports MXT-L
megasquirt; im terrified to get into this due to my lack of experience if i could do a safe build with out that would be awesome but if i cant id go with the PnP2
injectors;i believe car passion went with rx8 injectors so im going that rout of getting stock injectors from another car that will fit mine
clutch; is working pretty good so im trying to go without upgrading till i need a new one but ill get what i need for the power gain i plan
then the turbo; my lack of experience is pushing me towards getting a kit, the begi s series or the Flying miata kit, as im terrified of missing something ill need or having major fitment issues. and id go with the gt2554 from one of those kits. ( i could use a little insight into this as im not sure what ill need vs what wont be necessary for my end goal power gains)

i plan to take this one step at a time starting with breaks on going from there. not to sure on the exact order of what ill be doing things in. not sure how much ill post but ill try to get involved as im working on over coming some anxiety when it comes to socializing. but thank you all so far for the knowledge you have given me and i look forward to learning more and getting closer and closer to completing my masterpiece.

ryansmoneypit

iTrader: (6)

Get the megasqurt and learn to use it first. Learn to tune. Then add the new injectors, then re tune. Next buy an MK turbo kit. Done.

If you are worried about missing parts, then Begi might not be a good option for you.

acedeuce802

iTrader: (1)

I would stay away from BEGI then.

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

Megasquirt and wideband with stock everything. Then injectors and upgraded clutch. Then MK Turbo. Then smile.

joe morreale

I built mine like sixshooter said, except I did the clutch first. MK Turbo and still smiling.

Monk

iTrader: (3)

You really put yourself out there by coming here if you have social anxiety.
Good on you!
You seem like a humble person, and we will be glad to help.
Like sixshooter said, start with the megasquirt and a good wideband first.
Once you get comfortable with that, upgrade your rear end, then your clutch.
By that time, you will have read enough to turbo successfully, and hopefully you will have made an order for your MKturbo kit.
Good luck to you!
Also, if all you are planning to do with brakes is to upgrade to 1.8 calipers and rotors, don't even bother with trying to find them in the classifieds.
Napa sells them pretty cheap with the brackets included.

ridethecliche

iTrader: (2)

Here's the other thing. Working on cars is a great way to get over social anxiety **** because there's a solid context for why you're interacting. I've made a few miata friends through this site and other miata forums/facebook. It's a pretty solid group of people if you stay away from the folks that engage in the worst kind of fuckery.

Welcome and good luck!

pelamelachilli

Thank you all so much for your feed back and guidance, this has helped me far more with getting things started than all the reading i have done in the past. At least im more comfortable with the decisions ill be making. And the support helps when it comes to the anxiety, hopefully it will cease to get the best of me. i have yet to make any purchases but i know the first one will be a mega squirt and probably the brake upgrade, never hurts to be able to stop better no matter how fast your car goes.
In past few days ive put together a shopping list, which im glad i did cause the budget i have in mind was tunnel visioned on just the price of a turbo kit.
the following list will hopefully help someone out thats looking to do a turbo. all pricing is estimated not including tax. and are the lower to mid end price points i can find without being something you cant trust.
megasquirt pnp2 = $800
wide band o2 sensor = $180 (ill be getting the innovate motorsports MTX-L)
fuel injectors = $200 (going with stock rx8 yellow 420cc)
1.6 to 1.8 rear diff conversion = $1050
clutch = $750 ( that price includes a lightweight flywheel and clutch rated for 245 TQ, im not sure if im going to get a flywheel combo or just a better clutch)
brakes = $488 ( as suggested i checked napa and thats what your looking at to go from 1.6 to 1.8 brakes not including pads. nor am i taking into account the core charge)
then the turbo = $2000 (as suggested ill go with the mk kit. i got my eye on the one with the intercooler as the added protection couldnt hurt but if someone could talk me out of it id like to save the cash)
i do want to get a suspension but im not including it just yet as i dont know what i want and its not absolutely necessary to properly turbo your vehicle.
which leaves a total of, $5,468.
hopefully this helps someone else out there.

Thank you all again i really appreciate the help and support. i should be making the megasquirt purchase in the next day or two anf headed to my local napa to see if i can get my hands on those brakes.
im excited to get things started and share and show you guys how its coming along. im contemplating getting out a cam and posting my journey on youtube, think it would be interseting to see something like this done by someone who is learning from forums wikis and other youtube videos.

oh and if theres is anything that can be done cheaper, but still reliably please let me know the more money i can cut the more i can put towards suspension and then cosmetic upgrade.

skylinecalvin

iTrader: (2)

From what I've read, everybody moved away from RX7 injectors and is going for Flow Force EV14s. I just noticed you are in San Antonio. We have plenty of people over in houston parting out MANY 1.8s. See if you could get the brake set-up cheaper from them. There's also a girl selling a 1.6 with a blown engine. See if you could buy her complete turbo set-up from her. "Houston Miata Page" is the group im talking about.

ridethecliche

iTrader: (2)

I think you could do a full diff conversion for like 750-900 if you played your cards right.
Splurge for the MS3X.
Get the flow force injectors or get mustang takeoffs and get the flow force adapters.
You may want to look at the Kraken turbo kit as well.
Get an FM1 or FM2 clutch depending on your goals. Skip the lightweight flywheel. That money is better spent elsewhere if you're on a budget at all.

skylinecalvin

iTrader: (2)

Any benefit in getting a MS3Pro PNP over braineak's ms3x?

@OP
If you want, I can hunt for the guy I bought car parts from. He has a '01 NB with a complete diff and everything. You just gotta pull it yourself for $300

farpolemiddle

Pel, is your shift key broken?

Monk

iTrader: (3)

It's always good to budget on the high side, but a few things can be safely lowered or modified.
Get an ms3x of some kind instead of an ms2.
The small bump in price is worth it to future proof your car.
Follow the advice already given about flow force injectors from trackspeed.
They are better technology.
Your diff swap should cost you much less than 1K.
I bought mine from a pick n pull with axles and subframe for less than $300.
That's way on the low end, but not out of the ordinary.
I should have clarified on the brakes.
When I bought mine, the calipers with brackets were just over $200 for the entire car.
I get my street rotors and pads from rock auto closeouts for next to nothing.
Do a search on here for the thread with links. I'm not sure if any of them are still live however.
For the turbo, I would shy away from buying someone else's junk for your first setup.
Just buy a kit from Lars so you can be sure you have everything, and you will have support if something goes wrong.
As far as searching this forum in general; use Google.
Type in miataturbo.net and then whatever it is you are searching for.
Our native search feature sucks.

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

^Follow Monk.

Monk

iTrader: (3)

Just as I tell you that classifieds usually aren't worth scouring for stock brakes, my old buddy Ben posts some for a great price.
I have touched them, they are in good shape if you still need them.
https://www.miataturbo.net/miata-par...e-stuff-95011/