hi there
lurker to poster finally
I recently got a 2009 sti turbo and intercooler from a guy who owed my dad money and made partial payment in parts for my cars. Turbo has like 1000 miles on it as is like new. He upgraded to a bigger turbo so I ended up with it.

I have a couple questions:

1. What would I need to install this sti turbo onto my 1995 miata? What type of manifold would i need to bolt it on and where would i buy it?

2. Can this intercooler be modified to fit the miata?

I have a 99 sti that runs awesome as well and wondering if i should upgrade it with this turbo instead, or if I should just bolt it into the Miata?

If the added costs of modifying are greater than those of a Turbo Kit, what could I get for the turbo/IC combo and what would an entry miata Turbo Kit cost me?

 

You have a.... '99 STI? And you live in the US?

Search, there's posts about using a WRX intercooler on Miatas. Also on where to get subaru-style flanges and who can build you a manifold with them.

 

welcome to the forum

 

fixed.

 

I have a wrx turbo on mine. I wouldnt go that route because there's a lot of fabrication involved. If you're up to it, then go ahead, subaru turbos are generally a good match for the miata engine because they spool very fast and don't taper up top.


And what's this about a '99 STi.

 

+1
Everyone knows girls dont really like Miatas.

 

i'll buy the whole furum a beer if this userid lasts beyond this thread.

 

?huh?

99 sti, yes.
not in the states, no.

Pipefather, thanks. I'll probably sell it then and buy a cheap plug/play Miata turbo kit.

 

Mathilda, some of these guys don't get out of their Mom's basement often enough. Take it as a warm welcome!


Here's the information you're looking for:

Bottom line with the parts you have is that there are better options for less money. The arrangement of the intercooler inlet/outlet of the Subie IC is not complementary to a Miata application. The proprietary flange of the Subie turbo will require a custom manifold/downpipe that is well within the range of acquisition, but in the end won't be worth it.

Sell both of those parts in the classifieds on a Subie forum and re-invest in a T25 with standard T2 turbine flanges, or a small T3 with standard flanges. Several companies make production manifold/DP combos for T25 and T3 turbos.

To research the cost of a bolt-in kit for your '95, visit Bell Enginnering (BEGi) a sponsor on this website. You can have a basic non-intercooled kit for under $2k and a decently optioned kit for $3k. A fully optioned kit good for 300whp will run $5k+. You can (if you have the desire/means) always piece together your own kit. Purchasing used parts in the classifieds or buying somebody's used kit outright is a great way to save money and still end up with hi-quality parts... many people on this website have some decent hi-power setups using not a single new part.

One thing to consider when doing the homework on your build. The Miata weighs about 1000lbs less than your Subie. Your average 200whp Miata will drive around an STi on the street and track. 200whp can be done with quality parts and a safe tune for $2k... but you need to buy smart and have a plan going in.

Questions:
What kind of maintenance has this Miata seen? Miles?
What is the current health of the motor? Compression? Fluid?
What are the current mods on the car?
What is your wrenching/fabrication ability?
Do you have a place to work? Tools?
How are you with electronics, circuitry, soldering?
Do you have emissions constraints?
Besides simply owning a turbo car, do you know about turbocharging theory and tuning? Do you know the importance of AFR, timing, EGT's?
HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU HAVE?
HOW MUCH POWER DO YOU WANT?

 

So there's a Hollywood, FL in some other country?

 

Robino can help you with that.

 

Well well well, you live in my neck of the woods. Welcome

 

ya think?
usually dads do.

 

I don't know why The Pipefather would steer you away from the Subie turbo. His setup looks great and he isn't the only one on the forum with one of those. For about the price of any other good manifold you can have one that will work with that turbo.

I'm doing it the hard way and adapting a manifold to fit a Subie turbo myself, but you can get one made for it that will work just fine.
Here is The Pipefather's manifold, custom made by ETD Racing:


And they are right about the intercooler. The inlet and outlet arrangement are all wrong for retrofitting it to a Miata.

Best of luck to you.

 

u just lurk here abit and we will get u squared away. U came to the right place to learn and make informed decisions no one knows more about Turboing miatas than us and turbos in general are our forte if you will.

 

Sure, only if ETD can be persuaded to make more of them that is. I wasnt able to, so I had to buy the only used one that exists in the world.

 

for curiousities sake, that turbo wouldnt match my MSM mani would it?

 

I was probably the first person on the board using the Subaru TD04-13T. Really, its a great turbo, a used one costs less than a chinese turbo but have OEM quality. Spool up is pretty much instantaneous, but in reality, they do taper off on the top end. BEGi made me an adapter for my T3 manifold to use it and now they sell it on their site. I would definitely use the VF39 though over the 13T as it has a much higher power potential. Yes, you have to clock the turbo but its not a hard job.

But....... if you ever want to sell that VF39 for cheap, lemme know!

 

that's not a vf39, its a vf43, pretty much an unknown quantity as yet.

 

Any good welding shop could get that turbo on there for you....

I can name 3 off the top of my head right now. It might cost you a little bit, but if the turbo is a good fit, why not use it?

Dump the intercooler though.

Btw, Pics? STi as well...