Intro + Build: 94 block, VVT Head, DIYPNP, VVTuner
 

Hello forum!

Been lurking and buying bits on the classifieds for a long time but decided to introduce myself and my build plans since I'm deployed and can't claim I'm too busy working on the car. I used to be a regular at m.net but in the quest for customizing I figured I will be spending more time here.

Owned:
1994 M edition, color change to orange, interior change to black with NB2 black leather seats (and soon NB1 door cards), black Konig Dial-In 15x7 with AS tires for now, custom made 2.5" catback and test pipe, stock everything else for now.
FM frame rails
Eibach sway bars
Koni yellows with stock springs (planning on selling in favor of FM V-Maxxes)
VVT Head
VVTuner
MTX AFR sensor and gauge
DIYPNP (unassembled for now)
RX-8 blue injectors

My goals are pretty much to make my car as reliable as stock while making performance better all around thanks to technological advances.https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1465505827Waiting for the clear to dry.



No parts bought for a turbo build yet but if parts fall into my lap for a good price I will. Keeping the 8.8-9.0 CR pistons from the 94 block will be good for this from my readings. It seems like most people with VVT go with an MS3 for VVT control. My entire build I want to be as involved as possible (hence the self welded up exhaust, painted car, and DIYPNP) so hopefully despite the issues with the VVTuner's cam and crank signal forwarding I will be able to make it work. Any tips for this greatly appreciated since all I get to do is read for the next few months.

nice color

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1465511006First autocross in a 1.8, it was great.

Thanks! It's my favorite color and belongs on a Miata. I always wonder why Mazda didn't make it a factory color from the beginning.

So after doing some more homework, the VVT part of this build is going to have to wait a while. VVTuner requires a crank position sensor and to add that to my car I have to change the oil pump for one with a spot for the sensor. If I go that road I'll probably just buy a whole VVT engine to avoid breaking the oil pan seal. With that in mind, does anyone know if a fully retarded cam VVT head will make more power than a 94 head with an exhintake mod?

Are you sure you'll need to change oil pumps? the 96-97 NAs had a crankshaft position sensor, but they used the same oil pump as the OBD-I cars from what I remember.

This is relevant to my interests, as I was planning on doing a VVT head swap on my NA this winter.

I am pretty sure the bolt hole you need to bolt in the crank sensor is there on 94 blocks and works. At least all the 94+ oil pumps I have seen have had the threaded hole.

Awesome that makes me feel a lot better thank you. I'll double check my car before I do anything drastic... like buy a new block.

It is a 10mm bolt that goes in. I don't remember what hole it is off the top of my head but may be able to check later today or tomorrow.

Excellent, thank you very much Shuiend!

Dleavitt, I'll be starting my swap in October so maybe we can compare notes. Are you planning a DIYPNP as I am or are you going with the MS3 or *gasp* a stock ecu?

MS3Basic. I need to get the other two Miata's out of my life before I tear into my car again, but I'm pretty sure I have all the parts I need for the swap. Unfortunately I'm pretty sure I'm the least efficient mechanic in the world, so we'll see how things go.

I know the feeling. If the shop manual says a job will take a certain number of hours, I like to read it as days instead. If you keep a build thread on here or have an instagram or something I'll follow it and help where I can and hopefully vice versa since I'll need a lot of help. At the very least it's always nice knowing it's a doable task. This head swap is a lot less documented than anything else I've ever done to the car so I'm a little more nervous than normal.

Most of it should be documented in this thread: https://www.miataturbo.net/engine-pe...athread-80469/

There really aren't any big differences on the shortblocks other than the crank sensor. I'm going to install the Supermiata harmonic damper with the 36-2 trigger wheel and steal a sensor from a 99 block I have lying around. Going to be installing a clutch/flywheel combo at the same time, so I'm just going to pull the engine and work on it on a stand.

No build thread yet, haven't done much other than suspension for almost a year now. This fall/winter should be much more exciting though. Original plan was to go turbo just before summer, but with my marginal mechanical aptitude I'm probably going to need to do that later. Way behind the schedule I had in my head, partly due to mechanical incompetence but mainly due to a premie daughter.

EDIT: One area we'll need to me more creative is in the VVT oil feed. A longblock has all that in place. My understanding is T-ing off the oil pressure sender location is the preferred method.

What color is that? Spicy Orange, from the Mazdaspeed Protege?

Yup that thread makes me feel a lot more confident about it. The only thing I was worried about was figuring out the head gasket differences. What are your plans for that? I didn't even think about the oil feed. Hmmmm. I'm trying to clean up the engine bay a lot. The VVT head is already pretty awful to look at and another line running across the top of the engine won't help. You're right about creativity being needed.

Not quite. I'm not exactly proud of who uses the color currently... buuuuuuuuuuut I got it for 1/3rd the normal price of paint so I was ok with it since it meant more monies for prep and parts. Here's where it came from:

[QUOTE=silverstorm;1338688]The only thing I was worried about was figuring out the head gasket differences. What are your plans for that?/QUOTE]

Run a 94-00 head gasket.

No shame in that. Dodge was always well known for making some of the best colors... on the crappiest cars.

I used the '01+ head gasket in my VVT motor. Mazda did some coolant re-routing via head gasket cooling passage changes. I use my VVT swapped '90 on tracks here in S. FL (READ: F-ing HOT in summer) and I have never had the needle move past midway even after a full hour of hot lapping. The DTC-60 brake pads don't like it, but the car has never run hot. My car is normally aspirated, but I have seen people have issues even normally aspirated here in S. FL.

I am running a DIYPNP and VVTuner in my car. I would be happy to share my msq so you can have a VERY good basemap to start with. My car has run hundreds of laps and over a 140+ dyno runs tuning my spark map (Dynojet, so a few more might still be lurking in there). I used the DB15 plug on the DIYPNP and VVTuner and ran the crank and cam sensors through the factory wiring to the DIYPNP adapter board. From the adapter board in the DIYPNP to the DB15 out to the VVTuner DB15. I used the VVTuner in passthrough mode (Needs to be set to INVERTED) and sent the output signals out through the VVTuner DB15 to the DIYPNP DB15 to the Cam and Crank inputs on the DIYPNP board.

The point of a reroute isn't to keep from overheating. If you have the head off run a 94-00 head gasket with a coolant reroute.

For the track run a coolant reroute no matter what head gasket.

Ignore the poster above.

You are correct. It is to balance the temps across the cylinders, but in my experience, I have not needed to run a reroute on my track car, even here in S. FL. I will agree that for all out, 100% performance, a reroute will help make a few more HP, but it really complicates everything under the hood and adds failure points, depending on which method you use. I chose to go the simple route with my build and use the '01+ head gasket with the VVT head and skip the reroute. I have hundreds of laps at Homestead and Sebring with zero issues. My set-up is currently running 143whp on 93 octane as well.

aidandj, will do for the head gasket, thanks.

MX5RACER, I would love a copy of your tune if you don't mind sharing. And thanks for how you wired in the VVTuner. Which block do you have? Since I'm sticking with the 8.8/9.0 CR pistons in my 94 block I might be a little off on the tune from you but can adjust accordingly.