Tekgnome

So basically I'm better off selling my engine for $600 and just doing a J32A2 swap

260rwhp stock or with an AEM ecu and a M90 supercharger you can make over 400 + rwhp(not that the transmission or axles would hold).

You can do a NA J32a2 swap for about 6k in total and make more hp than most turbo miata's

$3950 for a JV6 kit including exhaust manifold and downpipe, oil pan, sub frame, Transmission Adaptor from Honda J to Miata tranny, clutch, flywheel adapter, starter, Oil pickup and Thermostat Housing
$700 for a used J32A2 engine with less than 55k miles shipped
$500 for a custom wiring harness and a stock auto ecu + It would be PNP allowing me to use my original tach and trick the auto ecu not to go in to limp mode with the missing transmission pickups.
$300 in misc hoses to get your AC, PS, and heater working

Total is $5,450 excluding the $600 I can make off my 1.8L vvt with 80k miles + the exhaust and ecu
That would net me a bone stock V6 engine with 260hp and enough torque to start breaking things (232lbs).


I'm familiar with engine swaps. I did a Bandit 1200 engine swap (an 1157 block) in my 750 katana. I had a Big bore pistion kit installed(1216 with 10.9:1 compression), cammed (89 gsxr high lift cams)it and am running 36ss BTS carbs. The swap was stupid easy everything fit like lego's, however the wiring was a mess.

I had to use a B12 wiring harness because the original tach allowed a 12k redline but my b12 has a much lower redline 10,500rpm damn miss matching CDI boxes.

In comparison my motorcycle makes about 150hp @ 100lbs of torque witch makes anything with 4 weels feel very slow.

bahurd

iTrader: (8)

Except you can't do any of that because you've only got $1200 in the bank so what's your point?

Tekgnome

ok, or be a dick?


I dont drive the car so I can buy pieces at a time. $1200 is enough to buy a MS3 and learn how to use it or pick up a j32a2 and start prepping it for installation.

I dont know if you can magically pull $4k out your *** but every project ive ever done i do a little bit at a time and progress as I can buy more pieces.

It took me more than a year to complete my motorcycle and i'm more than happy with how it turned out. If I had 5k in the bank it would have taken a month to do its engine swap, maybe a hair longer from the turn around time from having the block machined.

Not everyone has an ungodly amount of money they can throw away at once and if i'm not planning on driving it and i'm ok with it sitting and slowly getting put together.

If it took me 2 years to put together and build a turbo'd miata I wouldn't care as long as it puts a smile on my face when its finished.

wackbards

iTrader: (2)

Miata people are all cheap bastards, and yet no body really runs the ebay kits. They are a mix of A) crap you don't actually need, B) non-upgradable & outdated bandaids, and C) horrible quality.

I think most people on this site will basically recommend the following approach. It's the cheapest, GOOD way I can think to do it, and it's pretty much the MT tried & true formula:

• build a MS3X for about $600. I built a DIYPNP, then ended up buying a PNP PRO when I decided to go VVT. Lots of members here just build a MS3X.
• buy some good injectors for about $300. I got Flowforce 640's because they are the cheapest good injector for our application, and are enough for most stock rod builds.
• get a wideband O2 sensor for about $150-$200. I have the innovate LC2. You can save about $50 if you get it without the gauge. It comes with a Bosch LSU 4.9 sensor, which you can only get online for about $75. Buy an extra sensor as a backup.
• register your tunerstudio software for about $30 so you can use the WUE auto tune feature.

That's gonna run you about $1100-1200 right there. You can run this setup indefinitely & get better than stock power while you plan/buy/build your turbo kit.

ryansmoneypit

iTrader: (6)

No, just no.

wackbards

iTrader: (2)

wait, are you saying my advice was bad, or Tek's plans were bad? I don't have ego about it, I'm just a noob trying to be helpful.

Tekgnome

Thank you for one of the more helpful replies.

This is what i'll probably end up doing or something similar.

Just to be sure you bought this kit correct?

MegaSquirt PNP Pro for Mazda Miata 1999-2005. Standalone ECU

Thats
$1200 for the fuel management
$0180 for a wide band
$1350 for a MK Turbo kit
$0300 ish for FF injectors or simialar
$0150 for an ebay intercooler

What else am I missing?

BOV, oil lines, what should I get that will work but cheap?

wackbards

iTrader: (2)

No, actually, I got the PNP for 90-93, because my car is a 91 but I have swapped in a VVT motor. Buy the ECU for your year wiring harness. VVT is definitely worth controlling, so just make sure that the ECU you get is both compatible with your year wire harness, and can control VVT.

wackbards

iTrader: (2)

Clutch. FM, 949/supermiata, or ACT will be needed. Also figure a small fortune to fix gaskets, seals, wear items...And however far down the suspension hole you decide to go.

Tekgnome

I'm going to assume that the $250 ebay stage II clutch kits are probably garbage ?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/161145197862


So this for $100 more will probably be a much better option?
https://www.flyinmiata.com/fm-level-1-clutch.html

I dont want to have to change my clutch more than once, god I hate transmissions.

Well I dont race and I dont daily it.

How viable are the $400 coil overs on ebay if I keep them stock height and my expectations low?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/122149681659
My rear passenger side strut is going out and sits about an 1" lower than the drivers side. I'll have to fix it but i'm debating on just buying a oem and replacing it.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MAZDA-MIATA-STRUTS-SHOCKS-99-01-02-03-04-05-REAR-MX5-OEM-2002-BLUE-/112031954252?hash=item1a159ff54c:g:WnEAAOSwOVpXZf~ x&vxp=mtr

wackbards

iTrader: (2)

So... You're veering pretty far off topic for this"eBay kit" thread. You're asking good questions with some detailed answers, but that's the kind of thing you should search this forum for before asking, or you're going to get a ton of hate. Basically, stop looking for miata **** on eBay. The philosophy of this community if that there are a very few specific acceptable parts you can get off eBay. Search this forum. Learn. Stop searching on eBay.

To answer your specific questions:
The cheapest OK coilovers *in my opinion* are the FM VMAXX. There are a lot of **** options. Do your homework.
The cheapest OK clutch? Probably the ACT?

shuiend

iTrader: (24)

You are starting to get closer.

$1200 for ms3pro. You want an ms3 of some sort since you have vvt.
$160 for AEM or Innovative wideband.
$1500 for mkturbo.
$185 for mkturbo oil lines. (I don't reccomend cheaping out on oil lines and fittings, due to if there are problems that then means oil leaking onto a hot turbo or exhaust and can cause fires)
$300 for FF injectors. You can diy these for slightly cheaper if you want to search for the info.
$300-450 for the IC. None of the eBay kits actually give you what you need. You are better off just ordering from silicone intakes.
$350-450 for a clutch. You don't want to cheap out like you said because changing it can be a pita. FM,ACT, or 949Racing are the only places you should get the clutch from.

All that will just about max out the stock motor around 200-240whp. You will be squarely in the $3000-$4000 range like we said.

Tekgnome

To be honest when I break down the price/part list 3k-4k doesnt sound so bad. I can easily break down most of the parts and buy them over the course of a few months.

I think i'm going to start my own build thread and take with me that I just shouldn't buy "anything" performance wise on ebay.

Forrest95M

Have you done basic maintenance to the car first?

Tekgnome

Its in need of its 80k maintenance, water pump, timing belt, ect belts, I might replace the crank seal and cam seals for good measure.
~other than that ive already done new rotors, break pads and rebuilt my calipers, Transmission flush (took me forever to track down the right manual trans fluid)

I changed the water pump on my old Porsche 944s (with an S2 engine swap) last year. If I can change that water pump then this should be cake. (I sincerely hate Porsche engines now.)

Since I dont need to drive the car every day working on it makes it super easy, if I get stuck or frustrated I can take a break for a week or invite some friends over with some free beer and pizza.

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

Yep, Porsche engines suck to work on.

And for the record, you don't need to buy a BOV for anything less than 15psi.

We are notoriously cheap on this forum. If we tell you that you have to buy a pricey part it isn't because we like to spend money.

shuiend

iTrader: (24)

You are starting to learn now. The following 5 steps are how I recommend to most people to turbo a miata.

1. ECU and a wideband. Learn to tune the stock motor. Far less likely to blow up the motor. This will take a good while if you are new, as there is a steep learning curve with a standalone.
2. Install larger injectors and retune.
3. Install a stronger clutch and break it in while naturally aspirated.
4. Figure out all your IC piping and such.
5. Install turbo hardware. Buy quality parts here. TSE/FM/MKTurbo/Artech/Begi are the brands you should be looking at.

Following those steps will allow you to spread out purchases and still enjoy the car. It is also the logical order so that once you actually get the turbo installed everything else is already built up to support it.

Also don't be "afraid" of eBay parts. You just need to figure out what you can and can't get from there. You don't want a cheap eBay non-cast manifold. eBay turbo's, IC piping, and BOV's are usually decent.

Tekgnome

Double post

Tekgnome

WhatWhat ababout tthe cast iron manifolds on ebay?

Mazda Miata 1.8L Engine Motor T25 T28 Cast Iron Turbo Charger Exhaust Manifold | eBay

They seem at least a little better quality over the stainless steel ones.

The listing states its cast iron with an aluminum finish? ​​​​The

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

The heat shield is aluminum, the manifold is not. The seller is an intellectual paraplegic.