Grassroots Motorsports / Flyin Miata Turbo install party
 

I'm trying to avoid the dreaded pics-or-ban sentence, so here are some shots from the FMII turbo install for a Grassroots Motorsports magazine project. The story will appear in the October issue, but here's the cliffs notes version-
Keith Tanner and Bill Cardell installed an FMII Hydra kit under a tent in the infield of Road Atlanta during our Speedfest event at the Mitty. We started with a mostly stock 94 Miata; it made 113 horsepower on Friday. When we did the final tune Sunday morning, the car made 238 at about 11.5 pounds of boost.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...a/IMG_1881.jpg

We didn't use a garage or anything special; just four jackstands, tools, and a tent.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...a/IMG_1887.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...a/IMG_2101.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...a/IMG_2235.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...a/IMG_3013.jpg

I also posted an update on the Grassroots Motorsports page, click the link in my signature to be magically transported there.

power curves please...dyno sheet? :D

I need my fucking car.

I'm with stupid :( ....

I'd keep those idiots away from your car. They don't know what they're doing. ;)

Frank

I've got to scan my paper copy; believe it or not I can't do that from work. I'll try to remember that tonight. Here's the text version-

3000- 100hp / 170tq
4000- 150hp / 221tq
5000- 212hp / 223tq
6000- 238hp / 211tq
6800- 238hp / 187tq

It feels like a very small Corvette. Lots of torque, and it doesn't run out of breath up top.

240rwhp at 11.5psi on the 2560 at closer to sea level is nice.

So they install an FMII kit and these are the only pics you post? running some wires through the firewall and someone trying to figure out what the yellow ring-handled thing is at the back of the head?

3 piece downpipe? even 2 piece down pipes suck! Can they not get the measurements/jig right so they need to split it up? and whats the deal with it being polished? that's important.

Looks like you went to BPM. Their dyno does read a little high.

So it peaks at 6000 and makes no more power than that out to redline. That's not running out of breath? I make about 40 more HP from 6000 to redline. Same turbo. "Inferior" engine management and tuner(me). why didn't they bring Jerry along to tune that thing? I mean for a mag article I would think they'd want to get all they could out of it.


EDIT: Maybe it's the 99 head.

I'm going to guess that they do that so they can service almost any configuration by just changing the lower part (Swap cars, different cats etc). The upper FM Cast housing is a nice touch and quite popular in OE configurations. Either that, or it reduces box size for shipping.

Polished... That is the only way parts come when they come from Asia.

Give them a break Paul ;). Gotta be a well put together kit if you can install it in a field under a tent.

What is the car running for an exhaust? Still stock?

Hi Paul- nice to meet you. Axe to grind?

Time was a factor in the tune. We had to get the car back to the event, so 238 at the wheels on a mechanically stock 1994 Miata with less than an hour of dyno tuning seemed pretty damn alright to me. Bill feels that there's a lot more torque to be had in the lower parts of the graph, but the car pulls like a train until I push the clutch, so it hasn't been a priority for me to spend much more time on it since.

Inferior tune? Maybe you're a better tuning ninja than Ed Senf and Bill Cardell, but I have some reservations about that, since I don't know you. (but you seem perfectly charming in an aggressive forum poster kind of way.)

And yeah, those are probably all the pictures I'll post for now. This is a preview of a magazine article, not an internet build.

-edit- The exhaust is the FM turbo single. I had (and still have, for sale cheap...) one of the $150 Volt exhausts, but it sucks.

Yes you can. You have a digital camera. I saw you using it at the Mitty. :D

Bingo.

They're made in California. I bought a used FM kit, and the dumbass previous owner hacked up the lower section by cutting off 6" and the flange, and welding it to his exhaust system. :jerkit:

I called FM for a replacement, but they actually had me send both half's of the DP back to their builder in Cali, whose fixing it for me (at an EXTREMELY reasonable price). They're even re-polishing it for free. Now that's good service. 2 :bigtu: for FM.

C

I have no axe to grind at all with FM. I have no bad experiences with them whatsoever. I asked legitimate questions. You said it didn't run out of steam out to redline yet it stops increasing power at 6000rpm. From what I read Jerry at FM is the man at tuning so I'm a lil shocked they didn't have him tune it. I'm sure Bill is better than me at tuning, after all it's been a long time since he started doing it here in Jersey.

Begi's downpipe is also 2 piece and I hate that.

PS. my car was tuned in less time than it took to drive from my home in Point Pleasant, NJ to the dyno in Delaware. That's on the street, while I was driving, by myself.

Time of build and working conditions are impressive for those numbers.....
atleast for me, as that is the scenario I will be working in.

Yeah that's what I was thinking, so they can use the same midpipe and swap out the end pipe depending on year, etc. Box size too, and yes all chinese crap is polished. *FM downpipe may or may not be chinese or crap* I'm sure their downpipe fits better than BEGI's, at least I sure as hell hope so for the cost.

And I think Paul has installed or removed everything he has with 4 jack stands or less and without a tent. And all of his tools fit in an old bag that he keeps in his trunk.

Still a cool idea though, getting that all done at the event.

Paul, you mean Jeremy? The hydra guy?

Oh and polished downpipe has a lower emissivity than flat black downpipe. it will radiate less heat. satisfied?

Actually, I did use a tent when I swapped the motor and trans recently but to level the field a bit I used only 2 jack stands.