Just got $2500 cash
 

Helped sell my dads motorcycle and he gave me half as an early Christmas present to get something good . With the extra cash I plan to turbo my bone stock 2000. I'm looking into something cheap, reliable, low boost setup that has potential to increase , but not looking for something with 300+ potential . I was looking into the begi shanghai kit . Very cheap starting price , allowing me to invest into a great standalone , which I have read is probably the most important part of the setup . I have heard te shanghai turbos run well but would like some more input . Also I know I don't get the best flowing manifold and downpipe but it definitely gets me started and I believe that if i was going to up with 300+ hp then that's when I should be more specific with what to choose . In reality I probably wouldn't good more than 11psi and that wouldn't be for a long while . Also any inputs on standalones ? Of course braineachs mspnp is a favorite option . Spennding budget within 23-2500

Any level of boost on a miata is loads on fun, especially going from a stock car to turbo. I think the Shanghai kit would be perfect for you. The parts aren't the greatest, but you start with a capable manifold and solid kit all around. There are a plethora of T2 turbos to switch to later on (if you feel you want too) and of course you can recoup some costs from selling the old parts.

Invest in a MS, Adaptronic or whatever you prefer. Learn that for a bit, get the hang of tuning on the road. Then BOOST!!!!

Remember, a 300hp miata is around 250-260whp. That is nothing special in this community, it's not a hard task nowadays. If you are sure you will eventually want that kind of power, then I suggest you buy the shanghai with the T2870 or at least the T2560. The little T25 will not get you over 250whp, but the other turbos will and you won't compromise spool or the fun factor.

a 300hp miata is exactly 275rwhp.

Since I've been without a Miata for a long time now, it's given me opportunity to reflect upon where I will begin... when I begin again.

My '93 progressed from simple bandaids to full bandaids to standalone MS. I went through 3 turbos, 4 sets of injectors, about 10 sets of studs/nuts, 2 motors, and 4 BOV's. I don't regret any of the pain or frustration, and the knowledge I gained from going out of my fucking way trying to be as cheap as possible has taught me something very valuable.

Either your time or your money is worth more. You have to choose.

I chose money in my '93. Time I had plenty of and it didn't bother me to wrench all the time. Money I had to sneak by the wife and had little of. Money was worth more, so I spent less of it and made up by spending my time instead. Time swapping parts, replacing shit that broke, pulling motors, trying new shit, etc. In the end, it cost me way more in both time and money than if I'd just bought good shit from the start.

So when the next time comes, MY TIME will be worth everything.

The one thing that took up most of my time was nuts and studs. Fuck all that noise. I'll go Vband all around and be happy to spend the money. I'll use proven parts and try to overbuild everywhere I can. The goal will be to install everything ONCE... ever.

If you've got $2500 now, you can buy: Absurdflow manifold. Attach China 2860/71. Have local speedshop fab up 3" downpipe and exhaust. You've got enough leftover for a used Brain/Rev megasquirt, used RX7 injectors, a filter, oil/water lines (if you go cheap) and a coldside pipe/BOV. Not sure an intercooler is gonna fit a $2500 budget. But that'll get you started.

Don't forget EBC, gauges, wideband, misc this, random that, crap crap crap... BOOM... $2500 budget blown to shit.

My advice... wait a year. SAVE SAVE SAVE. Save like $5k and then buy everything at once. That's only $200 a month starting today. Cut coupons. Drink domestic lite beer. Buy Wranglers instead of Lucky's. SHIT... turn off your cable for 6 months and spend your TV time working out instead. Lots of ways to get the money. I have kids so I'm completely fucked... but every time I hit the ATM for $100, I stash a $20 in my little secret spot. The wife will never know! Yes... I'm a coward.

Wow, thanks for the quick input guys. Yea this build is going to be strictly reliability because this is my only car at the moment. I don't even plan on getting an intercooler or upgrading the clutch until later down the road, so I have to stay at low boost. Ill probably be the lowest boosted miata out there, but Ive been trying to sell this bike over 6 month to start a build and I'm ready. I have a buddy who's installed many DIY turbo setups on his DSM eagle talon. As far as buying the standalone before and getting used to it and learning how to tune on the road before i boost, sounds like a good idea. What are the downsides of the shanghai kit?

This thread should be stickied, as an example of how to start a "help me turbo my miata" thread.

If I had $2500 to spend on a stock miata, I'd buy MegaSquirt 3 kit and XIDAs with helper springs.

the downsides of the shanghai kit is the fact you your goals will probably change.

I remember when i first put my turbo on and took it for the first pull. It was amazing I could have sworn it threw me back into the seat the transformation was epic.

within weeks it became the norm felt pretty much like it did before I put the turbo on I could tell when it came into boost but I didnt really feel it much.

my plans were always 250whp but slow build up to it.

my car never feels fast to me. it always feels like it could do with a lot more power. The only difference is each time I make a bit more power I notice it for about a week and then it just feels slow. passengers just seem more impressed the more power I give it as they are unused to the feeling.

I guess my advice is having a modest goal like what you have is a good thing provided you dont change it.

just note that around 140-150whp will feel like stock to you very quickly but so will any more. you wont regret going turbo and for 2500 its well worth it but dont expect it to feel fast for very long.

side note if you dont have lsd get it first by far the mod that I find the most fun.

OP anything above 6psi will make your clutch slip and slide like a kitten running on wood floor with silky socks on.

My advice to you, as general and redundant as it may seem, is read as MUCH as you can about everything manifold, turbos, churbos, etc. Then, stalk the FS section sweet deals come and go but you have to be on the look out.

Thanks for the raw input fellas. Im a conservative type of person so I'm sure wanting to increase boost all the time won't be much of a problem. Plan is to get in with a reliable setup that can be used as a daily, period and point blank. Like i said I'm conservative and a noob, so I will be trying to avoid silly mistakes. Im a full time night shift nurse, and on the down time have been heavy reading /searching / getting ideas on used turbo kits / parts in the fs section. I have MAXIMUM BOOST by Corky Bell on my secret santa wish list. So I'm definitely gonna be smart about what i do and not just blow the $$$$$.

Good to hear a noob doing things the right way and not rushing into things. Another piece of advice regularly given is for a person interested in turboing their car to run a standalone before modifying the car further, that way you can get any bugs worked out and if it doesn't work, you'll know it's probably not the standalone. MegaSquirt is the one most members here use, and there is a lot of support if one has an intelligent question regarding tuning.

Thanks, I'm a noob :loser: lol but hopefully not for long. I've also read Xede does well but for a higher price of course. Ill be looking forward to reading Corkys turbo book . Also theres some pictures in my album of my current 2000 and my former 91&94, check em out!

that is how it always is. my stock sti felt slow as shit, then i had 350whp, and that felt slow after a week. after i built my motor, i was making 525whp 440tq and that felt amazing for a few weeks, then i always thought i had a boost leak or something because it felt ridiculously slow. (even though i was spanking 10 sec evo's...) lol

my definition of fast is super messed up.

sorry kind of off topic.

Xede is not a true standalone, it's a piggyback. Adaptronic, Hydra, Megasquirt - those are true standalones.

^With that said you'll find that there is a lot of support on this site for Megasquirt. Also, the self tunning softwares make it easy for one to safely tune the car.

Famous last words....

I remember saying that about my Blow-thru Carb'd Turbo 12a in my RX7. $10k and 2 motors later.... I'm swapping in a 13b Turbo 2 and a Holset HX-52.

Now I'm collecting parts to boost my 03 Special Edition that I bought 3 weeks ago.... haven't even made a payment yet. Yes, it's a sickness....

BTW I've got a copy of Maximum Boost in PDF format if you want. It's 22 mb so it's too large to email but I have remote connection capabilities at work and can direct transfer it to your PC if you want.

thanks again fellas. MS it most likely will be. Looks like Ill keep working my night shift job and saving up until I come across a good deal in the for sale section for all my needs.

I wish there was an easy way to reset our butt dyno's. I drove the miata for a few days and that reset the butt dyno for the TL, haha.

I say you buy my rotrex kit, but thats me. I am a little biased. I know shameless plug.

Have a great day,
Jared

sigh i just wrote up a good post then lost it :( - quick version

Im in the same boat, buy parts over time when a deal comes up and install what u can in the mean time, living where u do heaps of stuff comes up here so many bargins i wish i could have cashed in on. Below is my parts list and prices to give an idea what you might be looking at purchased over the course of a year. things are new with a few exceptions and inc postage to AUS, use the forums sponsors! they are there for there value / reputation.

MS2 by Revant - $550 ( i think )
innovate MTX-L - $140
exedy HD clutch - $260
ARTech mani/3"dp/oil feed - $735
intercooler - $40
Free silvia turbo / churbo - $200-350
Elec det cans, forum member - $75
460 injectors cleaned/flowed, forum member - $125
diyautotune ebc/usb-serial - $85
turbosmart kompact bov - $120
total just shy of 2.2k its not everything but it will get u close dude, and over a few months saving / getting deals u can save a few hundred bucks more and get a full 3" and probibly have250+ whp capable.

I think thats all
But only need a few things and i can be boosted again, ic pipes/water lines/oil return.Buy an MS from one of the guys here, wait for some injectors to show up on here and grab a wideband will be under 1k. Play with it for a while getting it running right etc and after a few months ( will take this long to know tunerstudio ecu etc).

Keeping an eye on forum for bargins, hopfully u can grab a clutch or a second hand ARTech / fm / begi / Absurdflow hot side. Patience will pay off. buy quality parts even if there over kill, they will keep value for resale if that happens later.