joe morreale

I have an 01 with the MK turbo kit. Has anybody tried, or do they know if the Flyin Miata heat shield will fit? I really need a heat shield and my fabrication skills are limited to vise grips and a BFH.

bahurd

iTrader: (8)

I used one on my 2000. It sits too low as is so you need to lengthen the 2 tabs on it to raise it up by about 2" to clear the MK Turbo T3 unit. Also, you need to add some shielding around the bottom part that you raised up so it keeps shielding. Pretty easy modifications. I since sold the car but the only pic of the shield installed is below. I ran that on the car for 2 years and current owner still uses it 2 years later. Obviously, shorter bolts would be fine...

cpierr03

It worked on my NA... I chose to "clearance" room for the wastegate arm. Also needed some massaging to not rattle on the exhaust housing and downpipe

LukeG

Is the FM heat shield steel or aluminum?

cpierr03

Yes.

shuiend

iTrader: (24)

Every time I think about making a heat shield that fits to sell I check out aluminum pricing and then I cry some and forget about the idea.

LukeG

Holy ****, didn't realize it was that expensive. Midwest steel has 12"x12" 3/16" plates for $20 each (x4). That makes the Begi heat shield a pretty damn good deal.

joe morreale

If you look it up, that heat shield is out of stock. I bet the price jumps when they get them in.

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

Buy aluminum from the scrap yards that get material from industrial fabricators. You wouldn't believe the good material wasted.

shuiend

iTrader: (24)

Between cost of aluminum, designing and water jet costs, and the labor for welding aluminum it all adds up really fast. I can be $200 into building a heat shield really fast and it not looking perfect. Then I have to add markup on top to justify me making them. I can't justify a $300 heat shield to my customers, hence why I just tell them all to make them themselves.

bahurd

iTrader: (8)

joe morreale

I finally got the heat shield. It was still $100. I'm in the process of making it fit now. It looks like it will bolt up to existing holes, the back one being a ground. On the 01 cars the brake lines run right up to the downpipe. I moved the proportioning valve to get clearance. It looks like I'm going to have to bend the heater hard line more as it hits. I also need to cut a notch for the wastegate arm. How close can the heat shield be to the turbo without it hitting? It looks like I might have to shim it some, as it's pretty close to the top casting. I can't go very much because I'm running the oil line on top of the shield and I only have so much room, plus it will hit my shock strut bar. Any ideas will be helpful.

joe morreale

I shimmed the shield up 1/4''. Something still hits, under hard acceleration. I'm guessing that, since it's the closest part, the wastegate arm is hitting. Going to grind a notch where the arm and the "hump" is in the casting. Hopefully 1/4'' will still do it.

I had some DEI heat protection with velcro to protect the heater line, brake lines etc. It burned the aluminum off. What would be a good insulating tape that I could use to wrap all my heat sensitive areas. I'm going to use this to close up the 1/4'' gap where I shimmed it.

I'm going to cover cruise control lines with some fuel line, that I'll split. The outer lining has burned off, exposing the metal. Should I spray any kind of lubricant in those exposed parts? Silicone, wd40 or some other non petroleum solvent?

huesmann

iTrader: (1)

Lubricant for what?

joe morreale

Didn't know if the exposed metal part of the cruise control cable might need lubricant, before I wrap it up.

joe morreale

If anybody is interested I got the shield to fit well. 3/8'' of shims made plenty of clearance without grinding anything. I had to move the proportioning valve towards the driver's fender an inch or so, for brake line clearance. The hard line, from the heater hose also needed to be moved so that it was pushing against the dipstick tube. One of the clips, that held the cruise control line had to be removed, as the shield had a tab so it can be bolted to it. I zip tied the cable out of the way, after covering it with a piece of fuel line. I'm going to stay true to my MK turbo roots and drill out the panel that says Flyin Miata powered, in the future. I still need to wrap master cylinder and heater hoses with something to repel heat. Anybody have any recommendations?