Turbo Check List
 

I am new to this forum but very happy to find it... My question is, I have seen turbo kits reaching well into $2500`s but those same units for sale on EBay for $150`s. So I am looking to buy every thing separately but I am afraid that i might miss something important. I am a novice in turbos but have experience rebuilding engines. Will any one be willing to send me a check list with recommendations, please keep in mind this is just a hobby I am not looking to spend 1000`s I just want more speed.

The link is in my sig in blue.

Thank you... But another question will be are these turbos of less than $600 worth looking at.

Well, I'm going for a Ebay t3/t4 "with the blue tag" for 180 shipped to my door. Markp on the forum recomended it and has good luck with them.

No turbo kit on eBay is worth looking at. No manifold, no downpipe, no nothing.

The only things I will ever buy on eBay are:
-the actual turbo (as patsmx5 said)
-intercoolers
-intercooler pipes, connectors, and clamps
-quality used stuff (not 98-06 MX5 MIATA TURBO KIT CIVIC HONDA INTEGRA S2000 K20 B18 FITS ALL MAKES AND MODELS AND DOES YOUR LAUNDRY)

ya I was looking at the same one its just that I dont want to buy some thing that will give me problems on startup.

Are you sure turbo charging a vehicle that didn't come from the factory turbocharged is right for you? Not to be an ass, but you've got to be ready to deal with issues should they come up.

Like all things cheap, be prepared for them to: not work, need adjusting and fail prematurely. That said they may serve you well with some hours put towards supplementing their shortcomings. Of course things like a poor machining or assembly might not be apparent until it's too late. But even the most expensive parts might have issues, so there's no guarantee... if none of this frightens you, then you're probably OK.

There's nothing wrong with buying used quality parts on ebay. There's also nothing wrong with buying quality new parts on eBay.

As stated above, the eBay turbo kits are crap, say away. We're not saying "you could buy one and it'll do OK, but there's better stuff for more money." What we're saying is "you could buy one and you'll never get it working right, and it will break immediately".

If you've read the FAQ, you should know the main parts to a turbo kit.

Manifold
DownPipe
Turbo
Oil/Water lines and fittings
Intake/Filter
Hot-Side charge pipes
Intercooler
Cold-Side charge pipes
Blow-Off-Valve (or bypass valve)
-a system to control timing
-a system to control fuel

Your statement of "not a hobby just more speed" is not compatible with an aftermarket turbo kit. No matter what, you're going to need to tinker with it several times per year to keep it running good. Things will break/come loost/get old/fail/rattle/etc... and you'll need to fix them. Not spending thousands is also not going to work. Some guys "taking their time" assemble full kits for $1000 with lots of homebuilt pieces. You're going to need to buy everything used and for that you need more homework.

It sounds to me like you're a prime candidate for a used Mazdaspeed Miata.

In any case, visit this forum a couple times per week and read every thread in every forum. USE GOOGLE TO SEARCH FOR TERMS YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH!!! In about a month, you'll have the vocabulary and knowledge you need to ask good questions and begin sourcing parts.

In the meantime, READ THE FAQ: https://www.miataturbo.net/forum/showthread.php?t=4288
Visit this website: www.bellengineering.net
Buy this book: http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0837...68#reader-link
Don't buy any parts yet.

"please keep in mind this is just a hobby I am not looking to spend 1000`s I just want more speed." this statement was made because I know that you could buy a turbo kit from Flying Miata for 5 big ones and I know there is allot of work afterwards, the time spend is the hobby and the speed is the reward. With that said I am not going to jump at the first turbo i find, that's why I ask questions, and that is why when i asked for a parts check list i asked for suggestions of parts.

everyone here keeps on saying things will break, come loose, etc. If you do it right the first time and do it safe, things will not just break, come loose etc. If this was all true none of you would ever bother doing anything, with that said, if you just want some speed and don't care to spend thousands, then don't bother with a turbo kit. Try a smaller bolt on supercharger kit with safe amount of boost or do some minor upgrades that are safer. Don't abuse the car and beat on it. Things should not just break. Things start breaking when you try to keep going the cheap route, so cheap is what you get. I am not trying to mock anyone here or make fun of anyone, but I see a lot of people here just trying to get everything cheap. I call it half ass jobs. Well, guess what?? things will break as you are expecting it to. I am not saying things will never break, but atleast it wont be so unrealiable if you do it right first time. There are certain things you can get cheap and get away with it, but you want your main components to be good quality parts. I have had my maita for about 2 weeks now. I wanted to turbo it, but I wanted to do it right and not just go crazy with all the horsepower number. Some can't even get their cars to idle yet they are worried about making 400 hp. Good luck. Just my 2 cents.

This Thread is beginning to move off the point. First of all I never said that i want to turbo charge my Miata for a buck or two. I was asking for a check list and suggestions on what to buy "I know that you could buy a turbo kit from Flying Miata for 5 big ones" this is what I meant not to expensive.
Don`t tell me cheap will break I know it will tell me what to buy suggest a brand. The only help that i have got from this is the second and third reply.

ok well then buy the greddy turbo kit, its an ok kit and will not cost you 5 big ones. If you are doing a DIY turbo kit then I am not sure what you should get as in parts, but the second thread with the link is what you need to follow. So far I have gottne 99 percent of my turbo parts, but its not cheap at all. I expected to spend a few thousands and that I will. The reason I didn't go with a say FM kit for 5g's was because I knew I can get my own choice of parts that are better and will cost less than what they want to sell me. I knew I will be spending extra dollars on labor and a good shop to do all the custom work. Some exmples of where I went cheap is like buying used injectors off a rx-7 and getting the flowed by witchhunter. That was cheap job compared to brand new injectors for less than half of what I would have to pay for new ones, and after all they are still Denso's so I am happy with the purchase.

what would be a good ECU?

TEC-IIIR. Megasquirt. Haltech, Hydra The list goes on and on.