First time at the track with the turbo Miata
 

I have been driving/racing a LS1 FD RX7 for about a year now, just picked up a 92 Miata, stock 1.6, old style FM turbo kit with GT2560. The old style kit has the messy IC pipe routing, the turbine outlet is welded steel, not cast, ECU is MSPNP. I got it tuned and running well on the street, I am trying to figure out what I need to do to prepare for a track day, I hear all of these horror stories about turbo miatas at the track, I am just trying to keep my bases covered, Inconel studs are a good place to start, what other reliability issues do I need to worry about? As far as tuning goes, rich=high egts from what I understand, should I target ~11.5:1 to keep my egt's in check? Any other input would be great. Thanks in advance!
:noob:

Cooling system, oil cooling, heat shielding.

Already have a nice radiator and a 12x12x1 oil cooler. Any examples of the heat shielding? How hot do these cars run when being driven hard, my LS1 would run all the way to 235 but they run on the high side.

Look into coolant reroute if your concerned about cooling issues.

Which in my opinion, any heavily tracked turbo miata should have the coolant reroute. Not necessary, just a nice pre-caution.

BTW, specs on ls1 rx7?!

Yeah, pics of FD prease.

I used to use the similar kit, if you're talking about the intercooler piping that uses a top exit compressor orientation, then cuts in front of the pulleys and into the top of the intercooler tank.
I clocked my compressor housing so it became a bottom exit. Then I cut the piping and made it go from the compressor, directly to the I/C. It eliminated that big mess of piping, and really cleaned things up.

94, TSP 5.3 Stg 2.5 heads, MS3 cam, Stg 3 T56.

Yep that's what I am talking about, after you reclock how did you mount the wastegate since the mounting points are on the wrong side, it looks like FM's updated kit had a diff bracket welded to the WG so it mounts on the back of the compressor housing instead of the front.

nevermind

Too much timing retard also increases egt.

My sawzall vented hood made a huge difference in water and under hood temps.

Inconel and v bands are proving to be good solutions. For me, I went 3/8" A286 bolts, safetywire, nords and high temp threadlock along with this bracket on the wastegate all in one shot. Seems to be secure so far.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i107/1Il/IMGP0868.jpg



On the RX7 did you ever replace the pillowballs on the rear control arms? Do you happen to know a source for them?

No I didn't but the best price I found thats not mazdaspeed was tasca auto parts.
http://www.tascaparts.com

It's actually better that it mounts to the back of the compressor housing. I would take the actuator off, then remove the snap ring and turn your compressor. Fit the piping up from the intercooler to the compressor. Mine was a tight fit at my radiator hose, but it worked. Try to weld all the piping together and have as little couplings as possible. I used 1 coupling at the I/C and the other at the compressor flange. After everything looks like it fits nicely, put your actuator up against the compressor like it was before. Use the wastegate actuator as a template and mark 2 holes, then pull the compressor off. Look at the other side where the original bolt holes were and take note how deep they go. Now drill 2 more holes where you marked for the actuator, and tap them out to the correct thread pitch. Then put the compressor back on, put the snap ring in, put the actuator on, then the I/C piping and clamps and you're done.
If I remember right, I think this eliminated about 3' of the original plumbing.

oh WTF man. wow.

What turned you away from tracking the v8 FD? Expenses?

Quite a few members here nut all over themselves when they hear the letters LS and FD together......














including myself, brb changing pants.

I love the car but it's just too nice to be tracking, I don't want to hack it all up. Since I got the bug I wanted to find something else to track, never really had much time with a turbo car so I figured a turbo miata would be fun, and it has been so far, plus it's cheap :)

Im back with new pants.


I figured that was the case. Put your location in your profile so we know where to go to stalk you :-D

Done :)

Hello neighbor... Have I seen this car at Pennington Field?

Howdy, never had it at Pennington, just TMS and Mineral Wells. I usually run with Texas Time Trials and the BMW CCA. I don't get enough out of ER at this point in my "racing career" :)
:facepalm:

Fair enough. From memory I believe the one I had seen had a black hood. Nice FD btw! Always had a soft for them. ;)

Why don't you be a man and run TWS / TXMC with us? Where are you in Dallas? I'm in Lewisville.

Who tuned the car?

You won't hear anything positive from the DFW crew about turbo Miatas. You can ask just about anyone and they'll probably refer to me and claim I've had endless reliability problems. In 2-years I've taken the turbo off 3 times and drive the everliving shit out of the car.

Do yourself a favor and get the Trackspeed studs before you attempt to track the car. If you want to bring the car over Johnwag and/or I can have a look at it.

Lol, I am trying to work my way to manhood, don't want to throw down on a track day with a unreliable POS. I am in Arlington but I work at 635 and MacArthur.

I tuned it, just trying to find out what I need to be prepared for. Other than studs, what other reliability issues do I need to watch out for?

Post a mods list so we can tell you all about the fail...lol Pics would help too.

That car isn't going to give you problems I drove the crap out of it daily for 2 yrs. That moron just bought it and blew it up..

Ok , Things to do to that car for track.

Call me, I built it and no expense was spared. I spent more in used parts than you did for the car.....You stole it. :) I can help you not waste money & get the most for your DOLLARS!

1. You have to cut bump stops!!!! Its dangerous in a curb! Or put new shorter ones in. Cutting will do the job.. And its free.

2. You need shocks! Those are the ones that came new on it.

3. Get some 15 inch rims for the track. The 17in rims sacrifice handling on miatas.

4. DON'T LISTENING TO MORONS IN DALLAS! AND TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SELL YOU SOMETHING!

Your setup in not cheap or by any means sloppy........And There r not many 1.6L miatas pushing 240rwhp! @ 13psi.You will only waste money if you change anything on the maintrain setup. You will not gain spool or power.

That is a flying miata setup. Corkey Bell told me to stick with the metal tubes over the silicone. He said it cools better.



And that is a dead reliable car. only thing in question is MS.. Summer it is dead reliable. ....Winter I couldn't keep the temp corrections in line......I think they resolved it. BUT YOUR MS NEEDS TEMP CORRECTIONS RE-ADJUSTED FOR WINTER!!!!!!!!!!!THAT CAR IS NOT CHEAP OR HALF CRAPPED! i BOUGHT TOP OF LINE EVERYTHING. It even has the Flying miata light alumium flywheel and there best clutch. YOU SCORED! THAT CAR HAS SEVERAL THOUSANDS IN IT!

If you want a list of top dollar parts I don't mind sending it to you.

I'm glad someone has it that will drive it "Balls to the wall"....Congrats!We should meet up.

Like Hustler says don't listen to the local guys.....everyone in dallas drinks the Gary anti-turbo coolaid. And none of them even have boost.

You have one of the fastest and well sought through miatas in dallas.

I have built 5 turbo miatas a supercharged 2, and about to do 2 more superchargers....Im as good at boosting miatas as anyone.

NUT SHELL! Bumpstops, shocks, and 15in rims....Your good! o-yea! I would get a real roll bar. That ones pretty, but will not protect you.

214-223-7577

I think he is cumming on to you...

Nice FD! Where can I see more of it!

Window regulator, slave cylinder, eyeball vents, wheel bearing.

if that's all it needs, that would really surprise me.
I don't know the car's setup, but things you talked about is not high end, not even close.
if the car never had a roll bar, means it never been tracked. something always break when you push it to the limit.
sorry if I offended you, just don't want to see the owner blow it up at session 2.

Something can always break on even a new car.......Especially something on a 20 yr old car.

I didn't road track it, but I did drive it for two years. And beat the devil out of it at the drag strip weekly. I just swapped in a 1.8 rear end too. New happy meal clutch and fly wheel. I'm not a moron that pays too much just to get a small edge.

But the car is set up to the full potential of the stock motor and tranny.
And not everything was listed. But all was name brand.
Anyone that races knows something will break from time to time. But that car is prepared very well.

I'm getting to the point. It is extremely dependable and he doesnt relize what he got. Or how expensive it was to build.

I owned it and built it. I'm trying to help him not listen to some of the morons in Dallas that don't know there head from their butt. They repeat everything they hear.

...... Nothing has been listed of what is on that car in this thread. Your talking blind :). Most used cars need alot, but this one doesn't. I used to drive this car 9 hrs to NE Arkansas.

Yea, there some guys who build a straight race cars. This car is a maxed out stock motor and tranny. There is better, no doubt. But there is also personal preferance.

This car wasn't built for strictly race, it can be driven 2000 miles on vacaton. It was planned to accomodate both worlds, mainly street and the drag strip. I had shocks and other parts to finish.... But that guy bought it and I sold parts to recoop cost.

Point, its depenable.

Not being a dick.......But I'm a great mechanic and everything I drive is very dependable. As with any turbo car you have to watch your temps while racing, take it easy first time out, and watch your tune. Good advice.

But honestly, that is all he needs for weekend sport and fun.
I'm just getting at, why waste money on things that don't give you much of a gain. And don't fix what isn't broke.

No I'm not in love with the car...I'm in love with my 5'6 Strawberry Red Head!!!!!....hahahaa

Tried to post picture....She stopped me......hahhaha

^ +1

Daily driving a car day in day out and 'beating on it' on the street for years doesn't amount to as much abuse as even just a couple track days. But that's difficult for someone who hasn't ever been on the track to wrap their head around.

Get the fuck out of the track section and let us help this guy.

op. put up some pictures, we will tell you what you need to be fixed.
in reality, there are may be 8 guys (even less for 1.6 230whp) in the country that can build a reliable turbo Miata right out of the box. and we know all of them. there is no off the shelf FM this or Corky that, that can be taken straight to track w/o failure.