'99 Mazda Miata Turbo Build

I don't post here too much because....well I haven't really done much to my Tacoma, other than a stereo. This is where I dedicate quite a bit of my free time. I bought the car in 2010 with the intentions to mod and turbo it. In stock form the car was still a blast to drive and I saw the potential....it just seriously lacked some power.

The day I picked it up. I used to have a Mazdaspeed 3 as well (in the background)



First thing I did was get a rollbar and wheel/tires, and then later suspension (Tein Flex). At the same time I had a Megasquirt EMS assembled, installed that and began to learn the ropes of the software before I started changing everything on the engine hardware-wise.











Not too long after, got all my turbo parts assembled and installed. Had my fair share of fail along the way...but I learned as I went and got it all in working order. First setup was with a GT2560R turbo, small ebay intercooler, and a water injection kit with a small nozzle for safety. Went onto eventually make 275whp and 250wtq

 

Sweet car man! I'm a little jealous my first car was an 89 (I think it was 89?) Miata... Fun little car for sure. Urs looks great

 

Freakin awesome. Autocross or drifting? OR BOTH? Hehehe

 

I'm really thinking about picking up a miata

 

All was well in paradise for awhile, but I knew I was running on borrowed time on the factory 5-speed trans, which eventually blew. I pulled the whole engine/trans assembly to replace the trans and decided to get the engine built while I searched for a stronger 6-speed replacement trans.

I'm not going to go into the nitty gritty details of the engine build, now after the fact, but it was quite the shit-show. As it sits now I have a complete, running engine. It's my original bottom end, now rebuild, with another engine's stock head, while my original head (with custom cams, whole 9 yards) is getting finished up in the meantime.

As it is now, I have 250 miles on the new engine, running a GTX2867R turbo, ID1000 injectors. The setup should be capable of holding 400whp or even more, but I will probably settle for mid 300s if I had to guess...really I will just stop turning up the boost once I get scared to drive the thing (on street tires at least).

 

Thanks guys! I'm still in the process right now of just getting some more miles on the engine, "breaking it in", and slowly increasing the boost/tune as I go. I was running around on 5psi spring pressure only, but today I bumped it up to around 12psi. It's hard to say of course, but it's probably a solid 250whp at this point and feels great (keep in mind the car weighs ~2300lbs).

I was testing out my camera today, here's a quick little video compilation. The audio is terrible, I need to figure out if there's a way to get rid of that annoying background buzzing noise.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cD3zBpVaRRA

 

It just gets better....damn dude...sweet little car in the making. I hope you commute in the tacoma and not the beastly little miata.

 

awesome!

subd

 

Yeah, I've always had 2 vehicles since owning the Miata. I got it solely as a little project car. I guess I did have to daily drive it for about a week-- it was terrible. I needed to buy a broom, from Home Depot or whatever...then I realized I had no way to transport it back home with me (yeah, I could have just put the top down and let it hang out, but you get the idea....NOT a good car to daily drive).

The Tacoma has been a great commuter and everyday vehicle. Just hit 11k miles on it, with several trips to/from Ohio already.

^^ I just got back from Ohio last night. I'm originally from Bellefontaine, OH, about 45 mins from Dublin.

 

Highest point in the state!!

You guys need oxygen tanks to live up there?

 

Well, I guess I wasn't totally full of shit when I felt the car now pulled and pulled more towards redline. As far as boost control right now, I just have the 5psi spring in the wastegate, running open loop boost control (solenoid running 35% duty across the board... haven't messed with closed loop yet), hence the slow building of boost/lack of low end torque and whatnot. Looks like boost peaked at around 14psi and hangs out in the 13s in the upper RPM.

 

20ish psi. had a tiny bit of tire slip at 6k rpm, hence the weird rise in torque there.

 

I love when there is enough power and torque to brake traction while accelerating....makes me smile every time.

 

yeah it's gotten to be a little sketchy at times in high RPMs, especially at night after it's cooled off (colder road surface/tires and moar power).

I just got a new EMS for (Megasquirt 3) this thing, so that's gonna be my weekend project.

 

All that boost is just hazing the tires before redline....got to love it. Sweet hope it works out to be a nice little job.

 

Nice man! I got a buddy that just finished a v8 swap on his miata. little go karts!