Back in 2011, I picked up a '99 NB (with ABS, torsen, no AC) with the intention of getting in to AutoX and HPDE days. I joined the forums here around that time, and have followed along with other build threads, never really commenting because I didn't have much to add.

Initially, I added a roll bar including a harness bar, sparco sprint, 6pt harness, 9" wide wheels, cheater tires, and just drove it that way for about 5-6 years while I figured out what I wanted to do.


Suspension was next on the list - I went from stock to the following setup:

-Xidas w/ helpers and billet coax top mounts, 800/500
-RB 1.125" dia - .188" wall front, supermiata rear
-949 adjustable end links
-Poly diff mounts
-Mazda competition motor mounts
-Extended lower ball joints
-Supermiata end links



I didn't do bushings as mine seem to still be in relatively good shape. I want to do things once where I can, so I skipped the intermediary coilover setups and just went with the proven setup. It was worth every penny - I've won my local autoX class, and progressed on track to where I'm instructing on novice intro days at my local track. Recently, I added a new steering wheel with quick release. At 6', I'm even comfortably below the roll bar:



However, things are getting a bit... underwhelming on track. I'm held up in the corners and then waving goodbye to the same car on corner exit when they finally get back on throttle, so I've been planning to do something about it. My plans so far are as follows:

Turbo: EFR 6258, inconel studs
Manifold + DP: Kraken, TSE if Available
ECU: MS3+ from DIY Autotune
Intercooler: TBD, likely FAB9 Stage 2
O2 Sensor: TBD, likely innovative LC2
IAT: GM IAT
Water Lines: TBD, Make my own with heat shielding
Oil Lines: TBD, Make my own with heat shielding
Catch Can + Vent: TBD
Intake: TBD, make my own + cone filter
Charge Piping TBD, make my own
Injectors: ID1050X
Fuel Pump: DW200

Supporting Items
Coolant Re-route: Supermiata QMAX
Radiator: Supermiata Crossflow
Turbo Heat Shield: TBD, make my own
Intake Filter Heat Shield: TBD, make my own
Exhaust: Local exhaust shop to fab a 3" exhaust, I plan on running a high flow cat
Hood venting TBD - Probably the Singular vents.
Ducting: Make my own
Tune: There's a local dyno tuner with lots of experience tuning high power turbo builds for the track that I'll likely use.
Clutch: Supermiata Organic or Puck sprung kit with 9lb flywheel. Haven't decided which one to go with yet.

My goals with this setup are a reliable setup that I can run consistently on track without fear that something is going to break, overheat, or otherwise end my day early. Quick spool with a useable powerband with 240hp is the target, on 91 octane (I'll run 93 for extra protection on track, but will tune for 91). I'm basing my target off the limits of a stock bottom end and a 5-speed, with the plan that I expect both the transmission and bottom end to eventually give up. While driving the car in that setup, I'm going to pick up a used engine and build it for whatever power target I decide to go for, and probably a 6 speed.

If I'm honest, I'm probably two years out from actually assembling everything. It'd be sooner, but I'd rather keep doing track days and saving up than having the turbo setup in a year with no track time in between. Now that you've read all of that, the real reason for this thread is that my thermostat is stuck open and I'm running the original radiator, so it's time to address the cooling system. Am I on the right track for my eventual goals with a supermiata qmax reroute + crossflow rad, or is there a different direction I should go? I'm a club orange member after all the suspension stuff and have had nothing but good experiences with 949.

Other questions I've got that I'm working through -
-I'll need to do the clutch as part of this build - for those who have done it, does it make more sense to pull the engine + transmission and do the clutch + turbo install at the same time, with everything out of the car? Thoughts on organic vs puck? I'll be due for a timing belt/water pump/etc by the time I'm doing this build, so I feel like it'd be easier to do everything with the engine/transmission out of the car (note that I've never pulled an engine / transmission, never replaced a clutch, but have done things like all the suspension listed above, timing belt, replaced alternators, fuel pumps, etc.)
-My plan for the catch can is to plug the PCV port, and just run a catch can + breather off the hot-side inlet, based on my reading of the catch can thread - does this make sense?
-I'm sure I'm forgetting stuff - is there anything you see that I'm missing? Are there components where I'm overbuilding too much? (i.e. Injectors - I picked ID1050x given e85 compatibility, and huge ceiling, but will having so much spare capacity make things difficult in other areas?)

I'd appreciate any feedback anyone has.

 

What is your long-term power goal? If you want to stick with a Supermiata clutch and be above 280whp, they'd recommend going with the puck. If you want to stick with an organic disk above that power level ACT has a combo that has a little more headroom.

For my catch can I have both sides vented to the catch can. One port may not flow enough depending on how much crankcase pressure you build up.

Again, depending on power goals you may want to reconsider turbo BP life. Even with my Trackspeed manifold and studs I've run into more reliability issues than I was hoping for. Too late to turn back in my case, but you may want to consider a K-swap: if I could go back in time a couple years that's probably what I would do. That could also just be my current frustration talking after losing a turbo stud on the front straight of PIR.

For cooling, I have a reroute and the Supermiata crossflow and it has been more than sufficient even without hood vents (installation pending). That may not be applicable to you depending on your location, I know Oregon doesn't get nearly as warm as many other places.

 

Power goals are 240hp, 200-210ft-lbs or around there about. I'm attempting to give myself some headway with the parts I'm planning for when I decide that isn't enough, with the knowledge that beyond that point things get more difficult all around. With respect to reliability, I expect that I'll have some issues crop - the goal is just to limit them as much as possible (which is why, for example, I'm just going to do hood venting in the build - I might be okay without them, but I don't want to risk it). What other reliability issues have you run into, aside from losing a stud?

It's not uncommon to see 35C / 95F trackside temperatures where I am, though it's more typically in the 25-30C range (77-86F).

 

That was the big one. Not even three track days in. Some of it is not only the actual issues, but all the work that went in to preventing other issues. When I started the K-swap was still newish, and seemed to be more expensive. The reality is that looking back it was probably pretty close cost-wise overall as I nickle-and-dimed my way through my build. For my usage (almost exclusively a track car now) the K-swap would have netted me similar horsepower to my current setup at wastegate (which is what I run on track) with significantly less heat and vibration AND significantly closer to the OEM power expectations for the motor. The downside is less torque, less horsepower potential without spending more money, and you spend the swap money all at once rather than piecemealing it out a bit like you can with a turbo build.

 

For 240hp, the Fab9 Stage 2 intercooler is overkill, get the Stage1 version, it's smaller, lighter, cheaper and less laggy (not that much of an issue with a decent turbo but "every bit" helps).

 

Yeah, I can see how that makes sense with where you're coming from. For me personally, I've wanted to turbo the car for a while now partially for the learning experience. I'll probably stick with turbocharging and see where I wind up.

Re the Fab9 - how much power will the smaller intercooler handle? I understand the bigger one will block more of the rad, and spool a bit slower (is the volume difference between the two really enough to notice a difference in spool time?) but figured the extra headroom for potential future plans wasn't a bad idea. If it's really that much of a spool difference I'll stick with the smaller one.

 

Well plans changed a bit, and I've started the ordering of components. Today I put down a deposit on everything I could from Kraken, including:

-Low mount manifold
-Full DP + exhaust, including high flow cat
-Hose kit
-Intercooler kit, with the IAT mounted in the intercooler end tank (goal is to prevent heat soak). Also includes a different water mixing manifold.

Goal is just to make this as easy as possible, and everything I've seen of the Krakken stuff has looked really good.

Going to order the turbo shortly - has anyone ordered from turbokits.com? Looking specifically at:
https://turbokits.com/Turbo_Chargers..._179150/11438/

With the v-band clamp + water line fitting, as well as the low pressure wastegate canister. Seems to be the best price I've found.