Ian's 99 build thread
#142
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Thanks, Joe. I think I'm going to bang on the bits I have before throwing random other parts at it for a bit, but I'll keep you in mind.
In other news, I found the boost leak:
![](http://www.codrus.com/miata/fm2r/boost-leak.jpg)
That's one of the siliconeintakes.com "port system" thingeys, in the elbow that goes into the throttle body, supplying the boost source to use for the wastegate. I'm not sure if I screwed it up when I installed it, or if it just proved inadequate for the job. I think I'll replace it and weld a bung into the charge pipe below it that I made instead of using a port here.
So that explains the loss of spool, but I don't know if it explains the increased pinginess of the motor or not. A boost leak should make the turbo work harder, which should result in decreased VE, which should make it want *more* timing, not less. OTOH, it should also increase intake temps (which were somewhat evident on the dyno, although it's unclear how much of that was just due to lack of good airflow), which would tend to cause pinging.
--Ian
In other news, I found the boost leak:
![](http://www.codrus.com/miata/fm2r/boost-leak.jpg)
That's one of the siliconeintakes.com "port system" thingeys, in the elbow that goes into the throttle body, supplying the boost source to use for the wastegate. I'm not sure if I screwed it up when I installed it, or if it just proved inadequate for the job. I think I'll replace it and weld a bung into the charge pipe below it that I made instead of using a port here.
So that explains the loss of spool, but I don't know if it explains the increased pinginess of the motor or not. A boost leak should make the turbo work harder, which should result in decreased VE, which should make it want *more* timing, not less. OTOH, it should also increase intake temps (which were somewhat evident on the dyno, although it's unclear how much of that was just due to lack of good airflow), which would tend to cause pinging.
--Ian
#145
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As for the silicone port thing, I vaguely recall having problems drilling one of the pipes, not being sure if it would seal properly, but putting it on the car because I wanted to start it and planning to replace it later. This may have been that part.
![](https://www.miataturbo.net/images/smilies/smile.gif)
In any event, I ordered a replacement elbow and a weldable bung, and I'll fix it properly this weekend.
The other thing that we noticed broken on the dyno was an exhaust hanger:
![](http://www.codrus.com/miata/fm2r/muffler-broken.jpg)
I pulled it off and ran it over to a local fab shop to get it repaired at lunch. I have a nice Miller 211, but it wasn't worth buying stainless wire and a tank with a different gas mix just to weld this. It's an FM 3" muffler which has a lifetime warranty, but it was easier to just fix it than to deal with return & replacement.
![](http://www.codrus.com/miata/fm2r/muffler-welded.jpg)
--Ian
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I should have it fixed this weekend, track day on April 17th at Thunderhill West. I'll have to see if I can find another dyno session in between.
--Ian
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Yeah, but unless one hooked up a TIP sensor and left it in full time, it's not all that useful. Boost leaks aren't hard to find once you know to look for them.
So, boost leak should now be fixed. I pulled out the adapter pipe I'd made, and added a 1/8" NPT bung to it:
![](http://www.codrus.com/miata/fm2r/pipe10.jpg)
(yes, I still suck at welding!)
![](http://www.codrus.com/miata/fm2r/pipe11.jpg)
The bung was longer than really necessary. I welded it so it was roughly at the same level as the one for the AIT, then realized there was about 3/8" of it sticking into the pipe. Doh. Much grinding later:
![](http://www.codrus.com/miata/fm2r/pipe12.jpg)
Installed:
![](http://www.codrus.com/miata/fm2r/pipe13.jpg)
![](http://www.codrus.com/miata/fm2r/pipe14.jpg)
So, that should fix the leak. I say should because I haven't tested it yet -- I put in new alignment bolts on Thursday night in preparation for aligning it on Friday, but for various reasons that appointment got cancelled. So right now the wheels are pointing in semi-random directions, and even going up and down the driveway it feels weird enough that I don't want to take it out for a boost test.
Track day coming up on April 17th. Before then I still need to reinstall the ducting & splash pan, fix the oil cooler mount, get it aligned, possibly retune if the boost leak fixes the top end... Yikes.
--Ian
So, boost leak should now be fixed. I pulled out the adapter pipe I'd made, and added a 1/8" NPT bung to it:
![](http://www.codrus.com/miata/fm2r/pipe10.jpg)
(yes, I still suck at welding!)
![](http://www.codrus.com/miata/fm2r/pipe11.jpg)
The bung was longer than really necessary. I welded it so it was roughly at the same level as the one for the AIT, then realized there was about 3/8" of it sticking into the pipe. Doh. Much grinding later:
![](http://www.codrus.com/miata/fm2r/pipe12.jpg)
Installed:
![](http://www.codrus.com/miata/fm2r/pipe13.jpg)
![](http://www.codrus.com/miata/fm2r/pipe14.jpg)
So, that should fix the leak. I say should because I haven't tested it yet -- I put in new alignment bolts on Thursday night in preparation for aligning it on Friday, but for various reasons that appointment got cancelled. So right now the wheels are pointing in semi-random directions, and even going up and down the driveway it feels weird enough that I don't want to take it out for a boost test.
Track day coming up on April 17th. Before then I still need to reinstall the ducting & splash pan, fix the oil cooler mount, get it aligned, possibly retune if the boost leak fixes the top end... Yikes.
--Ian
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So no boost leak testing yet, but I did at least reinforce the oil cooler mount. A month or so ago I learned that the standard Setrab/Mocal oil coolers don't give you four mounts just to be convenient: you really need to use all four of them because there isn't much structural rigidity to the cooler itself, and if you don't then it has a tendency to turn banana-shaped and leak.
The FM oil cooler mount that I'm using only attaches the lower brackets, so I reinforced it by fitting spacers between the upper and lower ones and using long bolts.
![](http://www.codrus.com/miata/fm2r/oil-cooler-mount1.jpg)
![](http://www.codrus.com/miata/fm2r/oil-cooler-mount2.jpg)
--Ian
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Mount looks good, I was going to do the exact same thing with mine. Good to see independent confirmation
How much airflow does it get in that location? I'm wondering how it all goes together with the undertray, I need to stick my nose under your car next time I see you. Still rocking the PS?
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#157
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Mount looks good, I was going to do the exact same thing with mine. Good to see independent confirmation
How much airflow does it get in that location? I'm wondering how it all goes together with the undertray, I need to stick my nose under your car next time I see you. Still rocking the PS?
![Biggthumpup](https://www.miataturbo.net/images/smilies/biggthumpup.gif)
Must do:
- Validate boost leak fix and investigate happiness with current tune
- Align the car (happening today)
- Reinstall splash pan & other rad ducting
Would like to do, but not sure if I have time:
- Install oil temp gauge
- Reinstall DL1 datalogger
- Make parking brake work again
- Hook up EGT sender to MS3 so I can log it
As for the belly pan, the brackets for the oil cooler go down about half an inch below where it would be factory. It bends around them, though. Definitely not optimal, but it works.
And yes, I still have the PS. That's not coming out.
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--Ian
#158
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Alignment is done.
![](http://www.codrus.com/miata/fm2r/align3.jpg)
With half a tank of gas and without me in it the car weighed 2408 pounds, 51.9% front. It'd be under 2400 if I'd taken out the various pieces pieces of crap that were in the passenger seat.![](https://www.miataturbo.net/images/smilies/smile.gif)
--Ian
![](http://www.codrus.com/miata/fm2r/align3.jpg)
With half a tank of gas and without me in it the car weighed 2408 pounds, 51.9% front. It'd be under 2400 if I'd taken out the various pieces pieces of crap that were in the passenger seat.
![](https://www.miataturbo.net/images/smilies/smile.gif)
--Ian