I have been prepping to do a budget turbo build on my 2000 LS here for the last few months. Now that I have all of my major components, I figured I should go ahead and start a build thread.

My goal with the components I have accumulated thus far is to get the car running on wastegate pressure with stock injectors and stock clutch with minimal fabrication. From there I will work on turning the boost up until I slip the clutch or run out of fuel. I will replace the limiting component\s and then continue until the other component is a limiting factor. Based on my research though, it seems that I will run out of fuel and start slipping the clutch at about the same time.

At this point I, hope to be happy with the cars performance on 91 and will just work getting things fine tuned. If happiness is not achieved, I suppose I will be forced to move on to E85.


Here is a spreadsheet listing all of my components and their cost. I have been doing my best to save money by purchasing as many items as possible on Ebay during their 15% off sales.

I’ll go ahead and list my components here as well:

• Garrett GT2560R
• T25 Chinese (TacoTaco) cast manifold
• BTP (Bell Tuning and Performance) downpipe (It should line up with the manifold…. At least I hope it does)
• CXRacing NB intercooler, piping and blow off valve kit (designed for top mount turbo)
• Generic T25 waterline kit
• EGR Block Off Plate
• Turbo compressor inlet and outlet flanges
• GM AIT Sensor PN: 25036751 with connector
• Exhaust manifold gasket
• K&N 2.5” Filter PN: RU-4950
• AEM UEGO Wideband PN: 30-4110
• Generic T25 ⅝ oil drain fitting
• Vibrant PN: 10287 -4AM to 7/16-25 oil restrictor fitting kit
• 48” -4AN teflon steel braided oil feed line
• External wastegate block off
• K&N Breather Filter PN: 62-1600RD
• ⅛ NPT to -4AN adapter
• ⅜ NPT Aluminum Bung
• ⅛ BSPT male to ⅛ BSPT female to ⅛ NPT tee
• 2 wire waterproof connector
• Dorman exhaust studs PN: 03415B
• Flyin Miata wastegate relocation bracket
• Nitrous (Harbor Freight) boost gauge
• MegaSquirt 2 Plug and Play for NB1
• ⅝ barb to ⅜ NPT oil drain bung
• ⅜ npt drill bit and tap
• Duralast J30R7 3ft oil drain hose

In an effort to cut costs, I do acknowledge that I am taking some risks. Just buying things off Ebay and waiting months to use them is definitely one. Another risk is making the assumption that the BTP downpipe is going to line up with the TacoTaco manifold. Based on much of my research, it seems that it should, but who knows if designs have changed. Worse comes to worse, I can just get the BTP manifold. Lastly, like I noted above, the CXRacing cold side piping is designed for a top mount turbo. Im hoping with some light modification that I can persuade it to work with my side mount setup.

While I wait for warmer weather, I am going to start doing as much off the car assembly and prep as possible.

 

I have run into my first issues with parts. The Mac boost control solenoid I ordered ended up being a fake / counterfeit. When I started questioning the selling about why the paint was flaking off the valve body, they kindly offered me a refund. From my research, it seems like the "P" cast into the valve body is a dead giveaway for a fake.







The second issue I have had is my oil feed tee was not properly deburring from the factory. There is a nice large chunk of stainless hanging inside it. I haven’t decided yet if I want to debure it myself or notify the seller. Since the part was less than $7, and took weeks to arrive, I am leaning towards just deburring it myself.

 

Looks like you’re off to a good start, but it sounds like you are not planning on installing the megasquirt until later. I’d reccomend at minimum to get that installed and working well before dissassmbly begins just so you have a feel for it. Another suggestion would be a few feet of fire sleeve for the water and oil lines to keep them safe from all the heat. I’ll be following this!

 

I have been debating whether to do the MegaSquirt install before the pulling the car apart. Either way, it will be a while before I do anything on the car itself and I will definitely consider your suggestion. I will also look into the fire sleeve. Heat management is something I have not fully worked through either. I am currently trying to decided if I should use a turbo blanked and wrap the downpipe as well.

 

Interesting note about the fake ebc. Is there any downside to running it anyways or do you anticipate it being unreliable and/or failing?

 

 

You should install the megasquirt first like everyone else. It's the right way.

Don't worry about adding the ebc until you have injectors and a reason or capacity to turn up the power. Don't put the cart before the horse.

 

I expect it would have a higher chance of failure. I also don't know what its failure mode would be. If it fails closed, then it could cause an over boost condition. For another ~$50, I can just get a genuine one for FM. I figure it the risk isn't worth the reward.

 

Welp, looks like there is a consensus. I will plan on installing the MS2 beforehand.

 

Learning to tune is like running face first into a brick wall. The less questions you have about what is causing the issue (IE: the more stock the car is) the easier it is going to be to climb over.

 

Not much of an update, but I did get a few more supplies this week.

• Timing light
• Shell Rotella T6 5w-40
• Wix oil filter PN: 51365
• Permatex high temp thread sealer
• Blackstone oil sample collection kit

From what I have read, Flyin Miata (and most of the internet) recommend switching to 5w-40 for forced induction cars. I am planning to send my oil sample in right before I put the turbo on the car and around the same time do a compression test in order to determine the condition of the engine. That way, if I blow up the engine, I will know if I can blame a pre-existing condition lol.

 

I am looking into some thermal management products, but my knowledge is very limited on this subject and I was wondering if I could get some feedback / recommendations.

I want to wrap my downpipe and am trying to decide between these three wrap options (cheapest to most expensive):

• Cheapo Ebay exhaust wrap
• Summit Racing branded exhaust wrap
• DEI Exhaust wrap

I also was thinking of running a turbo blanket, although I understand they are controversial. Thermal Zero brand turbo blanket is the cheapest one I could find that works with a T25 with an internal wastegate. Does this seem like an ok product and is there anything I should be mindful or when purchasing this or any turbo blanket?

Lastly, another member festersays recommended fire sleeve for some of my various lines and hoses. Is there a brand that anyone recommends? Also, is this product appropriate for insulating the following:

• Heater hoses
• oil drain line
• oil feed line
• turbo coolant lines

 

Turbo blankets are fabric, fabric soaks up oil. Find me a miata that doesn't have an oil leak somewhere. Turbo blanket sits right on a hot turbo....

Use a heat sheild.

 

As others have said. Do the MS/WB install first. I actually will be following this thread because your intentions are close to mine. I've been playing/tuning with my MSPNP2 now for ~2 weeks...and it's finally looking much better than when first starting. You don't want to be prepped to setup everything mechanical - and realize you still have a few weeks of fiddling with the MS and can't figure out or tune the NA portion of the map since you're spooling up all the time. Get it running pretty nice on the stock motor - and then add all the other mechanical components. I don't even have any boost components (another year away), but I can definitely look back now and say that this would have been a PITA had I not installed it first.

 

The last couple parts I have been waiting for finally came in.

• Motorcraft CM-5216 ~630cc injectors
• Flow Force BYOI Adpapter kit for EV14 48mm injectors
• SuperMiata Sport Clutch with Organic Sprung Disk
• BelMetric S10X1.25X62FBLK studs: to accommodate the thick ends of the exhaust manifold

 

I finally got around to installing my clutch this last weekend, unfortunately made some mistakes during re-assembly and now I am getting some weir trans noises on my test drives such as knocking and excessive bearing noise. On top of that, I installed a used 6 speed I picked up about a year and a half ago from a guy who had, from the looks of it, rolled his NB2. Im not sure how you live through such a thing, but he seemed fine.

He had done a poor job pulling it and I know it had somewhere around 142k on it, but for the price I figured I would give it a go. Now I am pulling the transmission to find out if my noises were a result of a bad transmission or poor installation procedure.

To make the second go around easier, I have purchased an engine support bar from Harbor Freight which I will be using with the scissor type transmission lift I had for the first go around. I figure the extra money is well worth it considering I will be tackling it alone this time.

The 6 speed trans gear oil after 25 miles of driving. I could used this transmission to make metal flake paint. The magnetic drain plug was pretty fuzzy as well as having a chunk of something seemingly non-metallic stuck amongst the metal shavings.




Either way, I have learned:

• Stop when you are tired.
• Don't force things that don't want to go.
• When in doubt, double check.

 

That gear oil looks really bad for only 25 miles. It should look brand new after only 25 miles....I hope its not a bad 6 speed you got.

 

I was able to get the trans pulled again last night. I need to buy a lottery ticket, because my stupidity when installing the trans last time didn't seem to damage the clutch assembly or throwout bearing what so ever.

I don't have a good way to measure input shaft play, but it seems like substantially (1-2mm at the nose) more that my 5 speed as well as the 6 speed sounding a bit more "gravely" that 5 speed when turning the input shaft by hand. After pulling the front bearing cover off the 6 speed, I found some plastic chunks (broken shifter bushing?) in the countershaft bearing and I can see visible play in the input shaft bearing itself. Im considering gambling the cost of an input shaft bearing and more of my time to try and replace it, although the chances that just that bearing is cooked are probably pretty low at this point. Motivation is high to get a working 6 speed, since I have a 3.6 diff showing up on Friday.

 

You should split the case and check the gears for damage. That fluid looked pretty rough for such low miles.

 

Probably a good idea. I just need to hunt down a set of lock ring pliers.