Alright, I'm starting a build thread to lay this all out. I'm starting with a mostly stock 2004 NB Miata Base. This car had the Azure Blue Leather Package. All that’s left from the package are the door inserts. This car for the last 2 years has been my daily driver. I need to be reasonable with the mods until I get the replacement daily driver in the coming months. So my planning might be strange to some, but I’m trying to keep this thing on the road, I can’t afford to have it down. No major mods will begin until I get my little truck.




This car currently has:

135K mile VVT Engine
5 Speed manual
4.3:1 Open Diff
"Sport" Brakes (which came standard in these model years)
Non-sport suspension
16-inch titanium-colored alloy wheels
Current tires: General G-MAX AS-05 205/45R16
Treasurecoast Miata Racing Hard top (until I can source a factory hard top)
1999 Black cloth seats

I've been doing a ton of reading here and everywhere, watching videos, and in general just learning as much as possible in preparation for building this little car out. I own it out right. I traded in my 2012 WRX STi for this thing and no more debt at a dealer in Florida. It was a bit of an adjustment going from all that E85 fueled boost to a N/A car again. I hated it for a couple years. But I like the thing, it really handles (duh) and it just needs more motivation under the hood to make it fun for me. I was originally going to LS3 swap this, but looking at the cost, I don’t think I’m going to go that route. Plus I like turbo cars.

Since I've had it, because I don't know the history of the car, I went through and did all the routine maintenance:

Engine Oil, AMSOil OE 5w30
OEM Oil Filter
Transmission Oil, AMSOil Transmission gear oil GL-4 75w90
Moss Shifter rebuild with 5Xracing bronze bushing
Diff Oil, AMSOil Severe Gear GL-5 75w90
Coolant Flush
Synthetic Dot 4 Brake Fluid Flush
Synthetic Dot 4 Clutch Fluid Flush
NGK Spark Plugs
OEM Air Filter
New OEM clutch, pilot bearing, throw-out bearing, used flywheel from Partsgroup resurfaced locally
New Clutch Master/Slave with 5xracing clutch line
New Centric rotors all around with Stoptech pads

I also pulled the valve cover to check the timing belt out to see if it’d been replaced. Looked fine so I sealed it up with a new gasket. Although that was three years ago.. I'll probably replace it....

The Plan:

Goal: I’m going to get this thing turbo’ed and I’m aiming for 300-400 WHP. Initially, until I elect to pull and build the engine, I’m just going to get it boosted and run around 5 PSI of boost and whatever power it makes it the power it makes.

I’m looking at the following, to me, logical upgrade path from this point forward.

1. Install a 3.9:1 torsen LSD (this will be here with all necessary hardware this week. I’m installing this now because I found it for a decent price, and it snows here. The LSD will enable me to commute in this car this winter and lessen the likelihood of getting stuck somewhere. I know the ratio is going to be miserable with a stock power level, but I’ll deal for now since I was going to go 3.9 once the car is boosted)

1b. This thing is leaking oil. I have no idea where from but I need to track it down and get it solved. The entire steering rack and front of the engine is caked. Great.

2. Megasquirt 3 PNP with a Wideband O2

3. Fuel. Ohh fuel, you have been a pain in my *** the last week. Lots and lots of reading. I obviousally want to run larger injectors and a pump. I’d like a standalone, adjustable fuel pressure regulator so I can up my base pressure to keep the injector duty cycle down, if necessary, and a flex fuel sensor. The NB return-less style system doesn’t seem like it’s going to fit the bill for my goals. So I’m going to run 2 AN lines from the rear of the car to the front and convert to a return style system. This diagram shows the plan. I also want to make it as resistant to E85 as possible.




4. Skunk 2 Intake manifold and Throttle body

5. Convert the car to speed density

6. Install the ATI Super damper and 36-2 trigger wheel

7. Time for the Turbo/Intercooler

As of this moment, I’m leaning towards Fab9 Tuning’s Manifold/Downpipe with a BorgWarner EFR 6258. As well as Fab9’s Intercooler. I’ll do my own IC piping.

Following that will be a new clutch to hold the power. I’ll also address cooling at some point. Suspension will be sprinkled in whenever, since as long as it’s together the car will drive. Supporting mods such as LS coils, catch cans, electronic boost control, 2 port IWG, coolant reroute and what not have been planned. I’ll do each of those at a logical point in the build. The coolant system upgrades will likely happen after I rebuild the engine with forged internals so that I can get the older style head gasket in there that won’t block off the coolant ports to the front of the engine.

Any thoughts? I really need validation on my fuel plan. I don’t see why it wouldn’t work, but I’m always open to suggestions on any of this. I am by no means an expert. Also, I’m having trouble locating a tuner in Tennessee that will even touch an import. Most that will don’t do Megasquirt. So I guess I may be in for a heck of a drive to get this thing tuned by a pro.

Thanks for stopping by. I’ll be adding more to this as I build the car out. I’ll also do a few guides to fill in some gaps in information out there on the NB2.

Stay tuned.

 

 

I'm located in Clarskville. I actually have them pulled up in a tab right now and I meant to call them today to discuss tuning the Miata on MS3PNP. I really appreciate the recommendation, I'll reach out tomorrow or Friday now. There doesn't seem to be any decent shops even in Nashville so I'll be making the trek to Knoxville eventually.

I was trying to decide whether to mount the Fuel pressure regulator in the stock fuel filter location and not have it vacuum referenced, just running a static fuel pressure. I hit up my tuner in Colorado and they suggested keeping it vac referenced if at all possible. Not sure what the pros and cons are either way other than cleaner mounting of everything and only having to run one fuel line from the tank to the engine bay. Think FlyinMiata big fuel kit style. Still not sure which way to go. I'll probably ultimately just run two lines and keep the FPR in the engine bay and hooked into vacuum. I know the fuel system is going to be seen as overkill for some people but just like the EFR 6258 it's a buy once, cry once sort of thing. And if I ever LS swap the car (still a solid maybe) then I'm set for fuel.




When I'm closer to getting the car on the dyno you're more then welcome to come hang out.

 

I'm in Clarksville, north west of Nashville. Thanks for recommending them. I was going to call them anyway and I'm glad I did. Dude was way into Miatas and they're more than happy to get me tuned up. He also knew who you were when I called lol.