BuiltByBen

Feel free to roast me if Im posting in the wrong forum, but there is not really any support for my platform. Miata guys have basically compiled all the performance info on these FE3 engines so here I am.

So my landlord left this 2001 Kia Sportage convertible 4x4 5-speed with a 2.0L FE3 sitting in the back of the garage I rent. Needless to say I bought it for $1000 to find just about everything needed to be refreshed. Next thing I know I have the engine, trans and transfer case, front and rear axles and body off the frame doing a complete restoration. I do specialty automotive and repair for a living here at my shop so I decided to have some fun with this thing. Id be happy to post pics, videos, write ups, whatever if anyone is interested in following this build. Its like the Miata's chunky southern cousin you'd smash if you were drinking.

I rent part of the garage to a friend for storage and he's a welder for... someone important, probably shouldn't say. He has access to a plasma CNC so I acquired a drawing file on GrabCAD for the FE3 exhaust manifold flange, but realized either the scale or the measurements are pretty far off. I took out my vernier caliper and started measuring. There's a couple of SR20DET turbo manifolds laying around so ill chop one up to make this manifold.

Already have a Garrett turbo, Turbonetics wastegate and Tial BOV. eBay intercooler and piping on the way. Ill source some VR6 valve springs to eliminate valve float. Have an old Stillen rising rate FPR. I have a big Walboro laying around that should be plenty of fuel for this too. I think the ID1000 injectors will be overkill on low boost so Ill probably try and source some 500cc-ish Bosch units from Marren Fuel Injection in Seymore CT. They rebuild/clean all my injectors and they are a wealth of fuel injector info both about technicalities and industry standards.

Ill probably source ARP head studs, OEM head gasket, and some ARP rod and main bolts. Probably will have to do by size/length since I doubt there are kits available for this engine. Someone post part numbers for the ARP head stud hardware purchased individually which I can post if anyone is interested.

Lynx Fabrication in New Zealand makes an SR20DET to FE3 intake manifold conversion flange and I have a Deepmotor (Chinese all aluminum) intake manifold with throttle body and fuel rail. Boom.

Ill use some new rod and main bearings when going back together, but not sure if I want to change pistons out for forged or if I want to test the strength of these cast boys. Didnt see anyone running stock FE3 bottom ends with turbos so let me know if you have a link to this info or have any recommendations for beefing up the bottom end while its out.

Goal is an Aussy crawler style turbo 4x4 Sportage. I even have the offroad bumpers and running boards here already. Clear corners from Greece. Front lift forks from Pi Corp in Korea. TJ rear springs. 4crawler body lift kit. Dorman front and rear driveshafts new. The list goes deep.

I have about $5000 of parts sitting in front of me for this thing, so if anyone is going to tell me its not worth it or some BS, beat it. Im out of my f*cking mind and thats not changing anytime soon LOL

Anyone interested in this? Want to see more? Pics? Videos? Write ups? Name it. Would love the support.

Ben @ Built By Ben

18psi

iTrader: (76)

Buddy of mine did something similar, check it out:
https://www.miataturbo.net/build-thr...r-build-90169/

Of course we like crazy builds, so by all means do it.

BuiltByBen

Started tear down of this skank. Not bad condition externally, but almost everything is f***ed


Moldy convertible. Have a new one

Next to a lifted C10 to show just how damn adorable this thing really is currently. Looking like a sweet 16 gift.

The good, the rot and the ugly

BuiltByBen

All headlights, AC, front suspension, harnesses, brackets, BS etc removed from engine bay. Front bumpers off for offroad bumpers after I install the body lift.

FE3, 5 speed and transfer case out. Just dirty, still in nice shape. 93k on the dash!

Heavy grime and surface rust. You can see the missing body mounts. They all look like that. Found out they are pretty much extinct now. Found 12 out of the 16 needed.


Brake master, clutch master and clutch line all have failed. Made a huge mess. Rusted the steering shaft and took most of the paint off the frame and around steering shaft pass through so bottom half of engine bay will be coated at the same time underside of body is in POR 15 bed liner unless anyone has a better product recommendation. Looking for high temp, impact resistant textured coating. I have all Eastwood rust encapsulator, internal frame coat and extreme chassis black to refresh frame. Ill make my own fuel and brake lines throughout.

BuiltByBen

Bottom left hand corner power steering pump made a big mess of the pass side of the engine bay

Pump removed and disassembled on bench

All parts disassembled, cleaned, for reassembly. Casings cleaned, masked and prepped for paint

Rear pump section reassembled with hub and veins

BuiltByBen

Even painted the bolts!

The rebuilt power steering pump

Another shot

BuiltByBen

Some measurements

3D Model made

Scale copy printed

Thanks to Jorge for cutting it out on the plasma table for me. To thin to be used and a little sloppy with plasma vs laser so ill make ports and holes slightly smaller and finish port them to gasket match by hand on final version. Will make another if someone wants to buy one.

90LowNSlo

"We'll be watching your career with great interest."

fastivab6tg25mr

If youre gonna be ordering head gaskets from gaskets-to-go you should add mls intake and exhaust gaskets as well. The available aftermarket options for the kia are graphite and dont seal too well.

BuiltByBen

Thanks for the heads up! Just sent them another email. You're accurate, these replacement gaskets look like they're made by children. Barely even line up LOL. I may be able to make copper ones locally too

fastivab6tg25mr

if you can get thick copper intake and exhaust gaskets reasonably priced id get a set if I can also get an S13 SR20 intake gasket

BuiltByBen

So many updates if anyone is interested.

Lynx Fab in NZ has supplied me with an aluminum intake manifold flange adapter to SR20DET S14 and a laser cut exhaust manifold flange 1/2" thick. I used an old tubular "horn" style top mount manifold from an SR20 I had laying around from a previous build. My local fab shop and good friends at Goodyfab LLC welded it up for me and American Dry Stripping in Milford cerakoted it in high temp black.

Acquired a G25-550 v band turbo and Tial MVR wastegate

Finished 10AN turbo oil return setup and Goodyfab also welded the return bung.

Finished making all turbo and wastegate cooling hoses and turbo oil feed setup.

In order to figure out where to tap into the cooling system for wastegate (4AN) and turbo (6AN) water cooling, I looked at a coolant flow diagram found in the service manual. Water enters on left side of block through lower radiator hose and tube junction into the water pump. Return tube comes straight from heater core so I just welded the bungs on the tube right at the back of the head, covered by the intake manifold. Very sleek.
The coolant feed for the turbo cooling comes from a bung welded to the 90deg tube coming directly out of the water pump to feed the heater core.
I used an extended Fragola 4AN to 1/8NPT adapter fitting out of the head for the wastegate cooling feed coming from bungs Goodyfab welded on to my coolant supply and return tubes; 4AN for the wastegate cooling hoses, supply coming from port on head with nipple removed and tapped to 1/8NPT with an NPT to 4AN adapter in place. I had to purchase a special extended Fragola 4AN adapter because of the added thickness of the Lynx fab adapter plate. It came out perfect!

Cooling hoses:
6AN Redhorse Performance PTFE nylon coated SS hose Part #: 302-06-20
4AN Redhorse Performance PTFE nylon coated SS hose Part #: 302-04-20
6AN Aeroquip steel PTFE 90deg fitting x3 Part #: FBM1122
6AN Aeroquip steel PTFE straight fitting x1 Part #: FBM1103
Extended Fragola 1/8NPT to 4AN fitting to head Part #: FRA-581690
4AN Redhorse Performance PTFE nylon coated SS hose Part #: 302-04-10
4AN Aeroquip steel PTFE 90deg fitting x3 Part #: FBM1121
4AN Aeroquip steel PTFE straight fitting x1 Part #: FBM1101
Amazon silicone fiberglass heat sleeving 3/8" with heat shrink

Turbo oil feed setup:
4AN Redhorse Performance PTFE nylon coated SS hose Part #: 302-04-20
4AN Fragola forged steel low profile PTFE 90deg fitting Part #: FRA-609004
4AN Aeroquip steel PTFE straight fitting x1 Part #: FBM1101
4AN 90deg Aluminum elbow
TurboSmart turbo oil filter Part #: 0804-1102
1/4" ss tubing and 4AN stainless tube nuts
KoulTools flare lapping kit
1/8NPT to 4AN adapter fitting
1/4" silicone fiberglass heat sleeving

Finished designing and building an Audi R8 coil conversion kit using SendCutSend to produce to my spec. Came out so beautiful.

Just finished installing the Fidanza cam sprockets today intead of the ones I had from south Africa. Only reason I changed them was the look and the weight. Almost 3x the weight of the Fidanza aluminum sprockets which will probably allow for better throttle response with less rotating mass. I am running power steering and AC so not sure how much ill actually notice the benefits but we'll see.

Im about to get started here putting the engine in the chassis now! Its labor day and a friend is coming to give me a hand in a few.

Transmission got the treatment and looks brand new. Check out some pictures and videos of the engine and the trans on my instagram @itsbuiltbyben

BuiltByBen

I used a Deep Motor (ebay "Otaku") billet 240SX S14 intake manifold
Lynx Fab manifold adapter plate Fe3 to Sr20
Outside Garage in NY made me an Otaku to Bosch 74mm DBW throttle body adapter
Purchased a 74mm Bosch throttle body from FCPeuro (lifetime warranty)
Looks so effing pretty. Hoping DBW wasnt a huge mistake, lets find out the hard way. Something tells me ill end up with a cable sooner or later.
I did this to eliminate IAC TPS and cable

Fueling:
Walboro GSS342 500+ HP fuel pump
80lb/hr Siemens Deka high impedence fuel injectors only because they work very well at low throttle too and I plan on daily driving this vehicle
Radium rail mounted fuel pressure regulator and gauge
Radium fuel pulse damper
6AN Redhorse PTFE nylon coated ss fuel hose
Mishimoto 6AN aluminum PTFE hose ends

Gee Emm

(More) pictures or it didn't happen.

Interesting mod. Dyno results?

BuiltByBen

BuiltByBen

no results yet, still in the assembly phase. Roll cage going in at some point soon. Hoping this thing is on the road by early spring time. Want to end up at SEMA 2024!

TurboTim

iTrader: (9)

Fun stuff. Subscribed.