First time turbo build; am I ready to fire up the engine?
05-01-2021, 11:17 PM
#1
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First time turbo build; am I ready to fire up the engine?
1997 NA8, stock engine with mostly new oil seals, but nothing refreshed inside.
Hi! About over a year ago I bit the bullet and began my journey. If not for this forum I don't think I would ever have even attempted this truly amazing challenge of putting a build together on my own.
Lots of dollars and life events later, I am almost done, and am hoping to have a sanity check from you lovely people. Without boring you I will try and make clear what my goals are and what I've done, and what is left to do before firing the engine. If something glaring is missing, please please please call me out on it and I will do the research to figure it out, you don't have to hold my hand.
Goals
(stage 1): 200-220hp. Street use.
(stage 2): 230-250hp. Street with eventual beginner mild track use.
(stage 3): 250+? Pull engine and rebuild. This will wait until I am ready (and the wife allows it)
Build
(stage 1) 80k mile motor with even compression. MegaSquirt3. Flowforce injectors.
GT2560R, Kracken full 3" exhaust with metallic cat, big boi magnaflow, 2" hotside IC, 2.5" cold side IC, A/C delete, stock radiator
(stage 2) Add Electronic boost control, heat control.
(stage 3)
What I have done
Turbo stuff:
.40 restrictor on oil inlet, steel braided hose wrapping around to an oil cooler sandwich plate. Flyin miata coolant reroute, of course supplying/draining coolant to the turbo from this. Just put a standard silicone tube connecting the PCV to the intake manifold and a filter on the breather to exhaust side, I hear blowby could be an issue and I should buy a catch can? Is this always a problem?
I have a clean, stock gasket between the exhaust manifold and the low mount from kracken, no gaskets between the manifold and the exducer or to the down pipe, just a thin coat of oil to burn up. Used self locking copper nuts on everything except manifold which I kept the factory nuts and studs since they looked alright.
Mechanical stuff: Happy meal stage 1 FM clutch combo, decent breaks and tires, FM suspension + frame rails, swapped a Torsen for diff.
What am I forgetting!
Thank you
Hi! About over a year ago I bit the bullet and began my journey. If not for this forum I don't think I would ever have even attempted this truly amazing challenge of putting a build together on my own.
Lots of dollars and life events later, I am almost done, and am hoping to have a sanity check from you lovely people. Without boring you I will try and make clear what my goals are and what I've done, and what is left to do before firing the engine. If something glaring is missing, please please please call me out on it and I will do the research to figure it out, you don't have to hold my hand.
Goals
(stage 1): 200-220hp. Street use.
(stage 2): 230-250hp. Street with eventual beginner mild track use.
(stage 3): 250+? Pull engine and rebuild. This will wait until I am ready (and the wife allows it)
Build
(stage 1) 80k mile motor with even compression. MegaSquirt3. Flowforce injectors.
GT2560R, Kracken full 3" exhaust with metallic cat, big boi magnaflow, 2" hotside IC, 2.5" cold side IC, A/C delete, stock radiator
(stage 2) Add Electronic boost control, heat control.
(stage 3)
What I have done
Turbo stuff:
.40 restrictor on oil inlet, steel braided hose wrapping around to an oil cooler sandwich plate. Flyin miata coolant reroute, of course supplying/draining coolant to the turbo from this. Just put a standard silicone tube connecting the PCV to the intake manifold and a filter on the breather to exhaust side, I hear blowby could be an issue and I should buy a catch can? Is this always a problem?
I have a clean, stock gasket between the exhaust manifold and the low mount from kracken, no gaskets between the manifold and the exducer or to the down pipe, just a thin coat of oil to burn up. Used self locking copper nuts on everything except manifold which I kept the factory nuts and studs since they looked alright.
Mechanical stuff: Happy meal stage 1 FM clutch combo, decent breaks and tires, FM suspension + frame rails, swapped a Torsen for diff.
What am I forgetting!
Thank you
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05-02-2021, 05:36 PM
#3
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Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Kitchener/Toronto Ontario Canada
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Hey! Thank you for taking interest in my post 
I do not have oil in it at the moment. Just have a basic WiX synthetic filter, and will fill it with synthetic pretty soon. Just ironing out the last details on routing the heater core to the mixer, and will fill the coolant at the same time.
I think I plan to crank with the gas pedal pressed down which apparently prevents gas from pumping. Just in case I might locate the relay.
Also, I am pretty sure I have last season's low octane fuel, so it might be a good idea to drain the tank I suppose :S
I do not have oil in it at the moment. Just have a basic WiX synthetic filter, and will fill it with synthetic pretty soon. Just ironing out the last details on routing the heater core to the mixer, and will fill the coolant at the same time.
I think I plan to crank with the gas pedal pressed down which apparently prevents gas from pumping. Just in case I might locate the relay.
Also, I am pretty sure I have last season's low octane fuel, so it might be a good idea to drain the tank I suppose :S
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05-02-2021, 06:23 PM
#4
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Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Central Texas
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Oil is obviously a subject of much debate, but some swear by running a high ZDDP conventional oil or a break-in specific conventional oil. You might want to do some research on if starting out with synthetic in a fresh motor is the best idea.
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05-02-2021, 07:24 PM
#5
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Thank you, I haven't gone down the rabbit hole of industrial standards and the additives of all fluids. I suppose oil is probably one of the more important topics, but at least while I was naturally aspirated, the synthetic seemed to do alright for this engine. Thank you for the input!
I certainly will experiment if I see smoking, or strange behavior. I am not too concerned in the immediate future since the turbo itself I don't expect to have issues with choice of oil, and if anything it will be the engine internals which I expect will be replaced within a few years. Wish me luck!
I certainly will experiment if I see smoking, or strange behavior. I am not too concerned in the immediate future since the turbo itself I don't expect to have issues with choice of oil, and if anything it will be the engine internals which I expect will be replaced within a few years. Wish me luck!
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05-02-2021, 08:11 PM
#7
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Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Central Texas
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Thank you, I haven't gone down the rabbit hole of industrial standards and the additives of all fluids. I suppose oil is probably one of the more important topics, but at least while I was naturally aspirated, the synthetic seemed to do alright for this engine. Thank you for the input!
I certainly will experiment if I see smoking, or strange behavior. I am not too concerned in the immediate future since the turbo itself I don't expect to have issues with choice of oil, and if anything it will be the engine internals which I expect will be replaced within a few years. Wish me luck!
I certainly will experiment if I see smoking, or strange behavior. I am not too concerned in the immediate future since the turbo itself I don't expect to have issues with choice of oil, and if anything it will be the engine internals which I expect will be replaced within a few years. Wish me luck!
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05-02-2021, 11:58 PM
#8
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https://www.flyinmiata.com/tech/breakin.php (EDIT: just realized its not a fresh engine but still kinda relevant)
There are so many components to a fresh build that it's hard to help without a build thread. Simple things to check are fluids, hoses/clamps, belts, and torqued bolts/nuts off the top of my head.
The stickied catch can thread is a great read. Not really necessary for street use, but a pretty easy and good upgrade you can do for $50. Definitely recommended for track use since some level of blowby is inevitable
There are so many components to a fresh build that it's hard to help without a build thread. Simple things to check are fluids, hoses/clamps, belts, and torqued bolts/nuts off the top of my head.
The stickied catch can thread is a great read. Not really necessary for street use, but a pretty easy and good upgrade you can do for $50. Definitely recommended for track use since some level of blowby is inevitable
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05-03-2021, 10:49 AM
#9
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Thank you! I had a great time learning about the break in procedure last night, something I've not had the privilege to experience yet (can't afford new/nice things).
I read through every single catch can thread, and struggled to find an agreed upon opinion for street situation etc, and how much blowby to expect for normal driving. I definitely will be doing this, but perhaps for phase 2 when boost goes up, and spending time cleaning up some of the routing etc.
Have a great day and wish me luck for when I turn those keys for the first time
I read through every single catch can thread, and struggled to find an agreed upon opinion for street situation etc, and how much blowby to expect for normal driving. I definitely will be doing this, but perhaps for phase 2 when boost goes up, and spending time cleaning up some of the routing etc.
Have a great day and wish me luck for when I turn those keys for the first time
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