Greetings and salutations race fans,

This will serve as a build threat, if I ever "build." Ok so maybe this will be more like garage journal (gentleman's journal?). I've been meaning to make this for a while so I've already done a few things.

So, our story starts in Key West, Florida where I come across my '91 white manual Miata for sale on Facebook, already turbocharge with an asking price of $1,800. I met the guy the next day who was selling it for an old, VERY VERY eccentric old man (yay key west) who was selling it for one of his young girlfriends that was in drug rehab for heroin. I took it for $1200.

I drove it away but man it was rough. Turbo was barely attached, loud as hell, gaskets gone, and drove rough. I parked it and started ordering parts for a tune up.

 

I bought NGK wires and plugs, K&N intake filters, fuel filter, O2 sensor, Wells ignition coil, radiator and hoses OEM, Stant 180* thermostat and 16 pound radiator cap, eBay 130 amp alternator and belt, K&N oil filter and 10W30 synthetic oil, and shop towels.... so far (LINKS at the end)

So I'm calling this Rehab Part 1.

I bought this car about 2 weeks ago.

I have a LOT of research to do to figure out what has already been modified and installed in this go-kart.

This little guy has a TD05-16g turbo on a 1.6L with stock internals, Depo wideband and gauges, 265cc injectors (right? purple Supras), MEGAsquirt, Tial external wastegate, straight pipe, and 255 Walbro pump. And who knows what else! I found all this out because I found out I already knew the owner that had slaved over all the work 3 years ago! Its had a rough life since then.

And now onto the problems!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AFRIT2E/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009WFRTH6/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EQD7Z0/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C98HAY/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001KRH3W0/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C80AJG/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C808SE/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008K876J2/
http://www.ebay.com/itm/171549172651...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

that funky filter kinda looks like one of these thingies
K&N Apollo Universal Closed Air Intake Systems

nice price tho. check the engine health with a leak down test first. Then megasquirt and a proper tune. should be first on your list if it doesn't have a standalone ECU

 

place holder 1

 

place holder 2

 

Ok, bought a cable from RadioShack and connected it to my MS1 after googling the driver for it. I bought TunerStudio and MegaLoggerHD.....now I have to learn how to diagnose and tune my suffering Miata.

 

I worked on that car when it was still owned by a female in the Big Pine area. I can probably tell you more about it if I can see it in person again.

Memory recalls it being either MS1 diy or MS-PnP1 and ebay/napa everything.

Btw, that car ran without an air filter for god knows how long. You can thank me for having one now.

Edit: I see you actually live in Key West. I'd offer to help you and use my tools but I'm honestly concerned that you might be ******* crazy like the rest of those people on that island. I could help you: I just don't want to get killed.

 

 

Hahaha I hear you man! Yeah I moved down for work, but am now back up in Gainesville FL. Key West wasn't really for me; I'm not old enough, drunk enough or have enough skin cancer.

When you worked on the car, what did you do to it? I managed to track down the guy that did all the work to it in the first place.

 

I saw the car on Flagler for a while on my trips to work. Almost left my number on the windshield with a note saying, "I can help. People don't need to live life in such poverty and filth. God bless."

It was taken up to A1 Auto in Ramrod and one of the old mechanics that worked there (good friend) called me and said they had a miata in the shop that had no air meter and they hadn't a clue what to do with it.

I'm gonna be really honest, the car is a complete pile of ****. I hooked my laptop to it (IBM with a serial port, get at me OG's) and it was a nightmare. All the gaskets are guaranteed **** by now, all the lines are probably the same. The engine management is/was basically nonexistent, tune made absolutely no sense and what the **** is up with the regulators. Plus, as I said before, it ran without a filter for quite a while and was driven by people who clearly had no ******* clue what they were doing.

The manifold is ebay chinese ****. The turbo is ****. Fueling is ****. Exhaust is ****. Engine bay needs to be quarantined and sterilized. The fact that it still runs is a testament to how tough Mazda made these motors.

Next time you're in town feel free to stop by and we can run through the car.

 

Gee thanks but I feel like you just did. The car is a mess, yes, but it gives me something to do, lol. As I learn MegaSquirt I can see that the "tune" was made by a 2 year old mashing buttons. The turbo needs a rebuild, but there are some fun parts in it.

Whenever I'm done, I'll either, scrap it, sell it, or have done so much to it it'll be fun.

 

Whew, rough purchase but seems about worth the price. Best of luck getting it back up to health.

+ props for making me actually LOL.

 

Thanks for the support! That's what I want to hear, lol. I wanted a project car and hobby soooooo...got it! Lol.

Realized that my wideband isn't working so I ordered a new one. So the MS isn't reading AFR.

 

i am excited to see this car live the life it was supposed to.

 

atleast you've purchased a fun project!

 

If it's not a complete rust bucket then you came out okay on the deal. I'd replace that turbo junk, at the very least compression/leakdown test the engine, and then go from there.

Good luck, you should definitely get with any local mt.n members and gang rape this car back into shape. You are going to need all the help you can get

 

Wow, sounds like quite the project.

Please tell me you ordered a decent AEM wideband? Perfect for a beginner or even experienced tuner. Ground, power, signal, done.

Then go here:

MegaSquirtPNP by DIYAutoTune.com

And download the correct base map, either with our without AFM. Good time to varify the AIT sensor is A) installed, and B) working.

 

Ok, so I got my replacement wideband gauge/controller combo unit from Depo Racing (just replaced what was already there). I think it started up once and now wont again. Wideband is readin 20.00. So I'm guessing that it's not getting any fuel. Mechanically things look good. I can hear my load *** Walbro come on, and the car doesn't smell like fuel anywhere. There is gas in the car. So either fuel, spark, or air isn't present, or the wideband/Tunerstudio doesn't have fuel going as it should. I really wish there was a better guide for MS. I using this: Megasquirt-1 Manual Index

 

If you are not getting ignition of fuel you will see the wideband display 22AFR even if you are getting fuel in the cylinders. An oxygen sensor reads oxygen not hydrocarbons.

Make sure you have the basics right first before beginning to blame things like the ecu.

Physically check for spark and fuel. Make sure the timing is right, both engine timing and spark timing. Make sure your firing order is right. Compression? BTW, don't trust the damper for timing mark. A screwdriver down cyl1 will give you actual tdc if checking timing with covers and damper on.

You can do a short cut to see if you have everything but fuel. Spray some ether down the intake while cranking and see if you get a run condition.

If that works, you must not be getting fuel spray either by clogged/stuck injectors or because no fuel pulse.

The internal combustion engine is really a basic function apparatus. You need compression, fuel, and spark at the right time. If these conditions don't exist in sync, I don't care what ecu you have controlling it, the engine will not run.

 

All true and very good points. I will physically check all the necessary parts at the end of the week when I get back from Philly. Thanks!