Noobinatin' from North AL! 94M
#1
![Cool](https://www.miataturbo.net/images/icons/icon6.gif)
Hi folks. I should first say I think I may have had an account on this site before and may very well have replies on forums...But alas I cannot find what my username or password were. Although it IS possible that I have simply been a creep watching you all for nearly a decade on this site
without ever replying further than in my head. I'm on that "other" miata site that ends in dot and a word that rhymes with pet. I digress...
I have a 1994 M edition with about 175k miles. I bought it with a hardtop and went through some hard times and traded the hardtop for a VVT motor to replace my original BP... whose drain plug fell out while I was driving... (apparently hammered in or stripped or no crush washer used) loss of oil pressure and clackity clack! (don't go back)
With the help of Chris Amell (Amellrotts?) I got my VVT motor running with surprising ease. Car ran great. Also swapped in a heavy duty ACT clutch and head with vibrant resonator.
Fast forward to road trip through the desert trying to keep up with my crazy mother in an ecoboost f150. Overheat. Bad. No where to stop. Blown headgasket. Separted from military andddddd..... car was park now we're here and when I do finally return from this work in PR- I should have the time and cash my car deserves.
I've learned a lot from this community and want to say thank you for past and future advice and in advance!
I'm very mechanically inclined and tread the line of stupidity/mad fabz skillz when I try new ideas but I'm not one to toss anything out... especially if it works and saves me money.
I have done a ton of work on a variety of cars and made a very modest living off of it. Have a fair bit of time working on european stuff and like to think Ihave a good grasp on the basics of most areas of our little hobby.
Also.... Maximum Boost is an awesome book and I have read it and continue to review it! If you haven't you should.
![Loser](https://www.miataturbo.net/images/smilies/sign0058.gif)
I have a 1994 M edition with about 175k miles. I bought it with a hardtop and went through some hard times and traded the hardtop for a VVT motor to replace my original BP... whose drain plug fell out while I was driving... (apparently hammered in or stripped or no crush washer used) loss of oil pressure and clackity clack! (don't go back)
With the help of Chris Amell (Amellrotts?) I got my VVT motor running with surprising ease. Car ran great. Also swapped in a heavy duty ACT clutch and head with vibrant resonator.
Fast forward to road trip through the desert trying to keep up with my crazy mother in an ecoboost f150. Overheat. Bad. No where to stop. Blown headgasket. Separted from military andddddd..... car was park now we're here and when I do finally return from this work in PR- I should have the time and cash my car deserves.
I've learned a lot from this community and want to say thank you for past and future advice and in advance!
I'm very mechanically inclined and tread the line of stupidity/mad fabz skillz when I try new ideas but I'm not one to toss anything out... especially if it works and saves me money.
I have done a ton of work on a variety of cars and made a very modest living off of it. Have a fair bit of time working on european stuff and like to think Ihave a good grasp on the basics of most areas of our little hobby.
Also.... Maximum Boost is an awesome book and I have read it and continue to review it! If you haven't you should.
#2
![Default](https://www.miataturbo.net/images/icons/icon1.gif)
I thought I might also mention a few other cars I've owned
....
1986.5 Toyota Supra MKiii 5 speed
4G eclipse GT 6 speed
98 Tiburon 2.0 (turbocharged, 261whp)
1991 Ford F250 460 BB 4WD (massive truck)
2013 Scion FR-S (July 2012! One of the first)
2007 Saturn Ion Redline
1995 Lexus LS400 (334k miles when I sold it, still running strong last I checked too)
2008 Volvo S80 T6 AWD (shockingly good car)
1997 Dodge Ram 1500 SWB 360 4WD
2001 BMW 330Xi
2004 Mercedes CLK55 AMG (stupid fun... German muscle)
2007 Volvo XC90 V8 Sport
1991 MR2 Turbo (also a GREAT 90s japanese car.)
....
1986.5 Toyota Supra MKiii 5 speed
4G eclipse GT 6 speed
98 Tiburon 2.0 (turbocharged, 261whp)
1991 Ford F250 460 BB 4WD (massive truck)
2013 Scion FR-S (July 2012! One of the first)
2007 Saturn Ion Redline
1995 Lexus LS400 (334k miles when I sold it, still running strong last I checked too)
2008 Volvo S80 T6 AWD (shockingly good car)
1997 Dodge Ram 1500 SWB 360 4WD
2001 BMW 330Xi
2004 Mercedes CLK55 AMG (stupid fun... German muscle)
2007 Volvo XC90 V8 Sport
1991 MR2 Turbo (also a GREAT 90s japanese car.)
#4
![Default](https://www.miataturbo.net/images/icons/icon1.gif)
In short...
Well track days of course!.... At least in my head :P but in all reality I've only ever made it to the Occassional scca solo/rallyx, and drift event. With a bunch of weekends being a 'casual' at the drag strip. This car is going to be a street car first. I will work on thermal capacity and chassis stiffness later and maybe someday get serious about some DE and scca competitions...if that happens chances are it will be in a different car as well. My M is a pleasure car and a test platform for my brain that won't shut up.
In long .... Heh
It will take a long time to even address all the small maintenance items on this one. Its more a platform of experimenting and learning for me. Have some weird ideas I'll be trying. For example: I want to get flex fuel running on the car N/A on MS with VVT control before going turbo. Then it's turbo... Then experimenting with a possible water air intercooler setup using the A/C system and a brazed plate heat exchanger to cool it. (Like the killer chiller setups) that probably will not happen due to the weight and it all being on the nose... Have to keep the AC complements and also add coolant for the Air/water HE in the intake and then still need the water air HE to cool the coolant some etc etc too much crap to worry about. But it IS on my mind since frontal area is limited and seems like simplifying and shortening the charge piping COULD be easier. If the ol greddy setup and some jrsc setups can run no intercooler at 5 psi I think a reasonable setup could be achieved.
All in all I have skillsets that need further develoment and this car will be a good way to do it!
I have a little experience welding, a little experience tuning, a little experience building motors bla bla bla means nothing until I can put it to use here. Look forward to hours scouring information and learning then the more hours beating my head against the wall working on my car
Well track days of course!.... At least in my head :P but in all reality I've only ever made it to the Occassional scca solo/rallyx, and drift event. With a bunch of weekends being a 'casual' at the drag strip. This car is going to be a street car first. I will work on thermal capacity and chassis stiffness later and maybe someday get serious about some DE and scca competitions...if that happens chances are it will be in a different car as well. My M is a pleasure car and a test platform for my brain that won't shut up.
In long .... Heh
It will take a long time to even address all the small maintenance items on this one. Its more a platform of experimenting and learning for me. Have some weird ideas I'll be trying. For example: I want to get flex fuel running on the car N/A on MS with VVT control before going turbo. Then it's turbo... Then experimenting with a possible water air intercooler setup using the A/C system and a brazed plate heat exchanger to cool it. (Like the killer chiller setups) that probably will not happen due to the weight and it all being on the nose... Have to keep the AC complements and also add coolant for the Air/water HE in the intake and then still need the water air HE to cool the coolant some etc etc too much crap to worry about. But it IS on my mind since frontal area is limited and seems like simplifying and shortening the charge piping COULD be easier. If the ol greddy setup and some jrsc setups can run no intercooler at 5 psi I think a reasonable setup could be achieved.
All in all I have skillsets that need further develoment and this car will be a good way to do it!
I have a little experience welding, a little experience tuning, a little experience building motors bla bla bla means nothing until I can put it to use here. Look forward to hours scouring information and learning then the more hours beating my head against the wall working on my car