Is installing a turbo kit into an NA miata hard? I'm pretty smart and momma didn't raise no quitter, so I'm sure I can pull it off.
However what made me not so sure is how much room for error there is. Also, do I have to cut holes/ weld/ do other crazy things? All the Youtube videos I see of people installing their kits have basically their own shop.
I'm a poor high school kid who can't afford expensive tools.
Alternatively, how much does it cost for a professional to do it?
Sorry guys I'm in college. I'm really tired and accidentally put high school.
Of course you have to weld ffs
That entirely depends on what kind of kit you get.
When I was quoted by a shop to do my z34 it was about 20k $ for all parts and labor and tune. And that's the cost to do it "correctly".
don't worry about fucking it up, it will still be cheaper than paying a pro who might also fuck it up. nothing wrong with trial and error.
First question, do you have somewhere to work on your car? I used to do it in the parking lot, but not all schools are that lenient (and many ban it outright). Also, if you find you need a part or tool, you'll either need a ride or be allowed to leave the car sitting (unlikely if you're on campus).
>$20k
>NA Miata turbo kit
Nowhere near that expensive.
$3-4k will get you in the game...$5-6k spent wisely will turn your mx5 into a dominant street car.
I've read about "bolt-on" kits. I'm assuming this is an easier kind of kit where you just bolt on the turbo? For starters, at least.
I'm afraid of fucking it up and breaking something/tuning incorrectly and causing the engine to blow up.
My garage is full with my dad's bullshit, so I could use either the parking outside my garage or about a block away from my house is public parking right next to a local school. I mean, I live there and people that live here park their cars there, I don' think it would be an issue.
That's some big money.
Which turbo kit is the 'best'/ easiest to install/ best bang for buck?
I've read about the Flyin Miata 2 Kits, the Mega Squirt kit, and others likeTD04-13t/16t, TD05, T25/28, although I'm sure the TDs are harder to install.
>I'm afraid of fucking it up and breaking something/tuning incorrectly and causing the engine to blow up.
then don't do it. life isn't without risks.
you don't have to play at being a race engineer, no one cares if you drive a stock econobox.
I don't care either. I just want to go fast. I don't want to change out the engine, so I only want to go to about 215-250hp (would probably not even want to touch 250). It's a 1.8 btw.
I don't mind the risks, but from someone who has been trying to learn a lot about cars lately and has so for the past year or so (yet is literally still uncomfortable lifting the hood of a car) do I have a chance?
Do I have a chance at making this happen.
Well I'm not too concerned about that I guess. I'm more concerned about what tools I need to have and what kind of stuff I have to do.
For example, welding and cutting holes is an obstacle because I don't own expensive tools.
From someone who is still uncomfortable even lifting the hood of a car but is very invested in learning about cars, is it possible?
Can I do this? Or am I WAY over my head?
You can buy a nitrous kit that will put you right around those numbers for a fraction of what a turbo kit will cost
Drilling a hole in the oil pan is probably the biggest thing you have to do that the kit doesn't cover
Nah man I'm not into nitro, but I definitely considered it. Same thing for super charging.
Well that's good news. As long as the process requires screwing, unscrewing, opening things, sealing things, tying, closing, plugging, etc .etc I'm okay.
But for all the turbo kit install videos I see online people are drilling a hole here and there or welding shit. That's just too much for a 19-year-old who fondles with computers all day.
You are in way over your head.
Doing something like this is not a small undertaking. While sure there are guys out there who can slap a turbo kit onto a miata in a day and have it running and driving well, most of those guys have done it before. You're starting fresh. It could take you anywhere from a week to a month depending on how much time you have and what your schedule is like.
There is a lot of other shit that can go wrong. You mentioned the megasquirt kit right? You do know that unless you want to spend a lot of money, Megasquirt is basically building your own ECU from scratch. Depending on the car you also are going to have to damn near rewire it.
That doesn't even count the time to spend getting it running right and then getting it tuned. Tuning your own car isn't something thats the easiest thing in the world and its definitely not something a newbie can do straight off the bat, and professionals often charge something like $100-$300 an hour to tune a car.
This is your only car. If the engine goes (which it might because turbos on factory non-turbo cars can make small problems into huge ones), are your mom and dad gonna buy you another one? Do you have the means to live without a car?\
Save your money and buy a beater. Then you've got all the time in the world to fuck with your Miata.
Why install a turbo? Just dump 10k into an all motor build and enjoy your 160hp peak at 10000rpm. According to the le supreme mechanics on this board it is apparently superior to making 160hp at below 4000rpm with a turbo kit for a cost of 3k.
Damn, that sucks. I really wanted to try this out as a learning experience...
And yeah I know there are lots of parts I gotta change and such, I was hoping to buy a Miata and spend the extra few thousands I had to make the car go fast rather than buy a boring econobox for the same price.
What do you mean by superior to a turbo? In terms of speed? I also don't have 10k to throw down.
He's saying buy a cheap second car and use that when the miata is under the knife for an extended time.
I don't think anybody on this board thinks that dude. Most miata guys on here are about hp per dollar, which ends up being turbochargers most of the time.
Don't reply to him.
desu he'd be better off swapping in the later vvt engine and 6 speed box and chucking on some headers.
You have to drill a hole in your oil pan, and if you fuck up & nick the oil pickup you pull the engine