GRM Project Miata MXR2 Status
- Thread starter kcbhiw
- Start date
Looks like you'll have a busy month before the event. Be sure to do some testing before you head for Florida. We blew a motor with the BMW 3 days before we had to leave because of a blown head gasket. We learned our lesson for 2003. While testing the Miata we blew a radiator that would have ended our event.
Looks like you'll have a great time, be sure to take time and look around when you're there. Time just flies by.
Good luck and have fun.
-Scott
http://www.v8miata.homestead.com/drag2.html
http://www.v8miata.homestead.com/auto2.html
Looks like you'll have a great time, be sure to take time and look around when you're there. Time just flies by.
Good luck and have fun.
-Scott
http://www.v8miata.homestead.com/drag2.html
http://www.v8miata.homestead.com/auto2.html
wscottl said:
I'm really looking forward to the event, but feeling the crunch at the same time. I've got some dyno time planned within the next few weeks to get this car tuned a bit. The first auto-x of the season, with a preceeding test and tune event, is 3/12-3/13. Hopefully, that'll allow me to get the car dialed in.
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1 Step Forward, 10 Steps Back....
Sooooo, I got the car running tonight, albeit without boost. I had everything completed on the exhaust side so I quickly rigged the setup to run N/A on the intake side. I wanted to check all of the liquid plumbing to the turbo and radiator setup for leaks (under pressure). As per Mazda tradition, she started with no problem whatsoever. There were a couple water leaks here and there but things were looking sweet. It was absolutely awsome to hear the turbo whine under throttle (<4500 RPM). I let the car idle for about 15 mins (3 sessions of 5 minute durations with checks in between) and goosed the throttle here and there to warm the system a bit (FWIW).
I was floored...until I checked the oil. To my surprise, and dismay, my fresh oil was a milky white color!!! WTF!!!!! I pulled the oil supply line to the turbo, stuck it a can, disconnected the ignition coils, and dry cranked the engine. The can filled with a milky white liquid. My F****G oil was impregnated with water! $h!&!!!! Such an occurance is typically experienced with a blown headgasket. Considering the fact that the Miata ran fine before the turbo with no water leakage and since I was basically running it in an N/A manner with this test, the only cause had to be the turbo. So I pulled the turbo and dismantled it, the seals are, of course, trashed. When the turbo came off, about two teaspoons of water dumped from both the intake and exhaust sides.
With water in the engine oil, I needed to purge it from the engine to avoild a rebuild and was therefore forced to fork over a few more bucks (sic). So I hopped in the P5 (yay) and went on my merry way to buy "stuff". Long story short, I drained the oil (if you want to call it that in such a state) and installed a new filter. I then filled the engine with a gallon of diesel fuel (cheap, and less viscous than engine oil and has the ability to more easily reach 'tighter' areas), and performed 4 to 5 dry cranks (about 20 secs each). I then drained Gal. #1 of diesel then filled the engine with another Gallon of diesel and again dry-cranked a few times. Then, I drained that round of diesel, filled it with a Gallon of fresh oil (all the while still using the same filter), and cranked some more. Then drained the oil, replaced the filter, and filled with yet another Gallon of fresh oil....and cranked her a bit more (damn, that's a strong battery). Tomorrow, I will drain the oil again, install a new filter, and refill with Mobil 1 (which I had initally done, ugh).
So here I am; basically back to square one, but with a bit of spent money, and nothing more to show for it other than 3 busted turbos, an adjustable coilover system that won't work, and an un-painted Miata.
Frustrated? Yes -- to no end! Finished? No way. This car will be boosted, painted, and riding on a decent suspension before the deadline.
I tried to upload a vid of the turbo spooling, but it's too large, so here's a pic from tonight (meh). The right oil filter is before the flush. The left oil filter is after the flush.
Sooooo, I got the car running tonight, albeit without boost. I had everything completed on the exhaust side so I quickly rigged the setup to run N/A on the intake side. I wanted to check all of the liquid plumbing to the turbo and radiator setup for leaks (under pressure). As per Mazda tradition, she started with no problem whatsoever. There were a couple water leaks here and there but things were looking sweet. It was absolutely awsome to hear the turbo whine under throttle (<4500 RPM). I let the car idle for about 15 mins (3 sessions of 5 minute durations with checks in between) and goosed the throttle here and there to warm the system a bit (FWIW).
I was floored...until I checked the oil. To my surprise, and dismay, my fresh oil was a milky white color!!! WTF!!!!! I pulled the oil supply line to the turbo, stuck it a can, disconnected the ignition coils, and dry cranked the engine. The can filled with a milky white liquid. My F****G oil was impregnated with water! $h!&!!!! Such an occurance is typically experienced with a blown headgasket. Considering the fact that the Miata ran fine before the turbo with no water leakage and since I was basically running it in an N/A manner with this test, the only cause had to be the turbo. So I pulled the turbo and dismantled it, the seals are, of course, trashed. When the turbo came off, about two teaspoons of water dumped from both the intake and exhaust sides.
With water in the engine oil, I needed to purge it from the engine to avoild a rebuild and was therefore forced to fork over a few more bucks (sic). So I hopped in the P5 (yay) and went on my merry way to buy "stuff". Long story short, I drained the oil (if you want to call it that in such a state) and installed a new filter. I then filled the engine with a gallon of diesel fuel (cheap, and less viscous than engine oil and has the ability to more easily reach 'tighter' areas), and performed 4 to 5 dry cranks (about 20 secs each). I then drained Gal. #1 of diesel then filled the engine with another Gallon of diesel and again dry-cranked a few times. Then, I drained that round of diesel, filled it with a Gallon of fresh oil (all the while still using the same filter), and cranked some more. Then drained the oil, replaced the filter, and filled with yet another Gallon of fresh oil....and cranked her a bit more (damn, that's a strong battery). Tomorrow, I will drain the oil again, install a new filter, and refill with Mobil 1 (which I had initally done, ugh).
So here I am; basically back to square one, but with a bit of spent money, and nothing more to show for it other than 3 busted turbos, an adjustable coilover system that won't work, and an un-painted Miata.
Frustrated? Yes -- to no end! Finished? No way. This car will be boosted, painted, and riding on a decent suspension before the deadline.
I tried to upload a vid of the turbo spooling, but it's too large, so here's a pic from tonight (meh). The right oil filter is before the flush. The left oil filter is after the flush.
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Luv2RedLine
Member
- :
- 97 Protege LX
That sucks man. I was getting excited to see pics of it running tonite. Guess it'll be another day.
So what's the total at now?
So what's the total at now?
7
70
Have you seen the recent issue of GRM?
Home made boost article with lots-o-tech for you...
Home made boost article with lots-o-tech for you...
anarchistchiken
Member
- :
- 03 Silver Protege5
I'd say that qualifies for an "owned" photoshop session.
That sucks man. What are you going to do? Just find a new turbo?
That sucks man. What are you going to do? Just find a new turbo?
wscottl said:
I know. I've been wishing I'd used some breed of Garrett turbo. Instead of dimantalling two turbo's to find good parts tonight, I could have been finishing up the I/C to manifold piping. Oh well....
There's a light at the end of the tunnel, however. I have a good intermediate housing with a rebuild kit that should be here by the weekend. If all goes well, she'll be running again this weekend.
It sucks that I have to travel this week, more lost time to complete this project.
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anarchistchiken
Member
- :
- 03 Silver Protege5
anarchistchiken said:
lol, awsome. I should have taken a lighter picture.
I've got to have it ready in two weeks to put on the dyno and dial in the suspension in time for the first auto-x this year. The actual event isn't until March 31 - April 2.
