Juffa's turbo install - trials and tribulations

Juffa · Postby **Juffa** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:58 am

sabretooth wrote:Juff,

Looking good so far, but I have my doubts about the placement of the oil return line. Wouldn't it be better to have it above the oil level so as to not let oil pool in the return line?

Based on what I've seen so far, I eagerly await the diary of the rest of your progress.

Thanks for the input Sabr. I was wondering the same thing myself, but after much reading of the Flyin' Miata install guide, on the big forum, and the Miata forum 2 inches is the go. Any higher and the air-cond compressor mount bracket would have fouled the oil return adaptor.

J

Juffa · Postby **Juffa** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 10:00 am

Sheck wrote:Looking good mate!!!

As for the oil return thats where all the GReddy boys from the US put it. since its at the front of the sump it should be ok - and i havent had any problems with mine so far..

Good luck with the progress!!!!

Thanks for the encouragement Sheck.

Lucky_Luke · Postby **Lucky_Luke** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 10:37 am

Hey gents.. what a relaxing weekend!

Glen, cheers for that! my diffs still holding out fine so far,

with little abuse, im very careful when i take off, but once im moving im fine, im not sure about upgrading, ive found a replacement diff and know what i have to do... but ive poured enough money into it my atm. the girlfriend is starting to count it... reminding me Id better spend the same on her! :shock:

my response to her is ... \"yeah but i dont own u...\"

I only drove my car with the stock clutch for a few nites. before i took it in for a tune and the button clutch install. I had a mild tune on the computer (110kwatws) and it was slipping above 4K, I thought it might be worn but after pulling it out it had plenty of bite left.

And the installs going great juff, my oil return line is in exactly the same place, and no problems as yet.. however, i do have doubts such as those mentioned by sabretooth.. so i devised a back up plan.. im yet to try.. what ive done is put a return line brazed onto the side of the oil dipstick tube.. not sure how well it will work as im concerned with the flow of it, but ive seen it done on a jap import mx turbo and has been running fine for ages... so far...

I cant help but think that... how does it build up as oil when hot becomes very runny and free moving,especially under the pump, its almost like putting a hose into a bucket ... but its obvious though that an unobstructed return would be better.

And the tapped hole looks very clean... its a bit nerve racking breaking through first time with the drill bit.. i also pressurised the engine with the aircompressor to blow the swarf out while i drilled.

Does anyone know what the physical signs of oil build up in the return line are ?? :?:

smoke?? oil oozing out??

Juffa · Postby **Juffa** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:18 am

Lucky_Luke wrote:I cant help but think that... how does it build up as oil when hot becomes very runny and free moving,especially under the pump, its almost like putting a hose into a bucket ... but its obvious though that an unobstructed return would be better.

Does anyone know what the physical signs of oil build up in the return line are ?? smoke?? oil oozing out??

I read on one of the forums that the oil actually foams up when going through the turbo and it is only gravity that causes it to flow back into the sump as there is no pressure for the return.

I believe that one of the tell-tale signs of backed up oil is a smoking exhaust?

J
ps, while I'm not getting the ' you spend too much money on that car' line (yet), I am getting the ' you spend too much time on that car' line :roll:

Lucky_Luke · Postby **Lucky_Luke** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:35 am

Very true.. it does foam a bit, before properly starting my car to make sure the drain was working i actually disconnected the drain line aimed it into a container and cranked the engine over to make sure the oil was getting through.. with just a couple of cranks the oil really pours out of there.

It is gravity on the drain side i believe thats why its recommended to drain above the oil level, to minimise resistance. But where i put it was the flyin miata position, I suppose i could have got rid of my aircon comp...

had i really wanted to put it higher, its just really tight in there to drill a hole further back in the sump while its in the car, the only real place to get at it is through the passenger wheel well i found.

I'll probably be trying my other option soon so ill let you know how it goes.

I was told that the smokey exhaust will be a symtom as well as oil pushing out past the internal seals... :shock:

cant be good.

otherwise ill try machining down my drill bits to a shorter length and use one of those 90deg drills
... im just really avoiding taking my sump out... is it really that bigg' deal..?? ive heard u have to remove the subframe to get it out or lift the engine out or just a few inches..?

Juffa · Postby **Juffa** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 12:20 pm

Some good info in your post luke.

After my pre-install research I'm thinking that I have done the right thing, but there is always that niggly level of doubt. Guess I will find out later this week.

I wonder what the oil level in the sump actually is with the engine running, given that that there will be oil in the filter and circulating in the block?

J

glen73 · Postby **glen73** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 4:18 pm

Lucky_Luke wrote:
I only drove my car with the stock clutch for a few nites. before i took it in for a tune and the button clutch install. I had a mild tune on the computer (110kwatws) and it was slipping above 4K, I thought it might be worn but after pulling it out it had plenty of bite left.

and mine goes for a dyno run on thursday on a stock clutch :roll:

also luke did you upgrade your fuel pump?
sorry juffa, i wont pester your thread again

Juffa · Postby **Juffa** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 1:46 pm

Well Tweety had been up on stands for the past two weeks while I stuffed around with the install. Loaded the default maps for a turbo into the ECU and she fired up for the first time since the tubo was put on. Started first time

(sorry Glen73).

She is loud as a Aussie Football supporter in Federation square as there is no muffler in the exhaust system. That gets resolved this week.

I had to do some major moving of the Air Cond piping and resivour as I put the mother of all intercoolers in. I suspect that I will replacing that intercooler out has it does not really fit and I had to remove some of the front bumper internal supports to get it in there. I will replace the dodgier bits of the intercooler piping with some decent silicone hoses soon.

I took Tweety for a slow drive around the block to see if anything would fall off or if there were any leaks. The only leak (touch wood) was where the oil pipe for the turbo attaches to the engine block. This was fixed quickly and no more leaks so far.

Once the muffler is on I will take her for some short runs to do some on the road tuning of the Link/FM ECU. AVO have quoted me around $250 to dyno tune her. They sell and support the Link ECU, but have limited knowledge of the FM updates that my ECU has.

Pictures of the dodgy intercooler hoses to follow.

J

Techno · Postby **Techno** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 9:47 pm

Juffa wrote:
I took Tweety for a slow drive around the block to see if anything would fall off or if there were any leaks. The only leak (touch wood) was where the oil pipe for the turbo attaches to the engine block. This was fixed quickly and no more leaks so far.

J

Well done Jeff. Perserverence and research does the trick.

It will be good to see the new and improved yellow car

jules · Postby **jules** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 10:51 am

Wow, the first \"Super\" Malibu!

I think my next MX-5 will be a factory turbo.
I can't be without Malibu for more than a couple of days.

Jules

Juffa · Postby **Juffa** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 2:25 pm

jules wrote:Wow, the first "Super" Malibu!

I think my next MX-5 will be a factory turbo.
I can't be without Malibu for more than a couple of days.

Jules

Thanks Jules. Tweety spends most of the time in the garage these days as I take the train to work. But she is normally out and about on the weekends. The last couple of weekends have been frustrating as the sun was shining, and I was working on he install, when I really wanted to be out with the top off....Tweety's...not mine.

J

Sean · Postby **Sean** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 7:30 pm

jules wrote:Wow, the first "Super" Malibu!

I think my next MX-5 will be a factory turbo.
I can't be without Malibu for more than a couple of days.

Jules

Hehehe.

Gimme your car for 2 full days and $10,000 to keep and I'll give you back a turbo malibu