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So I love my car but I need more power, and only that a turbo can give.

Question (based on a 93 1.6):

1) Can I just add a turbo and nothing else if so what turbo is the cheapest (i am expecting I need an exhaust)?
2) If no to the above what is the minimum equipment i can get away with?

Thanks!!!

absolute minimum would be turbo, manifold, and associated pipework. oil lines. then something for fueling either a rising rate fuel pressure thingo, or might be cheaper to get DFA and some bigger injectors.
the cheapest turbo , well that would be whatever you can find on ebay that fits your manifold i guess.
you won't need a whole new exhaust. just get the exhuast shop to join the dump pipe up to your existing exhaust.

The minimum you'll get away with is probably around $3-4K. I think this is around what Boags paid, and I got away with a similar figure as a break even at the end of it all, but I sold parts that were no longer needed and had good friends do very good work for me - I could have easily blown $10K if I'd paid full price for everything.

If you cut corners early, you could well end up paying for it later - eg one of the guys here bought a second hand turbo - turns out it was shagged - cost him a bit to find a replacement, and you can budget $1k for a rebuild if you don't have mates in the industry.

After you do all the fabrication, dyno tuning sessions will set you back $150/hr, and you need to factor in how you'll run your fuel management and who can tune it. I'm running the GReddy EManage Blue - very easy to use, and lots of resources on the web - check out http://www.miataturbo.net for lots of info, although it is very USA focussed.

You want turbo - then save your pennies, or look for a good example that has already been sorted and is for sale, then make an offer.

You'll love it

hmmm 3 - 4k = no go
Understand better to do it properly than do it half assed. I use it as a daily driver so cant really afford for it to be off the road.

Ahh well ill just learn to live with it. It has so many other good points that out way the power issue ;)

How about building your car up slowly...adding intake and exhaust mods, computer, then internal work, but making sure that everything will be compatible with your turbo conversion later?

Yeah thats the other option, I have the CAI which is very nice. So will look at exhaust next etc etc. That way its less obvious to the boss that I am doing up the car

muhhhhhaaaa muhaaaaaa

skimad wrote:That way its less obvious to the boss that I am doing up the car

muhhhhhaaaa muhaaaaaa

Hahahaha famous last words!