[The90iestRedMiata]

hey, just wondering if any has heard or experienced a BEGI Turbo kit... im looking at the series 4 kit. any alternatives or opinions welcomed. thanks

 

[slevin]

not sure about the series 4 or anything, but i think ALL your Forced induction questions can be answered over on miataturbo.net everone is pretty cool over there.

i personally run a modified greddy kit @12-15psi. (don't know how much hp, never dynoed -_-) greddy is limited to 1.6L engines, because manifold is different on 1.8's

others with 1.8L have homebrewed kits, or modified begi/fm kits.

set yourself a hp goal and price limit and you'll figure out what will suit you the best.

hope this helps
Scott

 

[Braineack]

go to Barnes and Noble and find "Maximum Boost"

take note of the author, Corky Bell.

Then flip to the back of the book, see miata turbo installation.

then go to bellengineer.net, again, think Bell.

Let it hit as you realize this guy wrote the book on turbocharging and specializes in miatas.

Then take a quick history lesson as you find out Corky was responsible for all the previous Flyin' Miata turbo and supercharger kits.

FWIW, I'd choose the S3 or S5, due to the manifold design.

 

[littlered]

begi and fm were one company at one time werent they?

 

[ultimateforce]

Maximum Boost is a great book but some of his ideas are old fashioned and the book has some flaws I have found from my own personal experience. His kits are great put slightly overpriced for the HP outputs.

 

[belacyrf]

begi and fm were one company at one time werent they?

I dont think so, I just think they partnered.

But yes as others have alluded to, you can't go wrong with the BEGI kit. You are gauranteed the kit is well engineered for longevity and quality. I would consider calling BEGI to discuss your uses for the kit, and he might suggest some alterations from the "S" series kits.

I have an FM-II kit about to go on, but that was because I like the simplicity of the FM kit over the BEGI kit.. the engine is cleaner. However I know for a fact that hte BEGI kit is top notch.

 

[jesseclee]

Corky Bell used to make all the turbo kits that FM sold. Corky Bell also made the Aerodyne kits that PBC used to sell too. But at some point FM decided they could do better so they parted ways.

Corky did hang onto certain ideas longer than necessary. For example in his book he thought the best IC would be a wide, short pass IC (lots of tubes, but short). Whereas most everyone including all the major japanese tuners, all go for the long pass IC. Recently Corky has acknowledged his mistake and you can see that his new kits (and FM's new kits) all have the long pass crossflow ICs.

 

[turbored]

then go to bellengineer.net, again, think Bell.

bellengineering.net if you want don't want a 404.

 

[belacyrf]

Corky Bell used to make all the turbo kits that FM sold. Corky Bell also made the Aerodyne kits that PBC used to sell too. But at some point FM decided they could do better so they parted ways.

Corky did hang onto certain ideas longer than necessary. For example in his book he thought the best IC would be a wide, short pass IC (lots of tubes, but short). Whereas most everyone including all the major japanese tuners, all go for the long pass IC. Recently Corky has acknowledged his mistake and you can see that his new kits (and FM's new kits) all have the long pass crossflow ICs.

One correction, I do not believe corky made the Aerodyne kits. Gerhard Schruff engineered the Aerodyne kits with the VATN turbochargers. Gerhard now works for Bell Engineering.

 

[cheesefries]

Im sure the begi stuff is good now but FM is PROVEN and thats what counts most

 

[turbored]

Bell stuff is equally, if not more proven than FM stuff.

 

[SoO SpEc Mx5]

I believe Begi & FM used to be married. Now they are divorced!

 

[Braineack]

Im sure the begi stuff is good now but FM is PROVEN and thats what counts most

Dude, Corky Bell's kits are Proven...the end.

Corky built the kits and FM provded the Engine Managment and marketing. The first FM kits were called Bell kits. BEGi also built the Ubercharger that FM sold.

The reason they don't do it together anymore is because of quality control, greed, clash of ideas. BEGi hand builds each kit, things arent always super fast when fab work is invovled, FM is all about mass producing things. They also disagreed on other theories and parted ways.

What does that mean, all of Corky's FM kits are proven and FMs new kit has YET to prove itself. FM has proven itself in the engine management department that's for sure. But this is the first time they built their own kit. Granted they learned a lot in the years, but all previous designs were Corky's doing.

The man wrote the book on turbochargers "maximum boost" and supercharger "supercharged." Keith at FM wrote "mx5 projects" or whatever....

 

[jesseclee]

One correction, I do not believe corky made the Aerodyne kits. Gerhard Schruff engineered the Aerodyne kits with the VATN turbochargers. Gerhard now works for Bell Engineering.

Gerhard made the Aerodyne turbo, but all the other pieces, manifolds, piping, Ic, were all made by BEGI. The CARB exemption had BEGI's name on it too.

 

[cheesefries]

FM rules!

 

[Braineack]

put your boner away and read above posts....

 

[kung fu jesus]

corky bell ftmfw.

the man is as genuine as he is intelligent. he will take time to answer your questions.

FM suckled from the teats of BEGi for many years. i'm sure they payed good money for it too. however, if given the choice, and i have been, BEGi without a doubt.

i've fi'd my car 3 times, the BEGi stuff has been the most consistent and durable. overpriced for the money? gee, sorry,i want RELIABILITY over bragging rights.

 

[The90iestRedMiata]

awesome information guys thanks alot. and cheesefries, you seem to be extremely close minded. maybe you should hit up that miata.net

 

[[epic]]

maybe you should hit up that miata.net

FM's good, but like everyone's said, they got most of their stuff from Bell.

SCCs old project miata used the bell kit instead of FMs IIRC,even though the two were very similar, and they probably had very good reason to do so.

 

[belacyrf]

Ok.. I have an FM kit, but I really dont care either way.. but I figured I should point some things out.

The TOUGHEST part about any kit, is the tuning (engine management). The best hardware in the world will still blow your engine if you can't manage it. So dont cut FM short on that end.
Hardware for turbo's has been around for years and years. So while I do believe BEGI has the more thoroughly engineered hardware, I dont think those benefits equite to a whole bunch when it comes to power.

FM kits are solid, even the new kits will be solid. Cast manifolds are great for longevity, and they have already dyno tested the setup. So there isn't much more to be said there.

FM and BEGI are both top notch.
FM needs to get their crap together and being able to ship when people order.

BEGI and FM both gained from their partnership, and now we benefit from their split (competition)...

Neither is far superior. I went with the FM because while BEGI uses the better hardware, their engine bay looks to busy and sloppy. But that has nothing to dowith the quality.