[Andy]

The Spruce Moose Build

I found out the hard way that a stock replacement alternator belt doesn’t fit with the rx7 alternator. A dayco 5040350 was a snug fit but it fit and I have the adjuster tightened down.


I also took a gamble and bought the circuit sport 93le tie rods since they are advertised as being the geometry of the Mazda part but about half as expensive. Fitment seems fine with me and I’m happy with them so far. I will see about getting an alignment soon. My delrin lower control arms are now installed.

I also purchased the 5x racing steering rack spacers and will be installing that in the next few days. Hopefully that coupled with the tie rods removes all bump-steer. Not that I had a bad issue with bump-steer or anything.

 

[Andy]

I am still in the process of removing my stock 1.6 engine but I am also making the harness to go from my stock cam angle sensor connector to output for a cam sensor at the back of the head and the crank sensor at the front of the engine. Both will draw from the same power and ground but have different signal wires. I am also planning to use the common power wire to also power my vvt connector.



The only wire I will have to run from my engine bay to my megasquirt should be my signal wire to control the vvt and the sensor ground and sensor signal for my knock sensor. I already have that harness made up with shielding. I just need to find a good spot to poke that through to the megasquirt.



This is the crank sensor pigtail.

This is the cam sensor pigtail.

 

[Andy]

I’ve been hard at work and taking my time to make sure everything is as good as it can be. So far I’ve made harnesses for everything and it’s all been plug and play with the exception of my vvt wires and my knock sensor that I ran directly to the megasquirt. I still need to button up a few odds and ends to get it ready but I have a good feeling that this weekend it will be under its own power.

 

[vteckiller2000]

That engine looks way better in your bay than it did in mine.

 

[GreaseMonkey2000]

Nice! What a difference it will be from the 1.6!

 

[Bryan]

Impressive work!

 

[Andy]

Sad face I bought a raceland header for my car because a 4-2-1 header sounded better for what I wanted to be doing and it was reasonably priced. Unfortunately it hits the chassis of the car when installed. I did my best to get it to fit and I could not get it done. I will see about sending it back and in the mean time I now need to scramble and find a suitable exhaust.


It looks like my issue is unique to the na8 version of the header. Na6 and NB both seem fine from what I am reading.

 

[GreaseMonkey2000]

Hum that's odd...Warbird's Raceland header didn't rub (although it had a vband connection and flex pipe which may be why it didn't) but my NB1s did. Nothing a hammer and a couple swings couldn't fix. My only real complaint was egr tube alignment. Where is it rubbing, Andy?

 

[Andy]

Hum that's odd...Warbird's Raceland header didn't rub (although it had a vband connection and flex pipe which may be why it didn't) but my NB1s did. Nothing a hammer and a couple swings couldn't fix. My only real complaint was egr tube alignment. Where is it rubbing, Andy?

It rubbed at the forward most point of the frame rail.

 

[GreaseMonkey2000]

Yup same place on my nb1, Hammer time! It doesn't take much.

 

[Andy]

Yup same place on my nb1, Hammer time! It doesn't take much.

Did you take the hammer to the chassis or the header? I already tried the hammer to the header and that didn't get me anywhere really. I don't want to take the hammer to the chassis either.

 

[concealer404]

Screw that. Buy a header that doesn't suck.

 

[GreaseMonkey2000]

Did you take the hammer to the chassis or the header? I already tried the hammer to the header and that didn't get me anywhere really. I don't want to take the hammer to the chassis either.

Chassis. Here are some pics:
Where it was just barely rubbing(which I think new motor mounts would have fixed as it only rubbed when running)



Area that got some hammer love...




I actually didn't realize it rubbed till I installed so I had to remove it.:suicide:

Screw that. Buy a header that doesn't suck.

Or you could do this.

Besides price I got a Raceland because I was planning on supercharging it eventually with a hotside setup so a Racing Beat wouldn't work.

 

[Andy]

Screw that. Buy a header that doesn't suck.

Chassis. Here are some pics:
Where it was just barely rubbing(which I think new motor mounts would have fixed as it only rubbed when running)

Area that got some hammer love...



I actually didn't realize it rubbed till I installed so I had to remove it.:suicide:


Or you could do this.

Besides price I got a Raceland because I was planning on supercharging it eventually with a hotside setup so a Racing Beat wouldn't work.

I'm leaning toward going with something that doesn't suck. EIther a stock header or a racing beat to hold me over until I go full hog into my turbo stuff. And at this point I am thinking I might expedite when that happens.


If getting a header to fit requires to bash in the chassis, then it doesn't fit.

 

[Andy]

A friend of a friend locally happened to have a Jackson racing header for an na8 that had been in a storage shed for some time. This is the older ceramic coated style one. It went it easily and has not fitment issues. I’m happy.

 

[etikoner]

Nice! Gonna have some nice torque down low with that 4-2-1

 

[Bryan]

I was surprised you had no fitment issues, but now that I think about it, it makes sense.

 

[Andy]

I took my car to work the other day and had it aligned since I replaced all of my control arms. I also reset my ride height to be at 12.4 front and 12.6 rear. The car feels fantastic.


As far as engine performance, I am still running the stock catback and I am sure that that is now impeding things. I did a virtual dyno using the diyautotune ignition and vvt table basemap and I am on average up about 15 torque and 10 hp. I know I am leaving HP on the table and I know my biggest restriction at the moment is my exhaust. I took some measurements and my stock catback is 1.75 diameter where as a stock manual nb miata is 2.25. It would make sense that to exceed stock nb miata horsepower I need a larger than stock exhaust as opposed to my woefully undersized stock exhaust.



A replacement Yonaka exhaust is on its way and it should be 2.5 diameter. I am a bit scared with how loud it might be but a lot of people sung songs of praise for it over on miata.net. I imagine if it is up to their standards then it can't be terribly bad.



Here is the latest virtual dyno showing where I am at. I still have some work to do, especially with my ve table. I could use some time with autotune, but I am happy that I am making progress and the car is enjoyable under its own power.

 

[Andy]

New catback arrived. I went with a budget alternative that is stainless since it won’t be on the car relatively long (compared to the length of time I’ve owned it). A turbo charger is still in the mix just not for the time being. My stock catback was really holding the car back so this hit all the boxes that I wanted to splurge on for Miata’s at the gap. I’ve never heard of yonaka but a local Miata guy had one and said it sounded nice, not too loud, and for $240 shipped its hard to beat. Especially considering it’s a 2.5 inch exhaust with a resonator.

 

[GreaseMonkey2000]

It seems most of the feedback is positive on the exhaust BUT have read of some having issue with the internal "packing" coming out in a short time frame...varying from weeks to months to a little over a year.

Results varied as well with some reporting no change in sound/loudness while others having a drastic change in sound/loudness. All of which you have probably read as well. :haiguyths:


Look forward to hearing your thoughts and feedback on it, Andy!