[speedworks]

Hey gang,

well i was surfing ebay when i came across this,

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/OIL-COOLER-SANDWICH-PLATE-RX-7-RX-8-PROTEGE-MIATA-TURBO_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33613QQihZ011QQitemZ320037488382QQrdZ1

its an oil cooler sandwich plate. the ad says that you could also you it to run the oil feed and return for a turbo setup with this plate.

you this be a good way to have an easy oil feed/return setup for the turbo?

thanks
alex

 

[turbored]

My advice pertains only to the 1.6.

on a 1.6, it is stupid and a waste of money and potentially problematic to run this setup. The oil return fitting on the block is next to the oil filter anyways, and that is problematic enough that many people have chosen to tap the pan for the return line.

as far as the feed line, it is right on the block below the manifold, so you'll have more trouble running a line around the block to get the oil feed.

plus you'll have another 3 places where oil can leak from.

 

[MiataRoadster]

You want to keep your feed and drain lines as short and as vertical as possible.

Old BEGI/FM kits originally had the drain line go in a long, relatively horizontal arch around the front of the engine and tapped into the passenger's side of the pan. They had problems and started advising people to re-tap the driver's side of the pan and plug the hole left in the passenger's side. Why Corky designed it that way, we'll never know. But it's one of the several things he's "changed his mind about" over the years. Maybe he explains in his book...

In side-view, I have my drain going straight down to the pan just in front of the driver's side motor mount (as short a run and as large diameter hose as possible to get that hot oil OUT of the turbo ASAP).

 

[VtecMX5]

I wouldn't trust my engine to an ebay peice like that. Id just do it the right way and be done with it.

On a side note.. When oil comes out of the turbo, its really foamy and doesn't go back into a small hole very easily.. which is why the oil return line is always much bigger then the feed line. I would worry about the return side being clogged after a bit of hard driving.

This kit is mainly designed for an oil cooler... in which case the return line wouldn't need to be high flow because the oil will be in almost the same condition as when it left the engine.. only cooler hopefully

 

[turbored]

You want to keep your feed and drain lines as short and as vertical as possible.

Old BEGI/FM kits originally had the drain line go in a long, relatively horizontal arch around the front of the engine and tapped into the passenger's side of the pan. They had problems and started advising people to re-tap the driver's side of the pan and plug the hole left in the passenger's side. Why Corky designed it that way, we'll never know. But it's one of the several things he's "changed his mind about" over the years. Maybe he explains in his book...

In side-view, I have my drain going straight down to the pan just in front of the driver's side motor mount (as short a run and as large diameter hose as possible to get that hot oil OUT of the turbo ASAP).

Actually, the old BEGI kits (and the GReddy kits) did not go in the pan. It went around to the passenger side to the oil return port on the engine that Mazda used for the 323GTX turbo. On the N/A application of the Miata, it is just capped. So i t makes for an easy install to use that return port.

But that makes the return line really long (about 4ft.) and it makes it hard to keep the oil from pooling. It also looks ugly, and potential to get it caught in other belts and things make for a simple but poor install.

If you tap the pan on the driver's side, the oil return winds up being 1/3 the length of wrapping it around, and it makes the oil line nearly vertical. Only thing is that the Miata oil pan with A/C and/or Power steering is hard to tap. and pulling the oil pan is even more difficult because you either A) need to pull the engine B) drop the subframe.

 

[MiataRoadster]

Actually, the old BEGI kits (and the GReddy kits) did not go in the pan. It went around to the passenger side to the oil return port on the engine that Mazda used for the 323GTX turbo.

You're right re: 1.6.

I was visualizing the 1.8 which I have more experience with, which doesn't have that port on the passenger's side of the block.

 

[Braineack]

yes you can run a feed off a sandwhich plate, but not the return. It's easy as pie to tap the pan, and easier to run a feed off the oil sender. Click my FAQ for pics.