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It's been a while since I've updated this, been driving the turbo mk2, it's now winter and newly repainted MK1 is sat on the drive getting wet, all because I can't find anyone to simply tune it. It's really laughable.
If you have a Motorsport Electronics ECU find Alex Hickson in the facebook groups, he did mine and it runs a treat

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VVT swapped NA & TD04 turbo NB
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Discussion Starter · #23 · (Edited)
If you have a Motorsport Electronics ECU find Alex Hickson in the facebook groups, he did mine and it runs a treat

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Used Alex for years, unfortunately this has an MS3 in it which wasn't my first choice but as they say, go with your tuners choice. I was told it could be tuned after being build but have been let down and now struggling to find anyone else who will touch it.

I have an ME221 in my turbo mk2 and it's been flawless. In hindsight I would have had someone do the conversion for me.

I have spoken to Alex about swapping the MS3 for an ME221 but it's a lot of work and a little out of my depths. I managed the turbo bolt on and wiring for the turbo mk2 easily enough, but a VVT engine swap and harness change is a different beast.

EDIT: actually just fired him another message to ask if he would help me with the actual swap itself.
 

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Discussion Starter · #24 ·
After feeling pretty miserable for the last 8 months, I've finally some progress to update on

  • Exhaust is finally sorted, flexi welded in and no cracks
  • @Shadowraven found someone that knows how to tune and is happy to accept monies, that's now underway and expecting my first map in a few days
  • I've got about 5 chips in my paint, all my mistakes but the paint is far too soft and probably shouldn't have chipped really
  • I installed some bonnet lifters because I was fed up of propping the bonnet up with various objects

Once the map is sorted, I will probably get a dyno print in a few months time, just for fun, provided the car drives OK then I will be pretty happy.

Current to-do list in the immediate future:
  • order a proper rollbar and install
  • check coolant leaks again, not seen any recently but might be out of coolant :D
  • sort out surface rust in boot
  • fill in paint chips
  • wrap new hard top
  • source and wrap wing mirrors
 

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VVT swapped NA & TD04 turbo NB
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Discussion Starter · #25 ·
Some feedback about my map so far:
  • Outputs for fans are assigned to multiple things
  • Whole VE table was autotuned, where I had paid for road tuning
  • VE table so lumpy that the car is permanently stuck in correction
  • Cold settings undrivable
  • Wideband is set up on CANBUS already which is a positive

Looking forward to trying out the first iteration of the new map when it's ready :)
 

· Banish a little rust a day people
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So many tuners are just plain shit. Chaps will sort you out though
 

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Discussion Starter · #27 ·
Update: Tuning session started yesterday, no AFR reading on Tuner Studio, despite literally doing my own sanity checks a few days ago and the fact I've been driving the car for over a year on the road. Went back through my log files from Virtual Dyno and can see at WOT my wideband sensor died.


Had a quick look at the sensor wiring to see if it had got burnt out somewhere and it all looks fine. Need to pull carpet up and check the wiring by the ECU. As I use an AEM UEGO wideband without a gauge, I can't tell if there's power without getting to the controller box under the carpet.

Of course when I started looking into this yesterday, the heavens opened and we had awful British summer rain for 2 hours. Fingers crossed I can get under the carpets today and have a quick look.
 

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Discussion Starter · #29 ·
Wideband sensor arrived and solves the problem. Now I just need to find the time to install it - today is looking like a good contender as it's pretty nice out! :)

Anyone that is reading this, do you have some spare NB air vents? I need 2.
 

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Discussion Starter · #31 ·
NB passed it's MOT yesterday with no advisories, tomorrow this NA goes in :) not too nervous but you never know.

Managed to cross another job off the list, fitted the door to window weather strips from an NB, however thinking about treating myself to a new set from Mazda as they are "only" £90 and widely available again now.
 

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Discussion Starter · #32 ·
Well there we go, two MX-5s with no advisories. Phew.

Onwards and upwards.

Currently hunting down a set of MK1 mirrors in any reasonable condition (any colour) if anyone has anything for sale?

I have a new map to try on the car also, looking forward to that, fingers crossed that VVT is now working.
 

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Discussion Starter · #33 ·
Always good to have positive updates.

New instrument cluster gone in, old one had some weird issues with RPMs being out of sync the further they climbed, at 1000RPM it was like 200 out, but at 2000 it was more like 400 out. Plus the dial faces were a bit opaque for my liking and I am a fan of older incandescent bulbs not LEDs, so OEM cluster gone back in.

Still looking for mirrors, it's looking like I'm going to have to pay through the nose for new ones, if I can even get them at all.

NA was dyno'd, came back at a respectable 143bhp, I was hoping for a little bit more but in fairness I've done nothing to the engine at all just a lightened fly wheel which I guess will only reduce drive train loss a bit.

New VVT map is excellent. Just need to get my fuel pump put on a new relay and circuit and I should be done.
 

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Discussion Starter · #35 ·
Managed to get the fuel pump re-wired to it's own relay over the weekend, using the original fuel pump power wire as the signal wire.

Finally got a chance to use my rivnut tool that I bought some years ago!

Electricity Electrical wiring Electronic engineering Cable Composite material

Banana Saba banana Automotive tire Cooking plantain Fruit


Still have to sort some wiring to the ECU as for whatever reason my car continuously primes and ignores the settings on the ECU. Tuner thinks it's something related to it being an old automatic car.


Car still took a bit to crank, thinking it just needs more fuel now. No more sync loss so far.


Also whilst I was in there, I took the opportunity to replace a bunch of the plastic trim rivets that hold the parcel shelf carpet down. Another thing I'd been meaning to use for years.
 

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Discussion Starter · #36 ·
Random sync loss still there on cranking. Beginning to wonder if my battery is duff and I should just invest in a new one. Smart battery repairer doesnt show any issues with my battery but I'm running out of ideas.

Had some tips (thanks @Shadowraven) to try rising edge trigger settings instead of falling edge, waiting for an updated map from tuner.

Last thing on my list to try is changing the crank sensor.
 

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Discussion Starter · #37 ·
Updated to-do list.

Things happened since last post:



  1. @Shadowraven drove my car briefly at Combe, agreed the clutch is different but it's just that, different and nothing to worry about.
  2. New battery went in, car cranks much better but weird issue is still there. More annoying that an issue.
  3. Touched up some stone chips/chips where I dropped tools on the car whilst wrenching.
  4. New map to try today from the excellent Tom Chappenden, aiming to try to alleviate some of the starting issues with noise filtering.
 

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Discussion Starter · #38 ·
Well it's been a long while since I posted an update, since the last update I have attended Donington Park and taken part in my first track day, where I binned the car into the gravel, scuffed my paint up and ruined my alloys but it was fun.

I thought seeing as I am clearly an incredible driver that this car needs forced induction now as well, so I can bin my car off the track even faster than before.

So as of 21st Jan, she will be receiving a supercharger build through Coldside Engineering.

The map on the car is already at a great place, car starts up and drives really well even in sub zero temperatures.

Progress has begun already on the build before my car arrives:

Motor vehicle Automotive tire Engineering Gas Automotive design
 

· Banish a little rust a day people
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What it needs is brakes, lol. But yeh, after driving my NB the other day yours feel like normal Mx5 brakes, I'm too spoilt with 4 pots on the majority of mine. I'll put that 1000psi booster in this year and let you know if it's worth it.
 

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Discussion Starter · #40 ·
What it needs is brakes, lol. But yeh, after driving my NB the other day yours feel like normal Mx5 brakes, I'm too spoilt with 4 pots on the majority of mine. I'll put that 1000psi booster in this year and let you know if it's worth it.
You aren't wrong though. But I wonder, what the difference is between my brakes and other people who write comments such as "stock brakes are fine, just need better pads and fresh fluid"

I don't think my stock brakes are fine, I've put yellowstuff in and the initial bite feels terrible.
 
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