How long did your install take

[Scuba Steve]

Just curious how long your installs took in terms of total hours. I am helping liddown with his install this weekend and based on my experience I don't expect to get it done in a weekend.

We are also (potentially) replacing Diff and tranny fluid, fuel filter, radiator and slave cylinder.

My FMII and BRP SC installs took 3-4 weekends but this was mainly due to fitment issues with the FMII (returning and waiting for parts) and no intercooler instructions (along with needing a few replacement parts) for the BRP kit.

Having removed and replaced an intake manifold previously, I would actually rather do that than install an intercooler. Pulling the radiator makes this job nmuch easier. I don't expect we will finish the install this weekend, but I suspect it should be no problem finishing it the next weekend assuming no major fitment issues.

Tips and hints greatly appreciated. I am really looking forward to doing the install and learning new ways of stringing together 4 letter words :rofl:

[Curiousgb]

I did my BRP hotside in a weekend. All day sat and half sunday. Best part was when my wife (who was skeptical) said why didn't Mazda make it like this to start. Good question. Now everytime I look at adding another Miata to the garage the first thing she says is how hard will it be to put SC on it.

[bogey]

The basic install took me about 20-25 hours, but that included a lot of standing around looking at things. I spent a fair amount of time troubleshooting fuel leaks (replace the o-rings and make sure they are seated correctly), and a bad fuel pressure regulator.

I probably spent another 10-15 hours or so tinkering with routing of lines, wiring, gauge install, etc. Just getting things how I want them.
- The MAF extension was soldered/heat shrinked and wrapped
- Installation of the Powercard & SS controller (before the plug & play harness). The new harness is literally a 5 minute install.
- I unwrapped a length of the forward wiring harness to move the IAC plug. I worked the e-cool wiring into this harness and rewrapped it.
- I did not unwrap or move the fuel injector harness - not sure why it was in the instructions.

The hardest part is installing the rear coldside manifold bolts. That provided plenty of inpiration for vocabulary expansion. I would probably remove the starter if I had to do it again. (Has anyone tried this?)

The install does leave you a lot of room for improvisation on routing of hoses and vacuum lines.

I put several installation tips in the forum. Be sure to search from the beginning of time to access them all. If I was to install another one, I think I save about 40% of the time if I really focused.

[mageep]

I monitored my hours pretty closely. Not counting time to go buy tools that made life easier, etc., my build took 26 hours... 2 of which were trying to get the #$%^ EGR tube back into the header!!

[sbeck37923]

I am just past a month and a half and still not done (possibly another week or two). I basically only work on it on weekends and was on vacation for one weekend. I changed motormounts, radiator, and installed wideband AFR. I have to study everything 2 or 3 times before I do anything.

[bambam]

This aint your first rodeo Steve. To answer your question probably with the SC alone 20 hours but I could do it allot faster a 2nd go around. Dismantle was easy... and Tom's instructions are excellent. Even taking off the intake manifold was easy enough.. PC Pro was PNP ..now,

installing the manifold was a pain in the butt and finally I took the starter off and that speeded up installing and tightening the lower instake nuts. Vacumn block was easy etc . Tom including the quick release for the fuel line was sweet... not that I am sweet on Tom mind you.

If your upgrading the radiator... make sure the mounting bolts on the evap coil of the AC unit is not touching... dont ask why I know.

installing 4 gauges, oil filter relocate, radiator, mtr mounts, its kind of hard to determine exactly. Hey to bad I aint your neighbor! :flowers: I could come over and help.. hang out all the time, we could be buddys!

Good Luck Sir

El'Bucko... no mas....diablo
FFS CS 110MM
Hot as a pepper and smooth as a Mexican brew

[liddown]

I think the hardest part will be removing the Buck's Diamond Grill.... It was my first mod...

I am stoked to say the least... Steve's willingness to help is what finally got me off the dime, and I am looking forward to learning a few things... I can do the wiring and grunt work in my sleep... I have changed gear lube on my boat, never tackled a radiator, but have done temp gauges, BRB, clearwaters, ipod integration, air splitter, short shifter, etc no problem, but the only bleeding I have done (changing the slave) in on a finger, dam that upper radiator hose!

Now if I could only figure out how to put this thing on stands before Steve gets here, I might impress him...... Oh well I can grill a steak!

Woooo Hooooo Let's Do It!!!!

[Kyp J]

I am just past a month and a half and still not done (possibly another week or two). I basically only work on it on weekends and was on vacation for one weekend. I changed motormounts, radiator, and installed wideband AFR. I have to study everything 2 or 3 times before I do anything.


I'm at about a year and a half and might be getting close. I have to do everything 2 or 3 times before I read the directions.

[mageep]

installing the manifold was a pain in the butt and finally I took the starter off and that speeded up installing and tightening the lower instake nuts. Vacumn block was easy etc . Tom including the quick release for the fuel line was sweet... not that I am sweet on Tom mind you.



I can see why it might help, but I didn't move the starter, and found no real issues.

I suggest 2 types of tools that will make life easier (both I purchased too late to be of help! LOL):

- a short-handle 10 and 12mm open/box-end combo wrench... Ideally, the ones with the wratcheted box-end come in VERRRY handy for other areas as well! Highly recommended purchase.

- Ball-end Allens!!! A couple of those heads have a very small runway!

What I found helpful step-wise was to move UP the removal of the alternator to BEFORE the lower intake removal. It improves reach and line of sight to the bottom bolts a ton.

Same with the oil filter... Knowing I was gonna swap it out anyway, taking it off at the same time as the alternator made a few of them easier!!

Otherwise, I was pretty much verbatim to the directions!!

[John Miles]

40 hours in my case (counting time spent in breaks/meals/trips for tools and parts). I am not an experienced mechanic (or at least, I wasn't). Most advanced work prior to the FFS Coldside installation was changing a starter and the occasional carburetor jet.

Day 1: 2 PM - 11 PM, steps 1-46
Day 2: 5 PM - 9 PM, steps 47-6
Day 3: 3 PM - 1 AM, steps 7-21
Day 4: 2 PM - 4 AM, steps 22-48
Day 5: 3 PM - 6 PM, steps 49-57

"Steps" refer to the CARB '01-'03 manual.

Anyone who executes the procedure for the first time in 8-10 hours needs to be turning wrenches for Kimi Raikonnen. :surrender:

[Scuba Steve]

I found your breakdown interesting, as we had the removal steps completed in 3-4 hours. But I had done that before which helps a lot. Your were certainly faster on the install parts, but I had to spend time swearing at the Thompson :rofl:

I suspect 40 hours for a first timer taking their time is about accurate. THis includes phone calls, trips to the auto parts store, and trips to the hardware store. The second install could easily cut that in half, since you will already have the tools, like the 12mm crows foot :ack2:


I have a bike ride planned next Saturday morning, but hope to spend some time at David's in the afternoon to continue the install. The remaining items can easily be done by 1 person, but it sure is nice having two. If nothing else, I can change the fuel filter and perform other minor tasks.


40 hours in my case (counting time spent in breaks/meals/trips for tools and parts). I am not an experienced mechanic (or at least, I wasn't). Most advanced work prior to the FFS Coldside installation was changing a starter and the occasional carburetor jet.

Day 1: 2 PM - 11 PM, steps 1-46
Day 2: 5 PM - 9 PM, steps 47-6
Day 3: 3 PM - 1 AM, steps 7-21
Day 4: 2 PM - 4 AM, steps 22-48
Day 5: 3 PM - 6 PM, steps 49-57

"Steps" refer to the CARB '01-'03 manual.

Anyone who executes the procedure for the first time in 8-10 hours needs to be turning wrenches for Kimi Raikonnen. :surrender:

[lowboy72]

I just finished my installation. The total time was 15 hours with three people dedicated. That included a trip to harbor freight, lunch and dinner breaks. It would have been about 12 with lunch and dinner breaks but we spent close to three hours fretting over whether or not the last inside intake manifold nut was tight enough.

[bambam]

I just finished my installation. The total time was 15 hours with three people dedicated. That included a trip to harbor freight, lunch and dinner breaks. It would have been about 12 with lunch and dinner breaks but we spent close to three hours fretting over whether or not the last inside intake manifold nut was tight enough.

LOL... been there done that regarding the tightening of manifold nuts.
I am going to be swapping motors out in the next couple of weeks.. I will have the luxury of installing mainfold while on engine stand :santa:

later

Buck