Stateside 998 Build Thread With Updates!
Turbo Mini Forums

This build is great. Jealous of your tools and your skills!

Appreciate the support gang!

With the new job, my access to tools is much more limited. It's made it really hard to pony up for things that I used to be able to make in an evening! That said, I'm on the final stages so I think the dump money into it strategy is in full effect.

I like the black but wanted something a little more classic so I'm getting it painted in a grey but with a black roof.

MODS: Is it possible to move this thread to the "Show Us Yours" forum?

Another (somewhat) productive weekend.
Got the turbo all plumbed up and the manifold fitted! Spent waaay too much time filing the washing and fighting with the tight clearances but it's all on now.


Still need a hose between the turbo and the plenum. What are people using for that? Looks like maybe I need a 45 degree hose but what about the diameter? The 2" hose I got here is really loose on the plenum.

Fabbed up a little bracket for the coil pack. Made some mistakes but I'm quite proud of the design so I made a little tutorial in the how-to section.


Tightened the head down, set the tappet clearances to 0.016" per Kent Cams instructions and hooked up the starter. Here is where the fun began!

I wanted to test for oil pressure so I went to install the inner pot joints (nearly filled it without them) and they would not fit! Turns out I didn't ream the new bushing to fit and now that I'm at my new job I don't have a lathe, nor do I have the right reamer. Luckily the end covers off my old engine had a their bushes in good shape so I swapped them. Which of course required checking and shimming the diff. UGGGGH

Next I got the starter all hooked in, got out my jumper cables, hooked it up and it just spark, sat there and smoked. Took the motor out, ran fine. Put it back in. More smoke.

Did some digging, and figuring, and swearing. Turns out the flywheel I have is for a pre-engaged starter and I only have an inertia from my old engine. Looks like I need to buy a starter! Does anyone know if there are cars that have a compatible one? Might be cheaper to find here than one sold as for a Mini.

Super bummed on this one since I'm headed to China for work for the next two weeks and was really hoping to see the oil pressure test before I left. Overall, though, it could be MUCH worse.

MODS: CAN YOU MOVE THIS TO SHOW US YOURS?

Not much progress as I've been out of the country for a while.

I got the new starter mounted up and the engine turning over though! That's pretty exciting. I didn't however get any oil pressure. I think I need to pour some in block hose to prime the pump. I've read that a few times. How long is too long to turn the engine over with the starter? Can I cause damage at such low RPM?

I did, however, get myself a new tool!:

And some help from the neighbor's construction crew to get it in the garage

Finally placed


Pretty excited about this one! I've been wanting to get more fab work done on my own since leaving my last job and this should give me a good start! It's in decent shape and came with loads of tooling!