Hi there. I'm hoping to get some suggestions for some relatively simple upgrades to my Del Sol D16Y8 before jumping to a turbo. I bought this car a few months ago and am in the process of repairing minor oil leaks and suspension issues. Aside from that all I have done was add a short ram air intake. (great deal but little effect other than noise). Bolt-ons would be nice but I wondered if it's possible to piece a turbo system together one part at a time, such as intake then later exhaust then later adding the turbo and intercooler? Any suggestion would be welcomed. Thanks.

 

You will find that with D series engines, any engine "upgrade" short of forced induction or nitrous will have very little impact. For most people, it is extremely pointless to build a naturally aspirated D series - especially in 2022 when parts are hard/impossible to find, and expensive.

My suggestion would be to simply save up your money for a reputable turbo kit from Go-Autoworks. Keep in mind you will also need things like a clutch, tuning solution (Hondata, Neptune, Crome, etc), fuel pump/injectors, etc.

Alternatively, you may want to look into investing in a K20 or K24 swap. Depends on what your goals and intentions with the car are, if you're just looking for a fun and reliable daily, honestly I'd just go for a K24 swap. B and D series are very much a dying breed right now, whereas K is still readily available and actively developed.

 

Thanks for the advice! After a deeper dive into what is involved, I see your point. I should spend more time looking at these upgrades before pulling the trigger. In the meantime, I will be rebuilding the suspension as it is nearly completely dry rotted. First things first.

 

"I will be rebuilding the suspension"

This is a great idea. Also, sometimes (on the right roads/tracks) cars that lack HP but have overbuilt suspensions can be a lot of fun to drive. Makes it easier and less intimidating to drive at the limit of the engine.

Stock Miatas are a good example of this.