Miata Raceland header/EGR help?

Buy some cheap parts they said. It'll be fun they said.

So a while back I bought a Raceland header for my '96 Miata. Today I finally took on installing it. Everything came apart well, dropped it in, cleared the floor and the bellhousing with room to spare, everything was going great. BUT THEN... this:

On the right: existing EGR tube. On the left: shiny new header with an EGR port thingy pointed off at an angle.

What are my options here? As far as I can tell:

1) Give up. Put stock manifold back on. Hang shiny header on the wall. Sell the Miata, buy a beige auto Corolla.

2) Cut the EGR tube, thread the nut onto the port thing, and try to connect the pieces of tube. But with what?

3) Come up with a replacement for the tube with braided stainless or something otherwise flexible. How would I manage the ends on something like that?

4) Cheat. EGR delete? (you don't want to play my way? FINE.) How would the stock ECU like this? I'm assuming a CEL at the very least.

Things that I've tried:

1) Swearing

2) Trying to get them to meet in locations other than in the installed position

3) Angry stares

4) Bending the copper EGR tube with channel locks

5) Furious iPhone Googling

Unfortunately all roads led back to swearing, which still didn't help

thestig99 wrote: On the right: existing EGR tube. On the left: shiny new header with an EGR port thingy pointed off at an angle.

I have no knowledge of miatas, but can you fit a welder in there? If so, can you cut/bend/reweld? I'm thinking you make things fit, tack it together the way you want, remove it, and weld it properly.

delete egr

What about unbolting the EGR from the other side, attaching it to the header, then bending it to fit the far side back on again?

If you don't mind the CEL, delete the thing. I'm sure someone sells a cap for that fitting on your header.

I'm not sure either of those things can be welded with anything I have access to (copper EGR tube and whatever recycled cans Raceland uses. Stainless according to their site).

Would be interested in knowing more about deleting the EGR in my OBD2 Miata...

Losing EGR in any OBD2 street driven car is gonna kick the mil for sure. In gerneral, without a reflash of some sort, it will send the computer into a limp mode which will pull timing and/or add fuel at part throttle cruise, since the egr is there to lower combustion temp and pressures. The tube you are dealing with will be stainless steel, not copper, and will require heat to bend, and careful heat and bending not to kink. I'd say its possible, but you need to remove the tube, and heat and bend a little bit at a time to get both ends to match up where they need to be.

Or delete and reflash. Do you have emmisions inspections around you?

Keith?

Bought the same header.

I have a spare engine sitting in my shop with a spare EGR on it. I bent mine to fit. It takes some work and I think having the engine on a dolly instead of the car made it 100x easier.

Talking with other people with the same header, they bent it.

Well, got it. Spent several hours messing with that EGR tube... finally got it to fit.

Got it all together and... que? No tach/oil press/temp gauges, no warning lights turning the key to "on", no turn signals. These must all share a ground or something that I knocked off and can't find?

Did the airbox change in Miatas between, say, '94 and '96? I've talked to some with older 1.8's and they have no issues running a Raceland header and stock airbox. I've got less than 1/4" clearance between the two. Thus I'm currently rocking the airbox minus the bottom half with a bunch of zipties.

Looks pretty neato after the drive home, too

As far as driving impressions... I put in new plugs and wires at the same time, but it definitely feels quicker. Not working as hard on the steep, low speed, hills of my commute and seems to have more pull in higher RPMs. Just as quiet as ever, but noticeably louder with more spirit. Nothing obnoxious. I think I may still have a leak underneath, too.