If you're turbocharging a 1.6 Miata and you want a complete, quality kit without paying for a turbo brand you didn't choose, the ISR Performance Turbo Kit for the NA 1.6 is built exactly for that. It's one of the most complete kits on the market at this price point, and it ships without a turbocharger so you can spec your own T25 or T28 GT-style unit to match your power goals. Tubular manifold, 304 stainless components, chassis-specific intercooler, and full oil and water lines, all in one package.
What It Is
The ISR Performance Turbo Kit for the Mazda Miata NA 1.6 is a complete bolt-on turbocharger kit minus the turbocharger itself. It's designed around compact T25 and T28 GT-style turbos and includes the manifold, intercooler and piping, exhaust housing and downpipe, full oil and water lines, and an AFM delete intake. The kit ships without a turbo so you can choose the T25/T28 unit that matches your build, which is also what keeps the price down compared to kits that bundle in a turbo you may not want.
What It Does
This kit provides everything needed to turbocharge a 1.6 NA Miata except the turbo and the tuning. The tubular bottom-mount manifold positions a T25 or T28 turbo on the engine, the intercooler and piping handle charge cooling, the turbine O2 housing and downpipe route exhaust out of the turbine, and the oil and water lines feed and cool the center section. Add your chosen turbo, an aftermarket ECU with a MAP sensor, supporting fuel, and a tune, and you've got a boosted Miata.
The NA 1.6 responds well to boost. It's a strong little engine, and a properly sized T25 or T28 turbo wakes it up significantly over the modest naturally aspirated output without overwhelming the platform. This kit is the hardware foundation for that build.
Construction Quality
The kit doesn't cut corners on materials despite the affordable price. The turbo manifold is a full tubular schedule 10 design, which is specifically chosen to resist the cracking that plagues cheaper cast or thin-wall tubular manifolds under heat cycling. The exhaust components are 304 stainless steel, which handles the heat and resists corrosion better than mild steel or coated alternatives.
The intercooler is chassis-specific and ships with a mounting bracket for a rigid installation, rather than a generic universal core zip-tied into place. The intercooler piping is fully polished aluminum. The oil and water lines are AN-fitted, and the kit includes an AN turbo drain line with an aluminum weld bung for the factory oil pan, which is the proper way to handle oil drainback rather than relying on a marginal fitting.
Modular Hotpipe and Turbo Flange Compatibility
The kit includes a modular hotpipe designed to work with multiple turbo flange standards. Depending on which T25/T28 turbo you choose, the hotpipe accommodates ISR, HKS, GReddy, and TIAL flanges (flanges sold separately). This is what makes the bring-your-own-turbo approach work cleanly: you're not locked into one turbo's flange pattern, so you can choose the turbo that fits your power and budget targets and match the appropriate flange.
Designed for Standalone ECU and MAP Sensor
This kit was designed with aftermarket ECUs in mind and for use with a MAP sensor. The included intake is an AFM delete design, meaning it removes the factory air flow meter from the equation. This is the standard approach for a boosted build running a standalone or piggyback ECU, where the MAP sensor handles load measurement instead of the factory AFM.
What this means in practice: you'll need an aftermarket ECU capable of running the engine on a MAP sensor. This is not a kit designed to run on the factory ECU with the stock AFM. Plan your engine management as part of the build.
Fitment and Compatibility
This kit is designed specifically for the Mazda Miata NA chassis with the 1.6 liter engine. Several important notes apply.
1.6 engine specific. This kit is built for the 1.6 NA Miata. The 1.8 engine has different dimensions and is not the target application for this specific kit.
Turbocharger not included. You must supply your own T25 or T28 GT-style turbocharger to complete the kit.
Turbo flange sold separately. The modular hotpipe works with ISR, HKS, GReddy, and TIAL flanges, but the flange that matches your chosen turbo is purchased separately.
Aftermarket ECU and MAP sensor required. The kit is designed for standalone engine management with a MAP sensor, not the factory ECU and AFM.
Drilling required. A 2.5 inch hole needs to be drilled for intercooler pipe routing. This is expected and necessary for the install.
Who This Is For
This kit fits a specific build profile. If you're turbocharging a 1.6 NA Miata and you want to choose your own T25/T28 turbo rather than accept whatever a complete kit bundles in, this is built for that. If you want a complete, quality hardware kit (tubular manifold, 304 stainless, chassis-specific intercooler, proper AN lines) without paying premium-kit pricing, this delivers the components without the markup. If you're already planning a standalone ECU build and you're comfortable supplying your own turbo and handling the tune, this kit is the hardware foundation.
This is not the right kit if you want a true plug-and-play turbo solution that runs on the factory ECU, if you're not prepared to source your own turbo and flange, if you have a 1.8 Miata, or if you're not running an aftermarket ECU with a MAP sensor.
What's in the Box
- 1x Schedule 10 bottom-mount turbo manifold
- 1x Intercooler and piping kit
- 1x Turbine O2 housing and downpipe
- 1x Full oil and water turbo lines with 10AN aluminum weld bung for oil pan
- 1x AFM delete intake with air filter
- 1x Modular hotpipe (compatible with ISR, HKS, GReddy, TIAL flanges)
Note: Turbocharger and turbo flange are not included and must be purchased separately.
Installation Notes
Professional installation and tuning are strongly recommended. This is a complete turbo system that requires supplying your own turbocharger, an aftermarket ECU with a MAP sensor, and supporting fuel system components appropriate to your power target. A 2.5 inch hole must be drilled for intercooler pipe routing, and the included oil pan weld bung requires welding to the factory oil pan for proper turbo oil drainback. The car must be tuned on the standalone ECU before driving under boost. This is not a kit that can be run on the factory ECU or driven without a proper tune.
Off-Road and Competition Use
This kit is legal only for use in competition vehicles which may never be registered, licensed, or used on public streets or highways, and for use in other exempted vehicles. It is not 50-state street legal. Verify local emissions and noise regulations before purchasing if you intend to drive the vehicle on public roads.
Product Details
Brand: ISR Performance
Product: Turbo Kit (No Turbocharger Included)
Part Number: IS-NA16TurboKit-Parts
Vehicle Fitment: Mazda Miata NA, 1.6 liter engine
Turbo Compatibility: Compact T25 / T28 GT-style turbochargers (not included)
Manifold: Full tubular schedule 10, bottom-mount
Exhaust Components: 304 stainless steel
Intercooler: Chassis-specific with mounting bracket
Intercooler Piping: Fully polished aluminum
Oil/Water Lines: Full AN oil and water lines, AN drain line with 10AN aluminum weld bung for factory oil pan
Intake: AFM delete with air filter
Hotpipe: Modular, compatible with ISR, HKS, GReddy, TIAL flanges (flange sold separately)
Engine Management: Designed for aftermarket ECU with MAP sensor
Required Modifications: 2.5 inch hole drilled for intercooler piping, oil pan weld bung installation
Not Included: Turbocharger, turbo flange, ECU, fuel system components
Legality: Off-road and competition use only, not 50-state street legal
Key Benefits: Complete turbo hardware kit at an affordable price, bring-your-own-turbo flexibility, crack-resistant tubular schedule 10 manifold, 304 stainless exhaust, chassis-specific intercooler, proper AN oil and water lines