speed3's

In article >,
"Chris D'Agnolo" > wrote:

>> (arent the early 1.8 something like 115 hp

128. Or ~105 at the wheels.

> Remember it's more about power to weight ratios. I probably get 2~3hp bump
> from ea of; intake, header,exhaust but that's it.

More likely exhaust 3, header 2, intake 0 or a loss.

> But, I don't know the 3's weight.

A little over 2900 lb. for the 3i sedan.

--
Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, MO
'94C

Lanny Chambers wrote:

> No, I meant farting blow-off valves and wastegates. Vroom! Pshhh! Pow!
> With every gear change.

Ahhh, the BOV doesn't hiss every time, I have to be putting my foot into
it pretty hard. :-)

It is not the noise that bothers me, but instead the inability to
redline it almost at will like with first other Miata.

The power is also not that insane, even when I took the boost up once to
14psi and was producing an estimated 250 hp.
I drove a modified 300ZX twin turbo that weighed more, obviously, but
was producing 375 hp.
That one was scary-fast, but still controllable, and with a lot less
driving experience than I have now.

It does not take long before the extra power turned into just what I am
used to, though I have backed the boost down to 10psi, which is plenty.
It was dyno's at 195 rwhp at this boost setting, which scoots it nicely.

One guy that I know here in Austin has a custom kit car with a boosted
Ford V8 that weighs less than a new Miata and is producing 550/550,
horsepower and torque. Not a dragster, it is a small, two-seat convertible.

If he can handle that, then you could handle a 200 to 250 rwhp Miata
without it being too scary.
You may not want the extra power, which is fine, but I have no doubt
that you could deal with it were you to find yourself driving one for a
while.

The Act3 Clutch and lightweight Fidenza flywheel took longer to get used
to than anything.
The clutch assembly is actually very precise, but when you want to go,
it launches the car rather suddenly.

Pat

Lanny Chambers wrote:

> No, I meant farting blow-off valves and wastegates. Vroom! Pshhh! Pow!
> With every gear change.


Oh yeah,

I do agree that a Miata with a stock, or near-stock engine can be as
much, or even more fun than a boosted Miata. I used to hit redline
daily, now it is rare to ever see it.
If I play with the gas pedal even close to what I used to do, it becomes
dangerous to my license and depending on where I am, to myself and the
people around me.

It also lowers one of the most important features of the car to me,
reliability.
This turbo machine has stranded me 3 times so far in 4 years, 10 months,
and just under 40,000 miles.
The 1996 Miata I had before never stranded me, not once in over 5 years
and 68,000 miles.

One thing that I do like about the turbo is that entering highways is
easier in this car than it was in my Miata with roughly 140hp.
No more minivans giving me trouble by matching or even beating my power
acceleration ability.

It is also a blast when it can be opened up all the way. I do it so
rarely that it still surprises me just how fast it goes from 60 to 130
mph. A LOT faster than my 1996 model would do it. :-)

Still, should I buy another Miata, it will probably be normally
aspirated, or possibly the Mazdaspeed.

Pat