mx5cartalk.com

I have a 2001 NB.I have two manifolds, one from 2001, one from 2003.
Does anyone know which of these is \"better\"? (is there an improvement in the 2003?)
Does anyone know if the 2003 will work bolt on?

Visual difference noted to date is that the 2001 has 5 bolts to separate the halves, and the 2003 has 6. There are differences internally in the casting as well.

My car is in bits in the drive, and I need to install one of these manifolds today.

is it an early 2001 manifold/car? ie nb8a?

if so theres a set of butterflys in the manifold.. its kinda what the nb8a has instead of the NB8B VT setups.. so it may not be interchangeable..

The 2003 one has butterflies in it as well.

When I took the manifold off my NB8B I didn't see any butterflies. I'd also used the guide on miata.net which used pictures from an NB8A which did have butterflies so it was easy to contrast. Unless the NB8C/8B had further differences again that I wasn't aware of.

http://www.miata.net/garage/manifold/index.html

I am suspecting, that my 2001, which is the VCT with 6 spd, has no butterflies, AND that the intake which was sent to me labelled as a 2003, is in fact the older one, with butterlfies!

Yes, the manifold I was sent as a 2003 looks exactly like the one in the guide. It didnt click til now. I have been sent the WRONG item.