Disappopinted $2000 spend

mexiegirl · Postby **mexiegirl** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 6:47 pm

Damn Damn Damn

I just spent about $2,000 on making some horsey's for my NA8, I took the head off myself and took it to a performance engine guy, shaved the head to 10:1, ported and CC'd the chambers. While waiting for the head I match ported the manifold and deburred the throttle body. I also took the cam's to Camtech and reground to both 8.5mm and 256 deg advertised, serviced the injectors and ceramic coated my 4,2,1 extractors and metal intake tube.
End result is I think about 5 horspower (WTF).
I also to finish I added adjustable cam wheels so I played with them so power is maximum.
In theory I was expecting around 30 horsepower, where did this go wrong guys, I should have spent the 2,000 on a turbo. :frown:

A

narita · Postby **narita** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 7:22 pm

emexv · Postby **emexv** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 7:31 pm

I'm no expert but i'm thinking the following. Have you got an upgraded exhaust, headers and intake. Without these your mods won't do much. You need to get more air in and exhaust out to make the most of your mods.

Also a piigy back ECU would enable you to tune it which would increase the power for sure...

emily_mx5 · Postby **emily_mx5** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 7:50 pm

wow that does not sound right at all.
How do you know it was only 5? was it on the same dyno before and after? because if they were different dyno's, theres no way of knowing really, they vary quite a bit.
Also, do you have a high flow cat and upgraded mid pipe/muffler? the stock one is pretty rubbish.
Go a 2.25" all the way through if you dont already.
After spending 2k im sure you dont want to spend anymore, but an ecu and tune is deffs the next step.
can get a cheap megasquirt and do it yourself, or pay someone else to tune it for you.

But yes, it always comes down to turbo's are the best $/hp.

inb4dann :lol:

Crapweasel · Postby **Crapweasel** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 7:56 pm

If you post your current mods list in addition to what you've already mentioned (extractors for instance), then I'm sure there'll be a ton of suggestions come up, and hopefully some of them will be quite cheap.

I see it as you've now improved the heart of the beast and can now mod freely from there.

mexiegirl · Postby **mexiegirl** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 8:38 pm

narita wrote:Fcuk

I know in all form of the spelling

mexiegirl · Postby **mexiegirl** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 8:41 pm

emexv wrote:I'm no expert but i'm thinking the following. Have you got an upgraded exhaust, headers and intake. Without these your mods won't do much. You need to get more air in and exhaust out to make the most of your mods.

Also a piigy back ECU would enable you to tune it which would increase the power for sure...

Thanks Mark, ECU is next, I juist wanted to do the mechanicals 1st

mexiegirl · Postby **mexiegirl** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 8:47 pm

emily_mxV wrote:wow that does not sound right at all.
How do you know it was only 5? was it on the same dyno before and after? because if they were different dyno's, theres no way of knowing really, they vary quite a bit.
Also, do you have a high flow cat and upgraded mid pipe/muffler? the stock one is pretty rubbish.
Go a 2.25" all the way through if you dont already.
After spending 2k im sure you dont want to spend anymore, but an ecu and tune is deffs the next step.
can get a cheap megasquirt and do it yourself, or pay someone else to tune it for you.

But yes, it always comes down to turbo's are the best $/hp.

inb4dann

Hey there thanks for the detailed reply, I'm kinda estimating the 5 from the g's and the skin pulling back on my face (LOL as if that would happen)
I have a pretty sweet exhaust, 4,2,1 extractors, hi-flow cat mandrel bent 2/1/4 inch with a hi flow mecury muffler
True that for the ECU next step, i'll research the hell out iof it before I do it. I know the ECU's are learnable so i'm on a budget after the 2K hit.

Thanks again
A

Postby **NitroDann** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 10:00 pm

Ok, So can you give us exact specifics, I was thinking today that Id hate to be the bloke who'd put his rep on the line and diagnopse this, but I am 3 beers in and happy enough to be that guy.

If you could give a FULL rundown of all the parts that would be awesome.

Ill work out where the bottleneck is and you will unlock a few ponies

Dann

evil_weevil · Postby **evil_weevil** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 10:36 pm

Get ecu + tune it all = winrar!
I made top end 6rwkw just from ecu (best of 8 or so mid range) and that was on top of exhat and intake.
How does your car drive after? Any difference down low, mid or high?

Aussie Stig · Postby **Aussie Stig** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 11:22 pm

Hate to rain on anyone's parade but when you deviate from the stock engineering then anything can happen.

So many times I have been tempted to 'experiment' with the factory setup only to come across variables which can put you back to where you did not want to be.

Face it, the BP engine for the mx-5 is a highly developed little twin cam. If you want to flock about with the settings then you are playing with fire.

About the only thing that makes any sense financially is the turbo, intercooler, exhaust, ecu route. Which in itself is a pain in the arse.

Other than that, enjoy it for what it is and wring the tits off it.

Postby **NitroDann** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 11:27 pm

I agree with the last 2 sentences however the BP is a rubbish engine comapred to say, an F20c, or infact and decent honda engine. Lots of improvements can be made.

Dann

koop21 · Postby **koop21** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 11:28 pm

Aussie Stig wrote:Hate to rain on anyone's parade but when you deviate from the stock engineering then anything can happen. Face it, the BP engine for the mx-5 is a highly developed little twin cam.

Hate to rain on your parade but the BP engine is not a highly developed engine, see Honda Type R motors for something highly developed.