From Mexie ... to MXSE ...

[speed]

Very nice!

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[KevGoat]

Hit the big SIX 0 today!!

Got away to Clare for the weekend. Bought some more wine to restock and my wife gave me one of these for my Birthday ...



Not sure what to think really after Daffy's comment "this stuff is deadly" during his epic Euro trip

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[KevGoat]

Having recovered from my first ever taste of Green Fairy possibly the best cough medicine out there if not an effective paint stripper ... am sitting back tonight with a locost shiraz instead ... Unfortunately my wife has chosen Harry Potter on TV for the umpteenth squillionth time, so out of complete boredom I decided I'd do an update I wasn't going to bother with yet...



FCM 46mm Bumpstops vs OEM SE Bilstein Bumpstops.

Just on length alone, the FCM allows 12mm more shock compression before contact with the bumpstop, but the biggest improvement is supposed to be in the linear compression rate of the FCM. By comparison, the small top part of the OEM stop compresses very easily, but the large base section is very hard.

I've only fitted the rears in so far (why I wasn't going to bother with this update yet), but having had to drive all over Adelaide today from Doctors to blood tests to biopsy ... none of which seemed to be able to be done in any one particular compass point of the wider metropolitan area ... I managed to test them out on a wide variation of road surfaces, albeit mostly at suburban speeds.

I've never disliked the stock SE suspension, quite like it actually, but there was a difference showed up with these stops fitted where I'd go over sections of continuous harsh bumps and the rear suspension handled them all smoothly, whereas in the past over continuous bumps like that it would seem to hit the last ones harder. Not sure if this is what they mean when they talk about the tendency with this suspension to "jack down", but I didn't have this feeling anywhere today - this included a couple of sections at 100kph.

Anyway, it's a mod that certainly isn't going to hurt, and I guess I was looking for something not too expensive to do to the car more than anything else

Will update further on this once the fronts are fitted and have dríven on them more.

[KevGoat]

Finished fitting the front FatCat bumpstops last week. This shows the difference in length to the front oem stops ...



A couple of days later, we did a round trip of roughly 250kms to catch up with some friends for new years - so a reasonable load on the suspension with driver and passenger and some added boot weight (esky etc) through the Adelaide hills and over country roads at various (legal ) speeds. There was no noticeable difference after fitting the fronts, but the overall feeling is kind of like when I fitted the chassis rails - subtle and difficult to quantify. I've mentioned before that my wife and I both have back issues, but neither of us have ever had any problems with the stock SE suspension even on long interstate drives and even with the stock 17's and the higher tire pressures that I prefer to run - why my wife keeps threatening me with all kinds of unmentionable anatomical downgrades whenever I mention modifying anything that might change the ride - but luckily after fitting these, the suspension now feels (for us anyway) even more "back friendly". Experimenting over speed humps the suspension no longer feels like it bottoms out as much and when pushed to do so the transition is smoother, not a sudden "bump". At higher cruising speeds it felt really nice. Obviously, for anyone wanting to get the best out of the car there are better upgrades, but as a "day out" or daily driver that's being left reasonably stock in the wheel and suspension department, this appears to be a worthwhile cheap and simple upgrade.

[ManiacLachy]

You should probably look at changing to 15" wheels soon for a nice ride. Everything and everyone (not just Lokiel) says the ride is much much better with the added sidewall. It's something I really want to get to this year myself.

I'm glad the bumpstops are working for you, probably provides a better cushioning transition from contact to compression. I've read a few threads over at m.net saying these FCM bumpstops disintegrate over a few years, apparently due to the material used. So maybe consider them a consumable and plan to replace in 2-3 years.

[KevGoat]

Oh rats ... I hadn't read about the FCM's short lifespan!! Ah well, maybe that's a sign to keep working at a sneaky way of fitting in some comfort setup MCA's (well, that works in my head anyway )

Comfort wise we really haven't had any problems. This "upgrade" was just a cheap "something to do".

The SE isn't as "plush" as the NB8A was, but that car didn't handle anywhere near as confidently as this SE does. When I did try to improve the handling on the NB8A with some BC coilovers, neither of us could deal with the discomfort we felt over certain bumps, no matter how I set them up. Handling plus comfort wise, the SE is certainly nowhere near as good all round as I had Mexie set up! That combination of Monroe shocks, King springs, FCM bumpstops, plus some minor bracing (would love to know how it would have felt with chassis/butterfly braces!!), it was just freaky luck how good that simple setup worked out!

On the wheels, I'm always on the lookout for some 15's that I like at a reasonable cost, but I'm in no hurry to change tbh. I really like the stock wheels (only one that does it appears ) and the car as it stands is pretty much perfect for me in ride, handling and power, so I'm trying (very hard ) to use some actual planning and restraint (not something that comes naturally ) before completely stuffing it up (something that comes completely naturally ).

I did actually fit some 15's back when I first bought it! I had my CP 035's from the NB8A and ran with those for a while, but I soon realized 15's only look good if the car is lowered, and that's another reason I'm not in a hurry (yet ...).

[ManiacLachy]

I'm not a fan of the 17"s, just too much wheel to my eye. But I agree, 15"s don't look so hot unless you lower the car a bit. Wheels are one of those things I keep planning but not getting around to. Hopefully this year!

I think you'll be good with those bumpstops for a while, so I wouldn't stress it, just something to be aware of.

[KevGoat]

I think you'll be good with those bumpstops for a while, so I wouldn't stress it, just something to be aware of.

Especially as I don't use them as much as most


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[KevGoat]

Some preventative maintenance today ...

AzzA68 recently posted about fixing the SE Boost Solenoid bog issue ($25 Boost Solenoid (Bog Valve) replacement for SE) and it reminded me I still hadn't replaced mine. Although I haven't experienced it yet, for a fix that costs less than $30 all up it's not worth not doing!



Apart from the zip tie, it looks factory once fitted ...

[ManiacLachy]

You did a much better job of your install than I did on mine when I did it. Very tidy.

The bog is pretty horrible. You think your car is broken, "what could be wrong?!", and then it hits you, it's THE BOG! It happened to me on the way back to Brisbane from Bundaberg, about 3 hours away from home. Luckily it clears after a couple of starts, but only to return again in peak hour traffic.

I wonder if the Chiptorque tune still uses that circuit? Might not ever be a problem for you, but it's cheap insurance. And, if you ever decide to go to a full standalone you've got an EBC valve ready for use.

[KevGoat]

Thanks Lachy, I kind of figured it's probably going to be there a while so it better look neat or I'd be annoyed every time I open the bonnet!

According to posts I read over on Miata.net the bog can still occur with the Chip but to a lesser degree it would seem, so better to make sure in case.

Can't drive at the moment - trapped a nerve in my right hand while fitting it - but there's posts that say the turbo comes on sooner, smoother response at low throttle, improved idle ... all sorts of life changing miracles from the little devil .... I'll just be happy I didn't stuff something up ........

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[IanR]

OK, found it, got some reading to do. Looking fwd to learning some Ways!

[kiezon]

May I ask what strut brace that is? Looks like a 3 point Carbing with the middle bar removed.

[KevGoat]

May I ask what strut brace that is? Looks like a 3 point Carbing with the middle bar removed.

Cobalt 3 point. Bought it from Moss Europe. Just a personal preference for engine bay appearance over the cross bar model as there's so much around the net that strut braces don't really do a whole lot on these cars anyway ...

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[KevGoat]

How quickly life can change...Without going in to too many details, the last few months have been an emotional and stress filled roller coaster. My wife was diagnosed with a very large tumor and the news was initially very grim. But long story short and through the magnificent efforts, urgency and speed at which all the doctors, hospital and the surgical team who were involved moved, the news is good. A long recovery lies ahead for my wife from the (Whipple's) procedure as well as several more months of chemo treatments, but we have a future together which we thought had been taken away from us.

Through all this, MXSE sat ignored. During the 10 days my wife was in hospital, I drove MXSE in every day to help distract me a little, but this did result in a few minor car park scars. Small price to pay, but damn it people just don't care about other's property these days.

Reading the forum was a good place for helping me though all this, and during one thread someone posted on exhausts, I posed a question related to my own requirements and was given an answer by Dann that essentially left me with no more excuses and about five or six weeks later this arrived ....



Trouble was, I was in no mind set for working on cars (I also had a ton of stuff to fix and fit to our Rodeo RV).

Finally though, with things looking a bit better, and some important "future" decisions made, I felt motivated again and the weather turned great just at the right time showing it was mean't to be, and I got stuck in to swapping it all over.

The stock SE exhaust with BEGi downpipe still attached vs NitroDann's downpipe, 3" to 2.5" mid pipe and muffler ...



Reasonably straight forward removal and fitment, just some hard work.







There's some tight tolerances in there! Started her up and it gives a subtle but deeper note than the stock system. I'd asked for a quiet but efficient system and it sounded exactly what I'd asked for.

Today I took her for a bit of a drive - about 100 km's round trip - and can say it's exactly what I wanted. The note is really nice - and will only get better with use. Depending on throttle input, it's quieter or noisier than before, but with the top down is never intrusive whatever the speed. We didn't have the top up at all so will get back another time on that one. This was the final piece allowed for in the tune from Chiptorque, and It's topped it off beautifully. I'm actually quite surprised at the difference. Cold, it's smoothed out even more on low throttle and idle. Warmer, it's more responsive and revs out freely. Can't wait for some longer drives to get more of a feel.