mx5cartalk.com

So I've been going through the various threads and I'm finding bunch of dead links and butt dyno style responses. And yes given the current asking prices for SE, it's waaaay cheaper to just turbo kit a standard NB.

It seems the max mods to a SE before some sort of ecu work is:

Cold air intake
Replace rubber elbow
Replace the leaky bov
Upgrade intercooler.

Either upgrade downpipe or rest of the exhaust, doing both sounds like it puts you at risk of breaking a rod.

So.. has any one dyno'd an SE at this point?


I see some mention of chiptorque or SAS (is this one still around googling SAS Sydney doesn't seems to bring up car people). This sounds like it gets you to the same ball park as the flying Miata stage 1 turbo kit being around 190hp. Again did anyone dyno it?

It would help to have some context here ...

Seems like you are thinking of upgrading to an SE, congratulations, you are a man of distinction, good taste and fine sensibilities. We'd love to have you join us

But, for what? Fast road? Bit of track work? Serious high power track work? Out-and-out dedicated track car, chasing the tinware? AKA, how much grunt do you want, and how much headroom do you want for when you inevitably find that what you have is not enough?

You probably know the weak points in the SE package - useless intercooler, bog valve, no LSD, weak rods.

The only serious one, that is not readily/cheaply fixed, is the rod problem. The formula is simply, any forged rod - but that means stripping the engine, and what else do you want/need to do while you are in there? Low compression pistons, big valves, oil pump, these are the decisions that you will need to take, in the light of where you want to take it, or at least what headroom you want should you want to go further after the car is back running.

In the meantime treat those rods with respect. I have seen a stock SE with a rod out the side (MBC FTW ?), I bent the rods at 140rwkw, there are almost as many stories like those two as there are SEs out there

Yes, it is cheaper to buy an NB8B (cheaper) and turbo it (same $), but the SE is already turbo and for registration and insurance that makes a difference.

Depending on your ambitions, modding the ND may be the go, a good package to start with and performance options are starting to appear, especially across the pond.

magenb wrote:some mention of chiptorque or SAS (is this one still around googling SAS Sydney doesn't seems to bring up car people).

SAS Performance aka Silverwater Automotive Service were/are the NSW Chiptorque agent:
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=62 ... 6982905872
&
https://www.silverwaterauto.com.au/

greenMachine wrote:no LSD

GM, they had the following, but perhaps that's not what you were referring to:
https://www.mx5cartalk.com/SP_SE_Comparison/

I don't think anyone dynos them at that level, prior to ECU, but I feel like its about 200whp. Rods are a chance, but really the ECU just becomes the limiting factor, and boost cut. Possibly a lean condition which might lead to rod/piston issues.

I did full exhaust, intake, elbow, bov and intercooler on mine prior to the ECU. It would hit boost cut easily, but felt great otherwise. This is the point you should do a chiptorque flash and with agreed injectors, leave it and be happy with about 210whp, pretty safe and reliable.

But in the back of your brain you'd know there's more to have!

I then did the ECU, followed by E85, all on the stock engine and turbo, for about 250whp. My rods are still stock, and my car now has 215k km on it, but I have since swapped out the entire turbo setup for a Kraken mounted EFR6258 solution on 98. E85 runs out too fast and costs too much for my use-case.

Turboing a stock NB is the cheaper way to do it, but the SE path is enjoyable and you can do it piece by piece and enjoy the progression.

Like GM asked, what's your use case? We love our SEs, from stock (not many of those around anymore!), to Chiptorqued (checkout KevGoat's thread), through to over the top overhaul (see Lokiel's thread).

93_Clubman wrote:...

greenMachine wrote:no LSD

GM, they had the following, but perhaps that's not what you were referring to:
https://www.mx5cartalk.com/SP_SE_Comparison/

I knew that!

I think I was conflating the SE and the SP - that's my excuse anyway!

I chose not to say anything about the ecu, as it really depends on the use (power level), and whether you are a set-and-forget type or a fiddler.

greenMachine wrote:But, for what?

For that sweet, sweet, sound of a turbo spooling ;) It'll just be a daily, so I'm just seeing where a few mods will land an SE. Basically seeing if there is enough of a difference to warrant all the extra headaches and down time on converting the NB I have.

greenMachine wrote:Yes, it is cheaper to buy an NB8B (cheaper) and turbo it (same $), but the SE is already turbo and for registration and insurance that makes a difference.

Yeah its about $200 a year cheaper on insurance, I would imagine less likey to be defected as well if you can keep the intake sealed.

greenMachine wrote:Depending on your ambitions, modding the ND may be the go, a good package to start with and performance options are starting to appear, especially across the pond.

I've had an ND, NB are the sweet spot in terms of MX's for me, electronic steering and throttle just change the feel too much for me.

ManiacLachy wrote:I don't think anyone dynos them at that level.

Yeah, I was kind of hoping some one may have done it for a club dyno day, or after installing a little enchilada kit

You might want to update your profile, it says you have an ND.

It looks to me that you might be happy with the standardish SE, a couple of tweaks, job done. No ECU, no rods. Plusses being reliability, cost, and a certain uniqueness, as well as the advantage of being turbo from the factory. Minuses being more expensive than NB, and those rods at risk. The latter can be moderated by careful choice of your car, avoiding any that look like exacerbating the risk - unfortunately that will tend to increase your purchase price, but offset by being better value in the long run.

If, further into your ownership, you start down that 'moah powr' slippery slope, none of the NB options are lost, and you still have the fallback of 'it's the factory turbo, officer' ...

There was a dyno day here in Canberra, very early 2000s IIRC, but I wasn't present and I can't find a reference here to it - may have been lost when the board was rebuilt, if it existed at all. Wasn't much in the way of SE here then either, so unlikely to produce a result anyway. Try this thread for a stock SE.

Sounds like the "KevGoat" recipe is the best path for you. All the convenience, reliability and legality of the stock car, but with better performance and noise. Pretty much how it should have come.

If you haven't bought an SE yet, then you should talk to Kev and make an offer. He's ready to jump at this point I think, and his car is wonderful.

ManiacLachy wrote:If you haven't bought an SE yet, then you should talk to Kev and make an offer. He's ready to jump at this point I think, and his car is wonderful.

Nnoooooo looks like he's in another state, just like every other SE at the moment lol.

Will have to keep an eye out, for one that's not "my wifes making me sell it" asking price.

greenMachine wrote: Wasn't much in the way of SE here then either, so unlikely to produce a result anyway. Try this thread for a stock SE.

Cheers, so looks like stock is around 130rwhp, I poked around the us Miata forums and it looks like 160rwhp ish for simple mods, they had a bunch of dyno results but same thing post injector and ecu results.