Engine performance upgrade

[tbro]

STM speaks the truth!!!especially about Slammer .and don't forget Bryan!!!!

OK, what do you want to achieve?? big horsepower will make you a legend, especially the special horses in these special MX5 motors. OR. You can learn to drive and then go race with the best MX5's in the country and just show what a STANDARD 1600 can do.

http://www.natsoft.com.au/cgi-bin/resul ... 2.LAKE.R20

Car 69 is a fellow cartalk member and had to use the spare car at the last meeting.
These times are in race mode, yep fighting other cars for space and having no spare ponies you gotta push to the limit.
You can go and spend mega dollars and make mega horses, but why????
I can name some who have spent stupid amounts of money to go slower than a stock 1600, how embarrassing hey!!!

Go and learn to drive your car, do lots of track days and ask and listen to others. Book yourself in for a driver trainer day with Bozman at Wakefield and learn, then maybe you might do something to increase the HP on your car.
or
Go and buy a track car and keep your DD alone

And just on a side note, I love the horsepower figures quoted here , the leading Mx5's racing including Ash Millers old car and the GP car didn't make anywhere near these ponies and both were the top 2F cars in the country.

Terry

[NitroDann]

Ask wozzah what his BP makes. And people like fuji racing. People dont want 200rwhp because the 170rwhp cars are easier to drive fast. Im just saying it can and has been done, and will be done again.

Which of those cars are running cams past 300*? none?

Dann

[NitroDann]

Also half the things that stan said were his experience and dont reflect what can be achieved.

Dann

[koop21]

I would'nt bother with adjustable cam sprockets depending what profile you use. But it will net you better results if you do get them.

Stan up to what profile can you get away with using stock cam gear?

[StanTheMan]

I used Tighe cams. They had 272 duration.
I did have adjustable cams. I don't recall what setting I had. I need to go back & have a look. However the next ones below mine are a very popular choice & do work well set on 0. however If youy are chasing HP and you have the cash as well as willing to spend it. Get adjustable cam sprockets.

I'm always on a budget. I don't need top HP. A little bit extra from stock is nice though. For me it was always about getting everything out of what you have. In my case thats always been about contraints of budget enhancements

Yes Dann is right. a lot more can be achieved. If you are willing to throw $$$$ at it or can do it yourself.

I never had the $ to throw at my ECU. Or Headwork. I I failed at being able to tune it myself. So I reverted to the standard ECU.

For me its always been about compromise. So in my case. I refused to compromise the idle , fuel consumption, & so on.

I'm pretty much back to stock now. But I do miss the cams. Thats all.

[brendanstacey]

Thanks for all the replies, it just confirmed what I thought about head work etc - good if you have lots of money.

I think im going to just exhaust and intake done.

Also, I have an adaptronic 1280s ecu. Does anyone know how hard it is to install (harness etc) and tune? I'd only install and tune it after I get my exhuast and intake done.

[NitroDann]

get cams, the easiest cheapest horsepower you can get bar turbo.

Dann

[brendanstacey]

what duration? 270-280ish?

what benifit should i see from this in power?

[NitroDann]

its not as simple as just duration.

A set of 256s with a little more lift that stock, on factory HLAs is at least as good as everything else you will have at that point added together.

Dann

[sailaholic]

Ahh, no offence but if you bought a 1280 you're wasting your time NOT getting head work done.

1500 gets you head work and cams to suit.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

[brendanstacey]

Ahh, no offence but if you bought a 1280 you're wasting your time NOT getting head work done.

1500 gets you head work and cams to suit.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

You're right lol. I was given it as a gift as a friend didnt need it. So I only need to pay to install/tune it.

So it looks like ill get exhaust/intake and cams. Would a cam/engine specialist be reccomended, or a mx5 specific place like mania for the cams?

[NitroDann]

private message wozzah1975.

Hes a legend.

Honestly.

Dann

[sailaholic]

Sell it, buy a 440 or 420 and spend the money on head work.

Second danns recommendation. No point going to mania as they are just a retailer. Ring some cam shops or engine builders.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

[plohl]

Continue the gift giving and give me the 1280?

If you're not planning anything huge, getting a 440 or something that at least plugs into the stock loom (MS) is a lot less hassle and cheaper than making a patch loom/getting someone to do it.

[wozzah1975]

Ok, if starting from stock, wouldnt an intake and exhaust package be the best way to go for hp/$ if going non forced induction? Im just sayng because im wondering what to do on my own car for track days. I always wondered about porting/head work but have no idea how much it costs because its always a quote and have no idea about performance benifits either when compared to other mods.

I started off my track days with very basic mods, and i try and improve on the car every time I take it out in all areas on the car, not just the engine.

You've asked about engine mods. The sky is the limit, but most of the time the wallet is the reality limit.

First mods should be.
A well thought out exhaust system
A good 4-2-1 extractor set.
A K&N filter in the OE air box
This should set you back about $800-1000.

Other internal mods (cams, head etc) should be carried out AFTER the above.

There are ways and means of doing things on a budget.

To be perfectly honest if you havent tried track days before, I'd run the car std. then if you enjoy it look at doing mods on the car as you go. Good track times can be had by very basic mods like decent tyres. If you've already done a few track days and would like some more power start with the basics.

cheers
Woz