and she said go for it. :)
I want more power but don't want to upgrade to the MP62 or go turbo. The bigger SC will only get me about 20 more hp with the VVT I have on my 2003 and I dont want to re-engineer the car with a turbo. The car is not my daily driver anymore so it can be on jacks for awhile. What would you do to the internals to get more power without breaking the bank and still keep the M45?
Wilder cams? Standalone ECU? Maybe a head off an MSM (no VVT, bigger intake cam)?
Additional items already installed: Emanage BlueUltimate, Stage 2 clutch and lighter flywheel, dual core radiator, Walbro 190, bigger thermostat, AA intercooler. Injectors are still stock. Last time it was dyno'd it got a 178
What is your goal and your budget?
Here is a way to make some power - http://www.flyinmiata.com/projects/stroker.php
She said "go for it".....does that imply budget? ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by POS Racing
Party at Tim's.....
The goal is to get at least 50 more hp and the budget is around 3K
Drop in a V8
I know you said you didn't want to, but....with a budget of $3K, you could just take off all the go-fast stuff you've added, sell it, and go straight to an FMII. That's a simple, proven path to your power goal and almost within your budget. No guesswork or fabricating, just unbolt, sell, order, and install.
I would imagine the m45 is gonna be a bottleneck for more power. The bigger M62 setups seem to struggle to get reliable power in the 230+ range.
Did dyou make sure you clarified what she ment by "Go for it!"? I always make sure my wife understands my intentions and agrees to them before I do something that costs that kind of $$.
+1Quote:
Originally Posted by HudsonHawk
Was she awake when you told her? Did you slip her anything special to make her say yes? And if so what was it :-P
I think it would be a struggle to get 50 more HP from the M45 on there. If you're going to attempt it maybe go to larger injectors and get a stand alone fuel control like a megasquirt if it will work on that year model Miata with the VVT and all.
Also you might want to call Eaton and see if they will do an exchange for your supercharger for an MP62 plus some money and then try to get the brackets from TDR or Moss or something like that to mount the 62. It will definatly be way more effecient at producing more power compared to the smaller M45.
What kind of fuel management are you running now?
I'm pretty sure people have already tried this and were not able to break the 200 whp mark as the M45 just can't push that much air. Just sell your S/C and buy the MP62. You can keep your IC and just get a new discharge Pipe from TDR. That said I think 210-220 whp is tops for the 01 due to higher compression and the VVT and I think removing the VVT would cause a check engine light and then you would not pass emissions. One other thing to consider is that you start to loose transmissions in the hp range you want to make. So my suggestion is do your homework before you jump into something.
Thanks for all the suggestions so far. That damn VVT is the limiting factor with my engine. I imagine I can sell the M45 and get a MP62 from Gary but because of the higher compression I don't think I am going to get my money's worth as he told me that around 210 would be the top end of the hp gain. To upgrade the SC is probably around 1500 out of my pocket depending on what I can sell the M45 for. I imagine the EManage that I have now will work for engine management. Can I rework the internals on my engine to go to 9:1 and use the MP62?
One other way to go is sell the 03 and go buy a NB '99 and start all over or find one already built out.
Sounds like it would be more time and money than dropping in a newer or older motor. I guess you could try a taller head gasket or if the other heads have different sized combustion chambers you could probalby get some in there also.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim the Teacher
The only other option is to drop the crank and piston and change out the pistons for a different set for a lower compression ratio.
M45 is not going to get you there, period.
FM2 would get you there, but you won't pass inspection.
What about selling your engine and M45, buying a 96-00 engine with a stock ECU and wiring harness from a 96-00, get an MP62, and us it with your E-Manage and intercooler? You could probably pull it off within your budget, would hit your goal easy, should pass inspection, and open up the power level potential that Gary gets from his NB.
Unless he has the best willpower ever, he's not doing that for under $3k. Engine builds NEVER stay on budget, mostly because of "well...I'm in there anyway..." Just getting pistons will require a hone at the very least. But, if you're going to be doing that, you might as well upsize them too. Now your machining costs just went up. Then, there's no real reason to not get rods, since after all, they had to come out anyway. Now you need crank journal polishing and more machine work. Oh wait, you have to touch the crank now? OK, lighten it up a bit. Balance everything you say? Might as well. Now that you've got a completely built bottom end, you'll want better oil pump gears. If you're smart, an ATI dampner. New timing belt kit with water pump...It just never ends.Quote:
Originally Posted by jeepinbanditrider
Luckily I was recovering from that very thing on my Z when I got the Miata, that I stopped at just rods. That, and I was completely broke because of what I thought was going to be a simple/cheap motor build on my Z. Live and learn. I digress
LMAO very true I saw it more than once when I was working at an Engine Shop when I was in High School.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob®
250 reliable HP in a Miata is neither easy nor cheap, ESPECIALLY with that VVT crap. Tim, not sure why you'd want to go to the trouble. You don't track your car, so it's a weekend fun toy for cruises into town. Your car is perfect for that as is. If you need that much more HP, sell your Miata and buy a C5 Vette convertible. Less fuss, and probably cheaper in the long run.
I really like the Miata. I wonder if I could sell mine for around 11K which I think is a fair price and by an older one with the hp I want. Suzan did mention a C5 but I don't want the insurance costs that go with it.
Titus said: FM2 would get you there, but you won't pass inspection.
I must be mis-informed? How is it that the FM2 won't pass inspection? I know it's a lost cause in CA, but TX? Is the same true for any programmable ECU on an NB?
As you probably know, Texas inspections of ODB2 car require a scan of the port to show no codes. With a full ECU in a car, the port is still there, but they can't get a signal from it. In the past, the law allowed for the car to take the roller/sniffer test if they could not get a signal. This is how these cars were able to still pass inspection. In the last year, the law was changed and the roller/sniffer test is no longer an option. If you don't have an active functioning ODB2 port free of codes, you don't pass. There are a few people on this board who now have parked FM2 cars, and a few others (I suspect) that had to grease palms to have their inspector plug the scanner into a second car during the inspection.Quote:
Originally Posted by cwisenheimer
Can't run Hydra in a parallel configuration? If not, you could always run something else (Megasquirt comes to mind, as does Adaptronic) that can run with a parallel install, thus keeping the OBDII port functional. The FMII is available without electronics...
Parallel installations are possible, but no where near plug and play.Quote:
Originally Posted by juxt3r
It sounds like the plan (if a person wants an FMII with a Hydra in TX) would be to swap the Hydra and injectors for their stock counterparts at inspection time. Perhaps wire the wastegate open for a couple of days too. If you didn't want to wire the wastegate open, you *could* use a Voodoo box too. I didn't realize the rules had changed here. What really stinks is that a tuned Hydra probably runs much cleaner environmentally than a stock ECU.
Tim should check with his local inspection station, he may live far enough from the metromess to not have emission testing. I keep my vehicles registered in Wood county and they don't even lift the hood.
IIRC your county has to have less than 25k people in it to not do emissions testing. Palo Pinto county doesn't and all they do is the light and horn check and make sure you have insurance. After 25 years your car is an antique and exempt. So I just have to get by for the next 6 years and I'll be good to go :D
I live 1 mile south of the Grayson County line which still makes me a Collin County resident. I am going to think some more about this but my car may come up for sale during the summer.
chiming in here to a bunch of good information already. I am not sure what you have done on the lower end, but would the 62 require beefing up the rods or other work? would it be better to work on the head and take what you could get. you may want to chat with John Day and see. He is pretty realistic.
i did just rebuild my 1.8 and as noted in earlier messages, be it the cleaner fumes or assembly lube osmosis.. budgets tend to fall apart when your staring into the engine bay
Tim you should get this one - http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/cto/1757330776.html
;-)