I have had a JR sc in my car for almost 50K. Been on the track numerous times and no problem. The car has an a/a IC, PWR radiator, and a high temp thermostat that has worked well to negate any cooling issues. I have been completely satisfied with the extra 60 hp I got out of the blower.
I live where even the coyotes won't go...
I'm way more into handling than straight out horsepower. The only major gripe I have with the Miata is a lack of power for the cars intended purpose. A bit more power would have done wonders for the car IMO.
2004 Saturn Ion Redline
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1992 Grey MX-5
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Well, the cars which overheat don't respect Bernoulli's Principle. Seal the front of the heat exchangers, rather than increasing frontal area, and lower pressure behind them (vented hood and / or belly pan that goes back to the steering rack) and the car will cool effectively. The local racecar I've crewed for has a sheetmetal chamber in front of the heat exchangers with a vented hood on a v-mount set-up with a foil to direct only 1"x24" of air to the radiator and the car cooled just fine in 100* heat in the desert. TDR cars do not overheat because not only do they use a good radiator, but Gary makes ducting to go along with them. I have ghetto heat exchangers and didn't need the fans until 90* because my plastic ducting tore through the rivets. I will be able to run this car on the track in 100* heat without using fans when I get the hood on it.
I agree with Altain...250whp is just right. Its enough to throttle steer the car in 5th or 6th on sweepers, but not an obscene amount where you have to worry about oil pump failure, gear oil temps, and it still allows for some margin-of-error.
I am too, but when you get in a miata that makes enough power to use the suspenson and mechanical grip in every corner, you'll like the power too. Sure, most douch-bags with big power cars like to treat the course like a drag-strip...you become a man when you can do more.
I've recently realized that I made a MAJOR mistake with my turbo kit and I'm spending $2k to remedy it because not only do I track the car frequently, but apparently I drive at a different level than the average consumer out there based upon my problems with turbo fasteners. I don't think people realize the demands we put on our cars mechanically. Look at endurance racing from big money teams...we want Audi's racetrack reliability in a $5k kit and I bet you expect to get more than 12-track events out of your car (24-hours of seat time). You're going to have to pay a bit to get there but you get it in TDR's kit...I've had to do a lot more to get my turbo car there...hopefully I've made it.
TXMC: Drinkin, shootin, racin!
Let me rephase my earlier statement. Most MIATAs with BIG horsepower that are tracked frequently and hard, overheat. I guess I will wait to see a TDR package that will be driven as hard as I drive and as often. I have yet to see a turbo charged unit on the track driven out here not overheat. Maybe Verges' car? I will need to check with him...
Now to google or Bing 'Bernoulli's Principle'.
What were your times at the track that weekend? I am curious. I drive an instructor friends miata with 225 hp at the rear wheel. I have followed street driven GT3s with established drivers and the car overheated. It is a FM 2 turbo kit, with all the goodies to cool it off, largest radiator, Spaal fans, ducting like no tomorrow, etc. It also depends on the ambient temps. Anything below about 80*, it takes until the afternoon to overheat. Then there is the reliability. I do not want issues like you stated you had with your car...
My reliability problems are minor and soon to be remedied (no more turbo bolts). I twas 90* and I only had to turn the fans on after a few laps in the afternoon, none in the morning even with the stock hood and broken ducting.
I don't know what lap times I was running. I was really slow on the 2nd session with 1:30's but got much, much faster at the end of the day when I finally learned to drive the car. I plan on running at Hallett soon though and of course I'll get times there. I've followed Schumacher's FXX without overheating on several occasions.
Does this car you've borrowed have ducting on the front of the radiator and coolant reroute?
TXMC: Drinkin, shootin, racin!
1:30's. That helps me out. I am at least five seconds faster in a spec miata.. The borrowed car has ducting on radiator and doesn't have a coolant reroute. I have read that on many posts and thought about it, but they too are still having overheating problems. At least the posts that have been posted.
I don't think that was a clean lap either...it all came together and I pulled my head out. I ran 1:31's in this car with the 94whp motor and crummy suspension so there is a lot more to go in terms of driver.
Its pretty cool that you're within .5 seconds of the lap record set by the mx-5 cup champ in a $35k SM.
What car did you drive on the TDR track event? Did you run the advanced group in the last session?
yeah, I don't even get excited passing GT3's anymore, I only do "HPDE's" with retired F1 drivers now because I'm that bad ass.
TXMC: Drinkin, shootin, racin!
Actually I never said I was within .5 seconds of the lap record..... You stated you were in the 1:30s. My best time was a high 1:25 with most between 1:26.2 and 1:26.7. I love your sarcasm. It will keep you young. I drove the shine black Spec Miata with yellow roll cage and numbers.
so lets see...1:35 (generosity) - :05 = 1.25.5....that's .7-tenths out from the SM lap record.
So that's 5-seconds give or take 60%?
Do you realize that street-legal gt3rs are turning sub 1:20's? Not the racecar, the street car.
I can't help myself, I love internet lap time conversations. They always abound with facts and sad faces.
Oh and basing any #'s off someone's first day in a car with 3x the power, new suspension, brakes and everything else is pretty useless.
Last edited by SirHustlerEsq; 06-15-2009 at 02:48 PM.
TXMC: Drinkin, shootin, racin!
Let me help you with your math. Ok, Bueller, let's see...1:35 minus :05 (5 seconds) would be, about, oh let me see, 1:30.xx. Just in case you needed help.
You are totally missing my whole point. I am concerned about adding forced induction to my car and it overheating at the level of driving I am accustomed. You were ONLY driving in the 1:30s (did not state 1:30 or 1:31, or 1:32, etc.) by your own posting. I generously gave you the 1:30.xx to make my point. You then state the time you timed yourself was 1:31.xx . To me that is not where I would be driving my car. Another point, speaking of driving behind street driven GT3s, I was in my buddy's Turbo Miata. Don't be a douche bag. YOUR posts infer you are some driving god. I am not. I learn something everyday I get out on the track. My main point is, if am driving my SM in the 1:26s and I add FI, I should be well below that. Hence I would be driving well below YOUR times and would the car overheat?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!? And this track record, I have seen times at 1:24.475 in an SM and have been told someone even got into the 1:23s. Wouldn't it make sense that if I add forced induction to my car, I would probably be faster than my 1:26s? So do you have a constructive answer on the overheating issue or as you state, 'you love internet lap times'? I love the excuses of trying to shake your car out after you seemingly missed my point after you gave your two cents on overheating!!!!! I would guess you did not drive car as hard as I would have then!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!