s/c for trackday?
Discussion
I keep thinking about bolting a s/c onto my Mk1 1.6. I've heard there generally aren't any problems with a properly set up car but most of those I've read about are used mainly on the road - mine is purely a trackday toy. So, should I expect any reliability problems doing about 10-15 trackdays a year?
Does it really need it? A few years ago I took my car to Brands and, mostly because of the extra power, I overtook pretty much everything. However, there were 2 Max5 race cars there and they passed me pretty easily. They didn't pass me because the cars were quicker, they passed me because the cars were perfectly set up for track use and (more importantly) they were driven by very very good track drivers. That really did open my eyes to how good some people are at track driving and how s
t I am.
For a pure track car I'd suggest that track training would give you a bigger advantage than a supercharger unless you are already a very good track driver.
t I am.For a pure track car I'd suggest that track training would give you a bigger advantage than a supercharger unless you are already a very good track driver.
It depends who fits it and how you maintain it really.
Whilst I agree to a certain extent with Lazza and Paul the main reason the Max5 cars are quicker on trackdays (IME) is that they are driven like its a race and they don't care if they trade paint. I let one past me at Donnington, I was being reasonable with the slower traffic ahead and he was desperate to overtake losing front and rear end at various stages on the lap and TBH should have been black flagged.
Its due to 'race' drivers that I decided to build a dedicated track car so now I don't mind trading paint either.
Reduced weight, setup and driver counts for a lot too of course.
A Std 5 can be frustrating as the lack of outright power meaning you can get stuck behind cars on the corners - where you aren't supposed to overtake on most days and can't get past on the straights.
Whilst I agree to a certain extent with Lazza and Paul the main reason the Max5 cars are quicker on trackdays (IME) is that they are driven like its a race and they don't care if they trade paint. I let one past me at Donnington, I was being reasonable with the slower traffic ahead and he was desperate to overtake losing front and rear end at various stages on the lap and TBH should have been black flagged.
Its due to 'race' drivers that I decided to build a dedicated track car so now I don't mind trading paint either.
Reduced weight, setup and driver counts for a lot too of course.
A Std 5 can be frustrating as the lack of outright power meaning you can get stuck behind cars on the corners - where you aren't supposed to overtake on most days and can't get past on the straights.
OnlyMX5ives - can I ask what spec your trackday car is?
The reason for possibly going s/c is not "to get a faster laptime" as such, but not to be continually having to let much quicker cars past lap after lap. In terms of tuition, I have had lots and still do now and it wouldn't be the first time I've hired an ex-MX5 racer for an entire day. I don't consider myself a track god by any distance, but I probably couldn't get the car around much quicker without getting to the ragged edge, as per Only's comment above.
So anyway, can they take the abuse or not, assuming set up and mainteined properly?
The reason for possibly going s/c is not "to get a faster laptime" as such, but not to be continually having to let much quicker cars past lap after lap. In terms of tuition, I have had lots and still do now and it wouldn't be the first time I've hired an ex-MX5 racer for an entire day. I don't consider myself a track god by any distance, but I probably couldn't get the car around much quicker without getting to the ragged edge, as per Only's comment above.
So anyway, can they take the abuse or not, assuming set up and mainteined properly?
If you go for a simple SC install and use a proper fuelling/timing solution such as an emanage keeping the timing fairly safe rather than going for every bhp then there is no reason why it wouldn't be 100% reliable and wouldn't require any engine work whatsoever. Of course the more power you add the more you have to take possible reliability issues into account and the more you have to spend to keep it safe. A 1.8 with an M45 SC at around 170-180bhp (or a 1.6 with a little less power) with an emanage and no other tweaks should be a very good and reliable track car.
MX-5 Lazza said:
If you go for a simple SC install and use a proper fuelling/timing solution such as an emanage keeping the timing fairly safe rather than going for every bhp then there is no reason why it wouldn't be 100% reliable and wouldn't require any engine work whatsoever. Of course the more power you add the more you have to take possible reliability issues into account and the more you have to spend to keep it safe. A 1.8 with an M45 SC at around 170-180bhp (or a 1.6 with a little less power) with an emanage and no other tweaks should be a very good and reliable track car.
Cheers 
worldwidewebs said:
OnlyMX5ives - can I ask what spec your trackday car is?
So anyway, can they take the abuse or not, assuming set up and mainteined properly?
Well mine is an FM2 turbo but only because I was offered a cheap tatty, high mileage one which a mate then managed to reverse into the rear 1/4 panel of so I thought I may as well make the most of it.So anyway, can they take the abuse or not, assuming set up and mainteined properly?
My road car is SC and my last road / track car was SC.
The cooling can be borderline on a hot day so a rad upgrade is worthwhile as are pads etc but they really are very easy / cheap to work on / upgrade.
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