MX5 Turbo anyone got one ??

MX5 Turbo anyone got one ??

Author
Discussion

ilovevolvo

Original Poster:

1,832 posts

225 months

Sunday 1st April 2007
quotequote all
Hi all just wondering if anyone on PH has one ??

Russ

steve bowen

1,268 posts

225 months

Sunday 1st April 2007
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yep, its good.

pikeyboy

2,349 posts

215 months

Monday 2nd April 2007
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my mate had a 280 hp one with a garret t28 turbo and just over a bar of boost - very fast indeed but kpt eating diffs and gearboxes. My other friend has just bought a super charger, much more drivable conversion IMHO.

redgriff500

26,901 posts

264 months

Tuesday 3rd April 2007
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I've had a few...

But prefer SC'd.

phatmanace

670 posts

210 months

Monday 23rd April 2007
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I have just had my UK 1.6 turbo'd - only a small turbo - so running about 175 Bhp.

Transforms the car - it's now fantastic to drive - not subtle - but absolutly fab to drive

I also had the suspension changed for a Gaz unit - which tightens up the handling brilliantly!

let me know if you want more info.

t40ora

5,177 posts

220 months

Tuesday 24th April 2007
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redgriff500 said:


But prefer SC'd.


I've got a S/charged one. Just picked it up after a few weeks with a mate (Rich at Maztek) who was doing some work on it for me. Running 200+bhp on paper (don't like rolling roads).

I run a TVR Tamora which is obviously quicker, but I smiled all the way on my 200 mile journey from Telford yesterday. Still love it; very quick, no turbo lag, power doesn't kick in unexpectedly on bends/roundabouts/corners.

I'd recommend one anyday. Brilliant.

greg_D

6,542 posts

247 months

Wednesday 25th April 2007
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Yup,

mine should be running about 230-240 atw with the spec it is running, but i haven't had it rolling roaded so i am not certain.

it is thoroughly addictive, the suspension really needs doing now though (oh yeah, i have eaten both a gearbox and a diff so far, so the bills keep on coming) as you can feel the car going light on one wheel when you put the power on hard which in turn makes the car a little unstable on the corners.

great fun though and pretty nippy.

greg

steve bowen

1,268 posts

225 months

Wednesday 25th April 2007
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t40ora said:

I've got a S/charged one. power doesn't kick in unexpectedly on bends/roundabouts/corners.




God I hate it when people say things like this, its a prime one for the car Urban myths. A turbo will never "unexpectedly kick in on bends" its not some magic invisable button that you don't know you've pressed. If you mash the throttle mid bend then you'll find yourself possibly with more power than you want but thats the same with a super charger or any powerful car. Turbos don't just randomly spool, they require load and open throttle.

A friend had read this internet myth many times, so much so it was putting him off buying a factory mk2 mazdaspeed turbo "heard turbos can kicjk in mid bend etc etc". I gave him the keys to my turbo mk1 and let him take it for a spin, post test drive he said "what a load of bolloxs!" and put down a deposit on the mazdaspeed.



Edited by steve bowen on Wednesday 25th April 13:40

redgriff500

26,901 posts

264 months

Wednesday 25th April 2007
quotequote all
Turbos DO have non linear power though.

On an SC everytime in every condition you press the pedal you get the same linear power.

That is not the case with the turbo (several FM2's have been spun and damaged whilst accelerating) hence the turbo is more likely to catch the unwary.

Of course if you can't cope with a powerful car... perhaps you shouldn't drive one !

t40ora

5,177 posts

220 months

Wednesday 25th April 2007
quotequote all
redgriff500 said:
Turbos DO have non linear power though.

On an SC everytime in every condition you press the pedal you get the same linear power.

That is not the case with the turbo (several FM2's have been spun and damaged whilst accelerating) hence the turbo is more likely to catch the unwary.

Of course if you can't cope with a powerful car... perhaps you shouldn't drive one !

Yep, that's what I meant. OK, maybe not binary on/off situation but still as redgriff says not linear.

Horses for course; I prefer the S/C but maybe if I wanted to continually add power I'd opt for a turbo.

juzzyp

167 posts

229 months

Tuesday 1st May 2007
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I also have an MX5 Turbo and mine has been tuned specifically to deliver power with a linear response, I still get the slight kick.

Before you ask I didn't opt for the supercharger as it's not my cup of tea and I prefer the PTTSSCCHH over the whine!

If you respect any FI'd 5 they will give you lots of enjoyment and fun and having been in every other type of FI'd 5, passenger or otherwise, you can eek loads of fun in corners and on roundabouts (private sections of road of course) and not mash it.

I've even been in a 310bhp monster that was for sale here a while back and you could still have fun at 17-18psi without losing it.

Just keep an eye on the fuel gauge OUCH!!

NDT

1,753 posts

264 months

Thursday 3rd May 2007
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t40ora said:
redgriff500 said:


But prefer SC'd.


I've got a S/charged one. Just picked it up after a few weeks with a mate (Rich at Maztek) who was doing some work on it for me. Running 200+bhp on paper (don't like rolling roads).

I run a TVR Tamora which is obviously quicker, but I smiled all the way on my 200 mile journey from Telford yesterday. Still love it; very quick, no turbo lag, power doesn't kick in unexpectedly on bends/roundabouts/corners.

I'd recommend one anyday. Brilliant.

more fun than an Elise?

redgriff500

26,901 posts

264 months

Friday 4th May 2007
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I certainly think so.

You can play with the back at sensible speeds so much easier to recover.

Also its a convertible which makes me feels more 'exposed' to the environment, the Elise is a targa really.

Admittedly the Elise is faster on a track but feels slower on the road to me due to its low torque.

Wigeon Incognito

3,271 posts

219 months

Friday 4th May 2007
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redgriff500 said:
Also its a convertible which makes me feels more 'exposed' to the environment, the Elise is a targa really.


That is actually something I never get a true feeling of in the MX-5 compared to other convertibles. I think its because my head is so close to the top of the windscreen so I never feel truly exposed.

Unfortunately short arms dictate this!

redgriff500

26,901 posts

264 months

Friday 4th May 2007
quotequote all
If you have a Momo or Nardi wheel (both were std fit on some models) you can get extensions to move the wheel back (see Ebay etc)

Won't move it far, but may help

Wigeon Incognito

3,271 posts

219 months

Friday 4th May 2007
quotequote all
redgriff500 said:
If you have a Momo or Nardi wheel (both were std fit on some models) you can get extensions to move the wheel back (see Ebay etc)

Won't move it far, but may help


I've got a Momo but its an airbag one so I'm not sure I'd have much luck. A little movement would be great, my arms aren't mutant short just slightly short for my length of body.

greg_D

6,542 posts

247 months

Friday 4th May 2007
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Wigeon Incognito said:
my arms aren't mutant short just slightly short for my length of body.

wigeon yesterday

mevistox5

72 posts

222 months

Saturday 5th May 2007
quotequote all
redgriff500 said:
Turbos DO have non linear power though.

On an SC everytime in every condition you press the pedal you get the same linear power.

That is not the case with the turbo (several FM2's have been spun and damaged whilst accelerating) hence the turbo is more likely to catch the unwary.

Of course if you can't cope with a powerful car... perhaps you shouldn't drive one !


Have had both.

The SC is nice and linear, but kept eating belts, was producing much heat and stalled the car many tims on corner turn in (in whch case you all of a sudden loose power steering). The FM when properly tuned was about the same. Boost came on rather quickly, but not like a snap. I think the problem with spinning has more to do with the fact that the SC is only producing 0,5 non IC bar and the FM can run at 1.1 bar intercooled. Hence more power.

Nico

t40ora

5,177 posts

220 months

Saturday 5th May 2007
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My mate has a really sorted, and I mean really, Le Mans and it goes like stuff. It is pretty linear and the power band is now a lot wider than it was before.

How come your SC kept eating belts? I've done 80k miles since mine was bolted on and the belts have only been changed at service. And only one of them was even nibbled.

I drive hard, but no track days; maybe you drive harder than I do? Do many track days?


Edited by t40ora on Saturday 5th May 22:19

mevistox5

72 posts

222 months

Saturday 5th May 2007
quotequote all
The problem was getting a the pulleys properly aligned. The SC was such a tight fit and the bracket dor mouting the SC at the engine didn't allow enough backwards movement.

Your friend with the Lemans, is he an original owner? It's been a while for me to be moving around in this scene. The only names for me in relation with this car are Clive Southern and the Haslam (?) brothers......



Nico





Edited by mevistox5 on Saturday 5th May 19:13