Supercharged MX5 whats the performance like
Discussion
Considering getting a MK1 just wondering what the supercharging options are like??
Just looking for some facts and figures - how much does it cost to do, whats the output, is it drivable, is turbocharging a better option, is it reliable enough to use every day, 0-60, etc....
All thoughts welcome.
Just looking for some facts and figures - how much does it cost to do, whats the output, is it drivable, is turbocharging a better option, is it reliable enough to use every day, 0-60, etc....
All thoughts welcome.
They're quick, fun and reliable.
Price depends but I think they're about £2k plus fitting. Wife loves hers. We fitted ours at 60k miles, now at over 140k miles. No problems at all, daily driver.
Actually, the belt just came off and I need to get a new one, but the wife has been driving it around without for a few weeks. Just lose the charger and PAS.
Turbo vs Super.... I'm sure loads of people will be on here to give their opinions, but if you want max power I guess turbo. For immediate increase without any fear of turbo lag (I KNOW.... properly fettled and set up that can be reduced/removed) supercharger is your Huckleberry.
IMHO.
Price depends but I think they're about £2k plus fitting. Wife loves hers. We fitted ours at 60k miles, now at over 140k miles. No problems at all, daily driver.
Actually, the belt just came off and I need to get a new one, but the wife has been driving it around without for a few weeks. Just lose the charger and PAS.
Turbo vs Super.... I'm sure loads of people will be on here to give their opinions, but if you want max power I guess turbo. For immediate increase without any fear of turbo lag (I KNOW.... properly fettled and set up that can be reduced/removed) supercharger is your Huckleberry.
IMHO.
but on the 1.8 is fine. If you've got a 1.6 then turbo(s) are apparently the best way to go.I was looking at the SC option for my 1.6 Mk2.5, but was wondering about the possible power gain from this.
Will I be wiser selling the car and getting a decent 1.8 Mk1 and then going down the SC route?
I do prefer the styling of the Mk1 but wasn't really a fan of the MX-5 till I had this one (sort of an impulse buy really).
Oh decisions decisions.
Will I be wiser selling the car and getting a decent 1.8 Mk1 and then going down the SC route?
I do prefer the styling of the Mk1 but wasn't really a fan of the MX-5 till I had this one (sort of an impulse buy really).
Oh decisions decisions.
Scottydon said:
I was looking at the SC option for my 1.6 Mk2.5, but was wondering about the possible power gain from this.
Will I be wiser selling the car and getting a decent 1.8 Mk1 and then going down the SC route?
I do prefer the styling of the Mk1 but wasn't really a fan of the MX-5 till I had this one (sort of an impulse buy really).
Oh decisions decisions.
Sorry. My post was misleading. Will I be wiser selling the car and getting a decent 1.8 Mk1 and then going down the SC route?
I do prefer the styling of the Mk1 but wasn't really a fan of the MX-5 till I had this one (sort of an impulse buy really).
Oh decisions decisions.
I've been told the SC option on the 1.6 MkI is not the best solution and that using a turbo is better. I can't comment on MkII MkII.5 or MkIII. However having neither on my car I'm not in the best position to comment. I'm only repeating what I've been told. There are others, MX5 Lazza for one who have gone down the route of forced induction and they can probably help you better than I can.
I can say that I've been given a ride in a turbo'd 1.8 MkI which was quite frankly a frightening experience. It got to crazy speeds, 1.4 or so leptons faster than I thought would be possible.
Nutz Speed & Power Leaderboard
Bear in mind that some try harder/are more competent than others on the strip so take the 1/4 time as a rough figure and take more notice of the trap speed. My fastest run was actually just a smidge over 100mph but wasn't my quickest time due to cocked up gear-changes.
You'll also see on there that the most powerful supercharged 1.6 has 213bhp which is plenty in a 1.6 Mk1! (though I'm sure it will have taken a lot of time & money to get it there).
Don't bother with 0-60 times. Nobody gets close to manufacturers figures as that would take a complete lack of mechanical sympathy and s
t-hot tyres on a drag-strip surface.
Bear in mind that some try harder/are more competent than others on the strip so take the 1/4 time as a rough figure and take more notice of the trap speed. My fastest run was actually just a smidge over 100mph but wasn't my quickest time due to cocked up gear-changes.
You'll also see on there that the most powerful supercharged 1.6 has 213bhp which is plenty in a 1.6 Mk1! (though I'm sure it will have taken a lot of time & money to get it there).
Don't bother with 0-60 times. Nobody gets close to manufacturers figures as that would take a complete lack of mechanical sympathy and s
t-hot tyres on a drag-strip surface.Snoggledog said:
I've been told the SC option on the 1.6 MkI is not the best solution and that using a turbo is better.
Depends on your goals. If you want ultimate power then a turbo is always the way to go regardless of the engine. If you want 180bhp or so then there is little to choose between turbo & supercharging in price and performance.MX-5 Lazza said:
Snoggledog said:
I've been told the SC option on the 1.6 MkI is not the best solution and that using a turbo is better.
Depends on your goals. If you want ultimate power then a turbo is always the way to go regardless of the engine. If you want 180bhp or so then there is little to choose between turbo & supercharging in price and performance.
[Holds up hands]. I'm only passing on what I've been told by P5. Personal perference is for SC or even NA rather than turbo but having been in Steves car I can say that a turbo gave the car a certain kick which could only be described as Ferrari slaying.[/Takes down hands]
eta... From recollection he took it to Vixpys for a dyno and it was pushing out something like 350 bhp.
Edited by Snoggledog on Monday 18th August 17:15
hornetrider said:
Guys - what does it do to the performance figures? How does, say, going from 130 odd to 180 odd brake increase performance?
I'm thinking 0-60 or quarter mile as benchmarks, although qualitative in gear tales would be good as well
Mine was probably around the 180BHP mark.I'm thinking 0-60 or quarter mile as benchmarks, although qualitative in gear tales would be good as well
No idea what the 0-60 or quarter mile times were improved by (didn't really care)
Just made a great handling car as much fun on the straights(well nearly), as it was around the bends.
Made overtaking a lot easier too
Only got rid of it a few months ago, after seven years of ownership.Really miss it now
I'd love to try one with another 60 or so BHP
IMO if I had a 1.6 (which I do I would go down the turbo route).
I have the latest version of the fm2 kit and pulls in all gears. can almost drive it like a auto in 5th all the time.
turbo lag is not noticed. However on the previous kit on the car you had to wind it up to get the power going.
If I had a 1.8 I would go for a supercharger as there seems to be some good supercharger options capable of making some good power.
Its horses for courses really and what you personally would like. As long as you are happy that is all that will matter.
I have the latest version of the fm2 kit and pulls in all gears. can almost drive it like a auto in 5th all the time.
turbo lag is not noticed. However on the previous kit on the car you had to wind it up to get the power going.
If I had a 1.8 I would go for a supercharger as there seems to be some good supercharger options capable of making some good power.
Its horses for courses really and what you personally would like. As long as you are happy that is all that will matter.
Turbo, Supercharge, personnal preference.
Myself I still can't decide what i'd go for if I wanted 180bhp, such a close run thing, cold side charger or small turbo??? You can think about the pros and cons for days then at the last minute change your mind.
Big power = Turbo, so much easier cooler intake temps etc
I've just gone to town on weight loss with my car making it track dedicated, still road legal. Got it under 1000Kg now. It's been dyno'd running 12psi and it made 250bhp/220lbs, last trackday the car had 95 ron petrol in it so I ran my low boost setting 8psi, I'd estimate that as 220bhp. At that boost level I was comfortably out dragging various Elise. To be honest 12psi is brutal, I didn't need anymore power than 8psi provided for the smallish circuit I was on.
Myself I still can't decide what i'd go for if I wanted 180bhp, such a close run thing, cold side charger or small turbo??? You can think about the pros and cons for days then at the last minute change your mind.
Big power = Turbo, so much easier cooler intake temps etc
I've just gone to town on weight loss with my car making it track dedicated, still road legal. Got it under 1000Kg now. It's been dyno'd running 12psi and it made 250bhp/220lbs, last trackday the car had 95 ron petrol in it so I ran my low boost setting 8psi, I'd estimate that as 220bhp. At that boost level I was comfortably out dragging various Elise. To be honest 12psi is brutal, I didn't need anymore power than 8psi provided for the smallish circuit I was on.
Personally, I don't see any market for cold-side chargers now. The dual throttle mod from P5 has made them pretty much redundant. The big advantage of the cold-side was always the throttle-response and idle quality but a dual-throttle hot-side is just as good and without the convoluted drive belt of the cold-side.
My MP62 is currently around 9psi and hits 230bhp or so so a guess of 220bhp from an 8psi FM2 is probably not far out.
Anyway, I don't think there is an all encompassing answer to the turbo or super charger question. It's very much a personal choice and depends very much on what your end goals are.
My MP62 is currently around 9psi and hits 230bhp or so so a guess of 220bhp from an 8psi FM2 is probably not far out.
Anyway, I don't think there is an all encompassing answer to the turbo or super charger question. It's very much a personal choice and depends very much on what your end goals are.
Lazza, dont forget the other BIG advantage of the Coldside!
Big clue in the name!
You will get reduced intake temps with a coldside instead of the normal hotside M45, due to it not sitting on top of exhaust manifold. Thus helping slightly with BHP output and tuning for those hot summer days.
Thats of course without a FMIC, and you cant fit one of those on a Coldside!
But yes the dual TB has helped.
On another note.
If you want to get a supercharger fitted and also looking for one.
My mate Mark will supply and fit a M45 to a mk1 1.6 or 1.8 if he has stock for under £1500 with timing and fueling adjustment.
Email me if you want more info.
Big clue in the name!
You will get reduced intake temps with a coldside instead of the normal hotside M45, due to it not sitting on top of exhaust manifold. Thus helping slightly with BHP output and tuning for those hot summer days.
Thats of course without a FMIC, and you cant fit one of those on a Coldside!
But yes the dual TB has helped.
On another note.
If you want to get a supercharger fitted and also looking for one.
My mate Mark will supply and fit a M45 to a mk1 1.6 or 1.8 if he has stock for under £1500 with timing and fueling adjustment.
Email me if you want more info.
it depends on your budget/preferences. personally i have never been in a SC car so can't really comment on them, but i love my TC car (243hp 208lbft at last dyno - but a lot more torque now 
)
i will simply regurgitate the usual advice given out and say that you need to get rides in both and decide whether for a given price point you want max power or linear power. Personally i adore the feeling of the turbo filling it's lungs.
Greg
)i will simply regurgitate the usual advice given out and say that you need to get rides in both and decide whether for a given price point you want max power or linear power. Personally i adore the feeling of the turbo filling it's lungs.
Greg
MX-5 Lazza said:
Greg_D said:
personally i have never been in a SC car so can't really comment on them
We can easily sort that! Next time we're together at a track or show somewhere, give me a shout and I'll educate you Greg
Greg_D said:
MX-5 Lazza said:
Greg_D said:
personally i have never been in a SC car so can't really comment on them
We can easily sort that! Next time we're together at a track or show somewhere, give me a shout and I'll educate you Greg
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