Progress spring and sways and gwr exhaust questions

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Brian
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Re: Progress spring and sways and gwr exhaust questions

Post by Brian »

Glad you like the setup.

The car SHOULD learn the new setup, the first factory sensor is a wideband. Many folks rush into the ECU reflash before the car has opportunity to learn the setup and not surprising it is those customers that report the biggest results from the tune. So indeed there is no reason to rush into the tune, let the car tune itself and drive and have fun. The tune can still add more later to the results, but not necessary up front to enjoy the new setup.
Brian Goodwin
Good-Win Racing
www.good-win-racing.com
jassi
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Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2015 5:57 pm

Re: Progress spring and sways and gwr exhaust questions

Post by jassi »

thanks Brian! Yes thats what the installer told me as well - the ECU learns based on the way you drive. Although most of my driving is sedate to work and back, fortunately I happened to do a motorkhana 2 days after the headers went and so lots of revving in the 1st gear, hope that's got the ECU a bit used to the opened up exhaust :D Hope it learns and changes as I drive more.
Will let it run as is and have fun then!
jassi
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Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2015 5:57 pm

Re: Progress spring and sways and gwr exhaust questions

Post by jassi »

Hey Brian - since I was in the U.S. last week and there was a group buy going on with dynotronics, I happened to jump in on the deal :D I know it's barely been few weeks since the full headers went in, however I wanted to make sure I've got the ecutek cable whilst in U.S. and the tune is a bonus.
Now before the tune goes in, I was wondering if there are any numbers I can generate to see the impact of the max power headers. Don't want to go on a real dyno, but if I used a standard reference point say virtual dyno or an obd Bluetooth app like torque would that give me realistic numbers before and after tune? I looked at your dyno threads ( http://www.mazdatalkforum.com/viewtopic ... &start=210 ) and can see stock mx5 nc2 is around 140whp and goes up to 163whp with ceramic max power/catted mid/super-q but couldn't find a reference for numbers/dyno for how much more torque/hp with tune/no-tune. Something like stock is 140whp, headers brings it to 163whp and tune makes it 170whp, etc.?
Brian
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Re: Progress spring and sways and gwr exhaust questions

Post by Brian »

Sorry, far too many variables to make comparisons except by doing it right: YOUR car on the SAME dyno before and after. What my car did stock on one dyno would be different on another dyno at different altitude and under different conditions. It's a great tool for checking before and after...and lots of fun. So, I would check into local dyno near you and use the same one before and after. IMPORTANT to try to duplicate conditions as best you can (same dyno and same time of day if you can to get as similar humidity and temp and baro pressure as you can, etc).
Brian Goodwin
Good-Win Racing
www.good-win-racing.com
jassi
Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2015 5:57 pm

Re: Progress spring and sways and gwr exhaust questions

Post by jassi »

thanks Brian - makes sense! Although I can try apps like virtual dyno and torque, I will check with the local dyno on possibilities as well :)
jassi
Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2015 5:57 pm

Re: Progress spring and sways and gwr exhaust questions

Post by jassi »

Hey Brian - while going through my ecutek tune, we came across some crazy amount of knock on the stock file with the base advance, so we are trying to figure out if any underlying issues in setup. Over the last few iterations, we got the KR under control, however there is still something weird going on with the load graphs. i was told the crazy knock on stock file may sometimes hint an exhaust problem, especially on older exhausts where the cat is dying. However given my full gwr exhaust (ceramix max power + catted midpipe + superq) was just put in 6 weeks back and has hardly run 2000kms, can you think of any reasons it wouldn't be as free flowing as it should be? Perhaps an install issue? - I could go back to the installer but unsure what to tell him to look for as he was quite thorough during install and had even checked leaks post install (using a pipe to his ear) and everything was good.
Looking forward to your thoughts and guidance :?
Brian
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Re: Progress spring and sways and gwr exhaust questions

Post by Brian »

My first guess is mechanical noise, false knock, fooling the sensor. Most common source is the heat shield around the first O2 sensor is loose. This is a very small round dish shape heat shield smaller than your fist and if free to move it can rattle like crazy and the knock sensor will pick that up. Your installer should grab it and see if it can move at all. If that does not move then start checking for other things that are loose.
Brian Goodwin
Good-Win Racing
www.good-win-racing.com
jassi
Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2015 5:57 pm

Re: Progress spring and sways and gwr exhaust questions

Post by jassi »

That's s good point. I do sometimes hear a faint creaking when driving and the other day I tried to move the muffler n it was creaky. Perhaps related, either ways I'll get the installer to check for any loose bits Including the first O2 sensor shield. Thanks for the input Brian :)
Brian
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Re: Progress spring and sways and gwr exhaust questions

Post by Brian »

If you yank on the exhaust system and get any tin metal sounds chase that down and solve it because that would be enough mechanical noise to confuse the knock sensor. Same with braces on the car, etc. We had one customer with exhaust banging on brace and solution was to make midpipe shorter at the slip joint...which raises it up. Had another customer with similar issue but midpipe was banging the differential, and answer was to adjust clocking position of the midpipe at the slip joint. Had another customer with header banging bracket at the transmission and solution was just removing that bracket.
Brian Goodwin
Good-Win Racing
www.good-win-racing.com
jassi
Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2015 5:57 pm

Re: Progress spring and sways and gwr exhaust questions

Post by jassi »

Hey Brian,
Thanks for all the guidance so far. My 2011 Mx5 now has your headers, mid pipe & super q exhaust, ohlins as well as ecutek. I'm travelling to US (San Francisco) from 25thFeb to 1st Mar & was wondering what would be a good upgrade I could pick this trip. I was considering a shocktower brace which sits around the ohlins adjusters, however my current brace has already been cut out to accommodate ohlins, so not sure if its a worthy upgrade. I am guessing the full underbody bracing kit is too huge to carry back & best bought locally here in Australia! Looking forward to your ideas :)
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