PROJECT ND: Parts Development, Testing, Measurements, DYNO

[Sean @ GWR]

From the SEMA floor, Edelbrock supercharger kit for the 2016 MX5! OEM-level quality. CARB legal! Uses a Gen VI Eaton TVS 900 supercharger with integrated water-air intercooler and includes an ECUtek tuning kit.

[Brian]

Another shot...

2017 Update....First Picture Installed.

[Brian]

New CSF TRIPLE PASS Radiator will pair well with the supercharger kits above.

[Sean @ GWR]

Our friends at Grassroots Motorsports have been busy having FUN with our RoadsterSport exhaust and Progress Sway bars on their 2016 MX-5 project car!

[Brian]

Our Nd at Super Lap Battle with our Ryan Passey at the wheel.

[Ryan @ GWR]

Recap of racing our ND at Superlap Battle is up AT THIS LINK

[Brian]

KOYO Radiator for ND test fit, perfect fit.

Big thickness difference, ready for boost!

Getting ready for new projects ahead!

[Brian]

Quick 24 hours of testing of original version of longtube header against revised version. No product is static here, we are constantly looking for improvements. Revised version of header has little changes that start in the first inch with one step bigger primary and continue through upgrades at every connection point and complete with upgraded resonator and upgraded final flange. Most of those upgrades are designed for better sound control, better guarantee of sealing against sound leaks, but the bump in starting primary size is designed to get a little brighter top end. What we did not expect is the bump in primary designed to help the top end also gave a bit more low end. The ND here belongs to Customer Jeff Cawthorne. Jeff reported that when his car first got original longtube and was tuned the results were very strong....but got weaker over time. We have heard similar from other customers and seen similar on our own ND, one thing we suspect is ECU is dumbing down the tune over time in the same manner that has been well documented in the magazines with the BRZ, see MotoIQ article at THIS LINK:

http://www.motoiq.com/MagazineArticles/ ... tions.aspx

Anyway, this test is with SuperQ muffler at the back, if working on peak hp today we would bump the tune back up to whatever the car can take for timing with current 91 octane in the tank (or run better octane fuel), and use one of our straight pipe design mufflers and all that would easily bump these results above 170HP in our experience. Not interested in any of that today because just testing and backing up our results done on our ND comparing original and revised longtube wherein we got 5 more hp with revised version over original version of longtube. With that goal in mind we changed just ONE THING, the header. Got lots of guys at Miata.net without the slightest clue how to properly test on ND, with a hundred variables between each of their tests they do not actually have 'results', they have junk science. In contrast, we made sure our other variables are held in place to the extent possible. What do I mean by that? We know the ND ECU is very smart, learns fast, changes code quick, literally adapts to EVERY new tank of fuel because it must react that fast for a 13 to 1 super high compression motor to survive in a world where every tank of 93 octane is actually different than your last tank of 93 octane because percentages of additives including alcohol can legally vary a lot from batch to batch. In fact, even if you datalog and do not see the ECU pull timing you can still get a wide variation in results on ND with just changes in fuel because this motor's efficiency is very tied to fuel used. Thus, we have found that the best ND tests are done on same tank of fuel and same weather conditions to the extent possible so that variables are kept to absolute minimum.

What you see here is two tightly grouped runs from Thursday last week at 7am We then swapped from original version to revised version with larger primary and tested again Friday morning at 7am, exact same temp in the dyno room both mornings, same clear skies, pressure, etc. Thus, to extent possible, just ONE THING CHANGED HERE. Results up about 5 hp at the top end, with no updates to tune and same tank of 91 octane for both tests, more restrictive muffler at the rear. Gains at bottom end actually even better.

His car then tested again with revised header and 400 CPI cat vs 200 CPI cat, and choice of cat made no difference on his car, same best peak number, and he didn't like louder sound with 200 CPI cat so he will be running the 400 CPI cat or an even bigger 200 CPI that I will be loaning him. As noted, more restrictive SuperQ at the back and he hopes that either bigger 200 CPI cat or 400 CPI cat will allow him to run our Race muffler again with local sound limits. I think he will end up with 400 CPI cat to meet his sound goals but he believes in continual testing, so do I. As always, testing never ends....and there will be more to come.

[Brian]

Customer asked me today about Shiv's claims of 176 hp posted at Miata.net and the constant dust up over there about trying to compare results. Having suffered myself with so much forum grief at Miata.net about massive range in customer results among our longtube owners it will likely not be me to jump into Shiv's threads and point out that all his customers in the real world seem to be limited to 150 to 158hp on same Dynojet brand of dyno that he is using. Nonetheless, odd to me that customers like Tommy Reynolds hammer on us over there while giving Shiv a free pass on his results despite fact that Shiv OWNS THE ONLY DYNO that is giving that 176 hp number. In contrast, we are not a Tuner, we do NOT own a Dyno, every result we post here is from an off site third part dyno where we deliver the car and stand back as a spectator. We do not run the dyno for any results posted here, we do not run the car on the dyno for any results posted here. In stark contrast, Shiv BOTH owns the dyno and runs the dyno... which is an obvious conflict of interest that makes his results entirely suspect even before we get to the fact that his customers seem to average 150 to 158hp on same brand of dyno.

Nonetheless, having said all that, I will add that there is this myth at Miata.net that Dynojet numbers can be compared from one Dynojet brand dyno location to another Dynojet location because 'all Dynojets read the same'. I recall hearing this myth back in the 90s...but first time I drove my first supercharged Miata from one Dynojet location to another Dynojet location the difference was 20hp between those two locations!! At that point the myth was busted for me. Mat of Orange Virus Tuning recently related a similar story in his posts at Miata.net of driving his ND from one Dynojet to another and his results were different by 10hp in the change from one dynojet location to another! Those who believe the myth are those who must not have done similar drives between several dynojet locations to learn the reality by first person experience. So, it is possible for me that Shiv's dynojet just reads a lot higher than most....and that means you cannot compare his results to anything. His baseline results are MUCH higher than from any other dyno, so indeed perhaps his dyno is just much less conservative than most. Likewise, from Mat's experience in getting 10 hp less on Emilio of 949 Racing's Dynojet as compared with Dynojet he visited the day before, I can similarly believe that Emilio's Dynojet reads a lot more conservatively. As always, a dyno is really just a tool for before/after testing on same car, making ONE change at time to figure out if it helps or hurts, and any attempts to compare to results of another car on another dyno introduces variables that are uncontrolled.

[ABQautoxer]

I only made 162whp on Shiv's OFH which is why I dumped it for the LTH, which made 159whp but more torque. You get hammered for the results and then treatment following said results.

I do agree Shiv's dynojet must read higher or something because I don't know anyone over 169whp on his even with the benefit of the doubt on any other brand dyno or a dynojet.