New owner - past lurker - a couple of questions

There never was on NA and NB models.

Just curious: what makes you think there is one?

I don't believe there is a "speed limiter", but there may be a computer-controlled rev-limiter. The rev-limiter can certainly help if you miss a shift, but a speed-limiter?? Unless you are using it on a track, the speed-limiter should be the common sense of the driver and the tenacity of the police.

Speed on the 2006 is limited electronically to 130 mph; perhaps to to the 7,000 rpm rev limit? I agree with Dana, why would you want to defeat the limiter? That would be irresponsible on the street.

George, If you're thinking of defeating a rev-limiter, that would be even more irresponsible for hopefully obvious reasons.

You seem to have made a fair and accurate assessment of the vehicles that you were considering, I'm happy that the MX-5 came up on the top of the heap for you. I have this big fear that since too many players have now come into this market, they could end up killing each other off a la 93 - 94 when Mazda, Nissan, Mitsubishi (and Dodge, kinda) all decided to make their 'sports cars' serious again. I know that they got quite expensive at the same time and that was a part of the demise but they all ended up dieing out for some time. I'd love to know what Mazda feels is 'sufficient sales #'s' to keep the MX-5 around. I don't feel it's in jeopardy in the next year or two but let's face it there are too many players in the game. If history is any indication (and I believe it is), GM won't last in this fray however, at the moment they seem quite committed at least for the short run. Mazda, on the other hand, would probably keep the MX-5 around even at very low sales rates as it's a staple of what reputation it does enjoy, which I believe is considerably weaker than they deserve.

Sorry to ramble, Chris

99BBB

If it is at 130 that would probably be fine. If it's at 110 why did they bother selling me speed rated tires? I have a Grand Am GT that came from the factory with V rated tires. The limiter is (was) at 105 mph. The engine would shut down shortly after shifting from third to fourth gear with a five speed manual transmission.

Okay so it's irresponsible to not limit top speed in the U.S. but it is okay in the rest of the world because they drive more responsibly? Obviously you've never driven in Europe or Australia. I think it's more a culture of being a bunch of butinskies (not sure if this is a real word), if you ask me.

On a lonesome deserted highway, east of Omaha (apologies to Bob Seiger), my speed is a concern of me, the local constable and possibly god. The federal government in Washington D.C.? They've got enough problems to worry about.

You should worry about something else besides my speed too.

If it is a tach limiter at least it makes sense. Unlike the 105 limiter on my GA GT.

Jim

"George Jetson" wrote in news:e4qt6j$ugp$ snipped-for-privacy@news.netins.net:

I like the system that was and may still be used in Oklahoma, they posted the fines for various speeds over the limit and then asked, "how fast can you afford to go?"

I don't know how Mazda does it? On some cars and motorcycles it's done by retarding the timing as engine RPM reaches the unsafe point.

Another reason to leave the limiter alone, changing it will certainly void your warranty if the car is still under warranty.

Like I said, the limiter should be the common sense of the driver and the tenacity of the police. That's why driving in the US is a privilege and not a right. If you want to buy your own road and close it to traffic, feel free to go faster than 130 in a US Miata (obviously designed for sustained speeds that are much lower). Otherwise, please let us know when you are going out on the street.

Boreal

As I said, "do you know how to remove the speed limiter".

Your reply should have been, obviously, "No". Or no reply at all would have been appropriate.

Please find another thread for your soapbox.

Jim

The only evidence that there is a speed limiter is a vague statement from a clueless salesperson. I think I'd try to confirm that there is one before I started worrying about how to disable it.

You stood up on the soapbox when you called some of us buttinskis. I only said that common sense should guide you, not the speed limiter. Are you so bored that you feel compelled to start arguments with people that are trying to help you?? I tried to help you by stating that I was only aware of a rev-limiter, not a speed limiter. No, I don't know how to bypass the speed limiter, if it even exists. When you find out how to do it, please let us know. I'm sure many of us would like to see how fast the Miata can go before it blows up.

Boreal

Japanese domestic NA and NB Roadsters were electronically limited to (IIRC) 110 mph, via a clearly-labeled jumper wire on the tach circuit board, commonly removed when used Roadsters were sold in Australia. U.S. versions of the NA and NB were not limited, though getting north of 110 takes a lot of road with a stock engine. However, the Road & Track road test of the NC says it's limited to 130 mph. If I were intent on removing the limit, I'd look first on that PCB for a jumper.

I doubt an unlimited stock NC could go much faster than 130 anyway; in any event, without tire and suspension upgrades it probably wouldn't be much fun.

Think I would agree. Would be close to top speed for a stock Miata anyway. IMHO a sports car with a top speed that low does not need to be limited. Other cars, like a V8 Station wagon with truck-like handling and a higher than safe top speed could maybe use it.

Gives the top speed of an NA 1.6 as 119Mph, an NB 1.8 as 123, so you would not be loosing much anyway.

I don't believe that the rev-limiter will help on missed shift like 5th to 2nd. It's designed to limit as you approach somewhere around

7000-7200.

Dana Rohleder wrote:

Yes, I think it is still a fuel cut-off. It is not some sort of clutch disconnect.

Leon

The government has laws affecting the range of fuel economies a manufacturer produces. Why not limit pickups and SUV's to speeds they have better mileage at? It's only for our own good.

In fact, they could limit them to not run on certain days, kind of like a watering ban. It would help uphold the economy laws. Needn't be the same days, just make it so it only runs on 5 days out of seven, you get to choose which five.

Oh heck, lets just legislate which cars people have to buy, and how much they have to pay for them. Maybe they can even keep GM in business that way.

miker

Well, for now it's a mute point. I'm not used to driving a car quite so small and low to the ground. The ground motion seems much faster when your butt is 6 inches off the ground. For now, my anal sphincter muscles began to weaken around 100, so I guess that's my limiter.

Anything over 130 and you most likely could smell me coming.

Jim

ODB 2 vehicles (which the NB was) use a fuel cut off, ignition cut off, or, for vehicles with electronically controlled throttles, a throttle override. You have to reprogram the EMC to override the limits, if any

Manufacturers may set the limiter to match the speed rating of the tires or to an agreed to maximum point, such as 150 mph for German cars. In the US this is done to fend off lawsuits. (if the tires were not safe at 190 mph why did you sell me a car that could go that fast?)

Certa>>

I can see you're a welcome addition to this ng.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no speed limiter. It's drag-limited (wind-resistance).

suspension.