Anyone got suggestions on which supercharger I should place on my '02 Miata? Mine is the LS model with 26,000 miles. It is stock with no modifications. The Jackson seems price competitive, but I am open to suggestions. Thanks. Ron
I would just mention that it depends hugely on your goal for the car. The JRSC reportedly adds a nice extra punch (some say exactly what the car should have originally) but some of the newer / more radical setups push allot of HP. If you're planning on keeping the other systems stock (brakes, suspension, tires) I think I'd rule out the big HP setups. TONS of discussion is no doubt available for review on miata.net but keep in mind big increases generally require upgrades on ECU, fuel injectors, exhaust, possibly even brakes and cooling system. The beauty is everything is available from minor to radical, just keep in mind that the more radical, generally (I said generally) the less likely to be reliable or at least, the more likely to require continued tweaking / modifying of the systems that were designed to work with the stock setup.
Honestly (and I obviously know nothing of how much you are into this car and driving in general) I'd spend some time at a performance driving school or in the passenger seat with an excellent driver in a stock miata at an autocross to make sure that you're getting all that you can get out of your car before you decide for sure that you want to upgrade. These cars are so bulletproof in normally aspirated form, I like to stay with it if possible. If you're looking strictly for straight-line performance, disregard this paragraph.
Excellent advice. It is also easy to really take it far in cost, my engine/turbo/exhaust/computer combination cost more than double the blue book value of the car. This can be a big factor regarding insurance and replacement costs if the car gets stolen or destroyed.
Really what I'm looking for is a boost in performance. Something with an extra punch, comparable to the '06 model which I understand is rated at around 170 HP. No plans to race my car. Ron
Remember, 170-hp in an NA is different than the NC. -- Make sure
*all* of your variables are quantified in relation to each other. ie: if you have 170rwhp on otherwise an stock NA against an otherwise stock NC, you will still have a power to weigt advantage in the NA.
Consider gearing, transmission type, fuel management, etc. they are two similar, but different animals.
That said, look into a freer flowing intake and exhaust, minor head work and some suspension work and you will most likely have more car on your hands than you will need. (Until you do decide you want to go racing...)
Advertised hp can't be compared to rwhp. A standard 5-psi JRSC in an NA should result in about 125-140 rwhp, depending on the year of the car. A stock NC has about 145 rwhp. Also keep in mind that the NC's torque curve is quite a bit different from the NA's. I would expect a stock NC to have more pull off the line than the supercharged NA.
Past 5 psi, things get expensive in a hurry, starting with the need for an intercooler, an aftermarket ECU or other timing/fuel control, and the stronger clutch required to handle more torque. But there are certainly several hundred hp waiting to be had.
I have a JR supercharged 96 (6psi) as well as a 2006. Though I am faster in the 2006, the power of the two is comparable. Like Lanny says, the
2006 is quicker to pick up but the JR seems to have a faster peak. (I did not actually measure the differences.)
Note however, that my 96 also has an aftermarket ECU and a high-flow exhaust, and it is a bit more white. If you are looking for oomph like the 2006 for low rpm city driving, a plain JR is not going to give it to you. A cold side 8psi supercharger setup might do it, I guess, but they are considerably more pricey and more recent.
I love the supercharger whine when I kick it, though. When is Mazda going to put out a supercharged version? :)
wouldn't that be a nice Mazdaspeed version! Come on, they have to do it, GM has already readied their guns for the big blast with the Solstice / Sky.Come on Mazda, do something serious with the miata (MX-5) for the performance nuts!
I have a 2004 Mazdaspeed MX5. There's about a $2000 package for it at flyinmiata.com--cold-air intake, downpipe, exhaust and larger intercooler. It's supposed to be good for about 50 rear wheel HP, theoretically with no effect on reliability. That doesn't seem too bad to me, considering. But I wonder if a modified car would be worth even as much as an unmodified one. On the other hand, I love this car. If I keep it for a long time the resale is moot.
The other issue is that I still have nearly two years left on the factory warranty. I may take the plunge after that. I'd also throw in the O2 signal modifier and an A-pillar boost guage. But that would be it! ;-)
The really hard part of adding a blower is knowing when to stop. I have a '90 that I added a JR to when I bought it in '95. I thought it was all the power I would ever need!!!
When I open the hood in 2006, I notice a shiney aluminim radiator, a water to air intercooler, a bigger crank pulley, a JR header, cat back and dual exhaust. Along with the engine stuff, the suspension got upgraded and the brake rotors got bigger. I am pretty sure that the car has one of my credit cards and goes online to vendors when it gets bored.
I love the end result but it gets a bit hard to rationalize on a logical level. As others have mentioned, a well driven stock miata does not "need" any of the above to be a fun car. Like Leon, when the tach swings through 6 grand, the whine from the blower is worth the price of admission.
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