Air intakes!

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

What've you all got? Any good ones? I do miss the sound of them.

[RotorNutFD3S]

GT2560R. Makes the coolest sounds evar! :lol:

[Doppelgänger]

Unfortunatly there isn't much available for n/a Miatas. IMO just sticking a filter on the end of the stock tube and removing/blocking off the resonator box will get you about the same effect. I did cut the stock elbow right before the MAS to help position the filter right behind the headlight though and couple that with the TSi, it made a noticable difference.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Yeah when I was having a rummage under the hood that's what I was thinking.

[RotorNutFD3S]

On a serious note, anything that is not quite as restrictive as OEM pipe and resonator setup would be an improvement. That flexy curve piece they use is not conductive for smooth flow at all.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

That's my thinking. On the 2.5RS I had people would always ***** about losing low end because you would sacrifice the air box just above the throttle body, well there isn't one on this car so all should be good.

[MeFryRice]

It's weird to see that any intake is better then OEM unlike the S2K.

I personally want the ARC and yes I now it's a lot of money but it's JDM! :D

[amaff]

It's weird to see that any intake is better then OEM unlike the S2K

Care to elaborate?

[Doppelgänger]

It's weird to see that any intake is better then OEM unlike the S2K.

I personally want the ARC and yes I now it's a lot of money but it's JDM! :D


Unfortunatly changing out the stock airbox on the Miata for anything else only makes for minimal gains. BP's and B6's just suck for n/a power. Unlike Honda intakes that make noticable gains when shanged out.

[MeFryRice]

With the S2K, majority of the intakes lose power unless you want to spend big bucks ($1k+) on a J's Racing, Gruppe-M, etc., otherwise your just buying it for the noise. (results have been dyno proven)

[RotorNutFD3S]

^Yup. Can't tell you how many S2000 owners I saw at Honda that were disgruntled after spending good money on AEM intakes and the like and not getting anything but noise for it.

[Doppelgänger]

^Yup. Can't tell you how many S2000 owners I saw at Honda that were disgruntled after spending good money on AEM intakes and the like and not getting anything but noise for it.

I guess with the b-series engines it's quite the opposite....

[RotorNutFD3S]

Yep. Those cars seem to have more low end power to be gained by a freer flowing intake. Honda pretty much covered the bases when tuning the intake on the S2000 to get the most out of it as possible for OEM standards.
Kinda like the new GT-Rs exhaust system. They say that there isn't an exhaust maker out there yet that can gain more that 1 hp from an exhaust kit.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

What do you think of just replacing the plastic gubbings with a simple metal pipe putting a cone filter where it already is? I can't see how it would be worse than stock considering the plastic is hardly smooth flowing. You can get the piping for the NB 1.8 intakes on ebay for ridiculously cheap, I'ld also need a maf adapter and a better quality filter but it would be alright wouldn't it?

[Doppelgänger]

Yours is a 1.8, right?

[amaff]

With the S2K, majority of the intakes lose power unless you want to spend big bucks ($1k+) on a J's Racing, Gruppe-M, etc., otherwise your just buying it for the noise. (results have been dyno proven)



^Yup. Can't tell you how many S2000 owners I saw at Honda that were disgruntled after spending good money on AEM intakes and the like and not getting anything but noise for it.


Kinda what I figured. It's such a high test engine from the factory that in N/A form seems to be pretty damn maxed out, it wouldn't make sense to leave a huge restriction in the intake. Also kinda the same as taking off the resonator chamber on an NA. -6 - 10 lb/ft fail

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Yours is a 1.8, right?


yup 96



With the S2K, majority of the intakes lose power unless you want to spend big bucks ($1k+) on a J's Racing, Gruppe-M, etc., otherwise your just buying it for the noise. (results have been dyno proven)



^Yup. Can't tell you how many S2000 owners I saw at Honda that were disgruntled after spending good money on AEM intakes and the like and not getting anything but noise for it.


Kinda what I figured. It's such a high test engine from the factory that in N/A form seems to be pretty damn maxed out, it wouldn't make sense to leave a huge restriction in the intake. Also kinda the same as taking off the resonator chamber on an NA. -6 - 10 lb/ft fail


resonator chamber?

[Doppelgänger]

Yeah, the resonator chamber/box is on the backside/under the crossover tube just to the right of the thermostat housing. It's kinda hidden under there.

[BFH miata]

I've played around with a lot of intakes. I liked the cowl intake idea that the randal intake had, but I didn't want to pay the $$$ for carbon fiber so I did a DIY version with wet/dry vac hose to the stock intake box:
http://www.bfhgarage.com/BFH-Images/miata/COWLINTAKE.jpg

When I had the megasquirt installed, I did a short intake (no MAF) in front of the radiator. I thought this set up made a performance difference that I could feel.
http://www.bfhgarage.com/BFH-Images/miata/coldair.jpg

The filter was right infront of the radiator:
http://www.bfhgarage.com/BFH-Images/miata/filter.jpg

When I had the turbo in the car, I had the filter mounted in the cowl.
http://www.bfhgarage.com/public/turbopics/turbo-filter.jpg

Now that I'm back to NA and I took out the MS, the filter is still mounted in the cowl, but it is feeding through a piece of PVC (temporary!) to the stock crossover pipe. If I stay NA, I'll replace this with a nicely bent piece of stainless.

[MeFryRice]

^^ With the filter being so far back (compared to most intakes being closer to the front bumper), do you not experience a lot of heat soak?

[amaff]

resonator chamber?


I don't believe this is an issue on the BP cars, but on the B6, significant losses have been recorded by removing the stock tubing b/w the VAM and the throttle.

[Doppelgänger]

resonator chamber?


I don't believe this is an issue on the BP cars, but on the B6, significant losses have been recorded by removing the stock tubing b/w the VAM and the throttle.


When i took mine off, i also moved the filter to get cooler air and bumped the timein, obviously i didn't feel any loss on the butt-dyno.

[rtrhead]

usually if there is there is a buffer between the engine and AF, there really no heatsoake issue . what type of filter are you using for that intake?

[redrumracer]

Unfortunatly there isn't much available for n/a Miatas. IMO just sticking a filter on the end of the stock tube and removing/blocking off the resonator box will get you about the same effect. I did cut the stock elbow right before the MAS to help position the filter right behind the headlight though and couple that with the TSi, it made a noticable difference.
wow this is a great idea. i might to that today instead of it sucking all that hot air right of my exhaust manifold.

[deerock]

Unfortunatly there isn't much available for n/a Miatas. IMO just sticking a filter on the end of the stock tube and removing/blocking off the resonator box will get you about the same effect. I did cut the stock elbow right before the MAS to help position the filter right behind the headlight though and couple that with the TSi, it made a noticable difference.


got any pics of this? id like to see how you did it. i might go buy a spare intake tube and try it. cause i just slapped a coney filter on the intake and its ziptied to a old intake mount suckin in hot manifold air.

[amaff]

On a serious note, anything that is not quite as restrictive as OEM pipe and resonator setup would be an improvement. That flexy curve piece they use is not conductive for smooth flow at all.

meh, the problems are that the engine rocks on the mounts enough that you pretty much need some sort of 'flexy' part, and that the VAM is the biggest restriction in the system.

[RotorNutFD3S]

meh, the problems are that the engine rocks on the mounts enough that you pretty much need some sort of 'flexy' part, and that the VAM is the biggest restriction in the system.

Not really, aftermarket intakes don't have flexy parts. The only thing you really need are good silicone couplers on the joints.

[amaff]

Not really, aftermarket intakes don't have flexy parts. The only thing you really need are good silicone couplers on the joints.

Or that, yes ;) Silicone = $$$ though. Just sayin. But the fact of the matter is that the tubing is the least of your worries w/ the intakes, at least on the early cars. That VAM is simply garbage :(

[RotorNutFD3S]

Oh yeah, no doubt there. Just look for any way to improve a system.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

VAM stands for?

[amaff]

VAM stands for?

Vane Air Meter. It uses a Vane (think wind vane), aka a dumb *** flapper door to 'measure' the amount of air coming into the engine. The wider open the door is, the more air comes in. I think it sends 5v @ idle, then gradually (ok people have graphed this and the signal is retarded as fuuuu) reduces down to near 0v @ WOT. Or something like that.

[Redraceface]

Yep. Those cars seem to have more low end power to be gained by a freer flowing intake. Honda pretty much covered the bases when tuning the intake on the S2000 to get the most out of it as possible for OEM standards.
Kinda like the new GT-Rs exhaust system. They say that there isn't an exhaust maker out there yet that can gain more that 1 hp from an exhaust kit.

Is there any way to tune an after market intake for the MX-5?

[silver280zx]

I think the reason hondas get better gains is becasue most of them dont have maf's just an air flow sensor. Jack, your 2.5rs was like that. I know with Z's if you delete the maf you can gain over 10whp.

[Doppelgänger]

Honda uses MAP. You cannot just delete a MAF/MAS and have a car run well, you have to be using either another way of running the engine with a new management system or using something liek the old and discontinued HKS VPC which converts a MAP signal to a MAS/MAF sensor.

[silver280zx]

Honda uses MAP. You cannot just delete a MAF/MAS and have a car run well, you have to be using either another way of running the engine with a new management system or using something liek the old and discontinued HKS VPC which converts a MAP signal to a MAS/MAF sensor.
Right...no MAF, they use a different system. No door type air flow meter.

[metalman]

Is there any way to tune an after market intake for the MX-5?

Some of the intakes used for Spec Miatas are likely as close to 'tuned' as you'll get.
To me, unless racing, most of them really make no $$ sense for the street.
FM claims 5 hp from the Randall cowl intake...I had one, I think thats bull****. :lol:

If you eliminate the AFM/MAF (ECU required) that does free up some ponies.

[MoD_Scotty]

Oddly enough, I think my car has one of the "throatiest" OEM intakes I've ever heard...especially when the second intake runners open up. It almost sounds like a car with an intake. The only car I've heard that had more induction noise was probably the latest generation of Civic Si, which actually routes the intake into the fender, partially to make it sound "meaner."

[FE3tMX5]

The best part about my intake is the t4 compressor on the other end of the intake tube. ;)
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t86/m2cupcar/current%20FEmx5t/FEcamgear2.jpg

[N3v]

my favorite part of my intake is that the air its taking in is 10 inches from the engine head :D
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn49/n3v1789/DSC03422.jpg

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Show offs!