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What level of boost before you sacrifice driveability?

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Old Apr 22, 2007 | 08:06 AM
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Default What level of boost before you sacrifice driveability?

Just wondering what people are running before you sacrifice the driveability for too much necksnapping boosted goodness.....

I started with about 3-4psi. It was fun - really driveable and really torquey in 3rd and 4th. MBC went in with a low setting and I reckon I've picked up to about 5-6. Obviously more neck snapping goodness, but it's still really driveable like a MX5 should be.

So how far have people gone and when does fun become well - just difficult - too much of a handfull for everyday?
Old Apr 22, 2007 | 08:25 AM
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Im guessing you are running the greddy kit?

In my opinion it's prefferance.

Personally I wouldnt mind 300whp in boost and getting my neck snapped everytime!
Old Apr 22, 2007 | 08:41 AM
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Originally Posted by Uncle Arthur
So how far have people gone and when does fun become well - just difficult - too much of a handfull for everyday?
I dont know, is it possible to have too much power...
Old Apr 22, 2007 | 11:15 AM
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Unless it's pouring down rain, there's no such thing as too much power.

I've yet to dyno my car, but I typically run 12-14 PSI of boost on my modified Greddy setup. If I'm really mashing the pedal on the pedal then first gear is useless past 4,000 RPM. Even with 215 width T1S tires and a 4.1 Torsen I still get sudden, violent wheelspin halfway through first. And if the ground is at all moist, then enter the tailslide.

Is this a problem? Not at all. I normally don't drive like that. 90% of the time I am gentle with it- still using lots of boost but working into in gradually and in a controllable manner.

It's not that hard really. Even if you had "300 HP" on paper- you don't have to run the engine in that range all the time. It would only be a handful if you were incapable of depressing the throttle to any position other than full. That's the great thing about forced induction in general- you can have an engine which is civil and easy to drive under normal circumstances, yet capable of feeding your inner delinquant when the need arises.
Old Apr 22, 2007 | 11:50 AM
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Yeah, the gas pedal isn't binary. I don't think you'll ever reach the limits of drivability with a greddy kit. With the proper tune it shouldn't be a problem. Drivability issues start rising up when your injectors are so big that they can't maintain an idle, or something like that.
Old Apr 22, 2007 | 01:21 PM
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That is one of the best things about a turbo, it is completely driveable when the tune is correct.
Old Apr 23, 2007 | 07:53 PM
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how much power will the greddy kit put out with mods? i just bought a 92 miata after owning a 323 gtx. im looking to make around 250whp with this miata and im trying to figure out my options for a turbo selection.
Old Apr 23, 2007 | 08:12 PM
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ive really enjoyed 170rwhp and 200rwhp
Old Apr 23, 2007 | 11:14 PM
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are you using a greddy kit?
Old Apr 24, 2007 | 10:56 AM
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Helllll no...but a Greddy can support 250rwhp with the right mods, but at that point you really only have the manifold and turbo left. Smarter to piece something together with a better flowing/designed manifold and similar sized (or larger) turbo...
Old Apr 24, 2007 | 11:53 AM
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Amount of boost isn't the problem with driveability. It is most important to avoid excessive turbo lag. The earlier the boost, the better.
Old Apr 24, 2007 | 11:54 AM
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The greddy is fine if you can say.. "I will never want more then 150 rwhp." Because anything over that your stepping into another level of replacing and buying more and more stuff until all you have is a POS cast iron manifold and the greddy turbo. I got up to the point where I had to just sell off the greddy and buy a new setup.
Old Apr 24, 2007 | 01:46 PM
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Originally Posted by budget racer
Amount of boost isn't the problem with driveability. It is most important to avoid excessive turbo lag. The earlier the boost, the better.

Drive a miata with a gt2554 then drive one with a t3/t4 .57 trim or something....tell me if lag really makes "driveability" an issue.

FWIW, a low lag setup is nice, but it's not anything like everyone makes it out to be...I don't fully spool untill 4.5k or so....I'd call that "semi-laggy"

Does it make it undriveable? no. slow? no. unpreditable? no.

When I shift there is 0 boost threshold.

When I drive in stop and go traffic, it's just as if I had no turbo.

If I stomp on it I have to wait a second for it to fully spool, making nearly 80 Ft/lbs. of TQ at the wheels within 1000rpms. Doesn't break the tires loose, doesn't cause the car to loose control, only out-accelerates everyone else.

Even when I had a to4b wheel on it, and it didnt acutally spool untill 4k, full boost at nearly 5.5k, just took an extra second or two before the power kicked in....

on the highway, it's nearly instant. But shift between gears and you're turbo should still be making full boost without a moments delay. So your arent going to beat an STi or EVO off the line, but you should surely catch up quick.
Old Apr 24, 2007 | 04:54 PM
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well in that case to hell with greddy's kit. anything less than 250hp is not worth my time. after doing some calculations and checking out various compressor maps im pretty sure i know what to go with now. thanks for the tips wasnt sure what the greddy setups were like as i've never dealt with them.
Old Apr 24, 2007 | 05:01 PM
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I run 16psi on a fwd, non LSD setup on a BP/GTX motor with a GTR BB turbo from a 323. Before switching to standalone I dynoed at 270whp. I break the "tire" loose at will but I can drive the car very normally as well.

Only thing to worry about is reliability in the high power levels .... driveability is not an issue if you ease into it.
Old Apr 24, 2007 | 05:10 PM
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As said, once you get into it, you end up with the turbo and the manifold. I have systematically removed all but those 2 parts from my setup. If you have plans for more than the stock kit allows, I suggest DIY or getting only the mani and turbo used.
Old Apr 24, 2007 | 05:23 PM
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i built a 300whp mx3, a 220whp 323, and a 180whp mx3......like i said anything less than 250 is not worth my time. ive gotten sick of fwd. i work in a custom shop and i am no new recruit to the performance vs reliability battle. my 323 was a daily driver never missed a beat or lost a race. its all how you build it. i was curious as to how the greddy kit reviewd and i got my answers.
Old Apr 24, 2007 | 09:09 PM
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it's a great intro kit, but if you are confident enough to build yourself a 250hp setup, then it's not the best place to start.
Old Apr 25, 2007 | 11:47 AM
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i had figured as much from the start but i was not familiar with the TD04 turbo's thanks for the advice.
Old Apr 25, 2007 | 11:55 AM
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i'd compare them to a T3 50/60 trim.



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