My question is regarding the connector going to the power steering pump that I am removing as I'm switching to the oem manual rack. Does the computer somehow compensate for load on the power rack by bumping up rpm's? Will this be an issue with the circuit being open/not connected running the manual rack--will the computer freak out?

 

With no power steering to compensate for, your computer won't even know it's gone. Removing that connector is 100% harmless.

Have you considered depowering your PS rack instead of going to an OEM manual rack?

 

I depowered my steering rack and just left that connector ziptied to something or other. No problems in the last year and change.

 

no problems here either. Much cheaper to buy $50 miataroadster.com plugs than a $300 steering rack unless you find a used one which pretty much happens once a year maybe.

 

What's a manual rack worth?

 

No need to buy those fittings, just cut and crimp the old lines. A little dap of silicone sealant helps with peace of mind though.

 

For what it's worth I have a manual steering rack for sale...

shameless plug.

 

Advanced Autosports sells a pair of plugs which take care of the large rubber hoses:

http://www.advanced-autosports.com/i...products_id=71

It's cleaner than having those hoses flopping around, and cheaper than Miataroadsters set of five plugs. For the Advanced Autosports setup you leave the two small hardlines on the steering rack intact. If you use this method you have to remove either the rack piston seal, the entire rack piston, or all of the fluid. Best to remove the piston.