I’ve been modifying Miatas for a little over a decade now, all generations. A core lesson from this video could be summarized as, it’s really easy to ruin a car and what OEMs spent millions to develop. Modify with care, race cars are terrible street cars, trust Flyin Miata.

@twrcrew8852

2 жыл бұрын

but fast street cars are the best street cars, even if they are mediocre race cars. And i'd pick a 300whp street miata with AC over a stock or stock powered fully forged circuit racer.

@quadrapodacone

2 жыл бұрын

Horrible, yes... but they can be fun. :P

@blackrifle6736

Жыл бұрын

@@twrcrew8852 *Agreed. Correctly functioning A/C is never a trivial concern. Fortunately OE Mazda HVAC system is darn near bulletproof. Cheers!*

@twrcrew8852

Жыл бұрын

@@blackrifle6736 Now if only we had bulletproof transmissions, axles, and differentials to go with that AC. lol. My largest gripe with my ND2 is how "fragile" it's aftermarket is currently. There ain't *nothing* out for it to make it fast.. and the transmission is a pretzel stick... though historically all miata drivetrains were. but at least there's options to beef them up in the oldest generations. I almost feel like I sold the better car (2004), if not for the lightyears ahead NVH of the ND RF.

@twrcrew8852

Жыл бұрын

@@blackrifle6736 that said, I've abandoned my ND RF as a tuning platform. It's just gonna be a daily driver with pretty front brakes. I just acquired a ZZW30 last year and that car seems to solve all my power ceiling problems in an equally light chassis with a tremendous upgrade to visibility.

This is one of the best videos that I have seen by anyone. Instead of selling parts, it presented the actual reality of modding and showed where it could be valuable as well as where it was wasted cash. Thanks👍

@raym5635

2 жыл бұрын

Totally agree. I love when people put things in perspective. Sure, there are people who want a full-blown race car but most people don't know what that really is. They are noisy, stinky, uncomfortable things. Great for an hour or so to have fun....NOT great to drive around. In fact, HORRIBLE to drive around. Also, what I really love about this is that FM continually mentions and says 'be realistic with yourself and what you want.' I am not a race car driver. 99% of people aren't either. Modify a car within your skill level or all you're doing is ruining a nice driving car and wasting your money since you don't know how to truly drive on the limit safely. Spend that money on a full-blown driving school program so you can use the car at the limit. Then you can increase the performance and make use of it. Otherwise, all you have is a a money pit that you can brag to your buds about.

@Eros_Racing

Жыл бұрын

Maaaan exactly what I was gonna say. Great vid!!!!!

The FM sway bars were probably the best/most noticeable difference performance part I’ve ever bought.

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

We typically recommend sway bars as one of the first upgrades for Miatas! :)

@aygwm

2 жыл бұрын

Best mod ever!

@dgris7944

2 жыл бұрын

@@FlyinMiataVideo I've been wanting the Koni Stage 2 kit for my street NB, but.... FM sway bars haven't been in stock for a good long while. What's behind the supply issues?

@FMJeremy

2 жыл бұрын

@@dgris7944 Our sway bar manufacturer had a facility fire earlier this year so in addition to all the other supply chain issues, it took them some time to regroup from that. We are getting sway bars regularly again and they usually sell out quickly!

Having purchased a used 1999 10AE a couple years ago for naturally aspirated sporty/seat of the pants street driving the FM mods that have been transformative are as follows: 1) Level 2 Suspension; 2) Paco Strong Arms; 3) Mid-Pipe to a stock exhaust; 4) Flyin' Miata four wheel alignment; 5) Poly Motor Mounts. Each one of these has been truly fantastic and improved the nature of the car and made it more visceral but not harsh, which was exactly what I have been trying to accomplish with this build. Great video guys! Keep up the good work. Two dedicated video suggestions: How to add lightness and chassis stiffening.

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the suggestions!

This is probably the most informative video I have ever seen from you all at Flyin' Miata. Really helpful. There were a few place where I had to laugh. Regarding using Zerk fittings and poly bushings, you said: 'Who's going to do that?' Well I have, and I know that many people who have truly tried to make poly bushings work, have done so as well. It is very hard to keep poly bushings lubricated, even with Zerks. I love the IL rubber bushings that I bought from you. For a street driven car, they tighten up the suspension nicely, require zero maintenance, and are completely silent. Also regarding watching tire weight, you also said: "Who is going to do that?" Unsprung weight is really important, but unsprung and ROTATED weight is even more important. Tire Rack posts the weights of the tires and wheels they sell, and their published weights, checked against scale weights, are pretty accurate. In a canyon driven car, rebound times are even more important than they are on a track. It doesn't matter how sticky a tire may be when it is up in the air after a bump. So yes, your customers are watching tire weights. Your remark about the stickiest tires letting go completely with almost no warning, when you cross the limit, I thought was terribly important. Here along the Angeles Crest Highway, in the San Gabriel Mountains, we have cars over the side very frequently: often one a month. Most of them are modified cars. Many have race rubber, at UTQG 200 or better. When a fat, sticky tire lets go it happens in an instant. For public roads a tire that talks to you as it approaches the limit is so much safer.

Jeremy, you killed it man! Great video.

Excellent! What a great resource for all enthusiasts. Thank u FM, lots of respect.

I'm really loving these episodes. They are done well, and really explain all of the theory behind the mods and why someone would want to consider them. I also love the idea of having more than one Miata!

Thank you so much for these types of videos. I have been building my track car for a while now, and I certainly wish I knew a lot of these things when I was first starting out. :P

I regularly enjoy ripping the hell out of my miata too... in Mexico in the 90s.

Superb service. Thanks a lot!

Jeremy really hits the nail on the head here in this video. 1st - ask what do you want out of your car ? Jeremy lays out the key points in power / suspension / safety even at the loss of after market parts sold. Truly a Miata Guru for building your car. Appreciate your wisdom Jeremy & its why Flying Miata has been a go to place if I get the urge to do something to my 2016 MX-5 Club soft top.

Really great video, its easy to get swept away with "better faster harder stronger" but keeping it honest with goals in mind is really smarter. thank you for the reality check.

That was veeerrryy intereseting ! thank you so much for this amount of information !

Absolutely agree about the front shock tower bar. I was able to grab an OEM bar for my NB2 at a killer price and the steering feel was immediately different.

Great information! Thank you for sharing!

Thank you for another video!

Thank you! This is an extremely informative video and not a sales pitch!

This was very helpful, much appreciated, thank you!

I grew up reading sport compact car / super street / etc. These videos are fantastic for reprogramming my brain. Young me wanted "pillow ball mounts", shock tower bars, etc.

This is such a refreshing take! The car parts industry is full of salesmen. Even though you convinced me against buying certain parts, you also earned my future business.

A huge meaty slab of information, I always enjoy videos like this. Also, an update on Keith's Targa Miata project would be pretty cool. He had some cool projects going on with it on the last video, would love to see what the progress has been since. 😎

wow. This was worth alot of money. Thank you sir. Genuinely helped me with the direction of my car. Saved time and money. This is the best of you tube.......

@manitobaoutdoors7705

5 ай бұрын

I'm that guy from Winnipeg who just ordered 4K of stuff.I did so after I watched this, thanks again for the help

Awesome video as usual, cheers from New Zealand...

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks 👍

Really good video! I have the stage 2 Koni setup on my 02 NB2 an I love it!

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

Good choice!

your discussion on power, the best pockets to be in, got me really excited about my plans for my NA6 over the next few years. This winter, the engine isn't getting touched but I'm replacing every single thing that bolts to the subframes. Control arms and knuckles (destroy or die), poly bushings from you guys, your Little Big Brake kit on hard s rotors (hopefully the rears come back in stock soon!), your sway bars, I plan to properly depower my power rack and fix the looped lines a previous owner had on it, I've put on the frame rails you guys sell, gonna get a hard dog bar, and of course I'll put on some great wheels and tires. Next winter I'm planning to K24 swap the car and make somewhere around 220hp at the tires, right in that second pocket. stock driveline until I've gathered the transmission, diff, axles, and custom driveshaft I need to make it bulletproof. I'm thinking of building the engine from the start just to do it once and leave it be, and once the driveline can handle it I'll be turning up the tune and raising the rev limit likely to over 300 wheel and 9k rpm. And then I'm right up by your third pocket! First and foremost the goal for the car is driving experience, second is track/drift performance. I could do an LS swap for the same money as what I plan to do but I want a high RPM high strung NA 4 cylinder with VTEC I can hear thru a set of ITB's.

Appreciate your honesty

Great video - as always. Thank you!

@FlyinMiataVideo

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Gordon!

Great video! Love this topic.

Really great episode! Time to save my money and give you all a call to plan for my “end” plan on the ND.

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

Feel free to reach out, we'll be happy to help!

Excellent video! This should be required viewing for any owner preparing to spend time and money on modifications. Would be great to have a future FM video that goes into more detail on turbocharger vs supercharger with regard to driving dynamics. I like everything said in this video about turbo, and it all makes sense. But I like the idea of additional power at all engine speeds and no lag. For street driving, it feels like the turbo comes on about the time you have to lift off the throttle.

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

Differences between modified cars and turbo kits can cause some interesting driving characteristics. An improperly matched turbo can cause bad turbo lag, and some unpredictable driving issues. We think a well matched, well tuned turbo car is a much better drive than the supercharger, more reliable, more versatile, and more fun.... but, we also realize that some of that comes down to personal preference. :) Have you watched our Forced Induction Fundamentals video with keith Tanner? He covers many of the differences and different driving characteristics of the two. kzread.info/dash/bejne/qJyJktOoo5bUZs4.html

@espokane

2 жыл бұрын

@@FlyinMiataVideo I think it's time to re-watch that one. Thanks for the quick response!

awesome video!

Ten years on my voodoo 2 kit, my only regret was not getting the full fm2. Voodoo box works, but now fm doesn’t sell ecu upgrades.

great video by the way, i totally agree with what you said. I had a SC in my first 99 model and i couldnt get the damn thing to idle right for nothing but when my foot was in it, it was a blast except watching the fuel gauge needle draw down with each pull lol

Your comment on catalytic converters and track use is really helpful. What you say makes complete sense. At 7,000 RPM the fuel has half the time to burn as it does at 3,500 RPM. At high RPMs the cat sees more unburned fuel. My cats last 4 years. The state of tune is good. What is killing my cats is the continuous, high RPM use.

Y'all are so awesome

Great video (again!) Jeremy. The hour flew by. I guess the thumb-downs are from supercharger owners!! I'd love a video about everything to do with engine heat management from types of radiator, reroutes, oil cooler, vents, IC's, heat shields, turbo blankets, intake shields etc..... Keep up the great work.

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the suggestions, we'll add it to the list! :)

@K03sport

2 жыл бұрын

Try 10 computer fans in series. That guy who only has 1 ran into issues. 10 should be enough, but if you have the room, add more. They don't weight that much... 🤔

@blackrifle6736

Жыл бұрын

@@K03sport *Oh yes, 10 12VDC fans in series. That's the best /sarc/ comment here. Cheers!*

This was a great video, just wish it was posted sooner lol. I got an NB1 supercharged m45 floating around that 180-200hp mark with some good supporting mods. I had alot of consideration in mind during my build and I can say that it's yielded good end results. 1 thing I can't agree more on is the headlights. I got a spec d set since the housings were smaller. They worked for my application but man did the beam projection suck. I intend to swap out the bulbs themselves and hope for the best. Manufacturers spend alot of money on R&D to get a good baseline. I've never understood why people work backwards with lesser quality materials.

When I first got my nb I wanted to do so much to it, but im glad i took my time. If i were to compile the shortest list of mods that could please the widest range of drivers: A set of wheels you like Rollcage for both safety and rigidity modern stereo head unit A louder muffler so both you and others can hear you Unless you really plan on adding power or tracking the car and pushing it, the stock car in a real world setting shines brighter than every heavily modded miata ive experienced. Tastefully modding the car pays dividends.

Personal experience with manual steering: had a 90 NA with power steering. Got into a tank slapper on old tires. Had to fight the steering to correct (pump seemed to struggle switching from right to left countersteer). Hit a curb, bent some suspension. Got OEM manual NA steering rack. Ratio was way too slow. Got another NA depowered steering rack (faster ratio). Probably the best compromise, but all the cons that Jeremy listed are still true.

A modernized cold air intake should be a strong seller. I think we all know that power gains would be small but a couple of HP along with the sound should be appealing to some of us. 😆

With poly bushings you can get bushings with brass in brass bearing inserts which will not squeak

FYI As an example I had a 1990 NA 1.6l with 160K miles on the clock. Solid compression. I dyno'ed stock at 95HP. Added a RB Cold Air Intake and an older Jackson Racing 4 to 1 header RB cat-back exhaust and then had 101HP on the same dyno. Mainly sounded better and butt dyno liked those changes as well. Worth the money? Was to me but most parts where used so that helped the $$$ part.

Around 15:00 you made a comment that struck with me about lower hp means more WOT. Every time I hear "are you going to boost it" I respond with something similar about how the slower the car is the longer I can smash it and hear the sound of my people.

You forgot to talk about how stickers, vinyl or racing stripes factor into the power equation. I know it's not a straight "5hp" for each, but is related to the sticker itself and level/category it falls in and placement. Approved and non-approved racing stripes would be helpful. Yes, I watched the video at 1.75x speed...👍

@DepakoteMeister

Жыл бұрын

I've heard some JDM stickers might be good for 7hp!

@nobodynoone2500

2 ай бұрын

@@DepakoteMeister Depends. Ones that get you ghosted by friends, family, and members of the opposite sex, and put on a list when pulled over, are worth up to 12-15hp!

I think that aiming for 10lbs per 1 hp/1 ft-lb is a good ratio to aim for. For a Miata with driver round up to say 240hp - 250 hp and similar torque. For me that would the bottom range to aim for. I know that driving in the mountains the lack of power and torque can be a bummer on the uphill climbs. Although the cornering speeds I can maintain is fun.

Best modifications I ever did for my trucks were putting larger exhaust on . From 2 1/4 to 2.5 was a big change. If it was an everyday drive vehicle, I've had larger exhaust kill my low and mid range power, but top end was much better. Mileage sufferend. My drag cars like larger exhaust.

Great video! I think a video of all the chassis dtiffening setups would be beneficial. How and where its beneficial and what it actually does for the rigidity of the car. One more thing. What top is on that sunburst na?????

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the suggestion! Not sure about the top on the NA. It's an employee's car, but it's probably a Robbins top from Moss.

@maneki9neko

2 жыл бұрын

The chassis rails make a huge difference. Before I installed them, when I put the car up on jack stands my car would always sit with down force from the chassis on all four of the jack stands, even though the height of the floor is a little uneven. After I installed the frame rail, the car would only rest on three of the four jack stands, with a small gap between the seam welds and the jack stand on the fourth jack stand. The gap is always there on the fourth stand, unless the 4th jack stand happens to be in the exact position on the floor where the height of the fourth jack stand equals the height of the seam weld. Installing frame rails is one of those changes like removing three or four pounds of unsprung, wheel weight from each corner, where you feel the difference immediately.

Awesome content.

@FlyinMiataVideo

10 ай бұрын

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!

i’m aware of aftermarket 14 inch wheels being a terrible choice, especially for performance. but sadly i’m deadset in keeping them at 14s. i’ve looked at many tire choices, but haven’t been able to find good options. the dunlop star specs looked pretty good too me, but of course as usual they are discontinued. what would be a good medium tire for a street car in the summer? i’m currently on altimax rt43 all seasons with stock wheels

ooo ooo i got one, the hood struts i bought from you guys lol 5 years later i still have a broken tap in my hood hinge lol

@BillyBlaze7

Жыл бұрын

or the frame rails and butterfly brace i bought a month before you came out with version 2...lol i still havent installed them on the car, was so depressed they just sit there haha

How far can the stock ecu be pushed on an NB2 Miata? More specifically, what's the max amount of air that the stock MAF sensor can detect and the max amount of fuel that the stock injectors can flow? Max hp and torque for a stock ecu NB2 with a well designed intake and free flowing exhaust with stock injectors?

How good would a centrifugal supercharger be on an nc miata with the 2.5 engine swap

I have an NB1 1.8 with decent coilovers,, and the previous owner had put 16" rims and low profile Toyo Proxes TR1 (205/40r16) tires. Those were harsh, noisy, and terrible at colder temperatures or in the regular spring/autumn weather (+5-15°C/40-60F and frequent minor showers). Switched to smaller rims and higher profile, narrower summer tires (Hankook Ventus Prime3, 195/50r15) Better ride, surprisingly high grip at the edge in warm weather (close to the toyos), more feel and progressive loss of grip, and much, much better grip and handling at the normal temperatures that I see most of the time. Road noise also reduced by a whole lot (just NVH in general). For daily driving this setup is just so much better, and I think the other setup would only have given better results at high tire temperatures. Such a small thing to change, but such a big effect

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

Wheel and tire choice can have a surprising effect on both grip and comfort!

great content.

@FlyinMiataVideo

Жыл бұрын

Thanks!

Great video, very thoughtful and informative. What about replacing the ECU on a stock engine in terms of improving performance, or a modified naturally aspirated engine with higher compression?

@graham_lewis

2 жыл бұрын

from what i’ve heard, a new ecu is usually pretty good. i have heard it will almost never run as good as stock in all conditions, but if you’re willing to put up with it and accept it then it’s alright

@Peter-ff1tp

Жыл бұрын

@@graham_lewis That’s BS. A stand-alone ECU will allow a car to run as well as the person tuning it can get it to.

I don’t disagree with you on poly mounts being situational but I had the opposite experience with the diff and engine mounts on my 95 TBH I swapped in an LSD and replaced the rubber with poly and it wasn’t much more noise to me. Then a week later I realized the an engine mount had blown and went back with poly and hot dang does it sound awesome. But not everyone is going to share my opinion on the level of engine sound in the cabin being awesome.

@FlyinMiataVideo

3 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing your experience! A lot of this stuff is subjective. Something that might lead one person to want to pull their hair out, another might not even notice.

Such a great video. Thank you. Question: You mentioned hood louvers, and their effect on differential pressure. I have a follow up question to that topic. Do your louvers help w/ handling? I would assume, but do not know, that louvers would lower the engine bay pressure, and also the under car pressure, thus sucking the car further down at high speeds. I'm an old guy, and I'm thinking of adding louvers for safety reasons on the highway. Thanks!

@FlyinMiataVideo

Жыл бұрын

Hood louvers are so interesting we did a whole video on them. You've got the right idea, though.

Super late to the party, but goes my shameless question: I got one of those Randall CAIs from FM, have had it on for like a near decade now. Would wrapping that thing with heat-insulating material make any appreciable difference, as in further lower intake air temps? If memory serves, some forum comments read that there isn't enough time for the intake charge to heat up significantly, and that does sound plausible to me. Just curious what FM's take on that is.

First off, excellent video. Thank you for putting this kind of info out into the universe. You said the #1 thing you can do to stiffen an NA/NB is to get a hard top. Do you have any info regarding the rigidity of aftermarket tops like what you can get from carbonmiata vs oem ones? I'd prefer oem but they're so scarce where I live that they're often more expensive than a new aftermarket one. I've never handled either in person, so I have no idea if one is more rigid than the other

@lionhead333

2 жыл бұрын

Another consideration is that the OEM hardtop is still only fiberglass and will still flex. I have a lovely uniform band of paint missing around the belt line of my hardtop because that is where the deflection occurs. Your mileage may vary. I wish someone would offer a metal top for those of us that leave the hardtop on.

@maneki9neko

2 жыл бұрын

The chassis stiffness added by the hard top is mostly noticeable in a car that has not had the frame rail modification. The stiffness added by a properly installed set of frame rails is palpable. If you are attuned to these differences you will notice the difference in the first 25 feet that the car travels after you install them. I noticed the difference WHILE I was installing the braces because the car would no longer settle down on four jack stands. It would rest on three, with a gap above the fourth, and with gentle pressure from my hand I could rock the car along the diagonal from the two of the jack stands that were higher. First the car would rest on one set of three and then another set of three. Never on four. I was working under the car at the time and it was a shock to have the car move gently that fraction of an inch. With the rails in place the increase in stiffness from the hard top is noticeable, but it is not large.

@blackrifle6736

Жыл бұрын

@@maneki9neko *Nice to know this occurred when others performed this install. Unintentionally replicated your experience in my driveway when I suddenly discovered a 1+ inch space between RR jack stand and it's previous contact point. Unforgettable wow! and big smile moment. Cheers!*

i’ve done quite a bit of reading on miatas and suspension stuff. i’m aware that a “coilover” with no adjustable ride height (ex. xidas) are better for miatas, because there is more shock travel. but being a high schooler i’d like to be able to get fairly low, without obliterating ride quality. i know being low will mean a much stiffer ride, and likely hitting bump stops more. what would be a good option around the 1k range?

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

You can adjust ride height on any coilover that has a threaded perch, such as our V-Maxx, Fox Racing or even the Xidas. For your budget, either the FM springs with Koni shocks or the V-Maxx will work well. There's a lot of bad information out there about "coilovers" and ride height, check our video on the myth of suspension preload.

Header makes a hell of a difference if you are replacing the precat on an nb1 with a nb2 header, or anything else, even on stock ECU. C'mon, even mazda dumped that thing after 2 years.

I'm running a stock power 96 with double diag roll bar, paco strong arms, door bushings, and your "2.5" stage suspension kit (koni yellows). I don't see that you guys sell shock tower braces anymore. Can you recommend one?

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

Most generic tower braces put a hinge directly at the fulcrum where you don't want movement. Any bar with a solid or without a hinged joint next to the shock tower mount will be much more effective!

the fastest car i have experience with is my dads 67 Plymouth roadrunner. i drove it once it scared the crap out of me. i was 18! so only been driving a year at that time. i bought a 02 toyota celica gt 140hp i was more comfortable an had more fun with that car i was able to get the motor reving an zipping around. ok i now own that roadrunner. it came to me after my dad passed. now i like driving it i have better control. but its not the same as a lower weight an lower hp car. i have a 06 miata mx-5 5 speed that i daily drive an take out on back roads an just have fun with... that roadrunner is just a different beast

Regarding stiffening the chassis, does fitting a roll bar (4 point) improve the stiffness? If so, in terms of priority vs. the other modifications that stiffen the chassis, at what point should one fit a roll bar?

@aygwm

2 жыл бұрын

Definitely stiffens the rear of the car, but things like frame rails and butterfly bracing will prevent the car from flexing along its flexiest section, which is below the doors. You’ll probably get more noticeable stiffening from those mods than from the roll bar.

my lower HP ND1 2018 club I honestly drive as fast as I care to risk things in the canyons and I rarely have the rpm in the upper reaches....I simply don't need to I guess, there is no return on doing that since I am not racing anyone I just am driving as fast I feel relatively safe doing...now I would love to have more torque and tire except honestly I very likely would get in trouble. The ONLY time I really lament not having a bunch more power is when I would love to safely ppassslower traffic.....There would just be significantly a LOT more safe opportunities if I had like 300hp rather than 154

I know that there is a lot of testing and design that goes into sway bar thickness/stiffness/design. as i’m not sure the exact path i’d like to take with my miata (fun street car, something like adam at rev limiter, track car) i’m wary on sway bar sizing. what could be a good “universal” size to go with?

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

The FM bars are a good all-around size and adjustable, so you can dial the stiffness and handling balance to your preference. The size of the bar depends on the year of the car.

helmet tanline is subtle and cool

Awesome video. I can ask if you can make a video for removing the vaccum lines and canister for a dedicated race miata, not a street miata. i've been trying to figure that out so i can remove that on my car for the next race day.

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

It's hard to come up with a good reason to do that, as the canister collects fuel vapor. There's no performance reason to remove it and it will make for one stinky garage/trailer with the potential for fuel spillage.

@jonathanalonso7502

2 жыл бұрын

@@FlyinMiataVideo how about a skunk 2 intake install. To see how to tie the vacuum lines

@blackrifle6736

Жыл бұрын

@@FlyinMiataVideo *Willing to bet incidence of garage fires declined as adoption of vapor recovery systems became nearly ubiquitous. Cheers!*

Of the coilovers available from flyinmiata, which would you say are for street cars vs for track cars? Which ones would be best to drive your grandma around with? thx

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 ай бұрын

For the street, we suggest either the Koni STR.T or Koni Sport options - both are excellent for driving Grandma around. If you want something more aggressive, choose any of the V-Maxx options. The FOX kit is the best of both worlds.

Nope I can 100% attest to the same thing. Same experience. Moment I installed a stock NB strut tower brace on my 95 NA, I felt a noticed advantage in steering turn in response. This was after already having a racing beat tubular big front swaybar (makes the front feel like it's riding on rails) and 6k front 5k rear. Stock rear sway bar. 200treadwear tires. Big difference for me in turn in response with the addition of the nb strut tower brace. :) Glad someone else can attest PS I know my spring rates are a little bad front to rear ratio. I would like to get maybe 8k front and 5.5k rear or something but not sure yet which I end up going with. Either meister r ckubrace or cdr's or something. Not a priority for now haha car is great balance for autocross. Just isn't good for beyond 90mph though. The balance is not good for high speed and the dampening isn't good enough

Talking about under hood heat, what about a front air dam to increase low pressure under the engine?

@blackrifle6736

Жыл бұрын

*Yes it does, with the stiff rubber lip closer to the ground the better. Lots of variables at play here but #1 location is critical. FM should do a video on this, a subject well worth pursuing. Among many others, in warm climates my Ford Mk1 RS2600 was notorious for this problem and chin spoiler cured it. Cheers!*

Great topic.. rear bumper cut like I did is one that should be on this list LOL

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

We've all done something like this at some point! ;)

Talk about pros / cons of superchargers. It has been alluded many times in past videos but never addressed head on

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

Have you watched our Forced Induction Fundamentals video with keith Tanner? He covers many of the differences and different driving characteristics of the two. kzread.info/dash/bejne/qJyJktOoo5bUZs4.html

what do you guys think about a 1.8 mk1, designed for touring - 6 speed attached to an automatic diff. turbo charged with the air intake in the high pressure shuttle tray area. Does this sound like an all round fun touring car to you? and if so, what suspension would you suggest, as im trying to find modern feeling suspension. Cheers! (I am close with collecting all the parts for this build)

@FlyinMiataVideo

9 ай бұрын

Sounds like fun! Our Koni Yellow kit with FM springs makes a great ride without sacrificing performance, but if you want extra adjustability, check out our Fox Coilovers. TONS of adjustability to let you dial your ride quality in to fit your needs :)

I personaly prefer no power steering, but done wrong it is super hard to turn. Looping the line helps, but internal mods or a manual rack are the only way to get proper feel. Hard suspension sucks. Konis or Bils are killer for 95% of drivers. I love my adjustible coilovers, but if you don't have corner scales, you should skip em. Double wishbone benefits from using the full range of motion. Hard springs are for cars with terrible suspension where the best mod is basically to delete the suspension altogether using stiffness. Tires are so important, people build whole cars around tires. For brakes, do Hawk HP and fuggdaboudit. Honda comments apply to pre-1988 and post-2002 strut hondas, the 90s ones have a similar double wishbone to the miata. Wheels are an issue, lighter is almost always better. But in areas with bad roads, the lightest can often bend. I go through a set of wheels every 5-10 years when they are too far gone to straighten. Racing seats are awesome once you are in. But getting in and out is a total pain. I had to get a stupid removable wheel and take it off every single time i get in, or out. Add the harnesses and it adds a bit of time to getting in and out. Not fun on a street car. There are now some low-profile adjustable rails however that can help if weight is not a concern. Cams in miatas and hondas (hell, most modern engines) tend to be well optimized. You only see more power if you have changed the engine signifigantly (stroker crank, hi-comp pistons, big turbo). Almost all turbo cars have undersized filters, get a bigger filter, or two. Seriously, the most common bottleneck.

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching!

Great video, is it worthwhile to install chassis frame rails?

@FlyinMiataVideo

6 ай бұрын

You should see a huge improvement on NA/NB gens and I noticed this as I was leaving our parking lot on my NA8. It's a bit of a steep approach to the main road and before the frame rails, I had both rear wheels in full contact with the road surface. After the frame rails, I would lift one tire. Keep in mind that this is a hard right turn so, maybe one of the more extreme examples that one would experience.

Adding Zircs to the Poly bushing install, was easy... But yeah there not for the old guys, or soft butts

Is a lightweight flywheel good for a daily drived MX-5 NB 1.8, natural aspirated?

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

We light the faster revs and response of the lighter flywheels, even on daily driven Miatas! :)

I've seen a lot of people removing the radiator expansion tank to clean up the engine bay - they say it's not needed when you have a larger aftermarket radiator. Any thoughts?

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

The overflow tank is there for a reason. Even with a larger capacity radiator, the coolant will expand when warm. This needs a place to go, and a place to pull from when the engine is cooling back down so you don't have improper pressures or air in your coolant. We sell polished aluminum overflow tanks that look nice, and are much more durable than the factory plastic. Unless it's purely a show car that is never driven, why risk issues with your coolant system for the sake of a cleaner engine bay?

@s.willis8426

2 жыл бұрын

I think they are required when you go through a tech check for most racing.

@blackrifle6736

Жыл бұрын

@@s.willis8426 *Correct. No one wants the slip/slide hazard of puked coolant puddles on track or in the pits. Cheers!*

sway bars or chassis stiffening first for a street NA?

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

Sway Bars. Best mod for the money for a Miata in our opinion. Feel free to give us a call or drop our support team an email if you need specifics or more info!

Hey is it just me (or camera angle??) or does the blue car in the background have a much larger tire on it's right side than the left??

@lennartswenson2690

Жыл бұрын

Good eyes Dougie!...

I have 2 fans but one only comes on if the AC button is on, and fan is on in the cabin. That can't be right, is it? NA btw. You know, now that I type that out, its just stupid that you would not run both fans at all times. Heat is heat, and it damages your engine (after a certain level). Might as well jumper that over to the main fan so they both come on right?

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

There are ways to bridge the fans, or upgrades such as FM's brushless fans that use a sensor to control the fan speeds when necessary. Reach out to our customer support department directly and they will be happy to give you some help on the best way to get the most from your current set up, or point you to some easy upgrades within your budget.

@Grumpini

2 жыл бұрын

"You know, now that I type that out, its just stupid that you would not run both fans at all times." Your engine still has to warm up to operating temp in a reasonable amount of time.

@BigStreams_

2 жыл бұрын

@@Grumpini I think he meant why run one rather than two, if your ecu has told the fan to run. Not run all the fans all the time

I'm looking at getting a cheap daily to goof around with - very informative video! Thank you!

@FlyinMiataVideo

6 ай бұрын

These cars take most mods extremely well and are just fun to tinker around with. Have fun with it!

could've touched on carbonmiata's replacement panels and doors. Lightness (and rustproofing) is always better but the price/performance can be unsettling.

Maybe I need 10 miatas. LOL

Do performance chips actually make a Miata na run better?

@FlyinMiataVideo

4 ай бұрын

We haven't found any that made enough of a difference for their cost on that platform.

I wish he would of talked about the flying miata ubercharger supercharger and why they stopped using them. That’s what I just built on my nb2

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

We stopped dealing with the company that was manufacturing them due to quality concerns. They were a very fun unit although you do have to watch for peak RPM on the compressor if you're pushing the boost level.

@UnsponsoredBuilds

2 жыл бұрын

@@FlyinMiataVideo Thank you so much for the reply! It’s a blast to drive. I just got the car tuned. What would you suggest I set the rev limiter at. The supercharger was never used and is in perfect condition with no play and turbines are perfect. Do you guys happen to have any of the parts left in a storage unit somewhere lol looking for a spare manifold just in case mine cracks.

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

@@UnsponsoredBuilds It's the blower speed you have to watch out for, that's a function of engine speed and the pulley ratio. You might have to check with Opcon on the maximum. Go too fast and the bearings give up. No spare parts, alas. That product went out of production nearly 15 years ago and all the leftovers are gone.

@UnsponsoredBuilds

2 жыл бұрын

@@FlyinMiataVideo Thank you so much! I’ll try to take it easy on it. If it blows up I will buy one of your turbo kits for sure!

@UnsponsoredBuilds

2 жыл бұрын

@@FlyinMiataVideo I have the 85mm pulley so it’s not a very small pulley. I’ll look into it more and maybe contact whipple and see what they have to say.

If you put those power adders you’ve got to put a new tune

@FlyinMiataVideo

12 күн бұрын

If you're referencing our Stage 1 turbo kit, there's no need for a tune when using our Voodoo box.

@BPF80MCar-vi1pg

12 күн бұрын

@FlyinMiataVideo I was just stating general knowledge. Not this specifically. My bad. I see people get e haust and cold air then no tune.

@FlyinMiataVideo

12 күн бұрын

@@BPF80MCar-vi1pg Ahhh, I got it now. In most cases, the cost of the tune/reflash isn't worth the little bit of HP gain you'll gain after you install a bolt-on like a header. You're still within the floor and ceiling of the stock sensors so, it'll sort out the difference.

Hi guys at FM - you offer great videos! But - some of them are really (too) long and I very much miss headlines, so I can skip the parts that are not of interest for me. Thanks a lot from Germany!

I think he forgot to talk about lightweight batteries.

How PC fans do I need to cool my Miata?

@KekusMagnus

2 жыл бұрын

any fan array that adds up to 1400cfm (and that has decent static pressure) or 2500-3000 if you have AC

@K03sport

2 жыл бұрын

I was thinking 10...but if you can squeeze 15 or 16 in there, even better. Also, get the LED ones for a nice glow (and car show points) 🏁

@blackrifle6736

Жыл бұрын

@@K03sport *Ha, ha! You did it again. Cheers!*

isn't it federally illegal to modify the emissions system in anyway? such as replacing the cat with any non oem cat...? the whole high performance tire doesn't have grip in the cold isn't really a thing for a lot of tires anymore, especially the 200tw class. even in freezing temps as long as there's no so or ice most 200tw tires will have a lot more grip than any all season or winter tire. and they don't get ruined either... I daily drove a set of RS4's through the winter, including sub freezing temps, and the next summer I was still running similar laptimes. And the RS4 is a tire that really needs some heat in it for best performance and it was still completely fine in the winter. Same thing for a lot of race/track pads. that same winter I did on a set of track pads (ST43) and the always had more bite (including in freezing temps) than any street pad I've ever driven at any temperature. I mean its not a good idea as it killed a set of rotors cause they're much more abrasive when cold, but you're not in danger of rolling through a stop sign. I'm sure there are track pads that are like this, but there are plenty that aren't.

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

We believe in having the correct tool for the job. As long as you realize you are compromising certain aspects of your performance running super aggressive brakes and/or summer tires in the winter and you can accept that compromise, we fully respect you're personal preference. However, our personal experience with winter tires vs summer tires show a huge difference in winter weather, and there are tons of tests and documentation to back that up. Being "fine" in the winter still doesn't make it the best tire for winter driving. Just because some race parts work on the street doesn't mean it's the best option for everyone. www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=116 kzread.info/dash/bejne/d3dlp5SedNeXerw.html

@boblast5582

2 жыл бұрын

@@FlyinMiataVideo For the tires, I said as long as there's no snow or ice (well I had a typo and said "so and ice"). There are plenty of regions in the US and around the world that will get cold in the winter, even into freezing temps, but actual snow is rare enough that everything closes and people stay home when it snows. For those people running most 200tw (only saying most in case there's some tire I don't know about that horrible in the cold, as far as I know they're all sticky even in the cold) tires through the winter is not a compromise, they have more grip than all season or winter tires. Now if there's actual snow and/or ice thats a completely different ball game, winter tires are definitely the way to go. Even the RS4 tires that need to really be warmed up to be at their stickiest still has as much or better grip as a good all season at its best. I'm just really tired of hearing (from literally every single automotive/tire expert, not just you) sticky tires don't work in the cold, thats a flat out lie! They don't work in the snow, they work in the cold and not as a "compromise" but actually still stickier. You're definitely right about the brakes being a bad idea in the winter, but thats because they'll kill a set of rotors over 1 winter of daily driving. The issue I take with this vid is that you said they won't work in the cold. There are a lot of race pads that will still bite harder than any street pad in freezing temps. Not ideal, but not from a safety or performance standpoint.

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

@@boblast5582 Some summer tires do lose significant grip in near-freezing temperatures. It's almost like a phase change. Also, it is possible to crack some tires by driving or even storing them in freezing temperatures - the high performance Toyos are a good example. While it's possible to survive driving through freezing temps with 200TW tires, they're definitely sub-optimal and not as effective as a rubber compound designed to deal with those temperatures. Our area is one that sees freezing temperatures but very little snow and we tend to drive 200TW tires in the summer, so we've got a fair bit of direct experience in this area.

@boblast5582

2 жыл бұрын

@@FlyinMiataVideo my area is the same, it'll get to freezing temps and no snow. I didn't experience any of what you're saying. I've also wintered Toyo R888R's. same story, lots of grip, more than any all season or uhp tire in the most optimal conditions. Didn't like them on track much tho... 200tw and similar tires will have reduced grip then they would at their optimal temps, but they still have a lot more grip than all seasons or whatever. You say you have lots of experience in this area but you're not talking like someone that does. How about you actually do a test comparing the best all season you can find to a 200tw, Engineering Explained did... his findings were same as mine. as far as cracking, it needs to be super cold for that to start being an issue... or old tires...

@FlyinMiataVideo

2 жыл бұрын

@@boblast5582 Toyo warns about cracking if you store or use the R888R below 15F even on brand new tires. That also applies to the less aggressive R1R. We're not going to second-guess them in this regard. Tire Rack has some information on this as well as the "glass transition" experienced by summer tires in cold weather. You'll find that nobody involved in tire manufacturing will recommend it. If you choose to use 200TW tires as winter tires, please be very careful in freezing temperatures. Even without the safety questions, it's straight up illegal in some areas such as Quebec.

Lowering the car is one of these mods. Miatas are already low… lowering them makes them way less useful.

@Peter-ff1tp

Жыл бұрын

Tell that to every single Miata track car turning anything near a decent lap time.