Miata Mailing List: February 1997, Message #7
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   From: (none)

Subject: HKS/Sebring intake test results

   Date: (none)



Sebring Owners and the Curious:



I am e-mailing this as a fully commercial gesture. Please do not be

offended as it was requested that I post these results. If anyone has any

questions, please feel free to e-mail me directly.



I have long felt that the stock K&N units that come with the Sebring

Superchargers are lame and inefficient at moving air in high velocities.

Thus, I swapped in a protype HKS foam element which supposedly is better.



[the test]



I loaded down my 1991 1.6L Miata with a spare tire, the jack, a tool box, a

10" SAS Subwoofer tube, Alpine Amp, Racing beat style bar, Speedster Cover

and my sidekick Emily (girlfriend).



I call this my "real world" testing situation. With almost 300 pounds more

in weight, I felt this would better reflect the gains or losses in power

for our intake test......



The numbers to follow in no way reflect dyno numbers or factory spec's.

It's one thing to have a car sit on a machine it's another to take into

account real world weight conditions, passenger, road surface and...drag.



The testing ground is 2 miles of street 4 lane road next to Bishop Ranch

Office Complex in San Ramon, Ca. Stoplights divide this road into 4 parts.

(Great testing site!!!) The road is somewhat level, a few dips here and

there but about as good as it gets for the "real world."



Also, I in no way consider myself a professional driver. I only like to

drive fast. So there will be variables...

I choose to measure power in only 3 gears to again better simulate a real

world where it counts power band. I beleive the Miata makes most of its

power in 2nd and 3rd gears.



[the numbers]



PEAK AT THE WHEEL HORSEPOWER IN THREE RUNS (First to Third gear shift at

redline, 7000rpm)



K&N:    1-91hp     2-89hp     3-92hp         Average:90hp



HKS:     1-88hp      2-96hp     3-95hp        Average:93hp



0MPH-60MPH ACCELERATION (CLUTCH DUMPED AT 5000 RPM)



K&N:     1-8.29sec    2-10.12 sec       3-9.19sec         Average time:9.2sec



HKS:       1-9.13sec   2-8.02sec          3-9.13sec         Average

time:8.76sec



[the measuring device/variables]



We just bought a G-Tech unit for our shop to use to test part performance.

It is accurate to within .1sec in 0-60 times and +/- 3hp in measuring

horseppower. It is a portable unit that mounts on the dash and plugs into

the cigaretter lighter. This unit could be a big joke but since the numbers

show some sort of consistency, I think not.



Other performance upgrades (variables):



1.6L with stock headers and exhuast tract....Borla turbo muffler replacing

stock (slightly restrictive exhaust, but at the RPM and gear levels I used

maybe not.



Twin air intake (TSI, nose-air induction, etc.) feeding cooler air into

intake.



Running 205/50 tires on all four wheels (more rolling resistance and

rolling weight than stock wheels).



[closing comments]

What do I think? I think the HKS flows better and you get better

performance. If I chose not to have my spare or toolbox I might've shaved a

bit off the 0-60 times and maybe picked up some hp. But realistically, the

equipment I have on board and my compatriot is what gets driven daily.



The most observable thing about the HKS is throttle response. Gosh it's

great. When I put the K&N back on it was a slug and it hesitated (yes I

cleaned it too!).



Again feel free to e-mail me and tell me what you guys think. Heck, I could

be full of it.....but then again...



Thanks gang!



-Percy

MRP