Miata Mailing List: September 1997, Message #99
sponsored by



     



From: 	Eric Amador <theamadors@earthlink.net>

Subject: Re: charger/turbo input

Date: 	Mon, 1 Sep 1997 20:03:07 +0000



Responding as to Sebrings (I "know nothing" (or at least very little)

about Bells/Greddys), I offer the following observations:  Without an

MSD/J&S the Sebring is sluggish at throttle tip-in. With an MSD, it

drives very well even from idle.  Either way it has a power curve very

much like a stock car, only significantly more so.  Certainly under

seven seconds to sixty.  I blew off Golf VR6s and more than one 5.0

(4.9) Mustang.  Raced an M3 with a very agressive (crazy) driver up a

very long, very steep hill and stayed on his bumper all the way.  Never

passed him but never got left behind, either.  And we weren't shifting

much since the hill was so steep.  Just wide open throttle for several

miles.  What a rush!  Also, the Sebring never heated up the engine (temp

gauge) at all.  I'm sure Bells are even faster, albeit requiring a

heavier-duty clutch.



> noise:  Nice whine at high RPMs.  louder intake roar.  Gravelly kind of noise at idle. All exciting to me.



> maintainance:  None, other than going over all the connectors every so often to check for loosening hoses or fasteners.  Found the occasional hose chafing, which caused me to re-route a few hoses.  No big deal.  I'll upgrade the hoses and clamps when I re-install my kit (soon, I hope).



> reliability:  I had a different bracket break on two successive kits.  As to one, Downing/Atlanta dramatically beefed it up about five years ago.  Now it's bullet-proof. I believe they've also beefed up the other one, too.  I had them put an extra weld on mine and it's super-strong now.  They even over-nighted me the part.  Jim Goodroe, at D/A, is a cool guy.



> gas mileage:  I never check my mileage, but I'm sure it drops under hard use.  Under cruising loads it's almost unchanged (theoretically), because the blower is bypassed.  (BTW, I recently heard that turbos don't affect mileage, but how could that be, since more air coming in requires more fuel to mix with?)



Hopefully, we're not off to the flame wars, now.  If we are, you can

count me out.  :)





Eric Amador, L.A.

Team Miataless