MX-5 OC Forum

For a little while now I have been considering supercharging my 1999 1.8i Mk2. I have looked at some options, the MOSS kit for instance though the price of that is pretty high at around £3K.  I feel I could mechanically fit a kit SC myself but would not be able to fabricate any custom bracketry.  What really bothers me though is the fueling and ignition setup.  The engine on my car is really sweet running right now and has been and is extremely reliable too.  I dont want to break it.  I am looking for fairly modest power gains but the car must remain legel in terms of emmissions.  The car is not used on track, it is a tourer so has to be reliable.

I have recently contacted T R Lane.  They are now offering an installation service where you supply the SC of your choice and they do the mechanical fitting and also fuel and ignition setup on a rolling road.  They have reccomended to me trying to get hold of a MP45 5th generation unit if I can.  They would need the car for around 2 weeks for the work.

This is a section of Tim's reply to my enquiry:

Yes, we do install at a cost of around £1700, this will get you the charger installed and includes a rolling road session which sorts out all the fueling etc. etc.  We are at the moment doing our 'old school' fueling setup in the way that we manufacture our own crank trigger wheel which is totally adjustable as opposed to the standard unit.  Our setup 'tricks' your standard ECU into retarding the timing and we also use a variable rate fuel regulator which works on your vacuum system.  This is a very old school setup, but works extremely well.  No real need for any intercooler, unless you want to go a bit further and get more talking power!

After speaking with Tim, it does sound like there may be tickover issues, at least from cold with this setup,  though this also sounds to be a common issue from what I have read elswhere.  Does anyone have any experience of this at all?  Any advice gratefully received, even if it is "dont do it, leave well alone"

 My 10ae ran a supercharger (Moss kit M45 with a powercard) and I ran it for 2 years with no problems. It did 39mpg and was not intercooled. I put an alloy rad in when we toured Spain and France. It had to run on super but never pinked, overheated or missed a beat, even when standard cars where pinking in the alps.

It is still running untouched with another member

Thanks for your reply Richard. 

Was it a UK or US Moss kit?  It seems that the UK kit powercard is not adjustable, is that correct?  If so, it sounds like it ran well from the start?  Reading the instal instructions for the Moss MP45, it tells you to retard the ignition.  Thats not really possible on a Mk2, how did you cope with that or did you fit an additional card? Looking at their instructions on their website, although they say its for a 1.8 Mk2 the instructions shown are for a late model 1.8 Mk1.  Are there any differences? Did you have any contact with Moss after you bought the kit, if you did, how helpful were they? 

Thats good mpg and is pretty much what I am getting now with normal aspiration.

Did you have any real problems with the install and Did you consider that extra cooling was required which was maybe why you fitted an alloy radiator?  Did your car start and run OK from cold?

Could you perhaps PM me details on who has it now so that I could maybe ask them some questions?

Thanks again.

Not a MK2 but....I had an M45 fitted to my 1.6 Mk1 3 years ago, runs like a dream, no problems whatsoever. No intercooler and running enough boost for 175 bhp at the flywheel. I'm in sunny Queensland where summer temps average about 30 deg C and I have no cooling problems. Fuel and ignition controlled with a Megasquirt

Zimmerframe:

Could you perhaps PM me details on who has it now so that I could maybe ask them some questions?

I'm quite interested in this, could you keep it open rather than P.M.ing it, please

Zimmerframe:

Thanks for your reply Richard. 

Was it a UK or US Moss kit?  It seems that the UK kit powercard is not adjustable, is that correct?  That was the card used, fitted it myself

If so, it sounds like it ran well from the start? Once I got the tickover set it ran fine

 Reading the instal instructions for the Moss MP45, it tells you to retard the ignition.  Thats not really possible on a Mk2, how did you cope with that or did you fit an additional card? Moss sold a retard box, I didn't get one, just used super unleaded

Looking at their instructions on their website, although they say its for a 1.8 Mk2 the instructions shown are for a late model 1.8 Mk1.  Mine came with Mk2 instructions

Are there any differences? Did you have any contact with Moss after you bought the kit, if you did, how helpful were they?  No problems with Moss, the kit I got was on offer, casme with "old school kit", not powercard. Instructions were for a powercard kit. I played dumb with them and blagged the powercard FOC

Thats good mpg and is pretty much what I am getting now with normal aspiration. Mine did 32 before

Did you have any real problems with the install and Did you consider that extra cooling was required which was maybe why you fitted an alloy radiator?  Install was easy, but take time to make the loom tidy, I had ABS so had to fabricate the intake, Moss didn't do the ABS kit at the time, also had to buy the washer bottle relocation kit, extra cooling fitted as insurance for Spain France trip

Did your car start and run OK from cold? Yes, new owner is not mechanically minded and runs it as a daily driver

Could you perhaps PM me details on who has it now so that I could maybe ask them some questions? New owner not on here

Thanks again.

 Thanks for the information Richard, very much appreciated.  I am taking early retirement in a couple of months, so funds may be available to buy a brand new kit from Moss.  Their MP62 kit includes 2 cards, one for the fueling and one for the ignition; my two main concerns.  The other thing it comes with is 2 years warranty, something you wouldnt get with a custom build.

I'm watching a couple of threads on the Nutz forums.  I'm a little reluctant to post there though as it seems a little more daunting in the replies you may get...

Thanks again.

 I have also been looking at a Rotrex kit that is available from a US supplier. 

http://www.shop.kraftwerksusa.com/99-00-Mazda-Miata-Base-Supercharger-System-888-125.htm

Advantages look to be relative ease of installation, noise level, size of unit.  I have been looking on the Miata.net forums and have had some info on these.  They sound OK but support may be problematic.

Anybody running with one of these?

I have a thread running on Miata.net

http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=445761

 with the expense your going too,i would'nt bother with the old school method,i have a afpr and a bipes on my turbo,the afpr is a adjustable fuel reg that increases line pressure to the injectors,regardsless as to what any one tells you, you will use  more fuel,as you pumping twice as much fuel through at any given rate.The bipes controls the timing,and works of the ecu output tweeks the signal and retards the ignition under boost.

If you can get hold of a bipes.there great,but you looking at£200 for a new one,for the hassle,i would contact reverend on mx5 nutz,and he will build you a megasquirt,that will do everything you want,much much better,would be plug and play,and he will set a map or maps up for you.No point spending £2grand on something,and not doing it right.You will have much better control over fuelling and ignition with a megasquirt,better mpg,better power and torque.With a afpr and timing mod,you need a O2 clamp as it will run lean on the onset of boost..and you don't want that....if you need any advice give me a shout.

regards

Tim