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Another successful visit to Blackbirdfabworx.

2K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  Rdrcr 
#1 ·
The reason for my most recent visit to Blackbirdfabworx is because I’m preparing my Miata for track days. I decided to have the P/S rack properly de-powered, P/S steering pump, and associated parts removed, and the A/C removed, Mazdaspeed engine mounts installed, and a Custom Stainless Steel 2.5 inch header-back exhaust system fabricated and installed.

I decided to tackle the P/S because in my opinion, The Miata’s steering at high speeds is well, vague. At around 120mph and the steering gets really light and unresponsive. To counter this, I’m performing the P/S delete and depowering the steering rack for a better, more confident, and heavier feel at high speeds (I’ll be working with Moti on the ‘lift’ issues in the near future…a nice front bumper air deflector will be very nice).

The A/C was removed for simplicity. I use it. It will be missed. Most of our local tracks are located in the desert and it does get hot. So I’ll no longer be able to cool off on my ride home.

Since the P/S rack/gear needed to be removed I decided to have the Mazdaspeed competition engine mounts installed at the same time. My engine mounts were becoming a bit weak and I am hoping that the 40% stiffer mounts will help keep the engine in place during hard full throttle runs and help with my quick shifting engagements as I do miss shifts from time to time.

My custom 2.5 inch stainless steel exhaust starts from the OEM down-pipe flange and basically, replaces the OEM catalytic converter mid-pipe and continues on from there. It will consist of a catalytic converter, muffler, and pipe section that will exit on the driver side of the bumper or perhaps, more to the center-left.

I’ll be using two different catalytic converters, one is a CARB replacement and the other is a high-flow unit that will serve for performance driving. These will be held in place by V-Band clamps so they can be quickly changed when the need arises. Even though I’ll have two catalytic converters available to install in the system, only one will be installed at a given time.

I’m a bit embarrassed but, I’ll be using a 2.5 inch stainless steel Hushpower 2 Muffler from Flowmaster. I don’t like Flowmaster mufflers and never thought I’d purchase another one of their products in my life, but, the HP2 fit the dimensions I was seeking, it is supposed to be relatively quiet, was reasonably priced, and will work with the design of my custom setup. I only hope that it sounds okay and that it won’t be too loud for the street.

Moti’s innovation and vision came into play as we discussed the rear section of the exhaust (which is why I am very happy that Moti took the job. His knowledge of the Miata, expert vision, and attention to detail will make the results of this project better than if performed by an individual not familiar with the Miata’s makeup and characteristics.). I didn’t want the exhaust to follow the bumper and exit on the passenger side of the bumper fascia. I wanted a simple ‘dump’ tailpipe exit on the driver side that would be semi-hidden by the bumper cover. But, Moti suggested that we trim the bumper to reduce drag and bring the tailpipe straight back and have the exhaust exit to the left of the center of the car. At first I was hesitant to agree to the bumper trim but, once he thoroughly explained how the final product would appear, I eagerly accepted the idea.

In Moti’s words;
“The current project in the shop is a returning customer with a nice supercharged NB that already features a BFW 6 point roll bar.

This time around it gets a personality adjustment -
Depowering the steering rack, removal of the P/S and A/C systems, Mazdaspeed motor mounts and a custom SS 2.5" downpipe-back exhaust system and a rear bumper light chop.

The exhaust includes a smaller muffler and a CARB-legal cat on V-bands so that it can be swapped for a race cat when going to the track.
The rear bumper chop offers a reduction in aero drag, but also allows the exhaust system to be routed shorter (and lighter) with an exit left of center.

Between the elimination of the accessory belt off the engine, the new exhaust, a significant reduction in weight and reduced drag this car will be zippier than ever when it leaves next week.”

How are the results? Well, after about a week over at Moti’s shop, the car runs great!

The steering is much heavier now with the P/S deleted. At low speeds, 30-60 mph I was a bit surprised by how heavy it has become but, at high speeds, 80-XXX the steering is fantastic. The steering response and accuracy is much more precise and you can really feel the road. With some more time behind the wheel I know my confidence will be greatly increased with this modification.

The removal of both the P/S pump and A/C compressor revealed a special benefit though. I now have room for a larger WI tank. One of my main concerns with my WI setup was not having enough water to last through a session on the track. Now I should be able to double my water capacity and alleviate that issue. Nice!

The Mazdaspeed engine mounts definitely helped with my sloppy shifting. I can really feel a more direct engagement with every shift. The transmission and gearbox feel like new, or perhaps, upgraded in some way, due to the new engine mounts. I knew that the cause of my miss-shifts weren't entirely my fault.

I made a mistake with my muffler choice. There is no hush in Hush Power. The exhaust is way loud...race car loud, and way too loud for my taste and for the street. To fix this issue I plan on having a small 12 by 2.5 inch muffler/resonator installed in the tailpipe section to hopefully quiet things down a bit.

With the A/C and P/S deleted and the addition of the BFW 2.5 inch stainless steel custom exhaust (plus the new catalytic converter), my Miata accelerates much smoother and the RPM's climb much faster. My butt dyno is not reliable but, I'm sure there are a couple additional HP's hidden somewhere in the RPM range. The exhaust is super nice, expertly assembled and I'm am extremely happy with it. I'm proud to have an exhaust this nice, installed on my Miata.

In Moti’s words;
Here's what it looks like.
This Miata left today with a full 2.5" SS exhaust system that weighs only 23 Lbs from the header-back, no P/S or A/C, depowered rack and a subtle chop of the rear bumper.

With overall weight savings of 63 lbs., free flowing exhaust, reduced aero drag and one less belt on the engine, this baby feels like it's ready for some serious business!”

Here are some pics of the project and car;

















http://blackbirdfabworx.com/

Mike
 
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#5 ·
It is definitely and awesome setup and the V-Bands make it so much easier to swap the exhaust components.

He did a great job and I'm really happy with it.

Plus, the combination of his efforts (A/C & P/S delete, Bumper-Cut, and Straight-As-Possible High-Flow Exhaust) increased my average MPG by 3.

Mike
 
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