Because of a different thread I have decided to either buy a damper for the Miata engine movement, or build one myself if it’s cheaper. Has anyone given this a try? Or can anyone recommend an engine damper that is $100 or less?
Because of a different thread I have decided to either buy a damper for the Miata engine movement, or build one myself if it’s cheaper. Has anyone given this a try? Or can anyone recommend an engine damper that is $100 or less?
At first glance I was thinking that you meant harmonic damper and I was thinking "That seems like a not-good idea." I have not tried one, but judging by that thread, I guess I should, except my engine bay is a science project and I have no clue where I'd mount one.
I've looked into it. There's a damper made for this exact purpose called the Ingalls Stiffy elastomeric damper. Another good option is an MTB rear shock. And now that I do some fresh searching, NRG now makes kits:
https://www.amazon.com/NRG-Innovations-EDA-201SL-Engine-Damper/dp/B007B2MRG0
In reply to NickD
legend has it you can try a golf cart shock absorber connected to the engine crane bracket. I couldn’t find where the other end would go.
Someone said the eBay trash works. I’m doubting that. One guy had a solid Home Depot racing turnbuckle setup. Not sure I want that. “Weapon R” has a kit for 200$, which is more than anyone should ever pay for a product from weapon R.
I feel like I could make two brackets, and find a hood lift shock absorber to accomplish what I want, but I don’t know it if it will last, or have enough resistance.
_ said:In reply to NickD
legend has it you can try a golf cart shock absorber connected to the engine crane bracket. I couldn’t find where the other end would go.
Someone said the eBay trash works. I’m doubting that. One guy had a solid Home Depot racing turnbuckle setup. Not sure I want that. “Weapon R” has a kit for 200$, which is more than anyone should ever pay for a product from weapon R.
I feel like I could make two brackets, and find a hood lift shock absorber to accomplish what I want, but I don’t know it if it will last, or have enough resistance.
My engine lift bracket has been removed and the bolt hole used for supercharger mounting bracket. If you got a hood shock from something with a heavy hood, like maybe a '90s GM product (not sure if they used struts then, or just prop rods though) that would probably work, although packaging might get weird, because a lot of hood struts are very long.
Hood struts and similar things aren't shock absorbers, they're springs (although some do have built-in damping action for extension only), so they won't work. You want to turn the energy of the powertrain moving into heat, not store and release it uncontrollably. In fact people who tested MTB rear coilovers with and without the spring found that it worked better without the spring.
In reply to GameboyRMH :
And when you say MTB, you were talking about mountain bikes right?
What about using the steering damper from a sportbike? Those things are cheap as chips.
_ said:In reply to GameboyRMH :
And when you say MTB, you were talking about mountain bikes right?
Right.
Robbie said:What about using the steering damper from a sportbike? Those things are cheap as chips.
May be worth a try, although the damping action of these is rather weak.
Robbie said:What about using the steering damper from a sportbike? Those things are cheap as chips.
By that logic, use a steering damper for a Jeep or other solid front axle vehicle. It'll be beefier.
I had to double-check, but yes, Super Street magazine is still available.
This completely ignores that you made no mention of what engine mounts you were using, or the condition of them.
z31maniac said:This completely ignores that you made no mention of what engine mounts you were using, or the condition of them.
Because it’s irrelevant, because I still have the issue. Although if you were in the other thread (that I mentioned) you’d know I have Mazda comp mounts, and still have the 2-3 shift issue, and Keith said diff mounts don’t do E36 M3.
I saw this at a recent Cars & Coffee on a '65 Mustang. It was similar to a the strut rod assembly used in Ford front ends of this time with a couple of rubber bushings trapping the steel plate in place on the frame rail. Similar to a turnbuckle with some compression and extension allowed.
BTW-I left the event before he did to avoid my obviously inevitable demise upon his departure.
In reply to wawazat :
I thought the first gens were exempt from this status? Have things gotten that bad? Lol
I think the boble strut (engine damper) for a 1st gen neon was about 30 bucks. It had far greater dampening than any shock I ever had.. even the one with 150k that was replaced.
z31maniac said:I had to double-check, but yes, Super Street magazine is still available.
If this is a joke, no one got it. If this is attitude, maybe Facebook is more your style.
Maybe do a pull setup using a valve spring some threaded rod and washers? Keep the engine under very light positive pressure and as it torques in the bay the valve spring exerts resistance. I have seen mountain bike suspensions work this way.
I did a quick sketch.
_ said:z31maniac said:This completely ignores that you made no mention of what engine mounts you were using, or the condition of them.
Because it’s irrelevant, because I still have the issue. Although if you were in the other thread (that I mentioned) you’d know I have Mazda comp mounts, and still have the 2-3 shift issue, and Keith said diff mounts don’t do E36 M3.
Not completely true - but their contribution is definitely minimized by the fact that the PPF is pretty weak in twist by design.
A steering damper might actually work pretty well. You're not looking to absorb little vibrations as much as big movements, and you don't want to stop it from moving completely.
_ said:z31maniac said:I had to double-check, but yes, Super Street magazine is still available.
If this is a joke, no one got it. If this is attitude, maybe Facebook is more your style.
Calm down there chief, just razzing you.
I've never heard of anyone from stance, to drifters, to TT, to national record setters "needing" a damper because of engine movement in a Miata.
I'd probably keep saving for something that would impact performance.
In reply to z31maniac :
Do you own a Miata? Have you ever owned a Miata? Have you ever driven in anger a Miata? If the answer to these questions is no, then you don’t know what it’s like to miss that two three shift
In reply to _ :
I had this issue all the time in my turbo NB. Really frustrating.
GameboyRMH said:I've looked into it. There's a damper made for this exact purpose called the Ingalls Stiffy elastomeric damper. Another good option is an MTB rear shock. And now that I do some fresh searching, NRG now makes kits:
https://www.amazon.com/NRG-Innovations-EDA-201SL-Engine-Damper/dp/B007B2MRG0
The description for the item at the link does not even closely match what the link if for. You might get a steering wheel shipped to you if you bought that.
_ said:In reply to z31maniac :
Do you own a Miata? Have you ever owned a Miata? Have you ever driven in anger a Miata? If the answer to these questions is no, then you don’t know what it’s like to miss that two three shift
Owned a '90 Track Rat that saw Hallett many times on RComps, never had this problem. Did the first WRL school in my friends NB WRL car, 6 spd, at Raceway at the Midlands, never had this problem.
DD'd a 2006 Miata for a few years.
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