I had a broad idea what ITB’s do but never really had first hand experience the issues you will encounter fitting and living with them on the car.
This video by Keith Turner from flying miata goes into all aspects you need to know about ITB’s that you probably never thought of you had to solve (and some that you have to live with)
Thoroughly recommend this one (as well as the one Keith talk about coilovers)
Thanks for the link.
I had very much wanted to run ITBs for the drama. I love the way they sound, very much like carbs to my ear.
I actually tried hard to sort something out but my experience was not very positive.
My first port of call was BBR GTi.
They have developed a kit for the NB which seems to be a fair price. Unfortunately the chemistry between me and the fellow I spoke to in the company just wasn’t there. For a complete novice to tuning I got next to no help at all. I’m sure there are folk who have had the exact opposite experience but I decided to move on.
My next venture was to a local (to me) tuning company recommended by a colleague.
ITBs aren’t their thing sadly but they were prepared to tune the car once I’d got everything fitted.
Finally I approached Jenvey who also now do a kit for the NB 1.8.
Again, unfortunately the kit is designed around their modern ITBs but I had decided I wanted their heritage, Weber carburettor look versions. Of course the heritage ITBs don’t fit the modern manifold.
So, after going round in circles I have reluctantly chosen not to install ITBs.
It’s a great shame and disappointing because I feel that it would greatly enhance the driving experience.
Good luck to everyone who decides to fit ITBs. I think they’re terrific.
Well if you watch the video tuning the ITB’s is the hard bit. BBR offer a kit but at a premium which comprises the cost of the kit as well as the experience fitting it and making it work. Not sure what happened in your communication with BBR but if it was my company i wouldn’t really let out my know how to get things working for free and I presume this is also baked in to their product cost. It also could be that they can get the ITB’s they sell work with that specific runner length and configuration - change to different brand of ITB’s and their method would need adjusting - which would take extra time they have not accounted for. Considering they are going fixed price on things any extra time spend on a car means they are loosing time working on another customer car.
If it helps I have a heritage set of bodies fitted to a jenvey manifold on my mk1 mx5. The linkage is a bit of an issue and I have them looking at a modified linkage to solve it, or a wider spaced manifold, but that was the only issue , others were problems around sourcing and fitting the correct plugs for the injectors.
Mine needs more mapping (being done remotely at the moment) and I have a few little things that I want to change, but it runs drives and passes a mot.
Cheers
Hi Mark.
I’m very interested in seeing this.
Please post some photos if you get the chance.
Cheers,
Guy
I have loads, the 2nd pic shows the issue with the linkage. At WOT the actuating rod fouls the linkage balancing screw.
That looks superb Mark.
When I spoke to Jenvey I got all the way through the process only to find that they didn’t have a manifold that could fit the heritage throttle bodies.
Is your manifold a newly developed item or is it custom?
No, their standard affair. This is why the two bodies are not far enough apart and the actuating rod fouls the balancing linkage.
They are looking at canting over or offsetting the fulcrum wheel and the actuating rod and using longer leavers, to give the clearance and keep the same peddle feel.
I made it fit by curing down the grub screw and lock tightening it together once balanced……not ideal.
