The Myth of the Maxim

So as a few of you might know, I offered to let Emilion at 949 Racing borrow my header to run some tests. It's 2013 and no one has any solid dyno results of a Maxim? Ridiculous. It's a hard to get/expensive header so it somewhat makes sense. I had one laying around and decided it's now or never.


So here it is compared with Chris' hacked to hell and back OEM. If you notice the abrupt bends at the collectors (of the maxim), it goes against traditional convention.
http://i.imgur.com/ETb63TQ.jpg

So what we did was we took a stock 1.8 with a straight pipe and Racing Beat header, dyno'd it... then 40 minutes later put on the Maxim with a straight pipe as well. And here are the results
http://i.imgur.com/vlxGQib.jpg

The RB actually made about 4 more hp between 3800-4600...

so in conclusion... although Racing Beat isn't fancy, or JDM, or cool.. it's the best Header you can probably buy for the Miata.

Thanks for posting.

Would be interesting to have thrown in the OBX or Raceland in there as well, just for completeness.

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Originally Posted by Demon I Am

Would be interesting to have thrown in the OBX or Raceland in there as well, just for completeness.

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I think there are already a few dyno plots out there for the OBX at least. Nothing too impressive IIRC. I'll have to hunt to find one, but I think the RB still outshone those a good amount.

Yeah, I figured they are pretty much too similar to really give much of a care.

Great post, Racing beat wins based on availability, price and quality.

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Originally Posted by Hyper

Great post, Racing beat wins based on availability, price and quality.

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Or you know... just straight performance

The dyno plot says junkyard JDM NB2 engine. Is that a VVT head? Any other mods? Does the MW NA8 exhaust have runners that match the NB2 port shape?

I would expect a RB header to work best with RB exhaust.

Doesn't the MW have a different diameter outlet? That step in pipe size can be critical.

It looks like the Maxim works is a lot smoother compared to the Racing Beat.

I wonder what curve the Jackson Racing header would make. It is one (if not, the only) of the CARB legal headers.

We have a Jackson Racing header here. Maybe Monday, if we feel up for it.

Car has a MS3 Pro. Emilio did adjust the fuel for each header, but the Maxim was right at the end of the day and the dyno shop was closing. I think he would have been able to equalize the 4-4.5k dip better given another 4 pulls.

It is a VVT engine.

I would like a better controlled test. Start and end with the RB as the control to verify that there is no change throughout the day... and then have a stack of headers to test. Takes about 1 to 1.5 hours to swap and test.

I'd like to see what the results would with a stock exhaust.

I thought the Maxim header wasn't supposed to line up with USDM exhaust? Just wondering if this is true or not, if I end up with a MW header.

Any weight difference between the three?

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Originally Posted by fwdtamiya

I thought the Maxim header wasn't supposed to line up with USDM exhaust? Just wondering if this is true or not, if I end up with a MW header.

Any weight difference between the three?

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Header will line up.... the cat wont. The flange is angled totally off. Get a jdm cat or hack up your own. Or rock a test pipe if you're brave

I have always like the RB header!

Shame you don't also have a plot for the Maruha VPP, the one Emilio suggested I get (which I did).

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Originally Posted by Pfunk

Shame you don't also have a plot for the Maruha VPP, the one Emilio suggested I get (which I did).

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Emilio has said he is more than willing to test "rare" headers as long as you deliver the system to him. I'd get in touch with him about what would be a good time. I'm sure everyone else would be interested.

I think I'll keep the header on my very not-stock car... here in Japan.

Finally! Thanks for posting DK.

Thanks Given for this great dyno backed post!!! I have always liked Racing Beat quality.

Now get the uber rare Maruha Header up there!!!

http://youtu.be/STOUhZ6PehY

Well, I know Emilio just ordered a Maruhaha header for himself.... he thinks that one will actually have noticeable gains... however, I think the gains would be negligible.

I have a Maxim vs JR dyno (1.6) hardcopy filed away and no scanner. Think a high res photo would be okay? Was just a bit of difference under the curve...

This has been done before and confirmed hp and torque gains over the Racing Beat

http://www.miataroadster.net/phpBB3/...hp?f=105&t=496

However, I believe that is with the older style RB. The new RB IIRC was essentially just a rip off of the design of the Maxim.

VERY cool! Interesting divergeant readings between the two AFRs at around 4250 rpms

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Originally Posted by DK Wolf

However, I believe that is with the older style RB. The new RB IIRC was essentially just a rip off of the design of the Maxim.

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what is the difference between the new and old for the RB? you mean from the 4-2-1 design to the 4-1?

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Originally Posted by DK Wolf

However, I believe that is with the older style RB. The new RB IIRC was essentially just a rip off of the design of the Maxim.

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Ah nope. You're probably too young to remember Brainstorm Performance here in LA. The designed a pretty effective 4:1 and tested it against the RB 4:2:1. So RB decided to research a 4:1 for the Miata. After something like 150 different test configurations, they settled on the current design, tested and beat the BSP header by a little bit. Now it is entirely possible that BSP cribbed design details from someone else. Who knows.

Anyway, it will be a while before a VP header gets here. I waited too long to get my order in and missed the current production run (sounds familiar). Mine will be an NA8 header but with the lower section only tacked on so we can adapt it to the USDM NA8 cat location. Probably won't get tested until December. I don't post here so someone will have to copy the results from miataturbo.net again.

Ahh.. well I wasn't too sure of its origins. Im pretty sure I read about it someplace or had one of the Oki guys mention it to me. So I took it with a grain of salt... but I know I read somewhere on mt.net about its design similarities. Ill try to find the thread/post.

And I hope that VP header pans out. Would love to see some spectacular gains.

Years ago, the header to have was the Boig. It was pretty crudely made, prone to rust, and hard to get, but it made the best power. Coldside SC guys lusted after them. They were a good bit superior to the RB 4-1 design, which was 2nd best to the Boig. But you could get the RB, it didn't fall apart, and it was relatively inexpensive. This was back in 2005, so the info is quite dated.

http://www.miata.net/products/hot/im...r1WebSmall.jpg

http://memimage.cardomain.com/ride_i...0015_large.jpg
The Boig.

Anyways, thanks for the post DK! And the dyno work 949!

Sick engine shot!!!!


DK how about an exhaust thread about your HKS setup?

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Originally Posted by Phatmiata

Sick engine shot!!!!


DK how about an exhaust thread about your HKS setup?

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Meh, I don't think I'll make a dedicated thread for it. I'll keep posting in the exhaust thread and my build thread. If people want it specifically, then I'll do it. But it's unlikely.

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Originally Posted by revlimiter

http://www.miata.net/products/hot/im...r1WebSmall.jpg

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That Boig looks very easy to make actually. It using a standard collector on the end. Basically the same setup I running with the Camaro.

I'd love to get a Mahura VP header some day. I'm quite happy, though, with my Fujitsubo 4-2-1 header.

I do recall asking Emilio what he thought of the Fujitsubo header and he said it's a good choice, but I don't think he told me about any Hp gains.

Maruha VP
Racing Beat 56006

https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/...83843795_o.jpg

Even though I have the Maruha unit, it's great to see just how good the RB unit is, and for so much less.

I'd call it negligible to the point that a simple change in the weather could give you the same difference with the same parts. totally agree RB stuff is amazing if I had not gotten my Fujitsubo for for little I'd of gotten an RB header to match my RB exhaust.

Emilio,

Did you do any testing without the venturi fitted in the Maruha? It seems to work well on a stock engine, but I wonder if it chokes things up on a more modified engine with compression, cams, ITB's, etc. I was going to pull mine out and maybe re-dyno. Curious as to what your thoughts are.

We did not get the chance to do that. It was EOD and we were rushed just to get it done once.

That was the major point of that header though? I guess that explains the afr and lack of tuning, pretty dead on for each other though.

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Originally Posted by Quinn

Emilio,

Did you do any testing without the venturi fitted in the Maruha? It seems to work well on a stock engine, but I wonder if it chokes things up on a more modified engine with compression, cams, ITB's, etc. I was going to pull mine out and maybe re-dyno. Curious as to what your thoughts are.

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Maruha offers a 45,50 and 55mm venturi. Standard is the 50mm which is what Saiji at Maruha suggested for our project when we consulted him. For a 275+hp Rotrex build we might try the 55mm.

I always told everyone that USDM parts were higher quality than what you found in Japan.

People always assumed I was exaggerating. Which is why I never kept any of the Japanese parts on my car (except for the Maxim, the flex pipe is a feature I actually do desire... and my HKS because it's the best sounding exhaust in my opinion). I just kept selling them to people to make me money. Hahaha