Are these the exact same unit or does one perform better than the other?

 

The manual racks were the same weither they were in a N/A or a Turbo

 

They're the same, I've driven both and they're both hard to turn :P

Seriously, though, they're the same.

 

Thanks

 

Do you actually gain any HP by going manual or is it just to clean up the engine bay?

 

you free up parasitic drag on the engine so i guess you could say you do gain some hp. i see it as one less fluid to chek every week =).

 

You might gain 1 or 2 HP at under 40 MPH, (and nothing at all above 40 MPH since the system is shut off around there), but that would be the only HP gain if there is any at all.

 

Like Icemark said, you'll only get like 1hp out of this but alot of people do it to simplify things under the hood. Thats the reason I'm changing over. Besides, all TII's should have came w/a manual rack

 

The manual rack works better for racing and other spirited driving, which is the REAL reason why the PS is removed by those with a technical understanding of the vehicle. I also like it better for street driving. Other than my driving test, I have parallel parked once in the last 19 years, so the PS doesn't really matter to me, lol. As far as PS goes, however, the 2Gen has the best one that I have tried.

FYI the power rack doesn't reach 0 boost until about 110 mph. Mazda propaganda:
http://www.geocities.com/evilaviator/ps