It’s Finally Here! The Performance Turbo Inlet Pipe for the Mazda SkyActiv-G 2.5L Turbo

The best and most complete intake system for your Turbo Mazda is finally available!  Introducing the last piece of the puzzle, the CorkSport Performance Turbo Inlet Pipe.  Combine the turbo inlet pipe with the CorkSport Short Ram Intake and Heatshield to create the complete intake system for the SkyActiv-G 2.5T engine found in nearly every model Mazda currently produced.

Mazda 3 Turbo Inlet Pipe with SRI
Skyactiv Turbo 3 Filter Inlet Engine Placement

Why does an upgraded turbo inlet pipe matter?

Power comes from efficiently flowing air in and out of the engine. When there is a restriction in the flow path, this causes a power and efficiency loss.  Our goal was to design a new performance turbo inlet pipe that removes the restrictions of the OEM design, fits like OEM, and integrates perfectly with the already existing CorkSport Short Ram Intake and Heatshield.

Mazda 3 Turbo Inlet Pipe OEM vs Improved CorkSport
The Turbo Inlet Pipe for the4th Gen Mazda 3

Here you can truly see the difference in size!  While the shape of the CorkSport Turbo Inlet Pipe is…unusual…it’s for good reason.  We invite you to check out the design blog for more in-depth details.  

In a nutshell, we investigated the typical aftermarket design path of a metal pipe, but a 2.5 inch metal pipe was not good enough.  We thought outside of the box to truly design the best turbo inlet pipe option for the community.  We moved up to a 3 inch inner diameter system to maintain a continuous 3 inch inner area matching the MAF housing. 

Full Mazda 3 Turbo Inlet Pipe Kit WIth SRI and heat shield
Full Image of the 4th Gen Mazda 3 Turbo Intake System

It’s the final piece in the CorkSport 4th GEN Turbo Intake System making it the best and most complete intake system on the market!

Turbo Inlet Providing Power Gains

So does it make power?  Short answer. YES IT DOES!  While tuning for the 4th GEN Mazda platform is still primitive and restrictive, we are able to see faster spooling and higher flow before the ECU hits the load limits.  This tells us we are making more power with the addition of the turbo inlet pipe to the existing CorkSport short ram intake system.  It also tells us there is more potential in the system once tuning develops further.  We can promise, as tuning does develop, we too will further test and validate the benefits of the turbo inlet pipe system.

Power gains are great, but another key addition to the driving experience is unleashing the induction and turbocharger noise trapped by the factory air intake system. The CorkSport SRI and TIP free up a surprising amount of turbo noise when driving around and provides more induction sound under hard acceleration. The extra level of turbocharger noise is enjoyable when you want, but doesn’t get in the way when you don’t.

Installed Mazda Turbo Inlet Pipe and Intake System
CorkSport Turbo Inlet Pipe Intake System Engine View

The Turbo Inlet Pipe Made Is Better & Fits Like OEM

Let’s talk about how its made; the material and manufacturing method used is another advantage over the OEM counterpart. The CorkSport TIP is Roto-Molded out of a high temp nylon to offer good strength and flow while retaining an OEM-like appearance. The CorkSport TIP also utilizes two silicone couplers which are reinforced so they don’t deform under vacuum high load. The silicone coupler that connects the SRI to the TIP gives a nice smooth transition between the two when compared to the OEM coupler, which has ribs that introduce unwanted turbulent air into the TIP.

Blue Silicon for the TIP Mazda 3
The Best Intake For Turbo Mazda 3 Silicone

The outlet silicone that leads to the turbo features a barbed fitting to retain the valve cover breather and we also provide a silicone breather hose to connect the two together. This barbed fitting can also be used for an oil catch can if you want to add one in the future.

Silcone connectors in red, blue, and black
4th Gen Turbo Inlet Pipe Colors

The last component that is included with the CorkSport TIP is the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket is made out of 304 stainless steel and was designed to work with both the air-to-air intercooler system found on the Mazda 6, CX-9, and CX-5 and the air-to-water intercooler system found on the Mazda 3, CX-30, and CX-50. From the factory they have different mounting locations for the TIP so we decided to offer a single mounting bracket that will work with which ever model you have. 

Hardware included with the Turbo Inlet Pipe kit for Mazda 3
Hardware for the Turbo Inlet Pipe Hardware

As with most CorkSport performance products, this Turbo Inlet Pipe kit includes all the necessary installation hardware and color step-by-step installation instructions to ensure you have a quick and straightforward install.

The addition of the CS Turbo Inlet Pipe on your Turbo Mazda is a fantastic mod to further build upon your current CorkSport SRI. And Heatshield.  At this time, no competitor intake systems have been test fit with the CorkSport Turbo Inlet Pipe. 

Check it out below and be sure to contact us with any questions you may have, we will be happy to help!

The 4th GEN Turbo Inlet Pipe

The final component for the most complete intake system for your 4th Gen Turbo Mazda is finally available!

The 4th GEN Turbo Inlet Pipe

The final component for the most complete intake system for your 4th Gen Turbo Mazda is finally available!

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The New Mazdaspeed 6 51R Battery Tray By CorkSport

Today we are proud to introduce the CorkSport 51R Battery Tray for 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed 6! This products adds some much needed room for larger intakes by switching to a much narrower “51R” sized battery. We sized the CS battery tray to fit our 4” intake with no problems or modifications to your car. It’s a 30 minute install which opens up your engine bay for further mods and even makes later installs and maintenance easier. Read on for full details and check out the Mazdaspeed 6 51R Battery Tray in our shop to purchase.

Continue reading “The New Mazdaspeed 6 51R Battery Tray By CorkSport”

2004-2013 Mazda 3 and 2010-2013 Mazdaspeed 3 Aluminum Coolant Reservoir is back

2004-2013 Mazda 3 bolt in coolant reservoir

We’re happy to welcome another product we have resurrected from the dead: the CorkSport Aluminum Coolant Reservoir for 2004-2013 Mazda 3 and 2010-2013 Mazdaspeed 3. We also have one for the Gen 1 Mazaspeed coolant tank. Back and better than ever, we have completely redesigned the tank from the ground up. We ended up with a tank that performs just like OEM yet will stand up to the test of time and look a hell of a lot better while doing it!

2004-2013 Mazda 3 & Mazdaspeed 3 bolt in coolant reservoir

As the Mazdaspeed GEN1 and GEN2 get older, the OEM plastic tanks become more and more prone to failure. The constant changes in pressure and temperature, plus the chemicals in the coolant cause the plastic to weaken over time. The aluminum used for the CS coolant tank will hold up better over time, ridding you of the hassle of a leaky coolant tank. To ensure proper functionality, the CS coolant res includes internal baffling, just like OEM. The baffling keeps air bubbles from entering the cooling system under aggressive driving conditions and ensures your cooling system will be operating as intended, regardless of how you’re driving.

A replacement for the ugly plastic coolant tank for the 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 Mazdaspeed 3

The CorkSport Mazdaspeed coolant reservoir is designed specifically as a replacement for the OEM Mazda tank, which means no drilling, fabrication, or other modifications. The OEM coolant hoses even work perfectly with the CS tank. To check the coolant level in the CS res, since you obviously can’t see through the aluminum, we include a sight tube on the front of the tank that easily displays how much coolant is present. As an additional upgrade from OEM, we include a 1.5bar (~22psi) radiator cap for better protection against overheating. Plus, should you want even a higher pressure cap, it uses a typical radiator cap connection, so upgrading is easy. Finally, an overflow hose is included, which can easily be adapted to fit with a catch tank, should you need one when racing at a track.

Replacement for the OEM plastic coolant tank for the 2010-2013 Speed3

We haven’t yet touched on what is possibly the best part of the CorkSport coolant reservoir: appearance! With its simple design and sleek wrinkle black powder coat finish, it is a great fit in almost any engine bay. Let’s be honest, the OEM tanks look okay at best when brand new, yet within a few months, they become yellowed and ugly. The CS coolant tank is a great finishing touch for your Mazda’s engine bay. We even hid the mounting locations to provide you with the cleanest look!

2010-2013 Mazda 3 coolant tank upgrade

Each CorkSport Mazdaspeed Coolant Reservoir gets a lot of love before it heads out our doors. The tanks are first laser cut from 11 gauge aluminum and then precision formed before being TIG welded together. Each tank gets a cap, sight tube, and fittings which are all chosen specifically for use with pressure and automotive coolant so they will hold up over the years. Finally, once assembled, we pressure test every tank to ensure no leaks for your Mazda. All of this comes with the hardware needed for installation, color instructions, and CS support!

Mazda MPS3 coolant surge tank replacement

Be sure to check out the product listing for more pictures of the CS coolant reservoir. Give us a call if you want any additional info. We can’t wait to see you all get your hands on these tanks!

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Mazdaspeed EWGs Made Easy!

We’ve talked a lot about external wastegates with our recent CST6 development but today we are happy to announce the standalone CorkSport External Wastegate Housings for the CST4 and CST5. Available right now as an update for your existing IWG CST4 or CST5, the CS EWG housings make it easy to get the best in boost control for your Mazdaspeed 3, Mazdaspeed 6, or Mazda CX-7 Turbo.

Bolton upgrade to go external wastegate with your Mazdaspeed

While the CST6 will only come with an EWG housing, the external wastegate (EWG for short) is a new concept for the CST4 and CST5. Both of these turbos originally hit the market with an internal wastegate (IWG) only option that has a small flapper valve on the inside of the turbine housing to let off excess exhaust gases. Instead, the CorkSport EWG housings use an offshoot from the turbine scroll that has a v-band flange on the end. This flange allows for the fitment of an external wastegate for improved boost control. To run an EWG on an original CST4 or CST5 previously, you needed an EWG capable exhaust manifold and some sort of block off for the IWG port.


Mazdaspeed 3 turbo internal and external wastegate housings

The new CS EWG housings make running an EWG on your Mazdaspeed3 easier than ever. Each housing comes with the elbow and clamp needed for great fitment. We even offer a dump tube/screamer pipe that works for both MS3 and MS6 as an add-on option. If you pick up the screamer pipe to go with your housing, all you need to supply is the EWG itself. 

Mazdaspeed external wastegate installation kit includes everything but the Tial wastegate

We strongly recommend a Tial MV-R 44mm wastegate as all design work and testing used this specific wastegate. Other wastegates may require modification for use. The 44mm size is a great fit for the Mazdaspeed engines, whether you are running an upgraded turbo on the stock block or fully built one that you intend to push to the limits.


Tial wastegates are a proven turbo commodity for the Mazdaspeed 3

So why would you want an EWG? For starters, EWGs truly offer the best boost control setup for any turbocharged car. Because the wastegate is separate from the turbocharger itself, it is easier to place for optimum boost control, plus, the design of the actuator itself can be optimized. As a result you get a wastegate that hits boost targets more accurately and responds quicker to changes in boost. This means no more boost spikes right when the boost hits (a common problem with poor quality IWG setups), and a near-flat boost curve. The isolated actuator also makes for faster and easier spring changes should you need to service or change your wastegate preload. For more info on the design behind the CS EWG housing, check out the full blog HERE.

A direct flow path for the exhaust gas on the Mazdaspeed 3

One of the best parts of EWG over IWG is the sounds that come with a screamer pipe! While only intended for off-road use, a screamer pipe dumps the exhaust from the EWG directly to the air. This allows for a fantastic noise during a WOT pull, that sounds truly unique. It’s not all just noise though, by venting the EWG to the atmosphere instead of venting the IWG in your downpipe, you are decreasing exhaust turbulence right after the turbine wheel, reducing backpressure. On very high horsepower setups, this often generates some extra power as the turbine housing can be used more efficiently. Check out the product video below for some great EWG sounds from Barett’s MS3.

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There’s one final benefit of the CS EWG housings: housing design itself. Without having the IWG in the way to worry about, we were able to do some optimizing on the scroll and A/R. For CST4 owners, this means an increase in A/R from 0.66 to 0.82. Typically an A/R change like this will cause a slight decrease in spool time but an increase in max power potential. CST5 owners have this 0.82 A/R even with the IWG setup but there’s another benefit: greater swallowing capacity. This refers to the amount of volume in the turbine scroll. By increasing the swallowing capacity the turbine can ingest air more efficiently at the peak, which is especially important if you have an upgraded exhaust manifold or high flowing head. After all, an engine is an air pump – what good is shoving more air in if you can’t get it out?

Easy bolt up external wastegate upgrade for your Mazdaspeed 3

If you’re in the market for a change on your Mazdaspeed, check out the CorkSport EWG housings for the CST4 and CST5 turbochargers. Better boost control, a more efficient housing, and best of all, a great new sound. Be sure to check out the listing for even more images and don’t be shy to ask questions we’ll be happy to help!

Testing – CorkSport External Wastegate Housing for Mazdaspeed

Turbo EWG

Why EWG?  (it’s just about awesome turbo noises)

We hear this alot as the Mazdaspeed platform continues to grow and the 450-500whp build becomes the status quo. Following up the EWG Housing Design & Details Blog about the new CorkSport EWG Housing, we want to share some testing data and differences we saw between an IWG (internal wastegate) and EWG (external wastegate) setups.  

Details about design, flow, placement, data, and feedback from our CST4 EWG Beta Tester.  

IWG vs EWG comparison on the CST4
IWG vs. EWG on the CST4

Let’s jump right in!  First up is a spring pressure comparison between the IWG and EWG housing on a CST4 turbocharger.  Let’s first define what “spring” pressure is: this is the resulting boost pressure with 0 added wastegate duty cycle.  AKA we are not trying to add boost pressure.

Immediately you can see some very obvious differences.   The IWG setup has a taper up boost curve that could be considered boost creep.  Some boost creep is ok, but an excessive amount may reach the capacity of the fuel system or other systems in the vehicle.  In this setup that is not the case, but it does show that the IWG is at its limits for boost control.

With the EWG setup you see a much different curve.  The boost builds a few hundred RPM later (due to the larger 0.82 A/R) then climbs right to the spring pressure and then settles to a consistent plateau; very predictable and controllable.  

CAD EWG and IWG Designs
CorkSport EWG and IWG Designs

Now let’s look at the design to better understand why.  On the left is the EWG turbine housing with a 0.82 A/R and on the right is the IWG turbine housing also with a 0.82 A/R (we don’t want the A/R to be a factor in this review).   

The EWG housing has a very efficient flow path for the exhaust gas to reach the EWG control valve along with a much larger path to flow.  Both of these features provide excellent flow and thus control of boost pressure.

The IWG housing uses a side port in the turbine scroll to exhaust gas.  In this setup, the exhaust gas must make an abrupt turn and pass through a much smaller port.  Both of these issues reduce boost control.

EWG and IWG Explained

Here is a diagram showing placement of an EWG in the exhaust pre-turbine.  Granted we are comparing a EWG and IWG, but the concept of flow is the same.  

Exhaust gases will always take the path of least resistance and if the turbine wheel is the easier path than the wastegate then boost control will be more difficult.  

Internal and External Wastegate performance chart
(Left) Internal Wastegate Setup | Common Issues
(Right) External Wastegate Setup | Optimized Setup
Click to Expand

This graph was shown in the last blog, but we want to show it again so you can directly compare it to the data graph below.  

Below is the boost curves for the CST5 in both IWG and EWG setup.  Alone each graph actually looks really good, but when overlaid you can see some interesting differences.  

CST5 Dyno testing with IWG and EQG setup

IWG vs. EWG on the CST5

The purple IWG graph has a crisp spool and then flat-lines at approximately 30psi with a slight fall off at 6500rpm.  The CST5 IWG setup does control boost really well, but holding the turbo back at spool up and not over-boosting or spiking was a small challenge.  An abrupt boost curve like this can make the car somewhat difficult to drive because the torque “hits” very hard and you lose traction.

The EWG setup was a bit more controllable.  Not only did the CST5 Mazdaspeed turbo spool a bit sooner, but we were able to better control the spool up boost curve so we could create a torque curve that was more friendly to the FWD traction.  This makes the car more fun to drive. Looking at the higher RPM range we were also able to hold boost more consistently to 7500rpm.

CorkSport External Wastegate

We hope you guys and gals are as excited for the EWG options for the CST4, CST5 and CST6.  They really are an awesome setup for any driving style and power goal.  

Thanks for tuning in with CorkSport Performance.

-Barett @ CorkSport