Brett’s Mazdaspeed 3 Build: Part 1, The Basic Beginnings

It all started in Phoenix AZ, back in 2014 when I was graduating tech school. I was finally working enough to buy a Mazdaspeed that I had wanted for a while. At this time, it probably would have been smart for me to just start saving, instead of taking on a hefty car payment. But, as a car enthusiast, I’m sure you understand the temptations we often face, and I went for it. Since then, I’ve never looked back.

I found my 2013 Mazdaspeed3 in the fall. Completely spotless, 6k miles on it, and bone stock. It was truly a blank canvas. At that time I was barely making enough to own the car and pay for insurance. So, modding wasn’t an option at the time. So, as I saved and Saved, I was introduced to Nator Arizona by Thomas Graham, who later became a good friend of mine. He got me involved in the community, and on the right track for learning. From that point on, everything changed, and I loved it.

At the time, I was nothing more than a technician, fresh out of school and stuck on the lube rack for a bit. So, as you can imagine when I finally had enough to get my Accessport and Fuel Pump internals for the Mazdaspeed 3, I was STOKED. I caught the modding bug, and before I knew it, I had bigger aspirations for the car than ever thought I would have had. The next year was filled with countless Nator garage days, fun drives, Mexico pulls, and slowly adding parts when I could afford them.

By mid-2015, my time in AZ was coming to a close. At this point, I had all the basic bolt-ons offered for the Mazdaspeed 3. Rear motor mount, short ram intake, upgraded BPV, upgraded TMIC, and turbo back exhaust. The car otherwise looked completely stock, just MUCH louder! The icing on the cake was the pro-tune 320 WHP on Stock turbo with some e85. A couple of days later I departed AZ for my next chapter and got the MS3 on the trailer.

Funny looking back now, how I thought I was done with my Mazdaspeed, and that was enough power to keep me happy. Not even close! The next couple years would be the catalyst that started to shape my MS3 into what it looks like now. Stay tuned for Part 2!

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February 15, 2018February 28, 2018

CorkSport Balance Shaft Delete Kit for 2006-2013 DISI MZR

Looking to add some Extra Excitement to your Mazdaspeed?

What if we told you could add extra engine protection at the same time? Introducing the new CorkSport Balance Shaft Delete Kit for 2007-2013 Mazdaspeed 3, 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed 6, and 2007-2012 Mazda CX-7. It contains all the parts you need to safely remove the OE balance shaft from your MZR DISI engine and give it the extra rev-happiness that it needs.

The OE balance shaft is an 18-pound lump that lives in your oil pan to help balance out the natural vibration and harshness that are inherently present with an inline four-cylinder engine. It does this by connecting to a large gear on your crankshaft and using rotating mass to help cancel out the vibrations from the engine. By removing the balance shaft, your engine has less weight to turn and thus, can change RPM more rapidly. If this sounds familiar, it’s because lightweight flywheels do the same thing; remove some of the rotating mass of the engine to gain a faster revving engine and even a few bonus horsepower.

The OE balance shaft needs an oil supply to ensure that it stays well lubricated and does not lock up. The CorkSport BSD Kit uses a stainless steel plug and O-ring to seal this oil passage. The O-ring is not enough to seal and keep the plug in place, however, it is locked down by a securing plate which gets attached using one of the OE balance shaft mounting holes. We chose stainless for its strength over aluminum. By doing so allowed us to create a lower profile plug with a thicker O-ring for better sealing. We were also very careful to choose an O-ring that is safe for all types of oil and safe up to 400°F.

But you may be asking where does the engine protection come from?

Since the OE balance shaft lives in the oil pan, it takes up some volume that could otherwise be used for oil capacity. This means roughly a quart of extra oil can be used once the BSD kit is installed. Also, the CorkSport Balance Shaft Delete Kit comes with an oil pan baffle to help control your oil’s movement during aggressive driving.

While rapidly changing direction or during a long sweeper at high speed, the oil in your oil pan can move around a surprising amount. If the wrong set of circumstances happen, your engine can be starved of oil, which can easily damage vital engine components. The CorkSport Oil Baffle controls your oil’s movement, ensuring that your engine will have a good supply of oil no matter the driving situation.

We again choose stainless over aluminum for the oil baffle, so that it is rigid enough to control your oil and prevent any vibrations or rattles while your engine is running. The oil baffle is made from two laser cut pieces that are then attached using stainless steel rivets to eliminate any risk of corrosion or improper hole alignment.

Note: the CS BSD Kit comes fully assembled and ready for installation.

Since the CorkSport BSD Kit removes a stock component designed to make the car more comfortable, it will naturally have an increase in noise and vibration coming from the engine compartment. As such, we cannot in good conscience recommend this mod to everyone. That does not mean it is unbearable though, Barett at CorkSport still daily drives his fully mounted Mazdaspeed3 with a CS BSD Kit installed.

If you are looking for the next mod to get some more excitement from your Mazdaspeed, look no further than the CorkSport Balance Shaft Delete Kit. After all, how many mods come with some extra engine health as well?

February 13, 2018February 28, 2018

Why no AWD?

Mazda has recently said they would like to have AWD in most models, but the current generation has some space/packaging constraints. I was scratching my head over this statement trying to figure out why the existing model Mazda 6 is offered in AWD in Europe with the Skyactiv diesel engine and Mazda is saying they cannot get it to fit.

I think I may have stumbled onto the answer after having a conversation with a friend recently. It is no secret Mazda is working on offering the diesel Cx5 to the US market, but it has been held up in government regulations with the EPA courtesy of VW and FIAT cheating on their engine mapping and emissions. Mazda has the setup which will pass and get the power they want to offer but here lies the problem.

Say you were going to offer a Mazda 6 diesel model that now meets the US emissions with the urea injection. Where are you going to put the tank to hold in the car? In the Cx5, which has more space to put something like a urea tank, it is not as much of a problem with packaging to find a spot. The Mazda 6 doesn’t sit off the ground as high and allow you a space to get everything to work out and be able to still fit the transfer case, drive shaft, and rear differential.

Why doesn’t Mazda offer both? This is a question I wish I could sort out. It wouldn’t be the first time Mazda would have models with different floor plans. Mazda has done this in the past with the 323s and Protégé, so I don’t think this is the reason why. This could be a possible play on the overall strategy with North America and only offer the AWD as a diesel model. This goes against what we have already with the Cx5 2.5 gas engine and the Cx9 gas 2.5 turbo motor, so I don’t think this is it which leaves this question for me to puzzle over a bit longer.

With the announcement of the Mazda/Toyota plant in Alabama and the statement by the chief of Mazda saying Mazda is going to build something different, this could be the queue that they will find a way to give us AWD turbo fun again. If anything the announcement of the new plant will finally get the EPA to give the green light to the Skyactiv diesel engine.

Overall Mazda desire to give us AWD still has me hopeful for the 2.5 Skyactiv gas turbo with all-wheel drive, but all the current signs say nope. Please Mazda, I don’t mind being wrong on this one.

-Derrick

February 8, 2018February 21, 2018

CorkSport Versatune

We are excited to announce a powerful and unique release to the CorkSport Product catalog.

Starting off 2018 with a bang; CorkSport is now an official distributor and reseller of Versatune Tuning Software.

If you are unfamiliar with what Versatune is, then have a quick read and check out what it is, how it works, some of the unique features, and why you should consider purchasing it for your daily driven or high-performance Mazda.

Versatune is a powerful engine tuning solution featuring a modern and easy to use interface. With just a simple few mouse clicks, you can unlock the full potential of your Mazda using the intuitive wizard guided install and ECU flashing process.

Versatune software makes engine calibrations as easy as 1, 2, and 3. Backed by an online tune database that provides easy access to free pre-built tunes for typical configurations of performance parts VT makes it easy to get power from recent upgrades on your car. Installing of the pre-built tunes are as simple as selecting the desired tune from the online tune database and following the flashing wizard. No tuning skills or extensive knowledge is required.

If custom tuning is more your style or you need to get into the finer details of calibration maps, then the Versatune software will work for you as well. VT software also includes a powerful tune editor that exposes the critical performance and drivability related tables in the ECU. You can custom tune your car to accommodate your specific modifications and tuning goals. 3D visualizations, table descriptions, and data manipulation tools help speed up the custom tuning process.

The best part is even if you are requiring a custom tune but don’t feel comfortable performing it yourself, Versatune has a growing network of professional tuners and e-tuners that can provide custom tuning services to help you meet your specific needs.

Over the past few months, CorkSport has had the opportunity to work closely with Versatune to further develop and grow the support for several vehicles in the Mazda lineup. Including but not limited to the 3rd gen Mazda 3, 2nd gen RX-8, and the new 4th gen ND chassis Miata.

With each of these Mazdas, we have spent countless hours on the dyno, street, and race track to fine tune calibrations and settings in this easy to use software. Each Mazda has shown consistent and reliable gains across the rev range all while still retaining OEM like drivability.

We are working on packages with the CorkSport parts you love, a custom tune to make the most of them, and a bit of a discount to get you rolling.

You can expect to see a few packages for 2016+ Mx5 in the next few weeks.

February 1, 2018August 16, 2023

2007-2009 Mazdaspeed 3 Crash Bar

Want Big Power from your GEN1, but your Intercooler is holding you back?

This was the case for our Engineering Manager Barett and his Mazdaspeed3, so he created his crash bar for a big front mount intercooler; we liked his setup so much that we made it for everyone.

Introducing the CorkSport Mazdaspeed Crash Bar for 2007-2009 Mazdaspeed3; constructed of high-quality laser cut steel with a durable powder-coated finish, it can stand the test of time while giving you room for the big front mount you want.

Now let me start off by saying this is not a typical CorkSport part. It is not an easy bolt-in install like most of our other parts.

There is no easy way to remove the OE crash bar without cutting it off. As a result, this install is extensive and more or less permanent. Don’t let all of that scare you off though; this is still a CorkSport part. That means the same great quality and customer service that you’ve all grown accustomed to.

We have made this as easy as we possibly can. Once the OE crash bar is cut off and some trimming done to the headlight surrounds, the bar is located in the correct position based on the OE hood latch support. Then holes are drilled in the OE crash bar support rails to securely mount the CorkSport Crash Bar. No welding required for install.

Mazdaspeed 3 Front Mount Intercooler with carsh bar installed

Now I know what all of you are asking, what about a big FMIC to fit the bar?

Well, we are offering the crash bar by itself and with our 23 ½” x 11” x 3” intercooler that’s been proven on a 550whp car. Since the CorkSport Mazdaspeed3 crash bar was designed to fit this FMIC, brackets come pre-welded in the correct locations to mount to the top of the FMIC.

Also, stainless steel side brackets are included to attach the IC’s lower mounting locations to existing holes on the radiator core support for added stability.

This entire package fits well behind the OE bumper with little to no trimming or modification. OE fog lights stay functional, and you even can utilize the OE toe hook location as it is retained with the CorkSport crash bar.

Black Mazdaspeed 3 with Front Mount Intercoole and Crash bar

If you’ve been looking for that final component to complete your GEN1 big power build and have been trying to avoid the headaches of creating your custom crash bar, the CorkSport Crash Bar is for you.