Keeping you up to date with the latest CorkSport Mazdaspeed news!
Category: Mazda 6 Turbo
The Skyactiv Mazda 6 turbo is a quick luxury sedan which is easy to modify and CorkSport offers performance upgrade from exhaust, intakes, and suspension for example.
Getting accurate readings for your Mazda Skyactiv 2.5L turbo is nearly impossible. Now your boost & vacuum signal for your 4th generation 2021+ Mazda 3 turbo just got so much easier with the CorkSport Boost Reference Adapter. Designed for all Skyactiv 2.5L Turbo models, adding a boost gauge could not be easier!
Mazda, We Have A Problem
While we are all grateful that Mazda finally put a turbo in the 4th GEN Mazda 3, they did not see fit to include a boost gauge of any type for the driver. Adding a boost gauge to your Mazda 3 Turbo (or other Mazda models with the 2.5L turbo engine) is now easy with the CorkSport Boost Reference Adapter & CorkSport Boost Gauge!
The Challenge
The challenge with Mazda’s design is that they didn’t provide a port to get boost and vacuum signal from your Skyactiv Turbocharged engine. Why?! It’s a mystery to us. Since data is crucial to improving performance, we wanted a solution to get this information. It quickly became apparent to our engineers that we needed a bolt-on solution that provides the world with the missing link!
A Bolt On Solution
The CorkSport Boost Reference Block provides a very simple way to source boost and vacuum from the intake manifold post intercooler. This gives you the best possible boost signal right as the airflow enters the engine.
The installation is easy. The bolt-on design allows you to simply attach your boost gauge hose to the barb fitting once the adapter block is installed! Boom! Now that the problem has also been solved, let’s build a better Mazda 3 Turbo!
Based on popular demand, we have developed a filter sock that will help fight dust and water spray from entering the engine. The CorkSport Mazda Air Filter Cover mod can help maintain the flow efficiency of your main filter and extend its service life.
Quality Materials
The Air Filter Cover is made from a polyamide fabric mesh and allows for good airflow while adding a layer of protection for your air filter and engine. The cover protects against dust, large debris, and light water spray from entering the filter media.
The small air filter sock works on 3.0, 3.5, & 4.0 marked air filters only
The large air filter sock works on the 4.5 marked air filter only
You can check your CorkSport air filter here:
If you don’t have a CorkSport specific intake, there is still a good chance your Mazda can enjoy the benefits of our air filter sock. Follow the diagram below to see if your air filter size matches:
Air Filter Sizes 3.0″, 3.5″, 4.0″
With fall upon us and winter just around the corner, now is the best time to add an extra layer of protection to your Mazda! Thanks for checking out the new air filter sock cover for your Mazda intake system.
Do you need to replace your swaybar end links and want an upgrade at the same time or are looking to adjust your sway bar to better match the factory position on your lowered car? That’s where the Performance Adjustable End Links come in and they are now available for the following models: 2019+ Mazda 3, 2014-2018 Mazda 3, 2021+ CX-30, 2022+ CX-50, 2014+ Mazda 6, 2013+ CX-5, 2016+ CX-9, and 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed 6. Depending on your specific application, both front and rear end links are available. The new CS Adjustable End Links build off of the wildly popular kit available for the Mazdaspeed 3 and carry over all the same benefits which are discussed below.
Why You Need End Links
Getting straight to the main advantage of the CS end links is their variable length. The CS end links offer ~18mm or 0.70in of adjustability. This results in an end link that can be up to 9mm longer or 9mm shorter when compared to the stock part.
If your car is lowered, our end links allow you to account for the change in sway bar position that occurs when you lower your car so it can be placed closer to its original position. When the sway bar is not positioned in the OE location it can lead to sway bar preload or binding which can have negative effects on handling. This also means that if you are planning on adding a lift they can help in the same way.
Quality Matters
The construction of the end links also maintains the same high quality as found in the current end links for the MazdaSpeed 3. The center section is CNC machined out of 2011-T3 5/8in hex aluminum to provide a large increase in size over the OE part while being easily adjusted to your specified length with a wrench. After machining, the center section then gets anodized in black to provide a finish that will help protect it from corrosion.
The included ball joints feature a sealed design to reduce the chance of water or other foreign material from gaining access to the joint. This allows the ball joint to provide a longer service life so that it won’t require any additional maintenance compared to the OE end links.
With the long new list of applications, you should have no problem finding a set of CS adjustable end links that will fit your Mazda. Be sure to head over to the product listing for your specific model for more info and pictures. As always, reach out if you have any questions about the end links for your setup.
Cold air intake systems, are they necessary? Are they worth the extra cost? Does it matter if the engine is turbocharged or not? Will the engine or its performance be hurt without one? We have repeatedly seen these questions on forums and social media groups regarding Mazda’s 3rd and 4th Generation Mazda 3 & 6. To help the Mazda community grow and learn about their cars and what to do with them, we have written a blog that we hope will help shed some light on these questions and others.
Most importantly, you will NOT hurt your engine if you use an SRI only on Turbo or Non-Turbo applications.
What are the typical intake systems available for your Mazda? At CorkSport, we have two primary intake system setups: Short Ram Intake (SRI) System and Cold Air Intake (CAI) System. It is essential to distinguish between the two because you (the Mazda enthusiasts) will ultimately decide which system to use.
Short Ram Intake (SRI) System:
This CorkSport system consists of a filter, billet MAF housing, silicone coupler, a few clamps, and may or may not have a mounting bracket (depending on the application). This system is efficient and straightforward (an unrestricted airflow path increases power). This system removes the factory airbox and snorkel. The cost is very effective for the results and provides excellent induction sounds.
Cold Air Intake (CAI) System:
CorkSport’s system consists of the SRI (as mentioned above) plus a heat shield or airbox designed to keep the engine bay heat away from the intake system’s inlet and help direct cold air induction. This system removes the factory airbox and may or may not reuse the factory snorkel. The cost will be higher than a short ram intake due to the additional components involved and may muffle some of the induction noises but provide better heat control.
OK, is a Cold Air Intake System worth the extra cost and complexity? Does it do anything? Well, in our opinion, yes and no. We have tested this, and we have proven that a heatshield does improve (read reduce) “heat soak” of the intake system, BUT not in the ways most people expect. Below is some data from our 2018 Mazda 6 Turbo SRI and then also with our SRI + Heat Shield:
This first graph shows the vehicle idling for a period of time, much like sitting at a stoplight or in traffic. The red graph shows the short ram intake only, and the blue chart shows the SRI+Heat Shield. It’s pretty apparent the heat shield is helping reduce the amount of engine bay heat being ingested by the intake while the vehicle is sitting. The maximum temperature delta is approximately 15-20deg F. That’s a respectable improvement, and this lower amount of heat soak should, in theory, improve the vehicle’s acceleration from a complete stop. Now let’s look at a graph that combines idling and acceleration up to 50mph
The second graph indicates similar data for the stationary idling period, but more importantly, is what the data tells us once the vehicle starts moving. You see a small spike for both systems (this is due to the engine suddenly ingesting more air), then you see the air temp drop rapidly as the vehicle increases in speed. The vehicle’s forward motion/speed is important because that is how fresh cool ambient air enters the engine bay.
You’ll notice that both the red and blue graphs meet at the same point after the rapid cooling then have a small amount of fluctuation. In a nutshell, both the SRI and SRI+Heat Shield perform about the same once the vehicle is moving. Again, they perform almost identically once the car is rolling.
Next question, does it matter if the vehicle is turbocharged or not? Before we answer that, let’s go over the differences between turbocharged and non-turbocharged systems.
Turbocharged:
The engine is equipped with a turbocharger and an intercooler system to cool the boosted air temperatures before entering the engine. The intercooler system is required to negate the by-product of turbocharging an engine (and thus boost), which is heat. The airflow path is intake -> turbo -> intercooler -> engine.
In a turbocharged engine, the need for and use of a Cold Air Intake System is typically not deemed necessary or very useful. The turbocharger superheats the cooler air it receives from the intake before passing it to the intercooler. The boosted air exiting the turbo is substantially hotter than the ambient air temperatures in your engine bay before it enters the intake – especially true while the vehicle is moving.
More focus is placed on performance improvements of the intercooler system because that is the primary method to cool the incoming boosted (read “hot”) airflow before it enters the engine. The use of a cold air intake system has little effect on the resulting boost air temps, so the cost-effectiveness is not great. This is precisely why the Mazdaspeed platform focuses on increasing the intake size (ingesting more air = more power), adding a larger turbo (more boost), and increasing the size of the intercooler (additional surface area for cooling) coupled with a professional tune to maximize power.
Non-Turbocharged:
The engine is not equipped with a turbocharger and, therefore, does not require an intercooler system. The airflow path is more direct and does not have a cooling system built-in; intake -> engine.
Since there is no intercooler to cool the incoming air (it’s not needed), the best way to improve air density and performance is with cooler air entering the engine directly. So, a cold air intake on a non-turbo engine can be helpful – especially in warmer climates.
Let’s Recap:
In either turbo or non-turbo applications, a heat shield or CAI system will provide varying degrees of benefit in some driving situations. For a turbo application specifically, the usefulness of the CAI system is marginal due to the turbo heating the air it receives from the intake. Instead, investing in a short ram intake and performance intercooler system is a much better plan.
For the non-turbo applications, a cold air intake system is a worthwhile investment because the airflow path is so much more direct, and it’s the only way to help reduce intake air temps and thus increase air density which equals power.
We hope this has been a helpful and educational blog and lends support as you decide the right path for you and your Mazda! Thanks for tuning in!
Time for more horsepower and boost with the Skyactiv 2.5 Turbo engine.
The Mazda 6 just got its next upgrade in the form of the CorkSport Downpipe for 2018-2022 models equipped with the 2.5L Turbo engine. We took the OEM downpipe and improved on it in every way, including sound, flow, power potential, and even ease of install! Help unlock power with the Mazda6 Turbo downpipe and take a step forward to more making power!
Stay Up-to-date with CorkSport
The CorkSport downpipe uses a 2-piece design that starts with a cast 304 stainless steel bellmouth. This provides a high-flowing, smooth transition from the turbocharger to the piping that will stand up to the test of time and the high heat of the turbo. The piping is upgraded from the OEM 65mm diameter to 80mm mandrel bent piping to maximize flow and reduce restrictions. The bellmouth is joined to the piping using CNC machined v-band flanges which ensures a leak-free seal.
The two-piece design is not all about flow through. We optimized the casting design to be easy to install and tighten all the hardware. Since you do not have the piping in the way, like you would with a one-piece downpipe, the mounting hardware at the turbo is very easy to access! Fitment is also spot on, as we used 3D scan data from the OEM downpipe when designing the CS downpipe. That means great fitment with your existing aftermarket exhaust, or even the OEM one! With exhaust, the CorkSport downpipe will change the exhaust note of your Mazda 6. With the full CS catback exhaust, we noticed a different tone with some extra “growl” and a very slight increase in volume. This goes for both the catted and catless setups, with just a hint more drone with the catless setup.
All of the efforts to reduce flow restrictions are in the name of power! By smoothing the exhaust path and eliminating restrictions, the turbocharger can breathe better. While we have not been able to fully tune the car to take advantage of the flow gains (more on that later), typically an upgraded downpipe offers faster spool times, better peak power, and can help hold power better at higher RPMs. We hope to be able to test & validate the power potential of the MZ6T downpipe soon, but for now, know that the CorkSport Downpipe has enough flow capacity to efficiently support 500+ WHP, assuming you’ve got the mods to make that power!
So the elephant in the room: tuning. While the CorkSport Downpipe can be installed and driven on an otherwise stock Mazda 6 Turbo, we strongly recommend a tune after installing the CS downpipe. There are some fairly strict limits to airflow and torque in the OEM tune that can result in some mild surging or “hiccups” especially when at wide open throttle. This is simply the car hitting those limits and pulling back power. We have experimented with these limits and have found no long-term effects of hitting the limits or even going beyond. They are very conservative limits for safety with stock parts. With more efficient parts, your engine works easier and is able to produce added power/torque and consume more air so the limits are simply hit easier.
Let’s go through some housekeeping on the Mazda 6 Turbo downpipe. We offer the downpipe in both fully catless and with a high flow 300cel cat. As modifying or removing the primary cat is illegal in most areas, both options are sold for off-road or race use only. The fully catless setup will be the best for power gains but also comes with an all but guaranteed check engine light. The catted option cuts down on the smell of a fully catless setup but will sometimes still throw a CEL. This CEL can however be disabled with a tune.
Finally, what comes in the box with your MZ6T downpipe? Each kit comes with all the hardware needed for installation. This includes new turbo studs & crimp nuts, exhaust connection hardware, a Remflex exhaust gasket, and the stainless steel v-band clamp for connecting the upper and lower sections. Also included is a support bracket for the downpipe and even a custom heatshield to deflect heat away from engine bay components. Both come with required mounting hardware as well!
Be sure to check out the product listing HERE for more images, a product teaser video, and pricing. Ready your Mazda 6 Turbo for some big power with downpipe kit from CorkSport!
