Red Baron Speed of Newberg

My Name is Symon Powlison and this is my journey of how I got my Mazdaspeed3 and the Mazda community that became my family.

Let’s head back in time a bit, I was a broke high school student and I had just bought a 1997 dodge avenger, while my friends had all dabbled with modifying their cars at the time, I had not, but I knew I wanted to. The avenger came with an exhaust that sounded ok and some wheels and that’s about it.

When I showed my new car to my best friend Barett (yes Corksport Barett) and talked about build aspirations that never happened, we decided that we both wanted new stereo and subs, 2007-2008 was the time for loud music and lots of bass lol, “Darude Sandstorm” anyone?

I had a lot of fun with that car but long story short the car was towed away late in the night for having a flat tire in a parking lot. Now with little to no money and my little avenger was never to be seen again. All is not lost though because those early years with that car started me on a slow trek of building my own “Racecar” later in life it was the catalyst that started it all.

Fast forward to the year 2012, I’m a bit more established now and I’m getting ready to deploy at the first of the year for 10 months, when my Co-Worker decides to buy a BMW 335i, I made the brash decision to follow suit and I purchased a 2004 Audi S4, my wife was needing a new car anyway so I gave her the Kia Optima I had purchased a few months back.

Everybody was happy because I got my car and my wife got a brand new Kia! My Audi came with Tien lower springs, a nice fender roll job, and a Magna-flow exhaust. The roar of the V8 through the exhaust was great, it had quick get up and go and it looked amazing in the brilliant red paint. This was my first experience with a “quick” car and I was hooked, but with Audi’s, I had no idea how to even begin to work on it if it had problems, and neither did anybody close to me. This is when I knew this wouldn’t last but I thoroughly enjoyed it when I had it.

Symon Powlison CorkSport Mazdaspeed3 — Symon Powlison

During deployment, I would leave my Audi in the hands of Barett, and return to resume driving bliss with the car, until I left again except this time it would be for nearly 3 years. My wife and I left for Korea in the middle of 2014. My car was out of my possession longer than in my possession and thus while my time away I grew apart from my Audi and wanted something new, different, I wanted a hatchback.

I always liked the way hatches look, the bodylines, the mildly flared fenders, the base stance of the hatchback drew me in. I spent countless hours looking at every model of hot hatches, tirelessly and sometimes redundantly, maybe I could afford this or maybe I should buy. I decided to call Barett from Korea and told him I was coming home and I wanted to sell the Audi and get something I truly desired.

He mentioned getting a Mazdaspeed3, I had seen some videos about them but I was rather set on an all-wheel-drive hatch to drive in the snow, but that was dumb because I hate driving in the snow lol. I decided to give the Speed a deep dive look and man I was impressed, not to mention I had an endless resource if I needed any help.

I was sold, the price was right, the whole car package was right, it checked all my boxes, I wanted a turbo 4cyl with good base stats, something reliable to a degree, and something that I could learn to modify and have help if anything breaks.

I arrived home in the spring of 2017, and scoured the interwebz and found the speed of my dreams, a velocity red 2013 tech package mazdaspeed3 with 69k on the dash. With what money I had left in savings, a small income, and an Audi for a deposit. I marched down to the dealership and literally, 6 hours later I walked out of there with my dream car.

Funny side note here, when I took the MS3 for a test drive I was by myself, I never drove a 6-speed manual car before and didn’t know how to put the car in reverse, so here I am sitting in somebody’s driveway (huge facepalm) trying to figure out how to put the car in reverse when the homeowner comes out and asks if I need help. I tell him the story he laughs and gives me a push to send me on my way back to the dealer.

That test drive officially sold me on the car, I can still remember the first time starting that car and the first time I hit 15psi of boost, it was amazing and probably the coolest feeling ever while driving. I couldn’t wait to show my wife, I ripped the speed all the way home, and it was nothing but smiles per gallon. I couldn’t have been happier. I am honored to have such a loving wife who was just as excited for me to have a car I desired so much. This was my very first and only turbo car I’ve ever owned and every time the car plants my back to the seat I can help but grin from ear to ear.

I kept the car stock for a year on the dot before I started modifying it, if you’re keeping track it’s now April 2018. I purchased all the necessary supporting mods to keep it from going ZZB. I bought an Access port, HPFP Internals, intake, and pro tune and man did that little K04 come alive, a few other supporting mods like exhaust and rear sway bar brought the Mazdaspeed to a different level.

The Speed had no changes for another year or less (early spring 2019), finally, it was time for power mods, big turbo, big FMIC, lots of little bits like injector seals, short shifter, motor mounts, and getting a tune from Purple Drank. The car became a monster, smiles turned to white knuckles gripping the wheel from torque steer, turbo noises for days, and a singing bypass valve that subtly lets you know it’s there on any occasion.

That kept me satisfied for another year till now, this plan is to do both manifolds, cams, and EWG. *Hurray for race car noises*. The transformation of my Speed over the last 3 years has been a rewarding experience, providing me with knowledge and experience and confidence to be able to tackle any problems or situations previously I would have avoided or paid an overpriced shop to fix.

This is the best part of the community I joined when I bought my speed, all the experiences and knowledge that has been shared with me have been nothing short of amazing and I’m truly grateful for the speed community. My wife and I don’t take a lot of vacations, but the two events that come up in the year that you can’t miss are Mazda events.

I didn’t know that I could miss Idaho as much as I would when I have to leave Papa Keith’s Mazda Takeover event in Boise after a 4-day party. The big bear puts on an amazing event yearly and when it wraps up the withdrawals of it kick in. Those pains are subsided though just two months later when we all get to catch up for CorkSport’s Dyno Day’s! The event that the CorkSport crew puts together is a blast, its high tempo 2-day event that brings our Mazda community together in the Pacific Northwest, I have seen people from British Columbia to Utah come all the way to Vancouver, WA for this event.

These two trips are something that flows into my DNA and I can’t imagine my life without experiencing them or the people I’ve met along the way. My wife and I look forward to these weekends as I’m sure anyone who has gone to them at least once will, we love spending time with our extended Mazda family and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

In closing, to say that a car would change my life would be an understatement, but it did and I wouldn’t want it any other way, so if you see the Red Baron Speed of Newberg out and about, come up and say hi and chat for a minute. I hope to see you all at future events, keep hitting that Boost, and stay safe. See you all on the road.

Symon

October 30, 2018January 24, 2024

Tuning – What Are Your Options

Pretty much since I joined this platform, I’ve noticed a pattern of people asking the same questions about tuning their Mazdaspeed. There is a lot of information out there, but it’s not always consolidated or easy to find. So, in an effort to assist newcomers, this will be a write up explaining the ins and outs of tuning; when you need it, OTS vs. Pro Tunes, and how you can proceed.

*There are other options for tuning the vehicle besides the Cobb Accessport, such as Versa Tuner. But, for the ease of explanation throughout this blog, I will be referencing the AP*

What Is Tuning & Why Do You Need It?

Mazdaspeed 3 Engine with Front intake, SRI, batter box, heat shield

Without getting too elaborate for this specific blog, “Tuning” is just the remapping of the tables in the ECU from OE specs to something different. It is a key aspect of your car’s engine health and the easiest way to make more HP. You can even tune a bone stock car and will typically see gains, especially when they are boosted from the factory. Bolt-on parts free up even more headroom in airflow, and when tuned accordingly you make even more power. The relationship between bolt-on parts and a tune is a beautiful thing, and hopefully, by the end of this blog, you will understand how they work together.

“So when should I get a tune?”

I’m so very glad you asked that! Well, let’s look at it like this… Mazda spent a long time getting their factory tune for the Speed 3 as good as possible. But they dialed it in around one set up, and one set up ONLY. That’s 100% OEM parts. In this form, the ECU knows what to expect, how everything should respond, and most importantly when something is wrong. It doesn’t have a mind of its own though, it only knows what it’s been told. So, if other parts in the system are replaced, and the ECU isn’t told how to react to that, things start to get a little weird.

CorkSport High Pressure fuel pump internals, short ram intake with turbo inlet pipe, and front mount intercooler

The ECU has an ability to adjust itself within reason for variations in fuel, oxygen content, etc. But in a perfect world, it shouldn’t have to adjust itself at all. Tuning for the mods you do will not only let you have more fun, but it will get it as close to this perfect world as possible.

Minor things like an intake upgrade (Retaining stock MAF) BPV, or Catback usually won’t throw off the ECU enough to cause problems or CEL’s but it’s obviously not ideal. That being said, its best to get an Acessport or another means of tuning your Mazdaspeed prior to putting on bolt-on parts.

So here is a basic FAQ

“I want to add a turbo back exhaust, but I don’t want to get an AP and tune the car. Can I do that?”
– No, you are not able to do this for two reasons.

Deleting the factory cats opens a huge restriction. Without a tune, the car will risk overboosting.
Without high-pressure fuel pump internals you also risk running lean and blowing the engine. Even if you have the internals with no tune, the drivability of the car can suffer because of how it affects the turbo.

“Can I get an intake with no tune?”

If its factory size, then you can usually get away with it. The turbo isn’t trying to make more boost, and the MAF housing should be accurate to the OE. If it’s a larger one like our 3” or 3.5” then no, you cannot.

However, I always recommend tuning the car.

“Can I get a catback with no tune?”

Yes, you will be OK, the catback is not monitored by any sensors, and you’re not deleting any cats.

“Can I change my intercooler without a tune or fuel pump internals

You should not. Just like the cats on the downpipe, the factory intercooler is a restriction. The ECU currently is tuned to fight this restriction to make a specific boost level at a specific RPM. If you remove this restriction, and you don’t tell the ECU, you risk over boosting. Over boosting mixed with no fuel pump internals can be a risky combo for running lean as well.

“Can I upgrade my turbo without tuning the car?”

Definitely not, any turbo that moves more air than the factory one automatically needs a tune. The ECU is tuned to coincide with the factory compressor map. If you don’t want to tune for a turbo, make sure you get a factory replacement. These are just some of the common questions we get, but if you have more specific scenarios you can always email or call us! On to the next section.

OTS maps vs a Pro-Tune

I remember when I first got my hands on an Accessport. Trying to make sure I selected the right map and learning how to read all the parameters. I know a lot of newbies that are just getting an AP probably are asking themselves which OTS tune is the right one to use, and when should they get a Pro-Tune and how.

It’s no news to anyone that’s been in the community for a minute that the Cobb OTS maps are not the best Long-Term Solution. The reason for this is because they are:

(A) Very conservative, and not letting you get the full potential you can.
(B) Meant for a large population of cars, and aren’t really dialed in. Essentially, they are just rough around the edges.

However, OTS maps do serve a purpose. For someone who is planning on doing their basic bolt-ons in stages over the course of a few months then it works out well. These maps can be viewed as basic stepping stones “Stage 1, Stage 1+, Stage 2, Stage 3, Etc” that allow you to put on your first bolt-ons and flash the corresponding tune. So, as you are putting on your fuel pump internals, intake, downpipe, Intercooler, you can flash those readily available maps.

In a nutshell, the OTS Maps work great during the transitional phase of your modding Journey. But, once you know you are done with your bolt-ons for a bit, that’s when you want a map that is 100% dialed in, and specific for YOUR car. The difference between a custom tune and the Cobb OTS maps are truly astonishing, and you’ll see once you’re there.

Something to also note….

If your K04 ‘Sploded and you are looking at a larger turbo, an OTS is no longer an option, it’s off the table. Cobb made those OTS maps solely for a factory turbo’d Mazdaspeed. If you buy a bigger turbo like ours, a Pro-Tune is needed (along with fuel pump internals)

“Don’t I have to get the car on a dyno in order to get a Pro-Tune? There’s no Mazdaspeed tuners in my city!!!!”

If you’re not one of the lucky ones that live by a Mazdaspeed tuner, then fear not. The days of having to get it on the dyno to get a tune or over. With the Accessport, Maps are sent/downloaded over email.

To Start the process, you need to:

Buy the tune
Give them your full engine Mod List
The tuner will instruct you on taking your Data Logs
Over the course of a few weeks, you will go back and forth with new tune revisions and the car usually gets smoother and faster with each revision.

By the end of this process, you will have a dialed-in tune and a smooth-running car. But, please note that if you add another part to the car or change parts. You may need to get a revision tune done to account for the new mod. Talk to your tuner about this and get their thoughts.

Recap

I hope that this helped some of you to better understand the processes you should take, and to wrap it up we will hit some of my main points.

The first mods you should get for your Mazdaspeed if you plan to mod it is the upgraded fuel pump internals and an Accessport
If you just want to run an SRI and a catback, you can get away with it, but a tune is Recommended.
You should NOT run a downpipe without HPFPs or a tune.
OTS maps are great during a transitional time with your car while bolting on parts. After this, you should get a Pro-Tune
You shouldn’t run a larger turbo on the stock map or on an OTS map. Communicate with a tuner before the installation and have a new base map ready. We have both a 3.5 Bar MAP Sensor and 4.5 Map Sensor.
Pro-tuners can tune you, even when they aren’t local.

To conclude this blog, it’s important to know how critical the proper tune on the car can be. It can make or break the engine, literally.

If any of you still have questions, you can always give us a call, and remember to have fun as you begin your journey down the path to making power, and giving WRX’s the L.

Happy Boosting,
Brett@CS

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September 25, 2018September 6, 2023

600hp Mazdaspeed 3 Build Path – CorkSport Barett’s 2009 Mazdaspeed

If you haven’t heard already, the CorkSport Dyno Day and Summer Event was a blast with food, friends, raffles, a Show-N-Shine, and the continuous string of dyno runs. The highlight of the dyno runs came when one of the CorkSport Engineers, Barett, put his car on the rollers. With a few minutes of warm up and anticipation building, it was finally time to see what the “CorkSport Speed” could do.

Getting past the ecstatic crowd to see the dyno screen showed an impressive 620whp/530wtq. Now, whether you were at the show or not, you may be wondering what Barett’s setup is to support these numbers. It’s not a short list but is simpler than you would expect.

In this blog, we are going to layout the WHOLE build to show you how your Mazdaspeed can make 600+whp.

The engine was built by CorkSport in preparation for setting up the Dankai Engine Program. It features Manley Connecting Rods and Platinum Pistons, head work very similar to the Dankai 2 Built Longblock, along with the CS BSD (balance shaft delete) and CorkSport Camshafts. Holding the block together are L19 head studs and ARP 2000 main studs.

To get the air in and out of the engine efficiently we have an assortment of bolt-on parts and some prototype parts because what kind of CorkSport R&D car wouldn’t have some prototype performance parts on it? To break this down in the simplest way possible we have laid out a full build list:

600hp Mazdaspeed 3 Build List:

CorkSport Built Engine:
- Manley Pistons – 0.5mm overbore @ 88mm
- Manley H-Beam Connecting Rods
- CS Balance Shaft Delete
- “Dankai 2” Ported Headed: Single Runner Intake, Bowl Work, Combustion Chamber Touch Up, Exhaust Porting
- CS Camshafts
- Stock Valve Springs (We would recommend upgrading these and plan to do so ourselves)

Bolt-Ons:
- CS HPFP Internals
- Cobb Accessport
- CS Intake Manifold (Coming Soon!)
- CS 72mm Throttle Body
- CS 3.5” Intake
- CS FMIC w/Big Core
- CS GEN1 Crashbar
- CS Dual VTA BPV
- CS CBE Exhaust
- CS Prototype “Bigger” Big Turbo (Check out pics below!)
- XS Power Exhaust Manifold (Soon to be replaced with a CS Prototype Exhaust Manifold)
- Depo Racing Catless Downpipe
Other Essentials:
- CS Stage 2 RMM
- CS Transmission Mount
- CS Passenger Motor Mount
- CS 51R Battery Box & ECU Relocation
- CS OCC Kit
- ACT 6-Puck Clutch w/Streetlight Flywheel
- N2MB WOT Box (Launch Control, Flat Foot Shifting, and Rev Limit)
- CS 13” Big Brake Kit (Because stopping all that power is a good idea mmkay)

Now, this isn’t the complete list, but it does lay out most of the essential parts to get your Mazdaspeed 3 over 600whp. You might have picked out a couple “prototype” mentions in that list above…well we can share a bit on the new CorkSport Mazdaspeed Turbo. You’ve seen the power it can make…and it still has some more left in it up top, now check it out some sexy billet and massive turbine.

Mazdaspeed 3 Turbo Turbine Closeup for 600+ WHP

Lastly, none of this power would be possible without the fuel to support it. As you may know already, the OE direct injection fuel system taps out around 380whp on an efficient build so how do we make another 240whp? Auxiliary fueling is the key my friends, and we recently posted a blog to help you explore Methanol Auxiliary Fueling that I invite you to read. To stay focused on Barett’s 600+whp build we have made an auxiliary fueling build list below:

Methanol Auxiliary Fueling 600hp Mazdaspeed Build List:

AEM Boost Based Pump Controller
Snow Performance 5 Gallon Cell Trunk Mounted w/CS Prototype Mounting Bracket
AEM 80 micron in-line filter pre-pump
ProMeth 220psi Pump (Essential for flowing this volume of methanol)
Snow Performance Solenoid
Devil’s Own 1in/4out distribution block
4x Devil’s Own 90degree nozzle holders
4x ProMeth Compact Check Valves (Essential for proper AFR control between shifts)
4x Devil’s Own D07 Nozzles (One per intake manifold runner; each flowing ~10gph)

Despite that this auxiliary fuel setup is providing the fuel required to support just over 600whp; it is at the ragged edge of what can be supported. Looking at the dyno graph further up you can see torque decline after 6000rpm and horsepower go flat. This is due to the auxiliary fuel system reaching its maximum fueling capacity and thus forcing us to reduce boost pressure as engine RPM goes past 6000rpm.

At this power level, true port injection auxiliary fueling is the correct step to take. Lucky for you guys and gals, we are currently exploring this path with our product R&D. We plan to give you guys and gals a full breakdown of our experience and how we built a full port injection auxiliary fuel system that can support over 600whp.

AND…I forgot to mention one very critical aspect of this entire build. Professional Tuning! This specific build was E-Tuned on the CorkSport in-house dyno by Dale Owen of Gem Tuning. E-Tuning is a great way to set up your car with the tuner that is the best suited for your platform and vehicle build because it doesn’t require the tuner and the vehicle to be in the same place at the same time.

Hang tight for more on the PI Auxiliary Fueling and thanks for tuning in with CorkSport Performance.

-Barett @ CS

September 20, 2018September 20, 2018

CorkSport Throttle Body Spacer

We are proud to introduce the CorkSport 72mm Throttle Body Spacer for Mazdaspeed 3, Mazdaspeed 6, and Mazda CX-7 Turbo.

This is a great product for those Mazdaspeed owners who want push past the limits of their OEM fuel system. We’ve carefully chosen nozzle locations, upgraded the inside diameter, and added an O-ring for quick and easy sealing. We designed the CS throttle body spacer to eliminate a lot of the headaches that come with adding extra fuel.

The area where the throttle body mounts is pretty tight on the Mazdaspeeds which leaves few options for adding methanol nozzles, especially the tall AEM ones. We realized right away that nozzle orientation was critical.

To prevent any modification, the top nozzle location sits at an angle that perfectly clears both the OEM & CorkSport Intake Manifold to provide an access port for most meth nozzle styles on the market. For more stealthy setups, there are two ports located on the bottom side of the CS spacer, one straight down and once again at an angle for easy usability without further modification.

We also considered nozzle depth when designing the CorkSport Throttle Body Spacer. Most nozzle styles will sit flush to the inside surface of the spacer. This prevents any irregular airflow around the nozzle locations without affecting the spray pattern of the nozzles.

Just like the CorkSport Performance Throttle Body, we enlarged the inner diameter of the throttle body spacer to 72mm. This is the maximum size that can be used with the OEM bolt pattern and ensures optimal best airflow. The OEM throttle body & gasket can still be used with no issues.

Each CorkSport Throttle Body Spacer is precision machined from 6061-T6 aluminum before being anodized black for a clean and durable look. An O-ring groove is added during machining to allow the spacer proper sealing to your intake manifold. Rest assured, the O-ring is safe with all fuels and even oil. Finally, the spacers are laser etched with a CorkSport logo for a subtle finishing touch. The entire package is wrapped up with hardware; including extended length throttle body mounting bolts & two NPT plugs for the nozzle/injector ports you are not using.

If you’re running out of fuel in your Speed and we can make installing a methanol system much easier, pick up a CorkSport Throttle Body Spacer.

August 7, 2018April 13, 2023

Brett’s Mazdaspeed Build Part 3

Well guys, I am back with a part 3. I apologize in advance for the delayed release of the 3rd chapter, but the Mazda was out of commission for a bit getting some stuff reworked! That being said, we can now pick up where we left off in part 2!

As I started to settle into my new stake at CorkSport, I started adding on lots of new goodies. At the beginning of the new year of 2017, I got to throw on our prototype Stage II RMM and get rid of my old one for some testing and feedback. Not only did the vibes decrease substantially, it also held the powertrain better and was helping my wheel hop significantly. So while I was at it, I threw on a Lower Tie Bar to help even further, knowing I had plans in the very near future to make over 400 Whp.

It was now Feb. of 2017 and I knew I was wanting to reach my new power goal by Summer. So, I talked to my tuner, Erik with Drama Tune, and scheduled to fly him up here in March to dyno tune the car. I had every single piece needed to complete the 400+ Whp puzzle.

The last missing piece was fuel. At this point in time, I had two options, Port Injection or Methanol Injection. Given, that I only needed a little more fueling head room freed up I went with methanol for ease, and price. For those that are curious, I purchased the Snow Performance Stage 3 Kit.

I started installing the kit at the beginning of March 2017. Since I was going to be putting bungs into the FMIC piping, I got the kit powder coated as well. I installed one small nozzle right off the cold-pipe of the intercooler, and another large nozzle right before the throttle body. I left a couple inches to help the alcohol atomize. The total amount I was spraying between the two nozzles was approximately 1000 CC’s of 100% Meth as we were using it for Fuel.

So, with the car ready my Tuner flew up and we got my car on the Dyno! Keep in mind my car is a stock bottom end, so I knew I was going to be playing with fire a bit. The general rule of thumb here: If you are on a stock bottom end and want to push the car in this fashion, always have a backup plan ready in case the engine gives out.

By the end of the session, I had 3 maps from Erik:

Pump Gas: 340 Whp

E85 Blend (3 Gallons): 390 Whp

Methanol Injection: 430 Whp. (e85 still in the tank for added knock resistance and cooling)

The torque was kept down as much as possible at 380 Ft-lbs @ 4700 RPM. So, the stock rods definitely were not in danger. Ultimately if the block were to give out in this situation, it would more than likely be the piston rings. The stock Piston Rings do not like high heat or harsh temp changes. So, the best thing you can do pushing 400+ hp on the stock bottom end is to allow time between pulls for everything to re-stabilize. This will ultimately increase the time you have before it ‘Splodes. Because, if we are being honest with ourselves, at that power level, its always a matter of when, not if with the stock block.

So, this is how my Mazdaspeed 3 has been for the last year or so power wise. Built block will be in the future soon. But on this next part, I’ll dive into some cosmetics details that I’m sure a lot of people wants to know.

*Hint* “Hey Bro what flares are those”