How to Get A 900 Horsepower Mazdaspeed 3 AWD Swap – The Intro

Have you ever felt like you try and try and try, but just can’t get the traction to make forward progress on your Mazdaspeed 3 car build? Ya, it happens to the best of us and the 2022 season was my time…both in literal traction and life.

If you haven’t seen my build yet, the @halfmilespeed3, go check it out. It’s an awesome combo of DIY, Teamwork, Innovations, and CorkSport goodies you all love.

Back to this traction conundrum. Racing an 800+hp FWD Mazdaspeed 3 on small airport airstrips with no prep and plenty of dust has proven to be challenging. There have been many successes and many challenges, but ultimately it comes down to those two tiny patches of rubber that meet the road.

LITERALLY NO TRACTION

Yes, Motec helped substantially with traction control and Justin’s ramp-up in power delivery also helps, but really…I just didn’t have any damn traction. Sticky tires with meaty sidewalls also help, but again traction was such an issue! There had to be a better way!

Wheel & Tire Setup:

Front: Toyo TQ 255/50 on 16×8+38

Rear: Toyo R888R 255/40 on 17×9+45

And there was and I had been talking about the idea for a year or so already. Then life happened.

As you can see with the racecar; I like to go fast. I carried that enthusiasm into my love of mountain biking one day in June 2022 and well…I got a lesson in physics let me tell you.

Five broken ribs, a double punctured lung, level 3 AC separation, and a fractured collar bone and scapula. Resulting in weeks of hospital stays and three surgeries; then months of recovery and physical therapy. Let’s just say the 2022 season did not go as planned.

But it did get me focused on solving my traction problems…

Mazdaspeed 3 drag racing 800 hp CorkSport

Mazdaspeed 3 performance parts racing — Mazdaspeed 3 with CorkSport Mazda Performance Parts Back (AKA HalfMileSpeed3)

The Goal…Mazdaspeed 3 AWD Swap

So I decided it was time to stop talking about it and actually take action (well as soon as I physically could that is). I made a plan and figured out the details and order of operations to finally get my traction back.

It was time to AWD Swap the Halfmilespeed3.

While I am not the first to do a Mazdaspeed AWD swap. I did have a goal to make my build unique in the sense that the AWD swap is catered to racing performance. Meaning the strength of custom parts and the rear suspension design and the new fuel system are capable of handling the 4-digit horsepower goal I have and the abuse of racing.

Talking horsepower…what does the car make right now?

Dynograph of Mazdaspeed 3 AWD Swap 800 WHP

This is at a modest 40-41psi using a Xona Rotor 9569s with the X3C compressor housing and 1.03A/R turbine housing. Later Justin @freektune and I turned it up a bit more to see how close we can get to the 600wtq threshold and hold it. Clipping off an 881whp run…damn! This was supported by the many CorkSport Mazda performance parts you can get for your Mazdaspeed as well. From engine mounts to manifolds, anything that isn’t a one-off custom is CS.

Anyways…I have since updated the compressor wheel to a 99 lb/min design compared to the above 95 lb/min design and a larger compressor housing which is more efficient. This setup has not been dyno tested yet, but talking to the engineers at Xona…2023 is going to be spicy!

Close up because who doesn’t like billet turbo shots!?

Dare I say this is the largest turbo in the stock location ever on a Mazdaspeed? Go ahead…prove me wrong. To compare, this competes with a Precision 6870.

Mazda 3 performance parts awd swap Mazdaspeed 3

The Start of the Mazdaspeed 3 AWD Swap

Anyways, this is the introduction to my Mazdaspeed 3 AWD swap here at CorkSport HQ. I actually started the swap in October 2022 and have been making big steps each month. We are going to be sharing blog updates rapidly as I wrap up the swap over the next couple of months.

There will be much more technical info and images coming up so grab a drink and enjoy!

You can also find updates on my IG @halfmilespeed3, the CorkSport 7^th Gear Membership, and on mazdaspeeds.org.

https://mazdaspeeds.org/index.php?threads/awd-speed-3-project-halfmilespeed3.15154/

Thanks for tuning in!

-Barett @ CS

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May 6, 2020July 31, 2023

Barett’s 1/2 Mile Mazdaspeed 3 Build – Part 1

Hey Everyone, if you don’t know me already I’m the engineering manager at CorkSport Performance & @Halfmilespeed3. I want to make a formal greeting and invite you to follow along as I take the next huge step with my personal build. I drive a 2009 Mazdaspeed 3 that has been through many iterations. I bought it nearly 6 years ago and have since used it in excess to support CorkSport R&D. Hundreds if not thousands of passes on the dyno with so many parts…it’s been a beaten test mule. The time has come to set a focus.

Now, with the 4^th engine going in it, I’m setting the build focus for ½ Mile Drag Racing. Power, Aero, and some “Mad Scientist” R&D is going into this build. (see WTF is THAT)

Mad Scientist Add-ons — 600hp Mazdaspeed Build Path – CorkSport Barett’s 2009 Mazdaspeed

My goals are 700whp on the CST6 stock flange (with Will @ PD Tuning giving it the sauce) and 180mph in the standing ½ mile. I plan to play in the 1320, but half mile is the focus. My first event was going to be Never Lift @ Coalinga Munical Airport in Late March, but with recent events, this was canceled and a new date has not been set. Fingers crossed the country gets through this and the next events hosted by Shift S3ctor Airstrip Attack in June and November hold.

Back to the build…I know that pushing a Mazdaspeed through the air at 180mph is a lofty goal and that physics are against me. With the help and advice of Aaron O’neal @ English Racing I am exploring high-speed aero design.

The primary goal is stability at high speed. I want to be safe in this type of racing so I need to do what I can to make the car stable and predictable at speed. This means I need the car to cut through the air as smoothly as possible, and if possible, generate downforce.

To do this I’ve made a prototype drag wing (which I will share more detail on in a later blog) per the advice of Aaron and my research. This wing is two feet long at the top! And with the closed sides, this should reduce the amount of lift generated at the back of the car.

There is still a lot more work to do here but you get the idea so far.

Upfront I am still very much in the conceptual phase of design. Nearly the whole front bumper will be sealed off with a single sheet of ABS plastic formed to the front of the car. The only opening will be a rectangle about the size of the intercooler for cooling airflow. I also plan to build a chassis mounted splitter. The red parts in the image above are the one-off brackets I designed to mount the splitter to the chassis and still be able to adjust the height (Again I’ll share more detail in future blogs as the prototype comes together).

The other less intuitive aero bit I’m doing on the front of the Speed is hood venting. Thanks to Jonathan Castro @ JC Speedworks for the hood vent I’m able to kill two birds with one stone here. If you’ve done any type of racing you know heat is a killer and must be managed. With this hood vent, I am both evacuating any high-pressure air build up in the engine bay and promoting more efficient airflow through the intercooler and radiator.

With the 300 miles I’ve put on the car, I can already see a huge difference in normal operating temps. Maybe more vents are in the works? 😉 Oh and shout out to @mz_rawr (Aaron Maves) for cutting holes in my hood.

CorkSport Mazdaspeed 3 Transmission Mount Blog

In the process of getting the engine and transmission together, I wanted to fix a 2^nd gear drop out issue I had. Over a weekend @thatonepnwguy (Bryce Peterson) and I split my transmission and replaced the shift forks. We certainly did it the wrong way and had to chase some balls around and get them back into their respective locations; despite all that, don’t be afraid to tear into things and learn the hard way.

How To Achieve 400 WHP In Your Mazdaspeed Blog

The powerplant made it in the car and is running great. Right now I’ve got about 300 miles on the engine. I’ve been working out some little details with heat management and setup of the Vacuum Pump (WTF is THAT). I am just now starting to do logs and tuning with Will Dawson at Purple Drank Tuning. With these goals, I still intend to keep the car street legal and driven on a nearly daily basis (I wish you could see the stares I get from people). I’m putting this out to all of you as an invite to follow along with the build on Instagram @halfmilespeed3. All the inside info and goodies are there for you to see along with @corksport for other stories and build updates. I’m stoked for this season and to explore a racing series that has largely been untouched by the Mazdaspeed community. I will be finding limits and new challenges for the platform that I hope to overcome.

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February 20, 2020September 28, 2023

The CorkSport CST4 – The Best Turbo for the Mazdaspeed 3/6

How to get 400whp from your Mazdaspeed 3

Back in 2015, CorkSport announced the launch of the “CorkSport Turbo” or “CorkSport 18G” a high-performance drop-in turbo upgrade for the MazdaSpeed 3, Mazdaspeed 6, and CX-7. Fast forward to 2020, this potent turbo is now called the CST4 with the introduction of the CorkSport CST5 and CST6 Turbochargers.

The CST4 has found home in thousands of community members Mazdaspeeds since launch and continues to be a highly sought-after upgrade today…a testament to the CST4’s performance and durability. Starting from scratch, the CST4 is a 100% brand-new performance unit. No core, no revised K04 parts…this is a performance turbocharger from the ground up.

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Let’s recap what makes the CST4 the best turbo and a great fit for the MazdaSpeed. A proven MHI journal bearing center section, these offer great cooling capabilities and fantastic reliability, especially when combined with our high-performance journal bearings and 360° high-performance thrust bearing. The CST4 Mazdaspeed Turbo can seriously take a beating and does it in a package that fits perfectly in the OEM location.

Attached to this center section is a compressor and turbine wheel combo that is a little unconventional. Creating boost is a custom MHI 18Gbillet compressor wheel that is rated at 50lb/min while the turbine that drives the CST4 Mazdaspeed Turbo is a MHI TD05H 9 blade design. Compared to a traditional 12-blade turbine wheel, the CorkSport design is lighter weight for faster spool times and has fewer blades for higher maximum flow capacity.

Best Mazdaspeed3 turbocharger high flow exhaust wheel

The wheels are wrapped in new housings. On the compressor side, there is an OEM diameter inlet to simplify the installation with any intake system you had setup with your K04 Turbo. The turbine housing maintains the stock flange design for easy fitment with any exhaust manifold and downpipe that is bolted to the K04.

The best mazdaspeed 3 turbo upgrade internal or external wastegate, better than the BNR S3.

So what’s the hype now? Great question! The community has pushed this turbo to the limits and has asked for more…with the development of the 500whp CST5 and 600whp CST6, we found that an EWG turbine housing can be very beneficial to boost control. That development bleeds over to the CST4 in the form of an EWG turbine housing for increased boost control and an increase in A/R size.

Like the CST5, you can now choose your boost control. Internal wastegate for a stealth and simple install or go for the EWG turbine housing for extra noise and a little more top-end power potential. The choice is now yours.

Now what does all of this tech mean for you and your car? If you have a stock block you can easily max out power (~380WHP depending on fuel and bolt-ons) and keep some of the K04 Turbo spools you love. With professional tuning, you can keep a safe tune that hits hard and carries power.

The wheel and housing options deliver great response as well as great power. When pushed to its limits on a built block, 20psi was hit at 3300-3400RPM with a peak boost around 27-28psi carried to 7000rpm. Obviously, this isn’t stable for a stock block but is possible on fully built cars with full bolt-ons and a high-flowing head.

Mazdaspeed 3 Turbocharger installation hardware

Both the IWG and EWG options come with a full hardware kit that includes everything you need for installation. This means all coolant/oil lines, new gaskets, new crush washers, and even new studs and crimps nuts for both the turbine and downpipe flanges. The EWG setup includes a custom-designed elbow for excellent EWG actuator fitment on MS3 and MS6, and the correct clamp to attach it to the housing. More info to come later on an add-on screamer pipe option.

Best Bolt on Mazdaspeed 3 turbo EWG dump tube kit

Each Mazdaspeed CST4 Turbo comes with full CorkSport support, including full-color install instructions, a 1-year warranty, and assistance with any questions you may have. We are extremely excited for you all to get your hands on the CST4 and start taking your FBO Mazdaspeed to the next level. Check out the product listing for full details and to place to order.

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For A limited time get $125 off the CST4. Enjoy a more boost and increase your Mazda WHP up to 400!

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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

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”

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The Goal…Mazdaspeed 3 AWD Swap

The Start of the Mazdaspeed 3 AWD Swap

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

600hp Mazdaspeed 3 Build List:

Methanol Auxiliary Fueling 600hp Mazdaspeed Build List:

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