We are all car enthusiasts. We all work hard to make our cars, our Mazdaspeed, the car that performs and looks just how we want…even down to the nuts and bolts. That’s exactly why we have developed a new and unique valve cover hardware kit for the Mazdaspeed DISI-MZR engine!
Unlike anything else on the market today, the CorkSport Valve Cover Hardware was developed as a one-piece design like OEM. This is very important for proper installation and use of the hardware!
Like OEM, the lower edge of the spacer has a small lip on it. This lip is critical to the function and installation of the valve cover gasket by holding the gasket in place during installation and use. With that, the lip would be useless without the one-piece design.
Let’s look at how the OEM hardware works: When you remove/install your valve cover, the gasket stays in place on the valve cover. Imagine fighting to keep that gasket in place and lined up when trying to install the valve cover…silly right? Then you get leaks and oil dripping down the side of your engine…nobody wants that.
That’s exactly why we retained the OEM features…the lower lip and one-piece design.
Now what are the colors!? You can choose from Black, Red, Blue, Gold, Purple, and Clear (Raw AL with a clear finish) and you can choose the color of the bolts as well! We will have the option to choose raw stainless (community standard) or black stainless bolts if you want a less bling look.
If you want to add some color to your Mazdaspeed 3, Mazdaspeed 6, or even CX-7 with the DISI-MZR turbo engine AND you want it to work just like OEM then this is the hardware kit for you. Looks fantastic, installation is straightforward and you can choose from an assortment of colors to fit your build.
Introducing the new CorkSport Cat Back Exhaust for the 2023+ CX50. We are excited to bring another awesome performance product to the CX50 community…this time we really want to make some noise about it! Stainless steel construction, 4-inch tips, and an exhaust tone you’ll love every day. This defines the new CorkSport exhaust.
The Exhaust to Match the CX-50
The CX50 is already a fantastic-looking SUV (heck, we have two of them in the lot!) with great power and capabilities on and off-road. Much like our development of the Mazda 3 & CX30 exhaust systems, we pursued a design that would add to the overall driving experience of the CX50, but it’s so quiet. Like a dog without a bark! We sought to change that with the CorkSport Performance Exhaust.
The CorkSport asymmetric design may not be conventional, but it has a purpose. The long high-flow resonator on the driver side controls the drone and rasp that would otherwise entire the passenger compartment, while the shorter passenger side utilizes 63.5mm mandrel bent piping to allow an exciting growl out of the exhaust. Combined, we found the balance of noise output and drone control, creating a fun and comfortable performance exhaust for your daily driven CX-50.
Exhaust Options
Our current release is for the entire Cat-Back Exhaust system, which will provide a more pronounced exhaust note. For those looking for a less aggressive exhaust note, we offer the CX-50 Axle-Back exhaust system that still provides an improved look and sound. Add the Axle back to your OEM midpipe and you’re ready to go!
Designed to Fit
Like all CorkSport Exhaust Systems, the performance CX50 exhaust is designed to fit like OEM and maintain great ground clearance & departure angles for those off-road adventures. The 4-inch dual wall slant cut tips fit tightly in the OEM bumper cutouts and follow the great body lines of the CX-50. Designed for all AWD models of the CX-50 Turbo and non-Turbo.
In our R&D testing, we found that Mazda allowed some manufacturing inconsistencies in its OEM exhaust components. As a result, we redesigned our exhaust with an adjustable flange that will compensate for these disparities.
What does that mean exactly? We’ve incorporated a new “ball & socket” connection that allows for maximum adjustment to ensure the perfect fit.
Quality Design
Construction of the CorkSport exhaust systems uses 304 stainless steel mandrel bent piping and TIG welded joints that are strong and beautiful. All the necessary hardware is included for a quick and easy installation with basic hand tools. Supporting all that are color step-by-step instructions and the support of the CorkSport team by phone, email, and message.
For all the Mazda CX-50 owners who like to take the road less traveled, here is a glimpse of our new skid plate, released in the latter part of this year.
Taking your SUV off-road comes with a new set of challenges and we have designed a skid plate that is a complete solution for those who want and need extra protection for the critical components on the underside of your Mazda. Below, we will cover the unique features that have been added to the CX-50 Skid Plate during the design process.
Material Quality & THICKNESS Matters
For the new CX-50 model, we wanted to take our skid plate up a few notches and provide an even higher level of protection for the off-road oriented Mazda CX-50. The main areas that were focused on include the material thickness and mounting points.
The first addition that leads to the majority of the additional protection and durability, comes from the material thickness that was selected for the main plate vs the flimsy felted-plastic cover provided by Mazda.
Everyone knows that our aluminum skid plates are awesome and provide outstanding protection from the all the woes that on road life can throw at your street vehicle. However, we purposely increased the thickness of the main plate from our standard 0.090” aluminum to 0.187” or 3/16” aluminum. This increase in thickness of the main plate, to over 2x of our standard material, allows for a plate that can withstand a great deal more abuse from objects that you might find out on the trail.
Robust Mounting Points
The next design update we implemented involved larger and more robust mounting points. We relocated the mounting points for the CorkSport CX-50 main skid plate to the 4 corners of the plate. To secure the main plate in these locations M10 size hardware was selected, which vastly exceeds the capabilities of the factory M6 hardware that currently secures the OEM cover. We are also using aluminum standoffs that take advantage of mounting locations in the subframe so that no modifications are needed for installation.
Improved Skid Plate Features
Other noteworthy features built into the CX-50 skid plate include the duct for the front differential and the flush-mounted oil filter cover. For the transfer case duct, we wanted to retain the cooling ability but also modify the design so there is less of an opening for larger debris to penetrate. We accomplished this by utilizing a slotted opening to reduce the size of the debris while still allowing airflow to cool the transfer case.
Moving onto the oil filter cover, we created brackets that go on the top side of the skid plate so that the cover can be fully recessed. This design lessens the chance of the skid plate getting snagged on objects that may come into contact with the skid plate while driving.
A Bigger Option For Better Performance
For the CX-50 skid plate, we will be offering the option to pick up just the main plate or add on the additional front plate for further protection on the front end. The front section maintains the same thickness of 0.090” as our other skid plates so it will also offer a great improvement over the factory plastic piece. The mounting for the front section is tied to the main plate and we have added additional mounting points and standoffs to the front edge. These mounting locations attach to a metal structure in the bumper to provide a more solid place for the front edge to mount.
That brings us to the current status of the project for the CX-50 skid plate. During the time until release, we will be continuing development and some features may change as we fine-tune the details of the skid plate. If you are interested in picking one up in the future, be sure to keep an eye on the website for when it gets released later this year.
To be transparent, we know our 7th Gear Membership creates brand loyalty – nothing wrong with that – but there is so much more to the program, a lot more. The program supports all customers, whether you live in the lower 48 states, Alaska, Hawaii, or live internationally!
We wanted our customers to shift the money they were spending on shipping and refocus those funds into their rides. Aftermarket car parts can be a bit expensive, and on average, these parts tend to be physically LARGE, HEAVY, or BOTH. Shipping these items across the country is not cheap despite our negotiated rates and can easily run you approximately ~$30-$80 when ordering a few aftermarket parts or a full catback exhaust. We feel it, too.
With our 7th Gear Membership, you receive a welcome package with merch and stickers, plus free shipping in the lower 48 states or discounted shipping everywhere else. The free or discounted shipping begins on your very 1st purchase and continues across the next 364 days following your date of purchase – Purchases for your vehicle only and requires a free registered CorkSport Account.
In addition, we created a community – Our Exclusive 7th Gear Facebook Group – to share information, chase performance freely, and discuss the variety, frustrations, and general love for your Mazda platform. It’s a place where everyone can openly ask questions without getting crucified in the process or having to decipher a bunch of misinformation.
We expect our members to uphold the spirit of our page and avoid the unnecessary pot-stirring, personal pissing matches, and general vendor bashing that tends to ruin other pages and negatively impact the Mazda Community. We love the support and information-sharing members provide to their fellow enthusiasts – even if this is your first Mazda, you are an OG Mazdaspeed owner, or you just purchased one of Mazda’s latest models!
Most of all – the TOXIC behavior you find on many other pages does not exist here!
Fast Forward 6 + Years Later
7th Gear’s Inner Circle is far from just another “Car Page!” It has strengthened the larger Mazda community, too! Some of our members have been with us since 2017, and others have been done with their build years ago, but each of them continues to renew their membership to be part of the 7th Gear Facebook Group. No doubt, that says something.
Our 7th Gear Members continue to share and support others in and outside our page actively and, in many cases, are driving performance within their platform. They love the group’s atmosphere and know they can seek information as newbies or experienced mechanics without sarcasm or ridicule.
It should be of no surprise that we also tend to hand-pick our sponsored drivers from our 7th Gear Members to represent our brand.
On the flip side, many of our members renew their membership off and on over time as they continue chasing that perfect set-up or as their car evolves from a modified daily driver to a full-on-track car.
OK, So What Does It Cost & What Do I Get?
7th Gear Cost
The cost is relative to the purchase you will make and the build plan you have for your Mazda. Let us explain.
Example 1: You purchase a Cat Back Exhaust, which is shipped from Vancouver, WA, to your garage in Metairie, Louisiana.
Cost of 7th Gear – The Shipping Cost of Your Current Order = Your True Cost of 7th Gear
$99.99 – $89.63 = $10.36 is the True Cost of Your 7th Gear Membership
That’s right! You receive the hat, shirt, stickers, access to the 7th Gear Facebook Page, and free shipping in the lower 48 states for a year – all for an additional $10.36. That, my friends, is an absolutely smoking deal, especially if you are planning to continue modifying your car over the next year.
Example 2: You just picked up a 2022 Turbo Mazda 3 and ready to start your mod journey. As your 1st purchase, you order a Turbo Short Ram Intake and a Heat Shield Shipping from Vancouver, WA, to your garage in Butler, Pennsylvania.
You already know you plan on purchasing Lowering Springs, a Turbo Inlet Pipe, a Down Pipe, and a Cat Back Exhaust over the next year.
Cost of 7th Gear – The Shipping Cost of Your Current Order = Your True Cost of 7th Gear
$99.99 – $43.35 = $56.64 is the True Cost of Your 7th Gear Membership
For an additional $56.64, you will receive free shipping on all your future orders over the next 364 days, plus the 7th Gear Welcome Pack and, of course, access to the Exclusive 7th Gear Facebook Page. It is a sound investment – to make now, not later down the road, as the membership will have already paid for itself by your second or third order.
Example 3: You have been slowly modifying your daily, but you are now ready to wake up the car and your neighbors with a full 80mm Cat Back Exhaust. Shipping from Vancouver, WA, to your garage in Clintonville, Wisconsin.
Cost of 7th Gear – The Shipping Cost of Your Current Order = Your True Cost of 7th Gear
$99.99 – $110.06 = Your 7th Gear Membership just SAVED YOU $10.07 on this order!
This situation is a customer favorite – You quickly realize, by adding a 7th Gear Membership to your order, that you are not only receiving free shipping on your 1st order, plus the swag, and getting access to the 7th Gear Group, but you are also
SAVING MORE THAN YOU ARE PAYING FOR THE MEMBERSHIP!
Essentially, you received free shipping and a small discount on your exhaust order on day one, plus all future orders over the next 364 days will continue to ship for free.
It’s easy to see across all examples that our 7th Gear Membership not only PAYS FOR ITSELF in a very short amount of time but also continues to save you money over the entire year.
What IF I live in Alaska, Hawaii, or ship internationally? Do I Still save on shipping?
Absolutely, but shipments are not 100% free. As you know, shipping anything AIR Freight is expensive worldwide and brokerage/import fees can compound costs. In September 2024, we increased the shipping discount per order to help combat the costs. All orders outside the lower 48 states now receive up to a $40 discount towards shipping, to help take a bite out of the shipping costs to each of these locations.
Free shipping in the lower 48 states or discounted shipping everywhere else.
The free or discounted shipping begins on your very 1st purchase and continues across the next 364 days following your date of purchase.
Exclusive access to our 7th Gear Facebook Page – This page is a membership favorite!
Occasionally
We offer closeout deals or specials on blemished parts
Share insider information
New products are almost always released here 1st
Free Renewal Gift if you choose to continue your membership for a consecutive year.
What About the 5% back in CorkSport Points – Do I Still Get Those?
Absolutely! Regardless of whether you are a 7th Gear Member or not, you still earn ~5% back on your parts purchase – with a free registered account – to be used towards future purchases.
We do understand, however, that memberships are not for everyone – and that is AOK. But for those who have and continue to utilize the 7th Gear benefits and are actively supporting the 7th Gear Page – They are LOVING IT!
I will leave you with a few quotes from some current members:
.
Joining this group has been one of the best decisions I have made. Tons of new friends, adventures, and a wealth of knowledge have been gained since joining. Cheers to more fun times ahead!
Brayden
Honestly the best $100 I’ve ever spent I’m my 42 years of existence on mother earth! This group of car enthusiasts is more like family than anything else.
~ Santiago
You guys are awesome! Can’t wait to renew my membership next year and see how much you guys grow as a community! And the stickers!!
~ Colby
I really enjoy the community on here too! Everyone is very nice in my experience and very helpful as well. Keep up the good work!
Many community members are asking, “What clutch should I buy for my Speed3/Speed6?” or “What’s the best clutch for Mazdaspeed 3/6?” and there isn’t a perfect answer because the right answer depends on your goals with your car.
While I can’t say what the best clutch is, I can share my experience to date with my Twin Ceramic Rigid Disc X-Clutch in my Mazdaspeed 3.
First Impressions
Opening the box I found a very well-packaged assembled clutch kit. This included the assembled pressure plate, discs, and flywheel along with a new throw-out bearing, flywheel to crank bolts, and a nice alignment tool. XClutch also included some generic instructions – They certainly don’t rival CorkSport instructions, but are better than most clutch instructions I have used.
Getting into it
Disassembling the clutch assembly I found some nicely constructed components. The material fit and finish was great along with the identification of transmission vs engine side of the discus laser engraved was a nice touch.
Something worth noting: Some clutch kits come to you in separate pieces. This makes you 100% dependent on their instructions for the assembly process (and a lot of times those instructions are lacking), but with the XClutch the whole thing came assembled. I like this because it gave me the chance to see how it was assembled and therefore made me more confident I would assemble it correctly on the engine.
Now let’s get the clutch on the engine. After disassembling the clutch kit, the first part to go on the engine is the flywheel after a quick cleaning of the machine parts and surfaces. Using the provided hardware and some lock-tight the flywheel gets torqued down. The flywheel was a perfect fit on the snout of the crank…a little persuasion was needed which tells me the flywheel will be perfectly centered.
Next is the first clutch disc (make sure you can read “transmission side”) then the middle floater plate. Following that is the next clutch disc (and again make sure you can read “transmission side”) along with the provided alignment tool.
The Tool
So I want to take a minute to talk about the alignment tool. I’ve installed many clutches in many vehicles throughout my life ranging from an OE replacement in my 92’ Mazda b2600i, Mazdaspeed3, and a twin-disc in a Dodge. Every single kit came with the generic plastic alignment tool that doesn’t fit great and flexes.
But not X-Clutch, their kit included a very nice billet steel alignment tool that fit snugs and did not sag or move when installed. This seemingly simple tool made a huge difference in the whole installation process.
Back to the install steps; next up is the pressure plate floater plate. Typically this is part of the pressure plate assembly, but with the Xclutch design, this is separate.
Last is the pressure plate itself which is what applies the force to the clutch discs. The installation of this is slow and tedious, but important to follow. The hardware must be installed and torqued down evenly around the perimeter, much like torquing a wheel but with a lot more lug nuts.
X-Clutch has clear instructions on this so don’t worry.
Bringing it back together
So your clutch is all buttoned up and now it’s time to attach the transmission to the engine. I’ll admit this was a task I was dreading…many times I’ve fought this process because the damn input shaft in the transmission just would not line up with the clutch disc and crank, but I was pleasantly surprised.
I don’t know if it was luck or if the alignment toll was really that perfect, but in one try the transmission slid right onto the clutch and aligned perfectly. It was honestly shocking. I can only hope your installation goes as smoothly.
Now the review you have been wanting…
First impressions are great. The peddle pressure is very similar to OEM, maybe just a hair stiffer, but is nearly identical so if you’re worried about a stiff pedal DON’T, it’s cake. The engagement point is around the middle right now, but I expect it to move up in the pedal stroke slightly as it breaks in further. I like this, but this is a preference thing.
Engagement control is interesting. Going from an ACT 6-puck ceramic to this is very similar in the “grabbiness” of the clutch since they are both ceramic puck discs, but the X-Clutch I would say is a bit more aggressive. This makes sense with the rigid disc design and the very high torque capacity…1,350 ft/lbs!
So here’s my suggestion and you can check them out here. Learn More!
Conclusion
If you want a OE replacement with a bit more headroom for power then the Street single disc organic is going to be your closest bet. If you want good street manners but have more power to hold then the Street Plus twin disc organic is going to be your best balance. Lastly, if you are pursuing motorsports and high heat capacity then the Race twin disc ceramic will be your go-to clutch kit.
