Product Release! CorkSport High Flow Panel Filter

Want to help your Mazda breathe a bit easier and free up a few horsepower while maintaining factory appearance and factory warranty? CorkSport is here with our new high flow drop-in replacement panel filter!

CorkSport High Flow Air Filter

The CorkSport Panel filter flows much higher than traditional paper filters and can add proven horsepower and torque increases with very little effort and money.

The CorkSport Advantage:

  • Superior Construction:ย Made from three-dimensional filter medium with depth loading and structural screen wire.
  • No Oil Design: Our filters use patented Dryflow technology that requires no oil, no measuring, no MAF issues.
  • Durable: Our Filters can go up to 100,000 miles before needing cleaning and are a breeze to clean.
  • CorkSport Service and Support: Receive a two-year limited warranty, full-color installation instructions, all of the needed installation hardware, and knowledgeable telephone support.

CorkSport High Flow Panel Filter

As with all CorkSport products the CorkSport High Flow panel filter is backed by a two-year warranty and comes complete with full-color instructions and CorkSport service and support. The CorkSport High Flow filter fits all MazdaSpeed 3 models and all Mazda 3 models (Non-Skyactiv). These filters are in stock and available at our online catalog here:

CorkSport High Flow Panel Filter

The Elusive MazdaSpeed 3 Cold Air Box Has Arrived!

People have been hitting us up via every contact point possible: phone calls, emailing, Facebook posting, Forum chatting, and contacting us via our webpage to find out when the CorkSport Cold Air Box for the 2010 MazdaSpeed 3 Short Ram Intake will be available. I am proud to say that it is finally here.

Way back all the way to the beginning of February, we had a blog post outlining the details of the depth we go into when designing a Cold Air Box. After finalizing the design and getting a production part installed in our project car, I went out and did some extensive testing. Using a laptop, data-logging software, and lots of thermocouples, I was able to log temperature changes over time.

The delta temperature in the graph below is the temperature difference inside the CAB (right at the filter) versus the temperature directly outside the box (inside the engine bay). The red line shows the difference over time using the box right off the shelf. The blue line shows the CAB with fully taped and insulated connections (the SRI to CAB mating area) attempting to reduce heat soak even further. The green line shows the difference over time with the CAB fully insulated and a direct pipe running from the fog light opening to the CAB (simulating a CAI).

Each reading was taking in the same atmospheric temperature (+/- 2 degrees) driving the same route at the same time each day. The route consisted of highway driving (both at highway speeds, and stop and go traffic) as well as city driving.

As you can see from the graph, all 3 designs yielded roughly the same result of about a 35-40 degree decrease in intake temperature once the vehicle has reached operating temperature.

As a conclusion to this experiment, I can confidently say that our CAB for the 2010 MazdaSpeed 3 paired with our SRI can bring your intake temperatures down to the same temperature as you would see with a cold air intake, without the drop in pressure or any worry about driving in the rain.

As always, if you have any questions about the product, or if you want to know more about how the data was obtained or evaluated, shoot me an email.

Jake

2010 MS3 Cold Air Box Prototype Testing

Just got done doing the initial testing on our prototype cold air box for the 2010 MS3. We put a box together that is a bit different from our existing boxes on the previous generation vehicles.

Previously, we closed out the entire front corner of the engine compartment with the box. With the 2010, the fuse block is in that vicinity and there’s a large wiring harness that crosses over the boundary region where we profiled for the box edge. We were also curious to see if we could build an efficient box that would allow our customers to retain access to the headlight assembly and fuse block for quick bulb and fuse changes.

We’ve done three extended runs on the 2010 MS3 with Cold Air Box and come to some interesting conclusions. In previous tests on the MS3 and MS6, we found that the dynamic pressure zones under the hood of the vehicle can be counter-intuitive as to the areas that provide cold air and/or allow ingress of hot underhood air into the filter.

The first run with a box that had multiple areas of access to the hot zones in the engine compartment was surprisingly successful. On a 51F day, we hit a 40+ degree max differential between underhood (immediately outside the box) and filter surface temperatures. Not bad! On the hotter days (86F) this summer when we were running the tests on our MS6 we hit around 35 degrees max thermal delta.

The next test we performed was with a number of the holes and reliefs in the box (clearance around the silicone coupler, closeout to the headlight assembly and a clearance hole for the recirculation valve) shored up and sealed off, we took the car out for another run this morning (waiting specifically until the outside air temp hit 51 again). We were hoping to get to ambient air temperature, which would have been a 60 degree temperature differential. Just like the MS6 tests last year, we got close, but stopped short at 5 degrees above ambient for a maximum in the box to out of the box temperature differential of 51 degrees F.

Wanting to see that 5F disappear, we went berserk and busted out our mad Scotch packing tape fabrication skills and sealed the entire box off to body and inner fenderwell. Absolutely no change. Which was honestly a relief. The simpler we are able to make the design, the more margin we have to spend on the aesthetic design and provide our customers with design that looks as seamless as possible with the factory underhood environment. Justin did a great job with the initial mockup, matching the contour of the factory intercooler cover, but we’ve got a ways to go. Next step is to pull the box out, bust out the bondo and shaping tools to fine tune the look and feel of the box. Meanwhile I’ll be chucking some delrin up in the lathe to knock out some fittings and fasteners as well as fabricating some finished brackets to ensure a solid fit with the OEM airbox grommets, battery box and radiator crossmember.

Finally, I need to make some phone calls and get some quotes on a pre-preg Carbon Fiber lid as well as a Dry Carbon lid. We’d love to make this a reality, but the numbers confirm or deny the reality of that option.

I know you’ve all waited a long time for this and it’s been for good reason -we want to raise the bar with this design and we’re excited to make it a reality.

Jason

Staged Dyno Results for 2010 MazdaSpeed3

We have received a lot of questions regarding the dyno numbers for our products for the 2010 Speed3. So far we’ve only released a Stock vs. (Intake+RacePipe) dyno sheet, and I figured it was time to add some clarity to the questions and comments in a centralized location instead of replying on specific forums and leaving other people in the dark. In the end, our Intake + Racepipe + Downpipe give customers the ability to crank out 51 more horsepower for $687. The key to getting the most out of your car isn’t just to make ample power increases, but to have money left in your wallet to add more options sooner. CorkSport has you covered at a cost of $13.74/hp with a peak gain of 51 Wheel Horsepower and 47 Ft Lb of Torque.

The 2010 Speed3 has a lot of power left on the table, and our product development has really brought that to light. Unfortunately, we stage build everything -starting with an Intake, adding a RacePipe, then the DownPipeโ€ฆand Dyno and labor hours add cost to parts, so we try our best to get the data we need to validate our products without adding a lot of cost to the parts based on a variety of test iterations and combinations. This blog post details the results of the staged build on our 2010 Speed3. In addition, it makes some details clear about comparing our systems to other options on the market -what’s included in intake and downpipe packages to provide detail to costs vs. gains.

Stock vs. Power Series Intake System
Our $239 intake system includes our aluminum turbo inlet pipe, billet MAF housing and CorkSport Dry Flow Air Filter. Again, this package includes the turbo inlet pipe -it is the only system on the market that is packaged including the inlet pipe -all others are marketed separately. The torque gains were nearly 20ft lbs increase on average. We also saw large sections of torque gain that were up to 33ft lbs of torque. The horsepower gains were equally impressive with the largest differential being a 36whp gain over the stock numbers. Our system works great, we have put a lot of time into the design and validation testing of it and it generates some serious powerโ€ฆat $6.63 per horse at the wheels.

Racepipes and Downpipesโ€ฆ*
The CorkSport TurboBack Exhaust packages are broken into three components: The Downpipe which evacuates exhaust gasses from the turbocharger into the main exhaust system; The Racepipe (available with or without high flow catalytic converter) which replaces the factory secondary restrictive catalytic converter; The CatBack Exhaust System which is comprised of the primary 80mm (3.15″) exhaust pipe and resonators and the dual 80mm tailpipe section. The main component to discuss is the comparison of the CorkSport Downpipe and Racepipe to other Downpipes on the market. A few other Downpipes cost substantially more -due partially to the fact that they include what we sell as a Racepipe. Despite our separate packaging, our pricing is still competitive at $448 for the combined package, and allow our customers to swap in the wide open 80mm Racepipe on track days and retain their factory catalytic converters or choose the Racepipe which features a high flow spun metallic catalytic converter (an additional $200). Whether you choose the Downpipe/Racepipe combination with or without a high flow catalyst, you’ll find our prices aggressively competitive.

Stock vs. Power Series Intake System + Power Series Stock Fitment Racepipe
This stage adds the Power Series RacePipe to the 2010 Speed3 w/ CorkSport Short Ram Intake & Turbo Inlet Pipe. Power goes up nicely to a combined gain of 41whp and 33ft lb of torque at peak and a blistering 50ft lb of torque at 3000rpm. Where the intake alone dropped low end (1600-2900RPM) torque by a few pound feet relative to stock, the addition of the racepipe puts the entire torque curve higher than that of the stock setup. If you’re running a rally car or just want blistering torque -this is your prime combination.

Stock vs. CorkSport Intake + Racepipe + Downpipe
This stage adds the Power Series Downpipe from CorkSport to the 2010 Speed3 w/ Short Ram Intake & Turbo Inlet Pipe. The CorkSport downpipe features a divorced wastegate dump design -providing a separate outlet for wastegate gasses and avoiding disruption of the primary exhaust pathway when the wastegate cracks open to bypass excess exhaust pressure past the turbine wheel. Adding the downpipe to the previously detailed combination of intake and racepipe, power jumps another 10 horse at the cost of a little bit of peak torque, but the low end of the torque curve increases nicely. As a combined package, the CorkSport Intake, Racepipe and Downpipe put down 51 horsepower and 47 pound feet of torque at the wheels. Watch for the release of our downpipe for the 2010 Speed3 in the coming weeks.

Jason

* Consult with your local governing body regarding the legality of removal of a factory catalytic converter, whether it is for track or for street use and whether you are using the full race open pipe or a high flow catalyst. High Flow Performance Catalystsare ILLEGAL in the State of California, and will NOT be sold into California.

2010 Mazda3 Intake & Exhaust Test Results

60mm SS Exhaust
We just received our first production test exhaust systems for the 2010 Mazda3.ย  These are fully polished T304 stainless steel, mandrel bent 60mm exhaust systems in a single resonator, single muffler system.ย  This combination produces a subtle but noticeably lower tone at cruise/partial throttle and a pleasantly authoritative note at wide open throttle (WOT).ย  We have fabricated both a single exit and dual exhaust configuration, either of which can be used with the 2.0 or 2.5 liter engines (contingent on compatibility with bezels in the rear valence).

The systems will be available in production quantities in the next 2-4 months depending on configuration, and will ship with a race pipe option that will allow the aft catalyst to be removed for racing applications.

The installation is very straightforward โ€“ a bolt up for the race pipe to the factory manifold downpipe or a slip compression fitting to the piping aft of the secondary catalyst.  The system uses all of the factory exhaust hanger points and allows you to simply unbolt the factory exhaust system and extract it for installation of the full race CS system (although the factory aft muffler heat shield requires a small trim or optional full removal for fitment of the dual exhaust system โ€“ a paper template will be included for easy trimming of this heat shield, should you want to retain it in the car).  Street legal installation with the factory catalyst requires the pipe to be cut aft of the catalyst for connection to the slip fitting.

Short Ram Intake
In tandem with the exhaust installation on one of our local customersโ€™ 2010-2013 Mazda3 w/ 2.5L engine, we installed our prototype short ram intake, featuring a fully molded silicone coupling that locates all of the factory induction fittings in the factory locations, a billet aluminum MAF housing and AEM DryFlow Air Filter.ย  We also had the opportunity to test an intake on another local 2.0L 2010 Mazda3.

Baseline Dyno Pull
Before we even breathed on either of the naturally aspirated 2010 Mazda 3โ€ฒs, we took them for a spin on the DynoJet to get a baseline for the engines.  While Mazda claims 167hp@6000rpm and 168lbft@4000 rpm for the 2.5, the results of three baseline dyno pulls show that the car puts down 154hp and 160lbft of torque right out of the box.  Conditions were 73ยฐF and 51% Humidity.

First Run & Diagnostics
After getting the exhaust installed, I plugged in our MSD DashHawk OBDII logger and display and took a drive.  Modifications to the induction system can often times wreak havoc with the fuel system depending on design considerations and location of the Mass Airflow (MAF) sensor relative to the laminar flow of air through the intake pipe and sensor housing.  We take great care to engineer our induction systems to function as stock and the DashHawk allows us to monitor the fuel trim variables and MAF details at a variety of driving conditions.  This attention to detail gives us the ability to release products with the confidence that they will not flag a check engine light or negatively impact fuel economy due to the computer trying to counteract or overcorrect for the increased airflow into the engine.

The numbers on the DashHawk looked great, and as the day was nearing to an end we handed the car back over to our customer for some longer term evaluation.  Five days later we got the car back to check through the datalogs and perform dyno testing.

2.0L Dyno Results
Utilizing theย single exit exhaustย and theย Short Ram Intake, we went from a baseline of 118hp/110lbft of torque to a respectable 135hp and 123lbft of torque at the wheels.ย  Weโ€™re still working with the intake on this one to get the most out of it while retaining factory fuel trims.ย  The 2.0L results were moderate (with around a 4-5hp/tq gain) below 4000rpm with the majority of the gains came on rapidly at around 4500rpm and held steadily to the 7000rpm redline.ย  This really shows how constrained the stock system was for the smaller 2.0L engine.

2.5L Dyno Results
This car finally sounds like it should have from the factory.ย  I almost just chose to drive it home instead of returning it to our customer.ย  Unfortunately my conscience got the best of me, and he drove off excited to test the car out for the weekend.ย  The dyno results on this combination ofย intakeย andย exhaustย were equally as impressive, but dynamically speaking were a bit different from the 2.0L.ย  Where the 2.0L opened up quite a bit at the top end, the stump pulling 2.5L exhibited up to 20lbft of torque gains in the midrange with a consistent 10-12hp gain through the entire powerband.ย  Stock Peak HP & Torque were 158/161, and the intake and exhaust built 171hp and 171lbft of torque.

Future Developments
We are excited to work on a number of further developments with the two naturally aspirated Mazda 3โ€ฒs and would like your feedback on products that you would like to see on the market.ย  Weโ€™re hoping to find some time to develop a cold air box for our 2010 Mazda 3 Power Series Short Ram Intake as wellโ€ฆstay tuned for details on what a dramatic impact these cold air boxes have on actual inlet temperature as well as shielding the higher flowing induction system from the hot underhood environment through the use of a well sealed and tested high temperature fiber reinforced polymer.ย  We are also considering offering a high flow spun metallic media catalyst with some of our exhaust systems and would like your feedback on such an offering.

Iโ€™m eager to hear of your ideas in the future and will tell you a little more about myself in my next blog post.

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