mazda performance enhancement | CorkSport Mazda Performance Blog

February 6, 2015May 28, 2024

The New CorkSport Mazdaspeed Electronic Boost Control Solenoid (EBCS)

Fighting boost spikes with the Mazdaspeed K04 Turbo or maybe boost creep with an internally gated GT3076R? Or have you gone all out with an externally gated setup? Whatever the reason, you have probably realized that the OEM boost control solenoid is not up to par and desperately needs something that is reliable and tunable.

Introducing, the CorkSport Mazdaspeed Electronic Boost Control Solenoid (EBCS), the fastest responding, highest flowing, plug-and-play EBCS available today for the Mazdaspeed platform.

The CorkSport EBCS utilizes the latest technology in solenoid-controlled air valves, as well as using a light weight, low friction, and balanced valve design. The CorkSport EBCS will handle pressures from vacuum to 120psi with an operating frequency of 0 – 1000Hz and response time of 700µs.

So what does this actually mean to you?

You can build boost faster, reduce or eliminate boost spikes, and hold boost more accurately throughout the RPM range. Don’t believe me? Then check out the graph below comparing the OEM EBCS to the CorkSport EBCS both in bleed setup.

You can see a noticeable difference between the two graphs. Boost rises sooner, and there is no overshoot with the CorkSport EBCS. With the same Stage 2 tune, only changing the EBCS and adjusting the waste gate duty cycles, we saw an increase of 18 ft-lb of torque at peak due to the more boost at a lower RPM.

Not only does the CorkSport EBCS work great, but it also fits great! Designed with ease of installation in mind, the EBCS can be located in the OEM location, or on the valve cover for turbochargers without the OEM tab. This goes for both TMIC and FMIC setups. There is also no wire cutting or soldering needed! Simply plug the electrical connector into the wiring harness and you are ready to go!

Whether you are just stepping into the Mazdaspeed world or are the horsepower king at the local dyno, there is a place under your hood for the CorkSport EBCS. This will benefit you from K04 turbocharger to an externally gated GT3582R, and there are two ways to look at the CorkSport EBCS. First, it’s a potential power adder due to its far superior response time, efficiency, and accuracy; or second, it’s a safety device for the exact same reasons. Now there is one catch…correct use of the CorkSport EBCS will require adjustments of the waste gate duty cycles. We recommend you contact a professional tuner to setup your new CorkSport EBCS.

Take control of your boost with the CorkSport Mazdaspeed Electronic Boost Control Solenoid! For more technical information check out our white paper write-up of the EBCS.

-Barett, CS Engineering

February 6, 2015April 8, 2020

The New CorkSport Adjustable Short Shifter

The Mazdaspeed platform is a pretty well-supported car in the engine performance and suspension market, but it seems to be lacking in some of the markets that truly allow you, as the driver, to connect to the car. This is especially true for the GenWon owners. Well, CorkSport has decided to help the forgotten GenWon owners become more intimately connected to their Speed3. So what are the components of a car that the driver is most intimate with? I would have to say the pedals, seat, steering wheel, and, of course, the shifter.

So which of those did we release? It’s not pedals. (Autozone has that covered.) Unfortunately, it’s not a seat, but that would be awesome. It’s not a steering wheel…yet. (Oops. Did I say that out loud?) I’m happy to say it’s a short shifter, and not the kind that goes under the hood. Sure, there are a few options out there, but they leave a lot on the table and the price seems ridiculous.

Introducing, the all-new CorkSport Adjustable Short Shifter for the 2007-2009 Mazdaspeed 3.

Manufactured from high-grade 6061-T6 aluminum, this precision machined double adjustable short shifter is sure to give you that intimate connection and control with your Speed3. Plus, it’s 100% designed and manufactured right here in the Pacific NW, USA.

So what sets the CorkSport Short Shifter apart from the competition? This short shifter is double-adjustable, but not in the way the competition defines it. First, there are four throw positions ranging from OEM throw distance to the 35% shorter throw distance. Second, the shift knob height is adjustable from 11.75 to 9.5 inches tall with the OEM height being 11.125 inches. Lastly, just look at it: It’s gorgeous. It’s a shame it gets hidden under the shift boot.

Take a look at the comparison images below:

This image shows the forward, neutral, and back positions of the OEM shifter.

This image shows the forward, neutral, and back positions of the CorkSport Short Shifter in its shortest height and shortest throws position.

Of course, a product like this doesn’t come to life overnight. There were many hours of design, testing, and revision done to verify that the product you receive is the best it can be. Below are a couple images of 3D-printed prototype we made on our 3D printer to help speed up the R&D.

In addition to the prototype testing, we also perform FEA (Finite Element Analysis) on all applicable components to verify they’re strong enough to last for many, many years. Below is a complete CAD model and the FEA for the throw adjustment arm with 50 lbf applied to the shortest throw position. This is the worst case scenario, so if it doesn’t fail here it won’t fail in the other positions.

With the 50 lbf applied to the arm, the maximum stress was ~10k psi which is great news. This component alone is 4 times stronger than it needs to be if you were able to apply 50 lbf to the arm.

I have personally been using this shifter in my 2009 Speed3 for a month now and have nothing but great things to say. Don’t take it from me, though. Here is a quote from a beta tester:

I’m taking a spirited drive today to get a better feel for it. So far I’m enthusiastic about the (extreme) difference. When shifting with the OEM shifter the throw was so long that I spent a lot of effort synchronizing the clutch with the motion of shifting—essentially slipping the clutch while completing the motion of going into gear. With your short throw shifter the entire motion has changed dramatically and all I have to concentrate on is the clutch, and that’s been reduced by ~50%. I just throw it into gear and pop the clutch. It’s so stiff anyway and really likes to engage/disengage near the end when releasing pressure on the pedal that the motion becomes much more fluid. The shifter motion has gotten much tighter and requires (what feels like) more pressure to move between gears, but the motion itself has been reduced so much that it creates a sense of precision and removes (what felt like) sloppiness when using the OEM shifter. I’m sure that adjusting the height & throw from such an extreme position would reduce what I would describe as the rigidity of the shifts, although I intend to continue using it in the position we installed it.

My 2 cents so far. Overall I’d highly recommend.

Hope all is well,

Michael

So what are you waiting for? Take the leap, you won’t be disappointed!

-Barett, CS Engineering

February 2, 2015December 18, 2017

Mazda said WHAT about the Rotary in 2017? Also, the 2016 MX-5

With more and more information circulating about the new Rotary and MX-5 Miata, we’ve compiled everything you need to know about these two beauties.

Rotary 2017

Mazda has been pretty tight-lipped about the next Rotary. In fact, just a few months ago, we heard a few sources claim that the Rotary wasn’t in development at all, or at least was no longer being focused on. Well, hope has been renewed! This news is thrilling, and it honestly lines up perfectly with what we published back in August: What Mazda Said That Will Have You Saying, “Take My Money!”

So what’s the excitement? Well, according to an article posted here, Mazda Kiyoshi Fijiwara (Managing Executive Officer) recently was referenced stating that they should be coming out with a new Rotary in 2017 at the Tokyo Motor show. Mazda is pretty big into anniversaries, and this just reaffirms our hunch they’ll use the 50-year anniversary of their first commercially available Rotary to release a new one. They did it with the 25th anniversary of the Miata MX-5, so why not the Rotary?

This is exciting news, and the best part is, they say it should have close to 300hp!

In case you can’t read Japanese, see the (slightly modified) Google Translation below:

Kiyoshi Fujiwara, the Mazda Managing Executive Officer, at the event in Spain was saying that the company is thought to publish a new car equipped with a rotary engine at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2017.

2017: It’s a memorable year. The world’s first commercially-available car equipped with a rotary engine “Cosmo Sports” appeared 50 years earlier. The name of the new car is unknown. As specs become realities, it is clear the “RX-7” engine should come near the order of 300hp.

2016 MX-5 Miata Only Gets 155hp

In other news, the engine is officially confirmed at 155hp and 148 ft/lbs of torque for the next generation MX-5. Though this might seem underwhelming, we still have high hopes. The three reasons for these hope are as follows:

Reason 1:

2015 Miata: 2,619 lbs, divided by 167 hp = 15.68 lbs per Horsepower

2016 Miata: 2,200 (estimated) lbs, divided by 155hp = 14.19 lbs per Horsepower

It’s only an estimate, but the next Gen MX-5 would have to weigh over 2,400 lbs in order to have a worse power-to-weight ratio than the current model.

Reason 2:

Mazda knows more than ever that everyone wants a faster and higher horsepower car. This knowledge, and the fact that they don’t currently produce, and have not announced, plans to introduce a single Mazdaspeed variant of any of their cars, gives us hope. You might think that makes no sense, but consider it: Doesn’t all their silence about the next Mazdaspeed seem strange? How can a company that has the most vehicles racing in the World on any given weekend NOT have a Mazdaspeed? Secrets.

Mazda has been parading around their Super20 Miata since 2012—a roughly 250 horsepower supercharged Miata that’s received incredible press and reviews. Of course, it isn’t available for public sale. So why does Mazda continue to tease us? Why produce these totally reachable cars that people want without actually producing them for sale? It could just be for publicity, but our bet is also that Mazda has secretly been working on the next Mazdaspeed, and it will be an Mx-5. If we’re right…. we would guess everyone will receive a good confirmation of the next Mazdaspeed MX-5 soon.

Reason 3:

The MX-5 is the pinnacle of Mazdas to modify. More people are modifying their Miata/MX-5 than probably all other Mazdas combined. What does this mean? Turbos, Intakes, Exhausts, Suspension, Bodykits, Lighting: There are so many mods!! Mazda knows people love to modify their cars. If they don’t do it themselves, they know their customers will, which is why we have a feeling that with a few small tweaks, we’ll have this next MX-5 purring and putting out an extra 20-40 horsepower in no time.

Check out The Jalopnik article on the Miata and it’s 155HP: HERE.

December 1, 2014

Love for the Rotary

With all of the talk of doom and gloom for the next rotary I wanted to share the experience I had with the help of Mazda during Sevenstock 17 on Nov 22^nd. I hate to say it but while I was at Sevenstock helping out with the Diesel Mazda 6 I experienced the awesome side benefit of being next to three 4 rotor cars in the same garage.

The recent message given from Mazda about the rotary engine being important but not in the cards for a current car has been a heart breaker for the rotor heads out there, myself included as I daily drive an 87 Turbo FC. I can definitely say that from the top down the rotary engine is important to Mazda despite it not being considered for a new car right now. Take a look at this 787 which Robert Davis (senior vice president U.S. operations aka he runs the show in US) personally drives.

There is a genuine love for the rotary with him, I watched him wipe down the car after going out onto the track for one session. In conversations, the restoration of other rotary race cars was brought up many times and when Robert isn’t driving the 787 above he rolls in an Rx8 in NASA PT racing, when time affords it.

See the first car in the line below? It is one of the Rx-792P IMSA GTP prototypes.

I watched Weldon Munsey (Manager of Dealer Affairs) hop out after just one session with a big smile on his face. You could tell he just loves driving that car.

This next car is one of my favorite Rotary race cars (as I had the opportunity to see it raced at Portland Intl Raceway in the early 90s). The 4 rotor GTO kept the basic shape of the FC rx7 (which included the stock roof panel, windshield, and tail lights) and the rest of the car was pure business with a 4 rotor engine.

Not a big surprise another Mazda executive drives it, Jeremy Barnes (Director of public relations). I am sure the re-occurring theme is not lost here, these guys love rotaries and if the opportunity presents they will be pulling to get another car released for all us rotards out there. In the meantime enjoy the video below from Sevenstock 17 with a few drive byes of the 787 and the 792p wide open on the throttle at Autoclub Speedway.

Zoom zoom.

– Derrick Ambrose from CorkSport

Derrick started working with cars when he was in high school. A friend had a GLC which they tweaked a bit which then became a 323 then into RX-7s and it was all Mazda down hill from there. His current projects are a 1968 Mustang, The 1988 323 GTX (never ending project), 1986 Honda Shadow Motorcycle and a 1968 Silverline Rambler 16′boat. For motorsports activities he has previously participated in drag racing the CorkSport Protege Drag car and Rally Cross with the 323 GTX. Currently he is driving the CorkSport Mazda 2 B-Spec race car.

If you attend any events CorkSport is at Derrick will be the guy you will talk to at most of them, so stop by and say hello!

May 22, 2014September 13, 2018

What should Sponsorship look Like?

What should sponsorship look like?

We have hundreds of people contact us every year to be sponsored. Some want free parts, some want discounts, some want to test parts, some want to simply represent a company they love, and others simply want the satisfaction of saying, “I’m sponsored!”. What should sponsorship look like though? We have only a handful of sponsored drivers because we believe that sponsorship should be a relationship, not just money thrown at someone. At the same time we have thousands of customers who want to support us, and hundreds of customers that ask for sponsorship. So the real question is how do we provide a sponsorship program that is best for everyone? A program where we can sponsor more people, the right people, AKA the people YOU want sponsored.

Why do we sponsor people?

We sponsor people for several reasons.

We like you: We have so many amazing people in the Mazda community and we want to support the growth of the Mazda modification scene.
When you get support, you give support: It’s a proven fact that when someone tells their friend about a great part, product, service, or event that it can be better marketing than Google ads, billboards, TV commercials or any other form of typical advertising. The best advertising that we can have is simply by providing the BEST customer service, BEST parts, and a great experience for all Mazda owners. One way to do this is too sponsor drivers who can tell you exactly what our parts are like!
Testing: We are always working on new parts for your car and the best parts are the ones that get tested, revised, tested, revised, and tested again. Though we have plenty of cars at our disposal in our shop or personal garages, often the best testing comes from YOU. Plus when you can say “I beta tested this, and that shit WORKS” it lets others know that we aren’t just making stuff up.

How does it Benefit you?

It depends on what you are looking for. As a sponsored driver you might get discounts on parts, recognition in the community, or you might even get to work personally with some of our engineers to develop and give feedback on our latest parts in development. As CorkSport rolls out a new Sponsorship program we want to be able to invite everyone into being a part of a team that can benefit you and us, equally. This means that the more you invest in your car and the Mazda community, the more we invest in you.

How does it benefit us?

This one is more difficult to measure. Sponsorship can often appear to be a one-sided endeavor. In many sponsorship relationships you might get paid with free product, or even cash, to say something like “After every race, I drink a refreshing bottle of Sporty Sport Drink“. Now the statistics on how many customers choose to purchase Sporty Sport Drink because of your sponsorship is a tough measurement. In the same way it’s hard to measure how often someone sees your sweet looking Mazdaspeed 3 with a CorkSport decal on the side and decides to find out what CorkSport is and then buy something. Nonetheless it does happen (we hope) but, there is more to sponsorship than just advertising to make more money.

Sponsorship benefits us because it allows us to be a part of the Mazda community. We don’t always get to be at every Mazda event, we don’t get to talk personally with every Mazda customer, and we don’t even get to respond to every Mazda thread, question or email in our great big world. When we sponsor someone we get to make a connection with you, and then you get to be our ambassador for all those people we can’t personally interact with. In other words, we get to be part of the Mazda community, due to our CorkSport Sponsored Ambassador Team.

The Best Part about Sponsorship:

The best part about sponsorship is the fact that it is a community benefit. Sponsored drivers get cheaper parts, or new unreleased parts, or recognition. Mazda drivers that aren’t sponsored get the extra knowledge and help from the sponsored drivers, and get feedback about parts they don’t have. Finally Corkspot gets the benefit of creating a better Mazda community which is why we started the company in the first place! Because we love Mazdas!

Sponsorship is about sharing OUR love of Mazda with YOUR love of Mazda, and spreading that love beyond where we can reach individually.

Have some ideas for when we roll out our new program? Have you been impacted by one of our sponsored drivers, or someone you think should be sponsored? Have a brilliant plan to benefit the Mazda community? Email Spencer@CorkSport.com your feedback and ideas!