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.

2007-2009 Mazdaspeed 3 Crashbar

Now, with the 4th 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. 

Gen 1 Mazdaspeed Parts

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.

Splitter Mount
CorkSport

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).

CorkSport

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 2nd 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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MZR DISI Single Runner Intake Manifold Gasket

Mazdaspeed 3 Thermal Barrier Intake Manifold Gasket

The CorkSport Single Runner Intake Manifold Gasket is here! Designed for OEM and upgraded intake manifolds with or without ported cylinder heads on the DISI MZR in the Mazdaspeed 3, Mazdaspeed 6, and Mazda CX-7 Turbo, the CS Intake Manifold Gasket is one of those things you don’t realize you need until it’s too late. The OEM gasket often fails to seal once reused and can cause a restriction when going to enlarged ports. This can be frustrating as who wants to take their car back apart after a manifold upgrade because of a stupid gasket? If this sounds familiar, read on as we introduce you to the CS single-runner gasket!

Mazdaspeed 3 Thermal Barrier Intake Manifold Gasket

We collaborated with Cometic gaskets to design the intake manifold gasket; testing multiple materials to really determine what will hold up to the abuse of a Mazdaspeed. Cometic’s Aluminum Foamette Material (AFM) in 0.060” thickness was by far the best choice. It uses an aluminum core surrounded by a synthetic nitrile rubber coating. This material seals fantastically well, even if there are some minor surface imperfections or even O-ring grooves that are present with some aftermarket intake manifolds. This material is also resistant to motor oil and fuels, plus can be reused should you need to perform valve cleaning or have to take your intake manifold off for an install.

The Mazdaspeed 3 intake manifold gasket fits with stock and most aftermarket intake manifolds found on the Speed 3 Speed 6 and Cx7

Aside from offering better sealing than an OEM gasket, the CS IM gasket offers performance benefits. When going for more power, it is very common to upgrade the port sizes on the intake manifold and/or cylinder head. Doing this and reusing an OEM gasket can leave an edge of a gasket or even the center dividers of the OEM gasket in the way of airflow. The CorkSport IM gasket eliminates this problem by using enlarged ports that will suit the most aggressive porting with no flow restriction. Plus, we went to a single runner opening to eliminate the divider present in the OEM gasket to further prevent flow restrictions. There is also the added safety benefit, as a piece of an OEM gasket hanging in the airflow path could break off and enter the engine which would never end well. This is truly a performance gasket, meant to give you room for whatever flow you want to put through it.

The Single runner MZR intake gasket goves the best flow without the divider obstruction in the intake runner

There is also a less obvious performance benefit than flow: thermal insulation. OEM gaskets are made out of metal, which means as your engine heats up, this heat can directly transfer easily into your intake manifold. This is also an issue with O-ring sealing as the intake manifold is directly touching the cylinder head. More heat in your intake manifold means it’s harder for your boosted air temps to stay cool when traveling through your intake manifold. While not a huge benefit, colder charge air will always help you make more power. Since the CorkSport Single Runner IM Gasket has the synthetic nitrile rubber coating, heat transfer into the intake manifold is more difficult, keeping your charge air just that little bit cooler!

The Speed6 gasket allows for plenty of space for porting if you are going to the maximum on your MZR DISI engine.

The CorkSport IM gasket comes with a spacer for the lower mount of the intake manifold made of the same AFM material. This is critical as the CS gasket is six times thicker than OEM so the lower mount no longer lines up properly. Failure to use a spacer like this can cause leaks at the cylinder head flange or worst case, warping or damage to your intake manifold or cylinder head.

Mazda MPS 3 and MPS 6 performance intake manifold gasket

The CorkSport Single Runner Intake Manifold Gasket is a great upgrade to optimize your manifold upgrade or simply ensure your next maintenance day goes smoothly. Let us know if you have any questions and visit the product listing if you’d like to pick one up!

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2004-2013 Mazda 3 and 2010-2013 Mazdaspeed 3 Aluminum Coolant Reservoir is back

2004-2013 Mazda 3 bolt in coolant reservoir

We’re happy to welcome another product we have resurrected from the dead: the CorkSport Aluminum Coolant Reservoir for 2004-2013 Mazda 3 and 2010-2013 Mazdaspeed 3. We also have one for the Gen 1 Mazaspeed coolant tank. Back and better than ever, we have completely redesigned the tank from the ground up. We ended up with a tank that performs just like OEM yet will stand up to the test of time and look a hell of a lot better while doing it!

2004-2013 Mazda 3 & Mazdaspeed 3 bolt in coolant reservoir

As the Mazdaspeed GEN1 and GEN2 get older, the OEM plastic tanks become more and more prone to failure. The constant changes in pressure and temperature, plus the chemicals in the coolant cause the plastic to weaken over time. The aluminum used for the CS coolant tank will hold up better over time, ridding you of the hassle of a leaky coolant tank. To ensure proper functionality, the CS coolant res includes internal baffling, just like OEM. The baffling keeps air bubbles from entering the cooling system under aggressive driving conditions and ensures your cooling system will be operating as intended, regardless of how you’re driving.

A replacement for the ugly plastic coolant tank for the 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 Mazdaspeed 3

The CorkSport Mazdaspeed coolant reservoir is designed specifically as a replacement for the OEM Mazda tank, which means no drilling, fabrication, or other modifications. The OEM coolant hoses even work perfectly with the CS tank. To check the coolant level in the CS res, since you obviously can’t see through the aluminum, we include a sight tube on the front of the tank that easily displays how much coolant is present. As an additional upgrade from OEM, we include a 1.5bar (~22psi) radiator cap for better protection against overheating. Plus, should you want even a higher pressure cap, it uses a typical radiator cap connection, so upgrading is easy. Finally, an overflow hose is included, which can easily be adapted to fit with a catch tank, should you need one when racing at a track.

Replacement for the OEM plastic coolant tank for the 2010-2013 Speed3

We haven’t yet touched on what is possibly the best part of the CorkSport coolant reservoir: appearance! With its simple design and sleek wrinkle black powder coat finish, it is a great fit in almost any engine bay. Let’s be honest, the OEM tanks look okay at best when brand new, yet within a few months, they become yellowed and ugly. The CS coolant tank is a great finishing touch for your Mazda’s engine bay. We even hid the mounting locations to provide you with the cleanest look!

2010-2013 Mazda 3 coolant tank upgrade

Each CorkSport Mazdaspeed Coolant Reservoir gets a lot of love before it heads out our doors. The tanks are first laser cut from 11 gauge aluminum and then precision formed before being TIG welded together. Each tank gets a cap, sight tube, and fittings which are all chosen specifically for use with pressure and automotive coolant so they will hold up over the years. Finally, once assembled, we pressure test every tank to ensure no leaks for your Mazda. All of this comes with the hardware needed for installation, color instructions, and CS support!

Mazda MPS3 coolant surge tank replacement

Be sure to check out the product listing for more pictures of the CS coolant reservoir. Give us a call if you want any additional info. We can’t wait to see you all get your hands on these tanks!

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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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Best Mazdaspeed 3 Turbo bolt on 400whp

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.

Upgrade Your Turbo with the CST4
Mazdaspeed 3 Mitsubishi 18G CHRA

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. 

Mazdaspeed 3 turbo upgrade dyno sheet

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. 

Best Mazdaspeed 3 EWG bolt on turbo kit

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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GET THE CST4

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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Guess Who’s Back

We are proud to announce a old product that we have redesigned.  Introducing the V2 CorkSport Coilovers for 2004-2013 Mazda 3 and Mazdaspeed 3.  

We’ve taken the same basic designed and revised and refined it with small changes to fitment and big changes to spring rates and damping rates.

Complete Mazdaspeed 3 Coilover Suspension

For spring rates we took an approach that seems to differ with most street oriented kits on the market today.  We wanted to develop coilovers that were both enjoyable to drive on the street in a daily driven car, but could also perform on the track in more performance oriented settings.   With these goals we focus on the ride feedback, understeer/oversteer balance, and suspension frequency balance.  

The result; linear rate 7K front springs and 8.5K rear springs. This provided us with a ride quality that was comfortable, but sport focused and with the right balance of understeer vs oversteer, with a car that is more oversteer biased.  The frequency of the suspension was also taken into consideration with a higher rear frequency than front to improve driver feedback and comfort. 

Mazda 3 coilover suspension

Like most coilovers, ride height adjustability is essential to setting up you Mazdaspeed 3 or Mazda 3 for your goals.  The redesigned CS coilovers offer 2 inches of height adjustability from approximately 0.75 inches to 2.75 inches lower than stock springs.  This range of ride height allows you to have a conservative track-oriented setup or a slammed show setup depending on your goals. 

With ride height, you can also adjust the front camber setup with the CS Coilovers include front camber plate, this kit comes to your door ready to install.  

Street Performance 1st Gen Speed3 Coilovers

Lastly, and also somewhat unique to CS, is the design of the front coilovers.  Instead of a more conventional and cost effective design, we’ve utilized an inverted damper design for improve performance.  By inverting the front damper/shock, we’ve both reduce the unsprung weight of the front suspension and increased the rigidity.  Both of these result in increased driver feedback and improved performance.  

2nd Gen Mazdaspeed 3 Suspension

If you been considering lowering springs or coilovers for you Mazda 3 or Mazdaspeed 3 then give CS a good look. Thanks for taking the time to checkout CS, stay connected on the blog, newsletter and social media channels for upcoming performance parts for your Mazda.  

-Barett @ CS