CorkSport Mazdaspeed3 13 Inch Big Brake Kit

Even More Stopping Power for your Mazdaspeed 3

In our drive to make more power, we often forget about adding measures to keep us safe at the greater speeds we are achieving. The CorkSport Big Brake Caliper Kit is a great place to start, however, if you wish you could stop even faster say hello to the CorkSport 13-inch Big Brake Kit. Designed for serious stopping power, it includes 13” directional rotors, powder-coated 4-piston calipers, upgraded pads, and everything you need to install it on your Mazdaspeed3.

Read on for a breakdown of all the components

Mazdaspeed 3 Big Brake Kit in Blue

Rotors

The rotors have been designed to provide optimal stopping power while minimizing noise for street use. The upgrade to 13-inch diameter rotors provides greater braking torque for an equivalent braking force (like how a longer wrench makes it easier to loosen a tight bolt). The larger diameter combined with an increased thickness of 28mm (vs 25mm for OE) provides better cooling as there is a larger mass to reject heat into.

In addition, slots were added to the friction surface to help sweep away any debris, brake dust, or gases that can otherwise affect your braking characteristics. We avoided drilling the rotors as holes decrease your total friction area and increase the chance that the rotor will crack. By moving to a two-piece design, we were able to decrease the overall weight of the rotor and by making the center section out of aluminum, it can help dissipate heat from the rest of the rotor better. Semi-Floating mounting between the inner and outer sections allows for a quieter rotor vs having a full-floating center section.

Finally, the vanes in the rotor are atypical; these vanes are the “fins” that connect the inside and outside of the rotor. By using curved vanes instead of the typical straight vanes, the rotor becomes directional and has to be used on a specific side of the vehicle; however, it also provides more efficient cooling. When the rotor turns, the curved vanes draw air through the center of the rotor and out through the edge, providing greater airflow than a straight vane and thus better cooling. There is another bonus to heat dissipation as the curved vanes have a larger surface area that will come in contact with air than an equivalent number of straight vanes.

Calipers

Forged aluminum, four-piston performance calipers are included with the kit in a choice of powder-coated blue, red, or black.

Although each piston is individually smaller in diameter than the single OE caliper piston, the total surface area is increased so the braking force at a specific brake pressure is increased. A larger piston surface area means larger brake pads can be used as well. You also get more even braking force on each side of the rotor due to the opposed piston design. This encourages even pad wear, even rotor wear, and consistent braking characteristics.

The pistons themselves were specifically chosen for optimum braking endurance and reliability. They are staggered in size, with the pistons on the leading edge being slightly smaller than the trailing edge pistons. This is another protection for even pad wear. Each piston is made completely out of stainless steel for its low conductive heat transfer. What this means is that the pistons themselves will transfer less heat to the brake fluid than an aluminum or steel piston, decreasing the chances of overheating brake fluid.

Pads

Street performance brake pads are included with the kit that bridges the gap between Mazdaspeed3 street and trackpads. They are larger and a more aggressive compound than the pads included with the CorkSport MS3 Big Brake Caliper Kit but are not full trackpad. They will produce less dust and noise than a trackpad but still need to be warmed up for optimum performance. Should you need new pads or want to change to a different pad, you have a bunch of options from G-Lock, Carbotech, EBC, Hawk, and various other manufacturers.

Lines, Brackets, and Hardware

The rest of the CorkSport 13-inch BBK is composed of exactly what you need to properly and safely install the kit on your Mazdaspeed3. Stainless steel brake lines are included to remove any risk of a soft brake pedal and ensure the calipers are operating optimally. High-strength steel brackets properly position the four-piston calipers on the new rotors using the OE bracket locations. All components are locked down using Grade 12.9 hardware with a corrosion-resistant coating for lasting durability.

Mazdaspeed 3 Big Brake Bracket
Mazdaspeed 3 Bracket for the Big Brake Kit

The CorkSport Mazdaspeed 3 13” Big Brake Kit has everything you need to keep you safe at increased horsepower levels. If you’re looking for more than the stock brakes have to offer, let the CS Mazdaspeed3 BBK be a part of your build.

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CorkSport Built Engine

CorkSport Built Long Blocks for the 2006-2013 DISI MZR

You’ve probably seen the stellar videos posted on our news feed or heard the rumors about CorkSport building stout long blocks for our employee’s Mazdaspeeds and the company R&D Mazdapeed.  Today, we are ready to let the “cat out of the bag.”

CorkSport is building long blocks for your Mazdaspeed and here’s why it will interest you:

We have complete long-blocks ready for installation with blueprint certificates. These long-blocks are in-stock and are ready to ship. If you’d rather send us your motor, we guarantee one month or less turnaround.  

Let’s check it out:

Every engine is meticulously inspected and measured to extremely precise tolerances per our ASE certified master technicians.  Critical surfaces are measured to the 0.0005” for the pistons, bearings, and camshafts to create a tight, powerful, and reliable engine setup that you can depend on. To support this, every engine comes with a blueprint certificate to confirm all critical tolerances in your engine.

Better yet, this precision doesn’t come with at the cost of a  3-6 month wait. We intend to have these motors in stock. Even if you send us yours for a rebuild, we guarantee we will have your engine ready to ship faster than the industry standard! 

No bull pricing means you get exactly what we list out here.  

At no point will you get a call from CorkSport stating extra work or cost is needed to get your engine complete and ready for you.  We’ve all been through this; starting a build with one budget and ending with a different, much larger, budget. We hate it and we won’t let it happen to you.  

Other than the block and cylinder head themselves; all the parts going into your build are brand new, not reconditioned or re-used.  This includes genuine OEM Mazda components; Manley connecting rods and Mahle pistons, ARP fasteners (specifications depend on Dankai Build), along with CorkSport Camshafts, Injector Seals, and other supporting parts.  

Finally, what good is all this if your engine can’t get back to you safe and secure?  

We want your new built block to arrive for delivery without issue, that’s why we use heavy duty sealed plastic crates that are designed to ship engines.  This provides ample mounting and restraining of the engine block in the upright position for easy access for you. Along with that your engine ships free of charge within the lower 48 states.  Just return your good engine core in the provided crate and get the core charges refunded.  

This sounds pretty great, right?  If you’re thinking about a built engine for your Mazdaspeed, then I invite you to check on the CorkSport Dankai Engine Builds to see which version fits your goals and desires.  

-Barett @ CS

CorkSport Coolant Temperature Gauge

Another Gauge added to the CorkSport Lineup!

We are proud to announce the new CorkSport Coolant Temperature Gauge. It uses the same components and materials as all our other gauges so you can be sure that it will look good. Matching your existing CorkSport Mazda gauges, and most importantly, clearly and accurately provide you with the engine monitoring you want.

As with our other gauges, the CS Coolant Temp Gauge is designed to be good looking and easy to read. By using a simple and clear design, a quick glance at the gauge is all you need to know exactly what temperature your engine’s coolant is at. The gauge face is backlit with two color options to match your OE gauges, interior, and any other aftermarket gauges you may have. You can even wire the gauge to have a “night mode” where the backlighting changes to a different color once you turn your headlights on.

Don’t let the good looks fool you, it is still a very accurate gauge. A 270° stepper motor is used within the gauge to provide rapid response and precise readings. The stepper motor also allows for more of the gauge to be an actual dial for even more added clarity. Finally, the appropriate sensor and wiring you need to install the gauge are included to ensure the gauge is displaying the correct value.

Since the stepper motor needs a small logic board to control it, we are able to pack a few extra features in with the gauge. There is a programmable maximum limit that when reached, that has audio and visual warnings. This means no more risk of overheating while out on the track as your CorkSport Coolant Temp Gauge will be blinking and beeping up a storm. You can also keep track of the maximum temperature reached while out on the track or after a spirited drive using the gauge’s peak recall feature.

The CorkSport Coolant Temperature Gauge is a great mod to help you monitor your engine. Whether you are lacking a coolant gauge from the factory or simply want a number to go with your existing reading, the CS Temp Gauge has the accuracy, reliability, and looks you want.

Brett’s Mazdaspeed 3 Build: Part 1, The Basic Beginnings

It all started in Phoenix AZ, back in 2014 when I was graduating tech school. I was finally working enough to buy a Mazdaspeed that I had wanted for a while. At this time, it probably would have been smart for me to just start saving, instead of taking on a hefty car payment. But, as a car enthusiast, I’m sure you understand the temptations we often face, and I went for it. Since then, I’ve never looked back.

Red 2013 Mazdaspeed 3

 

I found my 2013 Mazdaspeed3 in the fall. Completely spotless, 6k miles on it, and bone stock. It was truly a blank canvas. At that time I was barely making enough to own the car and pay for insurance. So, modding wasn’t an option at the time. So, as I saved and Saved, I was introduced to Nator Arizona by Thomas Graham, who later became a good friend of mine. He got me involved in the community, and on the right track for learning. From that point on, everything changed, and I loved it.

At the time, I was nothing more than a technician, fresh out of school and stuck on the lube rack for a bit. So, as you can imagine when I finally had enough to get my Accessport and Fuel Pump internals for the Mazdaspeed 3, I was STOKED. I caught the modding bug, and before I knew it, I had bigger aspirations for the car than ever thought I would have had. The next year was filled with countless Nator garage days, fun drives, Mexico pulls, and slowly adding parts when I could afford them.

By mid-2015, my time in AZ was coming to a close. At this point, I had all the basic bolt-ons offered for the Mazdaspeed 3. Rear motor mount, short ram intake, upgraded BPV,  upgraded TMIC, and turbo back exhaust. The car otherwise looked completely stock, just MUCH louder!  The icing on the cake was the pro-tune 320 WHP on Stock turbo with some e85. A couple of days later I departed AZ for my next chapter and got the MS3 on the trailer.

Towing Mazdaspeed 3

Funny looking back now, how I thought I was done with my Mazdaspeed, and that was enough power to keep me happy. Not even close! The next couple years would be the catalyst that started to shape my MS3 into what it looks like now. Stay tuned for Part 2!

Mazdaspeed 3

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CorkSport Versatune

We are excited to announce a powerful and unique release to the CorkSport Product catalog.

Starting off 2018 with a bang; CorkSport is now an official distributor and reseller of Versatune Tuning Software.

If you are unfamiliar with what Versatune is, then have a quick read and check out what it is, how it works, some of the unique features, and why you should consider purchasing it for your daily driven or high-performance Mazda.

Versatune is a powerful engine tuning solution featuring a modern and easy to use interface. With just a simple few mouse clicks, you can unlock the full potential of your Mazda using the intuitive wizard guided install and ECU flashing process.

Versatune software makes engine calibrations as easy as 1, 2, and 3. Backed by an online tune database that provides easy access to free pre-built tunes for typical configurations of performance parts VT makes it easy to get power from recent upgrades on your car. Installing of the pre-built tunes are as simple as selecting the desired tune from the online tune database and following the flashing wizard. No tuning skills or extensive knowledge is required.

If custom tuning is more your style or you need to get into the finer details of calibration maps, then the Versatune software will work for you as well. VT software also includes a powerful tune editor that exposes the critical performance and drivability related tables in the ECU. You can custom tune your car to accommodate your specific modifications and tuning goals. 3D visualizations, table descriptions, and data manipulation tools help speed up the custom tuning process.

The best part is even if you are requiring a custom tune but don’t feel comfortable performing it yourself, Versatune has a growing network of professional tuners and e-tuners that can provide custom tuning services to help you meet your specific needs.

Over the past few months, CorkSport has had the opportunity to work closely with Versatune to further develop and grow the support for several vehicles in the Mazda lineup. Including but not limited to the 3rd gen Mazda 3, 2nd gen RX-8, and the new 4th gen ND chassis Miata.

With each of these Mazdas, we have spent countless hours on the dyno, street, and race track to fine tune calibrations and settings in this easy to use software. Each Mazda has shown consistent and reliable gains across the rev range all while still retaining OEM like drivability.

We are working on packages with the CorkSport parts you love, a custom tune to make the most of them, and a bit of a discount to get you rolling.

You can expect to see a few packages for 2016+ Mx5 in the next few weeks.