Fuel Pump Comparison Part 4 (Bombs Away!)

We know by now that adding power to your Mazda is fairly straightforward up to a certain point. However, sooner or later, that hunger for power means you’re going to need to step up to a new fuel pump that can flow more fuel. By seeing that most of the fuel pumps on the market were largely the same, we decided to see what kind of innovations we could bring to the table. At this point we had learned volumes about the pumps on the market through our research and decided to engineer a new set of pump internals that focused on everything that we had learned.

We know this is possibly the worst kept secret since Area 51, but we started engineering fuel pump internals over 2 years ago and we aim to show you why ours is worth the wait.

We didn’t just set out to make another pump; the market has plenty of those. We set out to make the best Mazda fuel pump upgrade on the market specifically for Mazdas from a company that ONLY makes parts for Mazdas.

We started by researching many different technologies and engineering ideas in the pressure ranges experienced in these fuel pumps. We purchased every kit on the market and a brand new replacement from Mazda to test. The results from some of those tests can be found here (Link to blogs 1,2, and 3). After agreeing that 9.8mm was the maximum size we could attempt for the piston without making the sleeve wall too thin, we could start engineering the rest of the part.

We then built all the internals available in SolidWorks and tested the efficiency of them all for flow design and volume. This was merely the beginning of our design phase but helped us realize many great ideas (as well as a few not so great ones). We ended up with a design unlike any other on the market that, according to the data, would be more efficient than anything on the market.

With the increase in flow and efficiency we knew that our design could also benefit from a stiffer spring rate for the pump. That would enable higher RPM’s and improved cam wear over the life of the pump. Since we would be flowing more, the pressure on the pump would be greater than ever, the stiffer spring was just good insurance to get the power we needed even past the stock redline.

During our testing we also discovered the keeper assembly used by the factory is no accident. Many of the other pumps on the market use a keeper system similar to an intake or exhaust valve. This style does a fantastic job of locking the piston in place, but creates a few issues of its own. Because of the flow of fuel, the piston rides one side of the sleeve more than the other; over time, this will wear more into the piston which will affect clearances and efficiency. To prevent this, the factory style keeper allows the piston to spin as the spring moves up and down. That led us to choose the factory style retainer. We didn’t want to guess on either design without proof of our theory so we produced samples of both styles to prove wear differences and address installation challenges related to both styles.

Now that the cat is out of the bag, we’ll have just one more fuel pump blog next week with a very exciting limited offer. Stay tuned as CorkSport is about to take Mazda performance one step higher!

October 10, 2013December 18, 2017

CorkSport Races at Road America

Rain America

My first experience at an SCCA national championship run off was exciting and left me impatient for the next season to start. I arrived on Sunday night and unloaded the car from the transporter that Joey Jordan Motorsports graciously allowed us to use.

All of the Mazda 2s were able to pit together under the covered paddock (thanks to Mazdaspeed). We were positioned at corner 14 so we were treated to a great view of the track while we chatted each day.

On Monday I was way off the pace of the other B-Spec cars in practice. The best time I was able to get was a 3:00 flat and the fastest other B-Spec was running in the 2:55-2:57 range. This was my first time out on the track so I knew there would be some learning to do as a simulator can only do so much.

On Tuesday, during the first qualifying session a Mazda 2 was clipped in Canada Corner (turn 14) and flipped. It spun across the track and flipped back over in the gravel. The driver was ok and he hopped out saying something funny about his stunt driving. The car lost its windows and was cosmetically damaged but all of the safety equipment was still in great shape.

It took them only 3 days to get the car back together to pass tech before the race on Sunday, quite an amazing feat.

We continued to make changes on the CorkSport Mazda 2 through the week but there were quite a few black flagged sessions due to people crashing out on cold tires. I saw several cars destroyed by hitting the walls in corner 7 and the kink on the back straight.

On Saturday we decided to make some large scale changes to the car and see how they would help my warm-up STL race on Sunday. My goal was to get into the 2:58s for lap times so I would stand a chance of keeping up with the rest of the cars fighting it out for the lead. The changes worked like magic and I was able to get into the 2:57s. With a good lap time set we left the setup where it was and bolted a new set of tires on the car for the race.

I qualified in 8th place due to being off the pace on Tuesday and not getting a clean run on Wednesday and Thursday. The race was very intense, especially with the first lap cars going off the track. Joel Weinberg who was the pole sitter had his steering wheel come off in his hand and he hit the wall taking him out of the race in the first corner. I was able to pass one of the Honda Fits who missed the corner at turn 5, locked up his brakes and allowed me to move into 6th. There was also a wreck coming out of turn 7 where a few cars made contact and a Fiesta was destroyed when it hit the wall which moved me up to 5th. After a few laps the Mazda 2, which was involved in the wreck earlier, was able to get around me (he also set a new track record playing catch up with a 2:54). We did some bump drafting to try to get past the 4th place Mini but there was some questionable blocking of the 5th place Mazda 2 (including some contact). I made two errors in corner 6 which dropped me back too far to catch up. At the end of 13 laps I was in 6th overall. This meant I was sent to impound with the rest of the front runners to pass tech.

After 4 hours, a few protests, and the tech inspectors not being able to find information on the camshafts in the Minis they cut us loose to load up the cars and hit the road. After quite a few days, the results were final and I was awarded 6th place overall. In the race I was able to get a low lap time of 2:56 which was great to see from the car and myself. I believe I can do better if given more track time.
Want to watch the race? Click on this link and skip to 5:15 for the start of the T-4/B-Spec race.

Overall it was a crazy week of learning at the track. The result is not what I wanted, but to make it through the race with no damage made me happy, and there is always next year which is closer to home at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

-Derrick

August 30, 2013August 31, 2013

CorkSport Is Already Working On Your Next Car First!!!

Always First!

Being the #1 Mazda performance company in the world has some serious advantages. Being based out of the Pacific Northwest (where Mazda’s enter the United States) and near one of the best Mazda dealerships around are two definite perks we have as well. This has allowed us to have access to the most exciting Mazda releases faster than anyone and the ability to purchase them and make parts for them before the competition has put down their copy of Car and Driver.

As you can see, we’ve been lucky to have our hard work pay off once again with a nice new Mazda 3 that isn’t even available for sale. We were excited to see some of the changes and are already working on designing some of the quality CorkSport parts you’ve come to know and love. So far our team is very impressed with some of the additions to the chassis and the interior. We’re already planning ahead for any possible Mazdaspeed edition that could be around the corner.

Thanks to secret Mazda dealership hookup for the vehicle and helping us support the most dedicated group of enthusiasts in the world.

August 27, 2013September 12, 2023

Keep your Mazdaspeed Engine Running Cleaner and Better with the CorkSport Aluminum Oil Catch Can and Drain Valve Kit

Introducing the Aluminum Oil Catch Can and Drain Valve Kit:

After many months of studying our previous design and listening to you, we are proud to announce the CorkSport Mazdaspeed Aluminum Oil Catch Can. The new and improved CorkSport Oil Catch Can will help rid your vehicle of contaminants, sediment, and other unwanted crankcase particles that can cause damage and premature wear to the engine components.

The added protection that an Oil Catch Can provides will increase the longevity of your engine. The Oil Catch Can is made of billet aluminum for strength and lightweight. Everything needed to install on your Mazdaspeed 3 is included, even the mounting bracket.

Don’t let your Mazda get contaminated by sediment, crankcase vapors, or unclean oil. With the CorkSport Oil Catch Can you will remove unwanted debris that would normally contaminate the intake tract. This allows for cleaner air entering the engine, lower detonation rates and increased longevity. Complete with 11 feet of reinforced silicone hose you can mount the Oil Catch Can in multiple locations.

For added convenience, we have developed the Oil Catch Can Drain Valve Kit which can be purchased separately. Draining your Oil Catch Can becomes a simple matter of twisting one lever with this simple-to-use kit. With both the Oil Catch Can and Drain Valve Kit you will have an all-in-one system for prolonging the life of your engine by keeping it clean.

You can read more about why a catch can is a good idea and why a catch can from CorkSport is an even better idea here: https://www.corksport.com/blog/the-dangers-of-direct-injection/ and here: https://www.corksport.com/blog/the-inner-workings-of-the-corksport-oil-catch-can/

The CorkSport Oil Catch Can is available at: https://www.corksport.com/corksport-aluminum-oil-catch-can.html

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August 13, 2013September 13, 2018

Is There a Better Exhaust for your Mazdaspeed than CorkSport???

Professional racer Kenton Koch doesn’t think so. Kenton burst onto the racing scene a few years ago and has rapidly made a name for himself as one of the top young drivers in America. As a Mazda enthusiast, Kenton chose a few CorkSport parts and is now one of our greatest supporters. Recently, Kenton got himself a Mazdaspeed 3 and decided after a lot of research that he wanted no other exhaust than the CorkSport Power Series cat back exhaust. As an accomplished professional race car driver who is on the rise, Autobytel performed an interview about his newest purchase. We’re honored to be mentioned and can’t wait to see what else Kenton has in store for his car, and for this race season!

Here is the exhaust (cleaner) than on Kentons:

Always First!

Introducing the Aluminum Oil Catch Can and Drain Valve Kit:

Stay up-to-date on the latest news and product updates from CorkSport.