Tag: Mazdaspeed3

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2018 CorkSport Garage Update

CorkSport's Mazda 3 guide.

CorkSport Garage

How about something a little different from the usual CS blog? I thought I would give you all a little insight into all the different Mazdas that are owned by employees. Some are daily drivers, some are full racecars, and some are…different (more on that later). So grab a cold refreshment, we’ve got quite a few cars to go through.

The Mazdaspeeds

Mazdaspeed Miata
Owner: Corey
Year/Model: 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata
Mileage: 28,800

Modifications: Full Flyin’ Miata CAI, polished stainless piping, Turbosmart recirculating bypass valve, manual boost controller, O2 signal modifier, boost gauge. Recent Mustang Dyno showed a consistent 189.9WHP.

Corey’s Comments: Purchased new to me at 17,000 miles in 2012 for my 40th birthday. The Mazdaspeed Miata had been stored for 4 years-everything was original, even the tires. This Miata came from California and had never seen rain. I keep it in the garage and it’s mainly a fair weather/weekend car except during the summer. I enjoy taking a ride in the MSM with each of my kids, but love honking the horn at people and making my son wave back…like he knows them.

2009 Red Mazdaspeed 3 GT
Owner: Luke
Year/Model: 2009 Mazdaspeed 3 GT
Mileage: 124,000

Modifications: Full bolted, built engine, CS prototype turbo, methanol injection. Too many CorkSport Parts.

Luke’s Comments: Car has been through stock turbo/stock block, CS turbo/stock block, CS turbo/built block, 35r/built block, and now CS prototype turbo/built block.  Fun fact: my girlfriend went faster in my car than I did when I first bought it.  Stock turbo went 12.8 @ 110mph in the  1320.

Owner: Daniel
Year/Model: 2007 Mazdaspeed 6
Mileage: 68,000

Modifications: Custom front license plate delete, CS Interior LED Kit, daily driver dirt.

Daniel’s Comments: Just bought the Mazdaspeed6 a few weeks ago, doing a ton of maintenance before mods. This er fleet vehicle (whatever that means). Bought it from a guy who owned it the past ~9 years. Hoping to sneak some new Mazdaspeed 6 parts into the CS catalog and feed the zoom-zoom obsession!

Owner: CorkSport (shop car)
Year/Model: 2013 Mazdaspeed 3
Mileage: 14,000

Modifications: Virtually everything in the CS catalog for MS3. Plus a few prototype parts that never made their way to the market.

Comments:  Affectionately called “Whitey”. On its 2nd built engine (we use and abuse this thing). This was one of Vincent’s first projects when he arrived at CS: rebuild Whitey’s engine. He just got done rebuilding it for the second time and is now breaking it in.

Owner: Barett
Year/Model: 2009 Mazdaspeed 3
Mileage: ~135,000

Modifications: Manley internals, L19 head studs, CS cams, bowl work & porting, all the bolt-ons, 28gph methanol injection, prototype CS turbo, 330mm BBK, other suspension bits.

Barett’s Comments: More info on the engine build here. Made ~465whp at the 2017 CS dyno day. My car hates me and is a constant work in progress. (Check out all the updates for Barett’s Mazdaspeed 3)

Owner: Brett
Year/Model: 2013 MazdaspeeD 3
Mileage: 37,000

Modifications: Full CS bolt-ons, big turbo, meth injection, making 430whp 385ft-lbs. BC coilovers w/ custom rated Swift springs, BMSPEC front splitter, Varis rear diffuser, custom side skirt extensions, Volk TE37SL: front 18×11 rear 18×10, paint matched 240Z flares, 330mm Mazdaspeed3 Big Brake Kit.

Brett’s Comments:  I’ve had the Mazdaspeed3 for about 4 years now. It has every CS bolt on in the catalog. Helps that I work here now. This MS3 makes ~430 WHP, and is a stock block for now; built block soon to come. I take more pictures of this car than I do anything else. 

The GEN 3’s

CorkSport's Mazda 3 guide.
Ready to mod your Mazda 3? You will be after you read this!
Owner: Jennifer
Year/Model: 2014 Mazda 3 2.5L Hatch
Mileage: 100,000

Modifications: Most of the CS catalog for GEN3: Intake, exhaust, lowering springs, adjustable struts, rear sway bar, aluminum skid tray, etc., GEN2 MS3 wheels, big CS livery.

Jennifer’s Comments: The car has been used for the majority of the Mazda3 research and design at CS. This Mazda 3 is daily driven ~80miles each day to torture test CorkSport parts, it helps that the commute to my house is that far round trip. Basically, my daily drive is a perfect example of “running up a hill both ways” for this Mazda 3.  

(Left)

Owner: Collin
Year/Model: 2016 Mazda 6
Mileage: 40,000

Modifications: CS RSB, prototype CS Front Strut Bar, CS RMM, prototype CS performance header, CS license plate kit.

Collin’s Comments: Aside from the performance parts available at CS, I chose this car due to the extra ~30HP compared to most commuter cars. I still get 42MPG on my freeway commute. This is my first New Car I bought myself and I have loved learning how to modify on it. 

(Right)

Owner: Rich
Year/Model: 2014 Mazda 6 GT

Modifications: CS lowe\ring springs/struts, CS front camber plates, CS rear camber arms, CS SRI, CS catback, CS radio control knob, CS license plate kit, 25mm wheel spacers

Rich’s Comments: I drove around the same B2300 for many years while we built CorkSport from the ground up. I finally decided to treat myself and picked this Mazda6 up in 2014. Big shift, and I’ve loved having the luxuries of this Mazda 6. 

Owner: Derrick
Year/Model: 2014 Mazda 3 2.5L Sedan

Modifications: Caged, stripped, CS SRI, straight pipe to CS axleback, bunch of custom adjustable suspension, Big Brake Kit (sometimes), custom racetrack-modified bodywork.

Derrick’s Comments: This Mazda3 could not be sold as a road legal car, so I don’t drive it on the road. There are a TON of track hours on this Mazda 3 and all of it’s modifications. We basically TRY to break our test parts before we let them hit the market, which is good for me because I love to go fast.

Owner: CorkSport (shop car)
Year/Model: 2018 Mazda 3 2.5L Hatch
Mileage: 2900

Modifications: CS struts, CS lowering springs, CS camber plates, CS RMM.

Comments: Mainly stock so far, big things to come to the “CBR” (CorkSport Branded Ride). Brett, who has been dailying the CBR, somehow only is getting 23mpg. Expect more parts for facelifted GEN3’s with the CBR’s arrival.

The Others

Just because you may not have seen much about them and they don’t get their own category does not mean they’re not special. For me, some of the most interesting cars are down below.

Owner: CorkSport (shop truck)
Year/Model: 1995 Mazda B2300
Mileage: 160,000

Modifications: Sweet stickers for extra HP, tire shop wheels, custom faded paint

Comments: Vincent used to own this truck before selling it to be the “new” CS shop truck. He notes that it was involved in 3 accidents, each time the insurance company did not total the truck, leaving Vincent with more money than he spent to buy the truck. No power steering provides an arm workout for those lucky enough to drive this beast.

Owner: Derrick
Year/Model: 2016 Miata Launch Edition.
Mileage: 24,000

Modifications: Full CorkSport ND Miata catalog – CS cold air intake, CS catback exhaust, CS front sway bar, rear sway bar, CS lowering springs, CS adjustable front end links, VersaTune CS parts tune, CS short shifter – Sparco Drift wheels, Bridgestone Blizzak run flats

Derrick’s Comments: The ND is an interesting car for me as being a lifelong Mazda enthusiast I had never owned a Miata before.  When the ND was announced I had already converted the Mazda 2 into a B-Spec car so I stopped street driving it and went back to my Rx7 turbo as my daily driver so I had gotten used to driving a car with “issues” again.  When I got into the ND for the first time and drove it home it was very surreal expecting some weird sound or smelling hydrocarbons (the Rx7 is old and catless) and the car handled incredible right out of the box.  Of course that lasted all of 3 months until we have Kenton Koch behind the wheel helping us out with the suspension development.  It is one of those cars that I warn people, if you drive it you will want to buy one.

Owner: Vincent
Year/Model: 2010 Mazda RX-8 R3
Mileage: 60,000 (original engine, no issues)

Modifications: Turbo XS exhaust, K&N high flow filter, custom VersaTune tune, DBA club spec rotors, Hawk Street/Race pads, Goodridge stainless steel brake lines.

Vincent’s Comments: I had been wanting a 2nd gen RX-8 since high school. This thing revs out to 9400RPM and is super fun to drive. Just recently sold (hi Aaron) but too good to not include in this blog.

Owner: Derrick
Year/Model: 1993 Spec Miata
Mileage: “Lots and lots” (this car has run 25hours of Thunderhill a few times on top of all its other racing)

Modifications: Spec Miata Bilstein shock package, Eibach swaybars, illegal plunge cut cylinder head (lookup spec Miata plunge gate 2014), GLoc brakes, 949 6ul Spec Miata wheels, AIM dash & datalog system, ESR drive side drop floor, Really big radiator.

Derrick’s Comments: I took the advice of all the spec miata people and bought a built car so I didn’t have to spend 6 months building one myself.  The local car was raced for a long time in the northwest and was a front running car before it was parked for a few years.  I picked it up for ~6k with some extra spares and was immediately able to get on the track and go racing after the installation of the drop floor and new seatbelts.  The big question I have people ask me is why did you get a SM?  The real answer is the level of drivers in the class.  At any sanctioned race event weekend there are always SM and someone to race against and I have personally known several drivers go into SM a novice and come out the other side in pro racing.  To win at SM you have to have your shit together.  To be the best you need to compete against and beat the best so here I am.

Owner: Barett
Model: Mazda B2600i
Mileage: ?

Modifications: Solid axle swap with Toyota running gear, 4.88:1 axle gears, rear locker, 3 feet of articulation, 8000lb winch, high bolstered seats, 35×14.5R15 Super Swamper Bogger Tires, “lots of f*ckery fabrication.”

Barett’s Comments: This was my first real vehicle, and it taught me lots about owning a vehicle, modifying a vehicle and I have more memories with this beast than I can come up with right now. I beat the SH*T out of this truck and it’s always put away wet.

 Owner: Rich
Model: 1988 Mazda Rx- CONVERTIBLE

Modifications: Turbo engine swap, Apexi Power FC, CS Border Style body kit, CS front mount intercooler, CS turbo back exhaust, many other mods.

Rich’s Comments: The Rx-7 is kept in the garage and it’s mainly a fair weather/weekend car except during the summer. I take it out for special occasions or to just show off every once in a while. It’s a nostalgia piece for me. 

Not Pictured:

  • 2016 Mazda 3 Sedan. Derrick’s 2nd racecar. Caged, stripped, 2.0L AT converted to 2.5L MT.
  • Mazda RX-7 FC. Owned by Derrick.
  • NA Mazda Miata. Parts car for Derrick’s Spec Miata
  • Mazda 5. Derrick’s wife’s car.
  • Mazda CX7. Kelly’s daily driver.

For those keeping score, that’s 22 Mazdas in the CorkSport garage. The cars have come and gone over the years but one thing will always stay true: our cars will be fun to drive because they are Mazdas. Here’s to more Mazdas finding their way into the CS (and your) garage.

Oh and if you have any questions on the above cars, please let us know down below, we’ll be sure to pass on your question to the car’s owner.

-Daniel

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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 Balance Shaft Delete Kit for 2006-2013 DISI MZR

Looking to add some Extra Excitement to your Mazdaspeed?

What if we told you could add extra engine protection at the same time? Introducing the new CorkSport Balance Shaft Delete Kit for 2007-2013 Mazdaspeed 3, 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed 6, and 2007-2012 Mazda CX-7. It contains all the parts you need to safely remove the OE balance shaft from your MZR DISI engine and give it the extra rev-happiness that it needs.

The OE balance shaft is an 18-pound lump that lives in your oil pan to help balance out the natural vibration and harshness that are inherently present with an inline four-cylinder engine. It does this by connecting to a large gear on your crankshaft and using rotating mass to help cancel out the vibrations from the engine. By removing the balance shaft, your engine has less weight to turn and thus, can change RPM more rapidly. If this sounds familiar, it’s because lightweight flywheels do the same thing; remove some of the rotating mass of the engine to gain a faster revving engine and even a few bonus horsepower.

The OE balance shaft needs an oil supply to ensure that it stays well lubricated and does not lock up. The CorkSport BSD Kit uses a stainless steel plug and O-ring to seal this oil passage. The O-ring is not enough to seal and keep the plug in place, however, it is locked down by a securing plate which gets attached using one of the OE balance shaft mounting holes. We chose stainless for its strength over aluminum. By doing so allowed us to create a lower profile plug with a thicker O-ring for better sealing. We were also very careful to choose an O-ring that is safe for all types of oil and safe up to 400°F.

But you may be asking where does the engine protection come from?

Since the OE balance shaft lives in the oil pan, it takes up some volume that could otherwise be used for oil capacity. This means roughly a quart of extra oil can be used once the BSD kit is installed. Also, the CorkSport Balance Shaft Delete Kit comes with an oil pan baffle to help control your oil’s movement during aggressive driving.

While rapidly changing direction or during a long sweeper at high speed, the oil in your oil pan can move around a surprising amount. If the wrong set of circumstances happen, your engine can be starved of oil, which can easily damage vital engine components. The CorkSport Oil Baffle controls your oil’s movement, ensuring that your engine will have a good supply of oil no matter the driving situation.

We again choose stainless over aluminum for the oil baffle, so that it is rigid enough to control your oil and prevent any vibrations or rattles while your engine is running. The oil baffle is made from two laser cut pieces that are then attached using stainless steel rivets to eliminate any risk of corrosion or improper hole alignment.

Note: the CS BSD Kit comes fully assembled and ready for installation.

Since the CorkSport BSD Kit removes a stock component designed to make the car more comfortable, it will naturally have an increase in noise and vibration coming from the engine compartment. As such, we cannot in good conscience recommend this mod to everyone. That does not mean it is unbearable though, Barett at CorkSport still daily drives his fully mounted Mazdaspeed3 with a CS BSD Kit installed.

If you are looking for the next mod to get some more excitement from your Mazdaspeed, look no further than the CorkSport Balance Shaft Delete Kit. After all, how many mods come with some extra engine health as well?

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2007-2009 Mazdaspeed 3 Crash Bar

Mazdaspeed 3 FMIC

Want Big Power from your GEN1, but your Intercooler is holding you back?

This was the case for our Engineering Manager Barett and his Mazdaspeed3, so he created his crash bar for a big front mount intercooler; we liked his setup so much that we made it for everyone.

Introducing the CorkSport Mazdaspeed Crash Bar for 2007-2009 Mazdaspeed3; constructed of high-quality laser cut steel with a durable powder-coated finish, it can stand the test of time while giving you room for the big front mount you want.

2007-2009 Mazdaspeed 3 Crashbar

Now let me start off by saying this is not a typical CorkSport part. It is not an easy bolt-in install like most of our other parts.

There is no easy way to remove the OE crash bar without cutting it off. As a result, this install is extensive and more or less permanent. Don’t let all of that scare you off though; this is still a CorkSport part. That means the same great quality and customer service that you’ve all grown accustomed to.

We have made this as easy as we possibly can. Once the OE crash bar is cut off and some trimming done to the headlight surrounds, the bar is located in the correct position based on the OE hood latch support. Then holes are drilled in the OE crash bar support rails to securely mount the CorkSport Crash Bar. No welding required for install.

Mazdaspeed 3 Front Mount Intercooler with carsh bar installed

Now I know what all of you are asking, what about a big FMIC to fit the bar?

Well, we are offering the crash bar by itself and with our 23 ½” x 11” x 3” intercooler that’s been proven on a 550whp car. Since the CorkSport Mazdaspeed3 crash bar was designed to fit this FMIC, brackets come pre-welded in the correct locations to mount to the top of the FMIC.

Also, stainless steel side brackets are included to attach the IC’s lower mounting locations to existing holes on the radiator core support for added stability.

Mazdaspeed 3 with FMIC and carsh bar

This entire package fits well behind the OE bumper with little to no trimming or modification. OE fog lights stay functional, and you even can utilize the OE toe hook location as it is retained with the CorkSport crash bar.

Black Mazdaspeed 3 with Front Mount Intercoole and Crash bar
Mazdaspeed 3 CorkSport FMIC

If you’ve been looking for that final component to complete your GEN1 big power build and have been trying to avoid the headaches of creating your custom crash bar, the CorkSport Crash Bar is for you.

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New Year, New Gains

As the New Year rolls around, most people are looking for a change for the better in their lives.

At CorkSport we think one of the best changes you can make is more power for your Mazdaspeed. We have all the parts you need to liven up your Mazdaspeed3 or Mazdaspeed6 in the New Year.

Safety First

One of the first things to consider when modifying your Speed is the health of its engine. Performing maintenance is very important but it only gets you so far. When adding power, one of the first modifications on your list should be the CorkSport Max Flow Fuel Pump Internals.

These pump internals allow you to maximize your stock fuel system for optimum power capabilities and safer than OE A/R ratios. This means you can add the power you want and have peace of mind that your engine will get the fuel it needs.

Put the Power Down

Like the CS fuel pump internals, the CorkSport Stage 2 RMM for Mazdaspeed 3 will not directly increase the power levels of your car; however, it helps you put all that hard-earned power down. By decreasing the amount the engine can rotate, the Rear Motor Mount allows for reduced wheel hop and torque steer while providing faster throttle response and crisper shift feel.

Even we are surprised how much this engine mount changes how a Mazdaspeed 3 feels. Don’t worry Mazdaspeed 6 guys and gals, we have an RMM for you too.

Improving Airflow

Engines in an extremely simple sense are air pumps; so the faster you can get air in and out of the system, the better. That being said, some of the simplest and easiest power gains you can get from your Mazdaspeed are from upgrading the intake and exhaust. We have seen peak gains of 25ft-lbs and 33WHP from only the CorkSport Stage 2 Intake and a CorkSport Racepipe.

Checkout the dyno sheet below.

Power and torque levels will be further increased if you install a full CorkSport Turbo Back Exhaust instead of just the race pipe section.

The catback exhaust section has proven to gain up to 14WHP while the downpipe section alone has proven to gain up to 21WHP. In the dyno graph below, the downpipe car had a CorkSport Intake installed at the same time as the downpipe (hence the 50hp gain).

If that wasn’t enough flow for you, we also offer 3” and 3.5” intakes for even more airflow into your turbo. Keep in mind though, once you get into those you will need to use a new tune to ensure your car runs optimally. But check out the extra flow you get!

Turbo Upgrade

The CorkSport Drop-In Turbo is a fantastic upgrade to the stock K04 turbo that allows your car to make more power on an equivalent boost pressure. It will work with any mods you already had on your OE Mazdaspeed turbo as the CS turbo is truly a drop in upgrade. With supplemental tuning, fueling, and supporting parts, you can push your Speed to its limits.

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The Next Level

CorkSport also manufactures parts that can take your Speed beyond the parts discussed above. A short list of the parts with the best power gains can be seen below:

  • CorkSport Intake Manifold: A higher flowing IM can support much more power than the relatively restrictive OE unit. Best when paired with a larger throttle body.

  • CorkSport Camshafts: Replacement cams with extra lift to provide increased power and torque across the entire RPM range.

  • Bigger CorkSport Turbo? Yes, there is one in development. See this blog post for details.

No matter what your goals are for this year, CorkSport is here to help you achieve them. Whether you just picked up a Mazdaspeed and are unsure where to start, or have been driving one for years and want the excitement you once had back, CorkSport has a part for you.

Daniel

CorkSport Engineer

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