The Slippery Slope of Modding

If the title doesnโ€™t tell the story then you must still be at the top of the hill; good luck with that as it wonโ€™t last long.  Now let me tell you my story.

Even before I got my Mazdaspeed3 I was a tinkerer; I wouldnโ€™t call it modding because there were no off-the-shelf parts for my vehicle at the time. ย I was 16 years old with my first truck; I quickly made it loud and obnoxious among many other things.

Flash forward to my later years, and youโ€™ll find that I havenโ€™t changed; things have just gotten more expensiveโ€ฆ ya, you know what Iโ€™m talking about.  We donโ€™t grow up; our toys just get more expensive.

So I got my 2009 Mazdaspeed 3 in 2014 with a fresh Mazda Motorsports short block, a CorkSport SRI, and Race Pipe.  Oh, donโ€™t let me forget the CS Fuel Pump Internals and Cobb APโ€ฆ I donโ€™t want to get roasted on my blog. Anyway, that setup was short lived.  

Within two weeksโ€™ time, just long enough to break-in the engine, there was a prototype CorkSport Mazdaspeed turbo on my car along with an assortment of other goodies such as a Downpipe, Cat-Back Exhaust, and a few suspension goodies.  Two weeks! Thatโ€™s all it took!

Over the next year, the car had new parts on it every monthโ€ฆperks of the job you could say. ย I tried the Mazdaspeed3 TMIC setup, and then like everyone else moved to an FMIC setup, new CS Struts and Springs got set up, went to a 3.5โ€ intake, got the engine all mounted up and then various other engine power products like the CorkSport Intake Manifold and Camshafts. ย Oh! I almost forgot the MS3 Big Brake Kit up front! Damn I have to say going fast is fun, but โ€œthrowing out the parachuteโ€ as you dive into a corner is just as exhilarating.

Like any seasoned Mazdaspeed owner knows, the OE short block was not long for the world. ย 18K miles later the infamous friction washers got me with a silent death. Allโ€ฆ yes, I mean ALLโ€ฆof the valves were bent, and the head was looking a bit rough, but luckily I didnโ€™t vent the block. ย 

At that point, my beloved Mazdaspeed and I were not seeing eye-to-eye (I think we have all had this feeling with our project cars right?  You debate pushing it off a cliff?) so she sat for a good nine months before I decided I was ready to build the engine.

Wait. What? Remember that slippery slope I told you about? Well, when you are already this deep into the car the slope is covered in gear oil and damn near verticalโ€ฆso I went deeper into the darkness known as project cars.  

A month later I had a built engine (and significantly less money) that was ready to take on 600+ HP and more than eager to continue eating away at my bank account. ย A built engine wasnโ€™t enough though. I cut up the front of the car for the custom CS Crashbar with/Big Core Intercooler so I could support my new power goal of 500WHP. ย I have the engine, so I might as well use it, right? (Note: This is the kind of logic that continues to cost you lots of money) To do this, I go the car setup with a larger turbocharger and an AEM Methanol Injection System. ย 

The single 16 GPH nozzle was quickly at its power capacity so without even considering the cost I moved to a port meth injection system that is getting set up as I write this. ย 

Anywaysโ€ฆwhy does my story matter to you? Well because itโ€™s not just my story, itโ€™s the story of damn near every guy and gal that gets into modding their Mazda.  Maybe power isnโ€™t your goal like mine is, but if youโ€™re a motoring enthusiast, then it doesnโ€™t matter. There are so many awesome ways to slide down the proverbial hill.  

For all of you at the top stillโ€ฆ this is your warning. ย Enjoy the ride with its bumps and bruises, but most importantly appreciate the experiences and friends you gain along the way.

-Barettย 

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4 Replies to “The Slippery Slope of Modding”

  1. How did the port injection setup work out? Was it a complete kit? Who makes this kit?

  2. The port kit is the CorkSport intake manifold which is tapped for meth nozzles on each runner.

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