{"id":10752,"date":"2018-10-30T08:25:16","date_gmt":"2018-10-30T16:25:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/corksport.com\/blog\/?p=10752"},"modified":"2024-01-24T13:44:35","modified_gmt":"2024-01-24T21:44:35","slug":"tuning-what-are-your-options","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/corksport.com\/blog\/tuning-what-are-your-options\/","title":{"rendered":"Tuning \u2013 What Are Your Options"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Pretty much since I joined this platform, I\u2019ve noticed a pattern of people asking the same questions about tuning their Mazdaspeed. There is a lot of information out there, but it\u2019s not always consolidated or easy to find. So, in an effort to assist newcomers, this will be a write up explaining the ins and outs of tuning; when you need it, OTS vs. Pro Tunes, and how you can proceed.<\/strong>

*There are other options for tuning the vehicle besides the Cobb <\/span>Accessport,<\/span><\/a> such as <\/span>Versa Tuner<\/span><\/a>. But, for the ease of explanation throughout this blog, I will be referencing the <\/span>AP<\/span><\/a>* <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is Tuning & Why Do You Need It?<\/b><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
\"Mazdaspeed<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Without getting too elaborate for this specific blog, \u201cTuning\u201d is just the remapping of the tables in the ECU from OE specs to something different. It is a key aspect of your car\u2019s engine health and the easiest way to make more HP. You can even tune a bone stock car and will typically see gains, especially when they are boosted from the factory.<\/strong> Bolt-on parts free up even more headroom in airflow, and when tuned accordingly you make even more power. The relationship between bolt-on parts and a tune is a beautiful thing, and hopefully, by the end of this blog, you will understand how they work together.<\/span>
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<\/span>\u201cSo when should I get a tune?\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m so very glad you asked that! Well, let\u2019s look at it like this\u2026 Mazda<\/a> spent a long time getting their factory tune for the Speed 3 as good as possible.<\/strong> But they dialed it in around one set up, and one set up ONLY. That\u2019s 100% OEM parts. In this form, the ECU knows what to expect, how everything should respond, and most importantly when something is wrong. It doesn\u2019t have a mind of its own though, it only knows what it\u2019s been told. So, if other parts in the system are replaced, and the ECU isn\u2019t told how to react to that, things start to get a little weird. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"CorkSport<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The ECU has an ability to adjust itself <\/span>within reason<\/span> for variations in fuel, oxygen content, etc. But in a perfect world, it shouldn\u2019t have to adjust itself at all. Tuning for the mods you do will not only let you have more fun, but it will get it as close to this perfect world as possible. <\/span>
<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minor things like an intake upgrade<\/a> (Retaining stock MAF) BPV,<\/a> or Catback<\/a><\/strong> usually won\u2019t throw off the ECU enough to cause problems or CEL\u2019s but it\u2019s obviously not ideal.<\/strong> That being said, its best to get an <\/span>Acessport<\/span><\/a> or another means of tuning your Mazdaspeed prior to putting on bolt-on parts. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Mazdaspeed<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So here is a basic FAQ<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI want to add a <\/span>turbo back exhaust<\/span><\/a>, but I don\u2019t want to get an AP and tune the car. Can I do that?\u201d <\/span>
<\/span>– No, you are not able to do this for two reasons. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n