Where to go from here?

[Trekker]

Hi all, to start off I figure I should say a little about myself because I'm new here. I'm definitely not much of a 4 cyl, fwd, lowered kind of car guy. I've always been a truck, off-road, classic car guy. I was a Ford tech for a long while and these are pretty much just Ford cars so I guess that is a bit of a plus. I just got a 2007 mazda speed 3 in a trade from a motorcycle I didn't really ride anymore. Story on the car is the previous owner bought it with a blown motor with a supposedly fresh built motor sitting next to it with upgraded internals. All he knew for sure is weisco pistons. He had a mechanic put it in who somehow fried the pcm and the harness. Replaced those and got it running. He put in a cobb catted downpipe and full exhaust on it along with hpfp internals, "cold air" intake, AP v3 tuner with a custom base tune, lowered with racetech, Klutch wheels and deleted the intake plenum valve. The thing is pretty quick as is but it's a secondary vehicle for me so I kind of want to build it more. I'm not sure where I should go from here as it is at the point of the stage 2 ots tune from cobb on 91 (highest you can get here ) I'm thinking of big turbo upgrade next but I'm not a turbo guy so I'm not sure if I need to do anymore supporting mods first? Would a fmic be more worth the bucks performance wise first? I'm not sure what ballpark hp the car is at right now. All I know about the tune was it was a somewhat safe tune and is listed as being 20 psi meanwhile the car only pushes 18 at max (highest I've seen). Do I need to think about upgraded axle shafts if I want to push 350-400? Built trans? Not sure how much these cars will support power wise without breaking everything. I'm used to heavy american v8 power levels. Thanks for any advice in advance!

[danb]

Get off the cobb tune, they're not the greatest for the long run. You can get an ots tune from 1 of the big tuners on this platform until you decide what you're going to do. It will be a base map for your specific parts and 1 revision

[Trekker]

Originally Posted by danb Get off the cobb tune, they're not the greatest for the long run. You can get an ots tune from 1 of the big tuners on this platform until you decide what you're going to do. It will be a base map for your specific parts and 1 revision

That's what I have. Not sure where it came from but he got a tune from someone who made it for the parts that it's on but he never sent data logs to get it revised

Originally Posted by Jeff23spl You can get improvements with a personal tune but you will get maxed out soon by the stock k04 turbo tapering down boost above 5000rpm. You don't need much more stuff to go Bt and this would be the easiest way to get up in the 350-400hp. Larger turbo also help LSPI because little added lag push you to downshifting instead of boosting down low and break a rod under knock You would need: -a 3 or 3.5 bar map -a 3 way boost solenoid EBCS -FMIC -a tune Be aware that MAzda flanges are not standards so you need ATP hosing for a Garrett or a BNR if you don't want to change your exhaust components. Axles and transmission are strong enough, especially with a fwd. unless you succeed to fit very large slick by cutting fenders, you will spin well before breaking an axle... If you don'T have upgraded motor mount already, this is another important thing to get. I like water meth but most user here prefer to make E85 blends to increase octane content....This is up to you but 1 advantage of the methanol injection is the small added fuel capacity. Somewhere slightly above your target, you will get maxed out by the stock dizi injectors and the only options is to add fuel port devices....

So it sounds like next would be a fmic then. I'll do injectors and turbo at the same time. Do I need to upgrade the exhaust manifold and the intake or should they support power in the 400 range?

[Jeff23spl]

You can get improvements with a personal tune but you will get maxed out soon by the stock k04 turbo tapering down boost above 5000rpm.

You don't need much more stuff to go Bt and this would be the easiest way to get up in the 350-400hp. Larger turbo also help LSPI because little added lag push you to downshifting instead of boosting down low and break a rod under knock

You would need:
-a 3 or 3.5 bar map
-a 3 way boost solenoid EBCS
-FMIC
-a tune

Be aware that MAzda flanges are not standards so you need ATP hosing for a Garrett or a BNR if you don't want to change your exhaust components.

Axles and transmission are strong enough, especially with a fwd. unless you succeed to fit very large slick by cutting fenders, you will spin well before breaking an axle...
If you don'T have upgraded motor mount already, this is another important thing to get.

I like water meth but most user here prefer to make E85 blends to increase octane content....This is up to you but 1 advantage of the methanol injection is the small added fuel capacity. Somewhere slightly above your target, you will get maxed out by the stock dizi injectors and the only options is to add fuel port devices....

[Jeff23spl]

Fmic yes and there is a lot of kit for the 3, just care of not over doing it with something too large.
im and em support 400 but stock im has a very bad flow balance. The design make #4 to receive a lot less than the others...If you do, consider one with holes, ready to add 4 port of fuel injection to go ahead of dizi limits.

Peoples usually build the bottom at or above 400.

[Fstrnyou]

When I'm running an E20 mix, 26psi, 11.5afr, and in winter weather (30-40F)...my injector duty cycle is between 110-115%. That about as far as I'm conformable going on stock injectors alone. Port Injection is my next step. As stated earlier, some choose water/meth injection and/or adding 1 to 2 injectors pre-throttle body (also called 5th/6th port injection)