factory computer tuning

[fitalicious]

i drive a 2004 2.3 gt sedan and i gotta admit, its a peppy car when it gets going, but its not a fast car by any means. i got 2 issues/questions, if anyone can help. the mazda 3 has a 55litre gas tank, n i only get at best 480kms with average driving, and that was after the factory computer update was done at mazda. i average about 430kms from full to empty light(no i dont let the light come on every time, only when doing fuel economy tests). my other issue is that its a friggen 2.3L how the hell does it only produce 153 horsepower. my 1993 integra gsr 1.7L was 160hp stock. 15 friggen years ago, and technology hasnt gotten better?? give me a break. so i personally think/know that these factory computers are detuned hardcore and invertantly effects the fuel economy IMO. so my real question after my freak out is, has anyone played with the factory computer in any way shape or form to spruce the car a little. and im not talking about those gay fuel saver comps cuz they dont work. i was thinking something like getting it chipped or even hook up a computer management device to it or somethin to play with the configuration without effecting the cars overall performance other than making it better. can anyone help, or point me in the right direction?

[whiteomega]

other than standalone engine management, i think you're out of luck. someone might develop something eventually to re-tune the factory ECU, but the market for that is so small with the 3 that i doubt it will happen.

mileage per tank of gas is probably not the best way to measure fuel economy; when i check mine, i fill up until the pump clicks once, then empty the tank through normal driving (until the light comes on; at that point i think you still have 10L in the tank). then i go back to the same pump (and hopefully the same weather conditions) and fill it up again until it clicks once; then i see how many litres i filled up and compare that to how many kms i've driven. the result is usually around 11L/100 km (90% city)

as for actual horsepower numbers, the 156 is with the revised SAE spec from 2004; that spec lowered the HP rating on all the Japanese cars by 10 or so hp. the GSR also produced 160 hp at 7600 rpm, which is 1000 rpm higher than the mazda3. also note that the GSR only makes 117 lb-ft of torque, not the 150 that the mazda makes.

(sources: http://www.hondanews.com/search/release/2983?q=cyl&s=acura , www.mazda.ca)

[garboui]

i know that the smaller 4's are lacking in the torque dept but make up the hp with some extra rpm. although for a 2.3L engine there is a lot more power to be had, even with pump gas. There is no reason that with a slight increase in manufacturing cost we could spin our engines to 7600 or 8k rpm like the gsr's.

[whiteomega]

i know that the smaller 4's are lacking in the torque dept but make up the hp with some extra rpm. although for a 2.3L engine there is a lot more power to be had, even with pump gas. There is no reason that with a slight increase in manufacturing cost we could spin our engines to 7600 or 8k rpm like the gsr's.

i agree; from a performance stand point there's no reason it couldn't happen...but remember the target markets are different. the GSR was a hot-rodded integra, but not all-out like the type-R.

the mazda3 is basically an econobox with a dash of performance; the speed3 is the hot-rod in 3 family.

[mogul_pro]

Even the H22a3 motor (2.2L) in the last gen honda prelude made 200hp(at 7000rpm...) and 156 torque.

My old car (intergra type-r) before the turbo and other bolt ons made 195hp out of its b18c5 (1.8L) stock..

You would think with a 2.3L "GT" (using the "GT" term VERY losely here..) your'd get at LEAST a 180hp rating .. on a bad day.. Not to mention the 2.0L only makes 8hp less, and saves great on gas... just doesnt seem like mazda is on the top of there engine game vs competition.

Just imagine how many more rx8s they would sell if the power was comparable to a 350z ...

Mazda needs to let there balls drop. Base models are okay, but if your going to make a sport model anything... make it sporty for god sakes.

[Wild Weasel]

Even the H22a3 motor (2.2L) in the last gen honda prelude made 200hp(at 7000rpm...) and 156 torque.

My old car (intergra type-r) before the turbo and other bolt ons made 195hp out of its b18c5 (1.8L) stock..

You would think with a 2.3L "GT" (using the "GT" term VERY losely here..) your'd get at LEAST a 180hp rating .. on a bad day.. Not to mention the 2.0L only makes 8hp less, and saves great on gas... just doesnt seem like mazda is on the top of there engine game vs competition.

Just imagine how many more rx8s they would sell if the power was comparable to a 350z ...

Mazda needs to let there balls drop. Base models are okay, but if your going to make a sport model anything... make it sporty for god sakes.


Umm... you know there's a little toy they make called a Mazdaspeed3 that's the top of it's class in performance, right?

[mogul_pro]

Umm... you know there's a little toy they make called a Mazdaspeed3 that's the top of it's class in performance, right?

No I didn't know that. :loco

:OT We were talking about the non-speed models in this thread.

[whiteomega]

the b18c5 has a significantly higher compression ratio than the mazda3 2.3L and revs close to 2000 rpm higher. the h22 is similar, but doesn't rev quite as high. also, Honda NA motors are renowned for their performance (F20/F22 in the s2000 for example)

i'm not saying Mazda can't do the same; i'm saying they're aiming at different market. i will admit that i for one would like more power of my mz3...but that's what mods are for, right? :)

edit: on topic: even if a factory-tuned ecu was an option, i don't think you'd see the same power levels as what you'd expect from a similarly-sized honda engine; a lot more on the 2.3L has to change first. a higher compression ratio, possibly more aggressive valve timing, etc, plus an ecu retune would net some pretty nice power levels, but at the cost of having to use premium gas...and i for one am not willing to pay for premium at today's prices..

[garboui]

not to mention tuning our engines via valve timing etc to get in that 190-200hp range would also probably destroy the nice smooth (for a 4 banger) idle that our cars have.

allthough if mazda incrreased tb size, slightly more efficient manifolds, minor valve timing, slightly better tolerances and gear to spin another 1500 rpm further, then the computer work to go with. our engines would easially be up in the 190-200hp N/A on regular pump gas. now up the compression and require midgrade at minimum and they could easially pump out ~210hp

edit: allthough doing this would probably add another $1000 to sticker price at least.

[mogul_pro]

So garboui... all we have to do is pretty much rebuild the top 1/2 of the engine and reprogram a computer and we're set! hahah.

TRUTH!

[garboui]

lol pretty much. allthough i was mor or less arguing from the manufacturing side of things not as an after thought rebuild as at the manufacturing stage of things its mostly just specing the top half with slightly different spec parts.

although if i ever get the time and money to do so, id love to turn our mz3 engines into a dirty 300HP 9000rpm beast. um.. or any engine for that matter, 4-age blacktop <drool>

[whiteomega]

i agree...it sure would be nice the top-end non-speed3 models had more power.

if you're so inclined, garboui, protege garage has bottom-end build for 4k that includes a forged mazda block, pistons, crankshaft, and your choice of compression ratio...i thought about this myself..but for that money you can get a turbo kit :P

[mogul_pro]

True you could get a turbo, but if you wanted to make it a "project" car by building your motor to be bullet proof with all those parts... when yuour done you could boost her to high heaven and she'd just smile! :)

[doughboyr6]

have you guys seen the sniper tuning thread in M3F? they are working on a piggy back i think...

[sudz]

Link?

[fitalicious]

wow thanks for the advise. im still stuck on the versatile honda engines, and am not too comfortable with tearing apart an engine under warranty just yet. who knows, if i wanta make it that much of a sleeper ill just stuff a speed3 engine in it or build a KLZ from japan. so i think im just guna get an intake system and exhaust and eventually headers and intake manifold and throttle body. i saw a nice kosworth set up on car domain. im stuck on magna-flow exhaust, i love the sound. anyone hear of ppl getting busted for noise pollution with the magna-flow cat-back? and i was told the injen cold air intake was the best intake to get for the 2.3. looking for feedback on those if anyone can help.

[mogul_pro]

I love my injen... GREAT intake... sounds awsome by the way..

[Matts M3]

Hey, I just joined this site and I wanted to ask if anyone knows anything more about the new chip they are commin out with called "sniper"?
Anyways like I said I'm new to this site and I have more than most done to my car so if you have any questions about it just hit me up!
If anyone has a link to get to the "Sniper" Please send it! Thanks...