Stage 1 - Information or Misinformation?

[dexter]

From what I've read online it seems the majority of people who mod their MS3's start with a RMM, SRI/TIP and an AP before moving on to downpipe but based on mazdaspeedstore.com they say the contrary.


While many will advocate that an intake and a catback should be your first mods on your MS3, they would be dead wrong if performance and ease of installation are any part of the criteria.

The biggest problem with the MS3 in terms of performance is on the exhaust side. Take a look at the stock MS3 Downpipe. A small bellmouth leads to a sharp 90 degree bend, straight into a cataIytic converter. Kind of reminds me of ET the Extraterrestrial, actually.

In any case, this design is great for slowing turbo spool up, reducing engine Volumetric Efficiency (VE), and improving emissions performance by creating a massive restriction right after the turbocharger before the catalytic converter.

We gained 40 whp and 50 ft-lbs of torque with the installation of the MS3-SBE to our MS3. You are not going to get that with any intake/catback combination. And while installation is not the easiest, the power gains per $ spent makes this our recommended first step. The car still looks stock and still sounds stock but now beats stock STi’s and EVO’s easily from a roll.

Link Here. (http://www.mazdaspeedstore.com/mazdaspeed/Mazdaspeed3-Stage-1-Power-Pack-3253-Ft-lbs--291-Wheel-Horse-p-228.html)

This seems backwards based on what I've read. Am I missing something here? Who's right?

[Mr Wilson]

He is right about 'bigger' power through the DP.

That said, the issue is that once you get a downpipe the stock fuel pump has issues keeping pressure during wide open throttle (zoom, zoom, boom). There's no doubt that removing the stock DP and replacing it with a new one is a big increase of power, but that said there's that extra mod of a HPFP that is required. As always logging is very important at this stage and an AP or DashHawk is the best. Cobb recommends this as well.

The RMM, CAI/SRI, TIP and AP is Stage 1 and the safest and best route to take in modding a Speed3.

[loki]

it's not that they say the contrary, it's just that they're saying that the downpipe is the biggest restriction, which is true.

If you want to really see a performance gain, an intake and catback won't do anything, but a downpipe will. Like Mr Wilson mentioned, you will also need to most likely upgrade the fuel pump, and the AP will be needed to tune the car for the downpipe.

If you haven't read this thread yet, check out

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?58283-*MSpeed*-Mod-Path-Series-Stage-1

unfortunately it's in the sponsor section and not in the mazdaspeed section and therefore it could get missed, but it's a good read.

[dexter]

He is right about 'bigger' power through the DP.

That said, the issue is that once you get a downpipe the stock fuel pump has issues keeping pressure during wide open throttle (zoom, zoom, boom). There's no doubt that removing the stock DP and replacing it with a new one is a big increase of power, but that said there's that extra mod of a HPFP that is required. As always logging is very important at this stage and an AP or DashHawk is the best. Cobb recommends this as well.

The RMM, CAI/SRI, TIP and AP is Stage 1 and the safest and best route to take in modding a Speed3.

Yeah, I thought you'd need a HPFP to run a downpipe safely. That's why I was surprised to not see that mentioned in there. Thanks for the info.


it's not that they say the contrary, it's just that they're saying that the downpipe is the biggest restriction, which is true.

If you want to really see a performance gain, an intake and catback won't do anything, but a downpipe will. Like Mr Wilson mentioned, you will also need to most likely upgrade the fuel pump, and the AP will be needed to tune the car for the downpipe.

If you haven't read this thread yet, check out

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?58283-*MSpeed*-Mod-Path-Series-Stage-1

unfortunately it's in the sponsor section and not in the mazdaspeed section and therefore it could get missed, but it's a good read.

Yeah I'm hoping to go the SRI/TIP/AP route come spring and was a bit surprised to see the DP listed as a first mod.

I think I may have read part of that thread once but I'll definitely go for a reread. Thanks for the help!

[Polish_Eagle]

I know when I started to mod my 3 I did the HPFP first due to the OEM one possibly not providing enough fuel for the demand. Lean mixture can be quite deadly to an engine, especially at high RPM WOT pulls. Here's the the order I did my mods:

HPFP, AP, Itake + TIP, CPE turbo back exhaust.

My next mod will mot definitely need to be the RMM and possibly the TMM.

That's just my 2 cents. :D

[Elusivellama]

I believe the motto is always mod for safety, and the power will come naturally. Or "no zoom if boom".

[dexter]

I
I know when I started to mod my 3 I did the HPFP first due to the OEM one possibly not providing enough fuel for the demand. Lean mixture can be quite deadly to an engine, especially at high RPM WOT pulls. Here's the the order I did my mods:

HPFP, AP, Itake + TIP, CPE turbo back exhaust.

My next mod will mot definitely need to be the RMM and possibly the TMM.

That's just my 2 cents. :D

Yeah, my thoughts were RMM, AP, SRI/TIP. Then I may decide to go HPFP and DP.

As was said, mod for safety. I don't want a zoom, zoom , boom!

[Kiyomi]

do you get stages for NA cars?

[loki]

do you get stages for NA cars?

no, the "stages" are basically what Cobb has classified as Stage 1 and Stage 2 based on certain key modifications

[cSPEED]

The difference is once you go DP which is fairly expensive you have to get HPFP which makes it a 1k+ mod.. it's not that you can't do it first I think it's just that most people start slow and get the bigger gaining parts closer towards the end - at least that's how I've done it with my past cars.

[dexter]

Ah, that makes a lot of sense. HPFP, DP and an AP would be a pretty expensive first mod vs SRI/TIP and AP.