Newb NEEDS HELP!

[elmer1987]

I am a new owner of a 2003.5 tit msp and my first upgrade i want is intake, short ram or CAI???? I am new to this whole thing, due to owner jeeps before this and just liften em instead of makin them faster. Alot of ppl tell the diff between the two but no one has really come forward and said this is better, or is it just which you prefer. Thank you and sry for what is prolly a stupid question HELP!

[vxfilmer1000]

I say CAI because you can always just make it into a SRI if you dont like it. :)

Injen makes a nice CAI.

[elmer1987]

good point, thanx, and if i go with injen CAI, is it an easy install?

[jtgary]

(werd)

[elmer1987]

i hooked you up with my vote

[Pyr0TeK]

Install is fairly painless, straight bolt-on. You have to take out part of you fender well plastic but it is not hard at all. If you plan to run your stock sidemount intercooler (SMIC) or upgraded sidemount then the CAI is definately the way to go. If you go with a big fat frontmount intercooler (FMIC) then the CAI really doesn't help you that much. I suggest the CAI either way because colder air is always better!

good point, thanx, and if i go with injen CAI, is it an easy install?

[elmer1987]

okay cool thanx for the advice

[Rush]

.. It depends on how much you have planned for your car.

If you don't think you're gonna be going crazy with modifications, then go with the CAI. It's a straight-forward mod that's not too much trouble. Removing the filter to clean it was probably the most pain-in-the-ass thing about it -- but you can deal.

I have an SRI in my car, but for very good reason. I have a FMIC kit -- and I have a vented carbon fiber hood, and my intake filter sits right below the vent AND right behind the gap that my stock intercooler created once removed. So it has access to the outside air.

So, like I said -- depends on what your situation is! Good luck.

[geomatics_tech]

Dont buy an intake for a performance mod, it doesnt help very much for the money spent. Id reccomend a single hi flow cat 2.5"mid pipe, much better bang for your buck. Also any upgraded intercooler will help, but if your staying at stock boost (which is best until some sort of engine managment) a side mount intercooler is best, IMO.

[Pyr0TeK]

Go ahead and drop $1150 on the full 3" turbo back stainless exhaust from GHL like mine... it is the mack daddy of exhausts despite what anyone else tells you. The s-pipe is like no other. Frees up your motor so you can boost up the front end to whatever you want... I agree I would go with exhuast first if you are going for performance.

okay cool thanx for the advice

[Mutmatt]

watch what you say
Frees up your motor so you can boost up the front end to whatever you want... there are ppl lurking and see that and join the zoom zoom boom club


Go ahead and drop $1150 on the full 3" turbo back stainless exhaust from GHL like mine... it is the mack daddy of exhausts despite what anyone else tells you. The s-pipe is like no other. Frees up your motor so you can boost up the front end to whatever you want... I agree I would go with exhuast first if you are going for performance.

[elmer1987]

Yea, i wanna start heavily moddin (came into some decent money) but i have to tip toe around my warranty ya know?, umm ?'s about a fmic, how much? what is the purpose? install easy or not? thanx To be honest im looking for a intake because i wanna hear my bypass turkey, i know its corny but my g/f says it turns her on and this is my first turbo car so be easy with the jokes.

[Pyr0TeK]

Ya... "whatever you want" was probably a poor choice of words. hehe. Stay 10 psi or below dood... :D

watch what you say there are ppl lurking and see that and join the zoom zoom boom club

[Pyr0TeK]

Well by all friggin means dood... do whatever turns your girlfriend on!... to hell with if it makes your car fast or not! If she likes the turkey then she'll love a good "blow" off valve... (headbang)

Yea, i wanna start heavily moddin (came into some decent money) but i have to tip toe around my warranty ya know?, umm ?'s about a fmic, how much? what is the purpose? install easy or not? thanx To be honest im looking for a intake because i wanna hear my bypass turkey, i know its corny but my g/f says it turns her on and this is my first turbo car so be easy with the jokes.

[msp35]

okay, since this is your first turbo car....the best thing you can do is READ. Go buy Corky Bell's book, or you could start with howstuffworks.com

If you're heavily modding the car...then what are your limits. In all honesty if your lookin @ over 250whp then just look in to a built block. Then you'll
have a great platform to start with. Obviously you'll need some EMS, FMIC, Exhaust, Intake, motor mounts, clutch, maybe new trans gears. I guess you need to decide how far you want to take your MSP.

[Rush]

Yea, i wanna start heavily moddin (came into some decent money) but i have to tip toe around my warranty ya know?, umm ?'s about a fmic, how much? what is the purpose? install easy or not? thanx To be honest im looking for a intake because i wanna hear my bypass turkey, i know its corny but my g/f says it turns her on and this is my first turbo car so be easy with the jokes.
Pfft, you'll have to be ready to kiss your warranty goodbye if you want to heavily mod your car. The simple truth is that the Mazda dealerships, for the most part, are absolute bitches when it comes to the MSP. If they see even the smallest mod done to your car, and you try to get warranty work done -- chances are, they'll turn you down. Ask most of the people on here. It's the unfortunate truth.

As far as a FMIC is concerned, it depends on which one you want. The purpose of it is to kill the heat soak issue that our cars have when stock. The dinky little stock intercooler can't keep up with the amount of heat that's being put out -- so after driving for long enough, it can't really do it's job, resulting in performance drop. Upgrade to a FMIC (or even a better SMIC), and you'll be able to keep the cold air flowing .. and it definitely helps. A FMIC install isn't exactly 'easy' -- but it's not hugely complex, either. A half day and patience is the general requirement under most circumstances.

And if you're looking to make the 'turkey' noise louder .. you'll definitely achieve that with an Injen. My Injen, when I had it, made the damn sound obscenely loud. But unlike your girlfriend, I hated it. When I got my FMIC and hardpipes, I switched out for a Greddy Type RS BOV. Now my car doesn't sound like I ran over an animal every time I shift.

[Pyr0TeK]

Uhhh warranty? It's a 2003 dood... how much could their be left?...

[elmer1987]

thanx guys

[elmer1987]

i bought an after market warranty for 3 years when i bought it