Post your free mod ideas for the MS3!

[fourthmeal]

This thread is for ideas for improving the MS3 for free.

[zoom-zoomhatch]

I would be interested in this, does anyone else wonder how much more air the intercooler would get it we were to remove that ugly plastic thing? I'm doing it anyway just pointing out to people that haven't thought of it.

[redms3gt]

simple as that..take out the bottom of the airbox and cut to your hearts content.. I cut away the parts away from the engine heat.. Just dont just the part which supports the filter...I was also thinking one could cap off the line which runs from the turbo to wastegate and run it from the wastegate to the bov..this should in theory raise boost by whatever the pressuredrop of the intercooler and piping is..should be 1-2 psi..

here is some pics of the airbox modd I did....


http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k294/ucancallmedebo/HPIM0455.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k294/ucancallmedebo/HPIM0456.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k294/ucancallmedebo/HPIM0454.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k294/ucancallmedebo/HPIM0453.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k294/ucancallmedebo/HPIM0452.jpg

This is what I cut the holes with...a holesaw..
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k294/ucancallmedebo/HPIM0458.jpg

[redms3gt]

you can hear the turbo spool and BOv now..not CAI loud though..I ordered the KnN for the mz3..part its 2293 I think..same size..Hopefull some more sound and power will be had..Guess I could also cut some more out of the from of the box...(shocked) (shocked) (poke)

[redms3gt]

I had it done for 3500 miles and no problems. Put the KnN for the mz3 in and is a perfect fit. Cut some more of the box to. Bov and turbo sounds are increased..You can hear turbo spool through the whole RPM range now not just on spool up..Almost CAI loud..and its factory to the filter so there should be no losses from intake length harmonic changes.

[NorCal_MP3]

Did the airbox mod...
took about 30 mins with a dremel (includes removal and reinstall)...

Noticable performance increase...probably about 3-5HP, and the top end really pulls hard now...

No CELs as of 2 days of use...

You can now sort of hear the turbo/intake/BPV but not too bad...

So I confer on the results so far...

Now if someone would do a few dyno before and afters to prove this...

Jordan

[Bakrauf]

Getting the K&N Tomorrow and will try this mod.

[zoom-zoomhatch]

I actually removed the whole lower intake piece and zip-tied the filter to the top piece, sounds and feels really good.

[Kansei]

I would be interested in this, does anyone else wonder how much more air the intercooler would get it we were to remove that ugly plastic thing? I'm doing it anyway just pointing out to people that haven't thought of it.

my guess is that the intercooler would pretty much get no air at all if you removed the ducting.. that's precisely why it's there.

[shark77]

^^^ I think he is talking about the plastic mesh shroud over the IC, not the hood stuff.

[Kansei]

It's a part of the ducting still last I checked.. it promotes a seal from the hood ducting to the intercooler.

[Bakrauf]

ya it fits in the ducting under the hood. If you remove it the air flow would not be forced directly onto the IC.

[benzo]

Did the airbox mod...
took about 30 mins with a dremel (includes removal and reinstall)...

Noticable performance increase...probably about 3-5HP, and the top end really pulls hard now....


Sorry to say, but I really dont think you can feel 3-5 hp increase. More than likely it is the sound that makes you seem like there is an increase,(enguard)

[Kansei]

^^ agreed. my car felt a lot slower to me after I turboed it.. just because it was so much quieter.

[matsuda]

That thin plastic piece just in front of the factory box tube opening was likely blocking the intake when the engine shifted on its mounts as the engine was off-throttle in between shifts. This might have been there stock to quell the stock BOV sounds, since the only time the BOV activates is when the engine is in an off-throttle position. That position is usually forward in the motor mounts, thanks to inertia and all that, so with the plastic cover blocking the only intake opening while the engine is in that position, the BOV sounds coming through the intake would be muffled. Think of this as like blocking a yawn with your hands. Of course, putting your hands over your mouth also can cause asphyxiation, and since engines and turbos are always pulling air in, unlike our human lungs, it would stand to reason that blocking the intake in any way at ANY time would be a bad idea.

Perhaps some NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) committee said that the BOV sounds freaked them out or something like that, so the Mazda engineers listened a little too much to the above mentioned people and not enough to their own kind. Who knows, but by whittling away at the airbox, all is forgiven.


You have a fertile imagination indeed!

Why is that piece of plastic there? If you think about it carefully, it should be obvious. I'll give you a hint:

In which direction is the air intake pointing?

BTW, it has nothing whatsoever to do with noise.

[zoom-zoomhatch]

It may have been some sort of lame attempt at keeping water from getting in the intake from dripping under the hood when driving in the rain, but there is still 100 better ways they could have done it without making the thing so restrictive.

[redms3gt]

Here is the stock inlet.

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k294/ucancallmedebo/HPIM0328.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k294/ucancallmedebo/HPIM0327.jpg
That a pretty small hold for 263hp worth of air to be flowing through.
The airbox mod worked 4 me..

[matsuda]

It may have been some sort of lame attempt at keeping water from getting in the intake.
Ding ding ding... We have a winner.
Don't forget the car wash!

[matsuda]

okie dokie bud.

I'll go grab a pic sometime and show you what kind of restriction we are talking about here. The mod works, its simple, and its reversable (with the purchase of a Mazda airbox)

And, next time, I suggest you try it before you mock it.
Sorry...

My point was that it's best to fully understand the function of something before attempting to alter or remove it.

[Antoine]

Let's stay focused on the topic at hand...I've stickied the thread because it could prove to be quite interesting...Thanks! :D

[Bakrauf]

Well I just completed this mod and I swear you can tell a difference. I feel this car was smothered before and now she can breath. YOU CAN feel a noticable difference. I was like WOW. I cut a few holes (nothing some black Duct tape wont cover)in the front and the side away from the motor and dropped in a K&N filter. The stock filter is like 3 inches thick. Not only does the car have to fight through a small air opening, but then suck air through a almost solid air filter.

Let this car breath!!!! IT is a much needed improvement.

[Kansei]

I just find it weird that Mazda didn't do this themselves (the air box cutting) if it's that much of a performance boost. Is the car noticeably louder after doing this? I know car companies take a lot of measures to reduce NVH, but the MS3 isn't a quiet car so I didn't think they would bother. Perhaps it is the same basic intake and air box as the CX-7, then the measures to quiet things down would make sense.

[Bakrauf]

I am not sure what the Cx7 Box looks like but thats probably what they did. I really didnt notice that much of a noise increase. You can barely hear the turbo and i really didnt hear the BOV at all.

I dont see any car companies cutting anything anyway.

[redms3gt]

Stock you cant hear the turbo or BOV at all. Yea its still not that loud but you can hear everything now. I sounds like a vacuum cleaner. With the windows up and no radio it is night and day with the mod. I have never heard a factory car with this much noise. Its definitly to keep it quiet and prolong maintence "cleaning of the filter". I notice a few pops and burbles after doing this mod. It took a few hundred miles for the engine to really smooth out. I did not reset anything. It eats the tires for breakfast in 2nd now. Punchier midrange and topend for sure. Dosent really feel much faster on the highway though. One or two holes dosent increase noise to much. I have cut out most of the front and side of the box now. Louder 4 sure. The KnN adds to the noise also. 20-30% increase atleast I would say.

[clos561]

you can hear the turbo spool and BOv now..not CAI loud though..I ordered the KnN for the mz3..part its 2293 I think..same size..Hopefull some more sound and power will be had..Guess I could also cut some more out of the from of the box...(shocked) (shocked) (poke)
i was thinking abotu jsut removing the whoel bottom section of the airbox and get clamps or something to hold the filter in place. havent tried it yet but i wil this weekend. i havent got much idea on the clamps to hold it but il figure something out. il get pics on hereregardless of the outcome

[clos561]

Stock you cant hear the turbo or BOV at all. Yea its still not that loud but you can hear everything now. I sounds like a vacuum cleaner. With the windows up and no radio it is night and day with the mod. I have never heard a factory car with this much noise. Its definitly to keep it quiet and prolong maintence "cleaning of the filter". I notice a few pops and burbles after doing this mod. It took a few hundred miles for the engine to really smooth out. I did not reset anything. It eats the tires for breakfast in 2nd now. Punchier midrange and topend for sure. Dosent really feel much faster on the highway though. One or two holes dosent increase noise to much. I have cut out most of the front and side of the box now. Louder 4 sure. The KnN adds to the noise also. 20-30% increase atleast I would say.you can hear the turbo sppol if you have the windows rolled up and the radio off, sounds cool but i want more. im gona see if i can buy a air box so i can have one for dealer visits. its probably realy realy cheap.

[jeffmsp]

another great inexpnsie mod is to fill your stock motor mounts with polyurethane. I am sure there is a how to around the forums somewhere and this can be performed on any car and ill prevent drivetrai thrashing at the expense of a ruffer idle and sme vibrations at times. All depends on what durometer you use andwich mounts you fill.

[redms3gt]

There is a dyno on the other forum, a base dyno. I think Stephanie T did it. She opened the airbox lid before and after and said there was about 10hp from just opening the lid. This is dyno proven.

"Same car, same dyno, same run conditions. The 240 hp number is with the Air Box lid off. So it is correct. The 231 hp #'s are with the lid on. When the car runs an AFR of 10:1 at 4100 rpm, there is lots of room for improvement.
Stephanie"

"take out spaces" http://www.mazda 3 forums.com/index.php?topic=64465.msg1107015#msg1107015

Dyno proven means what? It works, and likely after the car learns about the change in airflow over time it will only get better.

[jeffmsp]

was that dyno pull she did with the stock filter installed and lower box removed or with no filter at all? Sounds about right for no filter, its the main restriction

[desperado-c]

was that dyno pull she did with the stock filter installed and lower box removed or with no filter at all? Sounds about right for no filter, its the main restriction

She didn't say, but I assume that "lifting the lid" means leaving the filter in the bottom, ie., no restriction.

[jeffmsp]

ya that sounds about right for no air filter especially if you are replacing a long term poorly flowing filter. if someone can check the maf to see if you are actually moving larger amounts of air that would be great. i am all for a free 10hp but i am still skeptical about hacking the stock box though im sure it sounds good.

[redms3gt]

The factory box dosent really pull cool air from the fender like most factory cars do. I cut only on the far side of the box so it shouldent pull any more hot air than stock. Should be no power loss from heatsoaking over stock. vs CAI is likely looses a lot to heat soaking. That problably why the CAI is getting 15-20hp easily. As far as only about 10hp, yea probably, but the power hits sooner and lasts longer. Plus it sound cool. If you only cut out around the bottom of the box it would be hard to spot by a dealer.

[jeffmsp]

well when someone checks out the maf we can confirm if more air is actually entering the motor. Remove the entire lower portion not just that tube, the entire lower aibox and tap or ziptie the filter into place on the upper part. for as long as the filter is still in place it should not be flowing more than stock, just sounding like its making more power.

i hope i am wrong but i dont believe so lol

[Bakrauf]

even if the filter is K & N?

[jeffmsp]

man if the maf readings are higher, its sucking in more air providing the test conditions are the same. nobody wants to go check. try it takes little time. its the only thing that will finish this. I hope your right cause free power is cool but i am doubting this. Remove the entire lower section, keep the filter held in snug, hook up a wire to the maf run into your car and into the tester, if it is reading higher voltage then you know you are flowing more air and not just making n/v/h. make sure the filter is as tight against the top as it would be with the bottom piece atached. doesnt have to be a permanent setup, just have the wire going under the hood then through the drivers window. the tester is called a multimeter, if you can get a digital one. just borrow one or something if you can. if someone in toronto ontario area has a mazdaspped3 you can meet up with me and i will hook it up takes 10 mins and will prove if you are actually getting more air into the motor, hence the sensors name (mass airflow meter). Do the ms3's have a removable screen like the fsde does in the meter also? Be cool to see what the maf reads with the screen removed vs with it installed etc. i know its there for a reason just to get some actual data on the difference it makes for the ms3 community.

[jeffmsp]

for example with a sri installed in my msp I hit fuel cut at a lower psi level then I would with the stock airbox since the maf is reading higher amounts of airflow even if it is at the same psi or less. This means the maf is outputting a higher voltage since more air is passing through the sensor, try it out.

[WTF MATE]

I heard BEGI did a test (this is in the new HCI mag) with the top of the airbox removed and gained about 20hp, don't know, don't care, not going to hack up my car, just thought I would mention that.

[redms3gt]

I just read the new SCC mag. It has the same comment about 20hp from opening the top of the airbox. From the BEGI test. It was in the section for questions by readers and they were talking about certain cars which will loose hp from a poorly designed intake. s2000,STI,RX-8. They commented that certain cars such as MS3 had a restrictive box and were able to pick up easy hp. "20?". This sounds high for stock but possable it was tested open vs a modded car with EXED on it. It did not say. Regarless the power is there at the wheels. Its not just NVH.

[jeffmsp]

ya but thats with no filter we wanna see what the gains are with the lower section removed. An intake sounds like a great investment on this car.

[WTF MATE]

I just read the new SCC mag. It has the same comment about 20hp from opening the top of the airbox. From the BEGI test. It was in the section for questions by readers and they were talking about certain cars which will loose hp from a poorly designed intake. s2000,STI,RX-8. They commented that certain cars such as MS3 had a restrictive box and were able to pick up easy hp. "20?". This sounds high for stock but possable it was tested open vs a modded car with EXED on it. It did not say. Regarless the power is there at the wheels. Its not just NVH.
Yea my bad it was SCC that I had bought and was reading it in. But yea I was looking into it and it was a completly stock car they were testing it on.

[desperado-c]

ya but thats with no filter we wanna see what the gains are with the lower section removed. An intake sounds like a great investment on this car.

I agree. See below.

[Rotus8]

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123661188
Well, not quite free if you need number/letter drill bits, a tap and tap handle, and a grinder. But any tool can be classed as free if you don't break it and keep it forever. Do you include the cost of standard wrenches in your "free mods"?

Oh, you might need to buy one small bolt and a washer.

[WTF MATE]

How about gutting the car, that always seemed to be a power gainer in the past on turbo cars, If you don't care about emmisions go for it.

[jeffmsp]

you mean gutting the cat.

still nobody out there that bothered to do an actual test before botching their airboxes?

[nondual]

Okay, how many people have done the 'cut airbox' mod? How has it worked for you?

[$inCitySpeed3]

I took just the lil snorkel out of the box but left the platisc at the top of teh box that screws in...noticable top end gain

[justa4banger]

thought i would drop this info on here for ya'll to read.
I ran my Ms3 on a mustang dyno and did a run with a K&N and slightly modded airbox (drilled 5/8ths holes all over) and removed that silly snorkel on the airbox. then i did a run with snorkel installed and stock air filter (granted i still had the holes in the box) Second run didn't have as much cooling but there was onyl a 2.5 hp difference basically between the 2 airfilters and that snorkel.

I had considered cutting out all of the bottom of the airbox and use some dryer duct to "ram" air in from the fender, but the wifes already bitching about the weird noise between shifts :D i told her it was always there. she looked at me and said YEAAA uhhh huhhh lol

So is the airbox modd worth some power , sure, is it noticable, only in your head because of the extra sound.

[$inCitySpeed3]

Well i did teh swiis cheese mod to the air box, and boy does it make the sound of the car so much more fun...as for power, the butt dyno is happy, i feel like i got the power back(boost spike) from my ECU reflash

[elderlycoffee]

Does anyone have a link to the grounding mod that was posted a bit after the release of the MS3?

[meha11]

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123631517&highlight=ground

[Jasonstiller]

So where exactly is this "Snorkel" everyone is taking off?

[Jasonstiller]

ok, i saw it and promptly removed it when i hacked up my airbox this weekend. Car freakins sounds outstanding under even half throttle now(bow)

[dkswim]

im kind of surised no one brought up the intercooler sprayer mod i havnt done this there are many ways of douing it this is one of the ones i found on this sight

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123662506

the other was would be to cut your current winshild washer lines put some Ts in there with small valves so on track day all you had to do was close windshild wiper ones and open intercooler ones i know how to do this i cant post it all right now im at work but if you would like to know email me or post any questions

[dkswim]

good point about it being on top of alot of electronics and its ofley close to hot engine and beacuse of that i wouldnt recomend douing cryo but a little water shouldnt be that bad, my reasoning is what about when it rains water is coming in through there, but thats just my take on it.i

[Kosh]

I really doubt you can damage anything by getting it wet under the intercooler. Plus it is so hot while running it would evaporate so fast if it gets all the way past the intercooler.

[mckraut]

I did the air box cutting tonight. Can't say that it pushes me back in my seat any further or faster, but I can hear the turbo now, which is fun. I plan to get a CAI before the end of the year anyway, so it wasn't a big deal for me to cut up the box.

First two pictures are from the front. I only put one hole up front after I took off the little snorkel. Last picture is from the side. I added 5 holes total to the right side of the box. Nothing underneath and nothing on the rear or engine side of the box.

[dkswim]

unlock the 1st and 2nd gear torque restriction. press and hold traction controll button for 3 sec with car off turn on while still holding for anothe 3 sec. can confirm it is working when you see the DCS off light and the traction controll light (car with squigaly lines under it) are both on.

[johnnyB5646]

unlock the 1st and 2nd gear torque restriction. press and hold traction controll button for 3 sec with car off turn on while still holding for anothe 3 sec. can confirm it is working when you see the DCS off light and the traction controll light (car with squigaly lines under it) are both on.
Are you smoking tires now? Do you just repeat process to return to normal or does it reset every time you restart the car. BTW I love all these "hold down the button" ways to unlock electrical easter eggs.

Also, anyone know how to get the windows to work while the keys are out the ignition. I had it done on the P5 and loved it.

[bbychvz]

i just did the air box mod (i just zip tied the air flter to the top)
it does sound louder
has anyone had any problems with this so far?(shrug)

[mrlilguy157]

unlock the 1st and 2nd gear torque restriction. press and hold traction controll button for 3 sec with car off turn on while still holding for anothe 3 sec. can confirm it is working when you see the DCS off light and the traction controll light (car with squigaly lines under it) are both on.

holy crap. i'm about to take the car out. ;lkasdfj;alskd;asd

i want to affirm this. i run the ATP boost cut killer and a manual boost controller at 21psi, this will be quite exciting

[dkswim]

Car resets back to normal after restart and if you hit the button it returns car to normal and you have to repeat process to deactivate the system.

[bbychvz]

i just did the air box mod (i just zip tied the air flter to the top)
it does sound louder
has anyone had any problems with this so far?(shrug)

i really didnt drive this after doing it but wow you can hear the BOV not loud as hell but good enough(stoned)
(humpleg)

i still love this car alot

[Kurt07]

I have a free idea, but it only works with a SRI or the BEGi cold air box.

The front of the battery box is removable. I don't know if that would force more are in at speed, but it is worth a shot. I am going to rig up a temp gauge this weekend and see if it makes a difference.

Here is the front of the battery box open.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c262/kurtbliesener/openbatterybox.jpg

I don't know if this working, but it was worth a shot.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c262/kurtbliesener/topofintake.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c262/kurtbliesener/filter.jpg

[aaronc7]

Not really free....but if you already have the MS CAI and feel like having a short ram instead...

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/4015/img1691smallen2.jpg

http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/5808/img1692smallig5.jpg

[driver311]

Hood mod pics posted in original thread

[BluMicaR]

It's not free, but it's only going to cost you about $3.00.

Buy one of those 'sticky' dash pads that have a sticky underside and a tacky surface, those kind about 6" by 3-4" and you can throw keys or cell phones on them onto your dash and they never move.

Cut it to fit the storage cubby hole by your left knee. Place sticky side down as you would on the dashboard. Enjoy your new cell phone compartment! I know before this NOTHING would stay in the damned little slot; now my cell phone stays perfectly motionless by my left knee, and I can see it light up right away when I'm getting a call.

(thinkbeer(outie)

[Savate]

The dash pad is a great "cheap" idea. I always throw my phone in the center cup holders so it gets wet from my drinks. (pissed) Thanks!

[sleeper3]

I actually read this whole thread under the assumption that it was about modding your car for free. I guess it's more about aruguing over cold air and cutting up airboxes. oh well.

Anyway, my idea for a "free" mod is this, and take it easy on me, cause I'm not 100% sure about the details. The computer reads boost from somewhere and there has to be a hose running to a sensor. if you put a t fitting in this hose with a really tiny hole in it, you should be able to bleed off enough air to up the boost safely to maybe 18-20 psi. I've heard people say each pound of boost is worth about 6 hp, so we're talking like 18-30 hp. that would be nice since a T fitting is only around $3.00 at home depot. I'm going to research more and try this mod out (now that I have a boost gauge installed) and make a full report. once I know sizes, (ie hole diameters for the sides of the T and the vent hole) you shouldn't even need a boost gauge to do this mod (even though in my opinion you'd be crazy not to know what exact boost pressure you're running).

Anyway, I'll dish when I get the info.

[USMCEvan]

Did it last night. Bout 35 small holes all over the bottom of he box. Im liking the different so far. (thumb)

[sleeper3]

yes, I have read a lot on the topic and decided against this mod. I read the whole pdf mentioned above, and the turbo system in this car seems way more computerized than the SRT-4's system. It sounded like an interesting idea at first, but I think I would rather wait for some sort of tuning solution to be released that will control boost from the ECU side of things rather than the mechanical/physical side. oh well, time for more waiting.

[sleeper3]

yeah, I've seen tons of free mods posted that are not in this thread.

shorter shift throw for example.

[cashmoney93]

can you do this with a regular mazda 3? I read somwhere that you can take off the snorkel and it helps as well.

[enganear]

I wanted to add that people should post up the following mods in this thread:

The BPV crush mod

The ignitor coil stretch mod

The How To for stiffening your shifter mounts for free may be found at http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3568561&postcount=1

It explains how to modify your stock mounts to effectively make them solid giving the same effect as installing solid shifter bushings, no epoxy involved.
-enganear

[NYXphil13]

yea, i would like to see a how to on the ignitor coil stretch

[dparm1984]

I would never hack up the airbox. If you have any understanding of fluid dynamics you would know that not having an airhorn/velocity stack on there is going to hurt things.

The smarter approach is to modify the airbox with a bigger draw tube and a bigger velocity stack. The box is pressurized and needs something to help bring in air -- that's precisely what the velocity stack does. Note how even the stock airbox has it (albeit a small one)?

A dyno won't accurately show the difference because the car is not in motion. There is basically no air flowing over the velocity stack so you don't see the benefit it offers. Putting a big-ass fan right up to it will definitely prove my point. End even if you do gaing 5hp, you can't feel something that small. The butt dyno is terribly unreliable, especially when you associate sound & performance...louder does not equal faster.


In the end, it's an intake. Focusing too much on small components like that gets you nowhere...put your time and money into things that make real power.

[dparm1984]

Well until I see some hard facts (dyno graphs before/after on the same car), I am not in any rush to hack up an expensive airbox.

[Kynetx]

I did that swiss cheese mod and kinda overdid it. I had a used replacement sent to me for warranty purposes and just ordered a Cobb.
It's a cool mod if you can't or don't want to buy anything.

[Zai_MS3]

A mate of mine did this, is it worth it?

He disconected the return pipe from the stock BOV, the one that runs from the BOV to the airnox. It now acts as an atmospheric DV...sounds good, any downsides of doing tis?

[dparm1984]

The stock BPV is not designed to operate like that. We already had a discussion on this issue.

If you want the louder sound, either get an aftermarket intake and/or get a blow-off valve (as opposed to our factory bypass/diverter valves).

[ihadacivicsi]

I laughed when I read this mod because this was the exact same mod people reccomended for the Mitsubishi Eclipse/Eagle Talon back in the 90s. That car had a 2 liter turbo engine. The stock airbox was highly restrictive and so people discovered that by cutting it open they could make decent HP gains.

[Zai_MS3]

Well, I have done this mod, I removed the lower section adn just cabled the filter onto the top half, cab seems to pull stronger and hold boost a little better.... i am getting a custom intake made tho , will be a better looking option

[ShadowSolution]

I gotta ask... anyone see any MPG increase with this Mod???

[ms3zoomzoom3]

dont cut ur air box just buy a cob sri

[dkswim]

but that dosnt fit in with the free theme we have going on here.

[FrequentFlyer]

If you don't smoke, take the ash tray insert out of the cubby hole in front of the shift and you've got a perfect sunglass compartment. Get a piece of Velcro (the soft side) and stick it in their as a pad if you're scared of scratching them your expensive Oakley or Ray Bans. It also keeps them from rattling around in there too much. :D

[lestat13]

If you don't smoke, take the ash tray insert out of the cubby hole in front of the shift and you've got a perfect sunglass compartment. Get a piece of Velcro (the soft side) and stick it in their as a pad if you're scared of scratching them your expensive Oakley or Ray Bans. It also keeps them from rattling around in there too much. :D

I threw my garage door opener in there!

[dkswim]

I threw my garage door opener in there!

second that.

[lestat13]

I hate how they leave that permanent mark on your visor. This way, invisible!!

[Chaz243]

I threw my garage door opener in there!

LOL... Mine is part of the rear view mirror... I love the "Homelink" whatnot... I keep the Blackberry in the ashtray hole... It wont fit in the cubby by the left leg....

[mr_mazda329]

End even if you do gaing 5hp, you can't feel something that small..

Then you have never driven a miata. You would be suprised by what advancing the timing 4 degrees will do for the car. Just ask anyone who competes in Spec Miata. 1/2 hp will make a difference in that series.

[turbo23]

I removed the weather stripping at the edge of my hood, and raised the rear of the hood up alittle using washers. You can barely tell the hood is raised, and my engine bay is no longer hotter then the sun when i open the hood:) Engine bay stays pretty cool, you can feel the heat rising from the rear of the hood when parked.

[MS3Zoom24]

I removed the weather stripping at the edge of my hood, and raised the rear of the hood up alittle using washers. You can barely tell the hood is raised, and my engine bay is no longer hotter then the sun when i open the hood:) Engine bay stays pretty cool, you can feel the heat rising from the rear of the hood when parked.

Does that create a problem with the seal around the intercooler?

I was talking with my dad today about putting louvers in the hood or something to get the heat out of it and then he said to put washers on the hood mounts on the rear of the hood to let heat escape.

[turbo23]

I added some extra seal for the rear to make sure it wouldnt leak, but it seems the the seal extends long enough to seal. I like the washers idea, since it requires no cutting. Now ive heard different ideas on what happens at the rear of the hood, both the air gets pulled in, and some say the air gets pulled out. I would like to confirm this sometime.

[Mid_Life_Crisis]

Now ive heard different ideas on what happens at the rear of the hood, both the air gets pulled in, and some say the air gets pulled out. I would like to confirm this sometime.

Take a short piece of string and tape it to the very bottom of the windshield. It'll either blow up or get sucked into the hood.

Old Trans Ams had functional hood scoops that faced backwards to use the pressure built up at the base of the windshield. The faster you went, the more pressure, the greater the ram air effect, so the faster you went. The kind of vicious cycle we love.

[turbo23]

I havent done any experiment to test out which way the air flows yet. But just the other day when it was about 60ish out, I parked and went to eat. Sat down and looked over to see heat just pouring out the rear of the hood. Which I think helps with heat destroy things under the hood making things brittle.

[Larimer]

Right at the end of the hood by the windshield is a high pressure area. At speed, air is going to be going into the engine bay, not venting. Look at any old cowl induction hood, same concept. When parked though, sure it'll vent. If it's parked though, just pop the hood...

[MM BOOST]

alright, well you guys know how the 08's+ have the red mazdaspeed decal on the dash trim piece? Well this is what I did. I have an 07 and I took the mazdaspeed logo off the trunk and then put it in the same exact place that it comes stock on the 08+ models. Looks great, its shiney and looks alot classier. Then, for underneath the hood, I am trying to make it look alot cleaner and more appealing. I removed all the warning and caution stickers from the plastic shroud above the fans and such. Cleaned up the look alot. Also painted the center grill piece with semi-gloss black and did the flying M modification to the front and rear mazda logos.

[turbo23]

Right at the end of the hood by the windshield is a high pressure area. At speed, air is going to be going into the engine bay, not venting. Look at any old cowl induction hood, same concept. When parked though, sure it'll vent. If it's parked though, just pop the hood...

One problem with opening the hood while parked.... when you go out, you just cant pop the hood and leave. Well Im sure you could but it wouldnt be advisable:) I also thought the area was a high pressure area, I was trying to think of ways to change that and have the hood vent, but Im sure it would take alittle more work then Im looking into doing.

[Larimer]

One problem with opening the hood while parked.... when you go out, you just cant pop the hood and leave. Well Im sure you could but it wouldnt be advisable:) I also thought the area was a high pressure area, I was trying to think of ways to change that and have the hood vent, but Im sure it would take alittle more work then Im looking into doing.

If you really want to vent heat, usually the best way is a rear facing vent further forward on the hood. Only problem here is that the turbo (where most of the heat is) is towards the rear and as stated before isn't a good idea to put a vent there for heat extraction.

[MM BOOST]

I think it would be cool if someone made an aftermarket hood and gave the hood a raked look towards the windshield, kinda like a cowl induction hood, but not TOO extreme. Make sense? I bet that would look mean and would function nicely.

[lestat13]

I think it would be cool if someone made an aftermarket hood and gave the hood a raked look towards the windshield, kinda like a cowl induction hood, but not TOO extreme. Make sense? I bet that would look mean and would function nicely.

Civic and Teg people have gotten that for free for a while now. Uninstall your hood, and before you reinstall, put a few washers between the hood and the bracket.

Tah-dah!

[MM BOOST]

yeah but I mean we don't have many options for an aftermarket hood and instead of putting a big goofy ass scoop in the middle, I think it would be cool to make one maybe in fg or cf with a cowl type look with it raised and raked back towards the windshield. Just an idea.

[dkswim]

how many people know about the $5 mud flaps???

[lestat13]

I know that some people have put in aftermarket grills on the MS3. I like the "open mouth" ones on the mazda 3, but not on the MS3. What if someone just cuts out the bar and emblem from the middle of our grill? Would it look alright? That's def a free mod!

[AutoXRacer]

I removed the weather stripping at the edge of my hood, and raised the rear of the hood up alittle using washers. You can barely tell the hood is raised, and my engine bay is no longer hotter then the sun when i open the hood:) Engine bay stays pretty cool, you can feel the heat rising from the rear of the hood when parked.

The problem with that is, the A/C-vent system pulls air from that area, so when you turn on the A/C, it won't be as cool since it will be sucking really hot air.

[lestat13]

^^ sounds like a nice defrost for winter as well!

[Larimer]

how many people know about the $5 mud flaps???

Care to share some more info about this?

[spdjnke]

ah, the 5 dollar mud flaps! definately a ingenius idea. basically someone discovered that you can make a template out of paper then put it on a plastic trash can, cut out the pattern, drill a few holes to mount and vola instant cheap and functional mudflaps.

[dkswim]

i attached the patterns and the how to is on one of the othere forums

[dkswim]

here is the thread for the $5 mudflaps the owner posted it up in here the other day.
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123723423

[kgb]

I think it would be cool if someone made an aftermarket hood and gave the hood a raked look towards the windshield, kinda like a cowl induction hood, but not TOO extreme. Make sense? I bet that would look mean and would function nicely.

I've been thinking about having a shop custom make me a hood with this feature...but it would need a lot of testing to insure the best "highpressure" spot. I bet it would look fantasic! (2thumbs)

[seesko54]

I'm not crazy about the stock wheels on the MS3. I'm thinking about painting every other spoke a dark gray so it will look like I have 5 spoke wheels until I can afford some desent looking real 5 spokes. I like the see thru look. I'm wondering though if the stock wheels help cool the brakes. Like a big fan. They fit very close to the brakes.

[ByrdMan23]

after reading this i sorta got annoyed of the air box talk.. but i thought about something that noone else considered apparenty... as we all know dealerships are extremely gay when it comes to warranty work.. if you alter the stock airbox and something goes wrong(CEL) and mazda just so happens to notcie your holes,yea... they can definitley choose not to work on the car until you put your stock airbox back on. good luck with that..

[Rotus8]

I'm not crazy about the stock wheels on the MS3. I'm thinking about painting every other spoke a dark gray so it will look like I have 5 spoke wheels until I can afford some desent looking real 5 spokes. I like the see thru look. I'm wondering though if the stock wheels help cool the brakes. Like a big fan. They fit very close to the brakes.
I tried doing something like that, but it didn't work out well so I took it off.

[Circle9]

I think the stockers would look better if they were painted a few shades darker grey.

[1speed3]

Lets be honest...

1) Don't hack up factory parts in case u want warranty
2) Keep them after putting on aftermarket
3) Pay to play, who has honestly made a good improvement to their vehicle for free ?

As your parents have probably told you one time or another, you get what you pay for don't expect performance gains for free... EVER.

[dkswim]

i have for friends. unlocking of the trip computer pre 09 non gt cars... its free to gut your cats and you can gain some performance out of that... granted the swiss chese mod for this car is free its not something i want to do and when this was concived the only intake available was the mazdaspeed CAI at $300 and some a pop. there is the mod to unlock the traction controll all of these are free and going along the cheep mods that this was set up for there are a ton of cheep mods that can add value to the consumer $5 mudflaps come to mind there is the sticky mats for cell phones and other things.

[paylew]

I may do the mud flap thing... I don't have the money to get the RA ones, plus it's hard to justify $140 or whatever for flaps.

[1speed3]

Sorry for the rant in advance but (stupid)

1)gutting your cat is dumb, you can sell your cat for about the same price you can pick up a race pipe used.
2)if your gutting the down pipe, your spending so much time in work that you mines well drop a little bit of money and get something worth while.
3)I'm sorry but maybe you don't understand the whole FREE thing, just like the garage door sill lip and do it yourself mud flaps, they are not FREE and in my opinion why are you gonna take something that cost you over 20 grand and put something you made... unless you are a fabricator, on your car.

STOP BEING CHEAP, i am in college with limited funds but I still vow never to just throw some shit on my car. I learned better with my civic at 16.

If your not going to do it right (getout) some honda forums would love yea.

[Sport6]

I may do the mud flap thing... I don't have the money to get the RA ones, plus it's hard to justify $140 or whatever for flaps.
Got mine for 119.00 shipped.
They are well worth it if you live anywhere where it snows a lot. but in Arkansas i dont think you have to worry about it. I am going to keep them on all year long because New England road crews suck and leave debris all over the road.

[ByrdMan23]

Sorry for the rant in advance but (stupid)

1)gutting your cat is dumb, you can sell your cat for about the same price you can pick up a race pipe used.
2)if your gutting the down pipe, your spending so much time in work that you mines well drop a little bit of money and get something worth while.
3)I'm sorry but maybe you don't understand the whole FREE thing, just like the garage door sill lip and do it yourself mud flaps, they are not FREE and in my opinion why are you gonna take something that cost you over 20 grand and put something you made... unless you are a fabricator, on your car.

STOP BEING CHEAP, i am in college with limited funds but I still vow never to just throw some shit on my car. I learned better with my civic at 16.

If your not going to do it right (getout) some honda forums would love yea.

haha... well you have a point but at the sometime who cares? Why not make something that cost 90 percent less and is visually identical? Some people take pride in their creativeness and inventiveness and theres no reason to pay 100 + dollars for something that you can do yourself for 5.. I dunno about everyone else but i love making stuff for my car.. makes me feel like somewhat of a fabricator

[mazdaspeed32007]

Got mine for 119.00 shipped.
They are well worth it if you live anywhere where it snows a lot. but in Arkansas i dont think you have to worry about it. I am going to keep them on all year long because New England road crews suck and leave debris all over the road.


and they always put down the tar that gets "better" when people drive on it. the tar patches. you know what im talking about. sounds like rocks just waged war on your vehicle when you drive within 100 yards of where they "fixed" pot holes.

[Mid_Life_Crisis]

and they always put down the tar that gets "better" when people drive on it. the tar patches. you know what im talking about. sounds like rocks just waged war on your vehicle when you drive within 100 yards of where they "fixed" pot holes.

The patches made of those sticky little rocks that only stick to the underside of your car?

[mazdaspeed32007]

The patches made of those sticky little rocks that only stick to the underside of your car?

oh man thats what im talking about. stupid ass idea. sounds like a lazy persons idea so they dont have to pack the shit properly. it doesnt even flatten out. it ends up being a tear dropped bump. oye.

[WTF MATE]

I'm sure this has been covered but has anyone noticed a difference taking the intercooler cover off?

[dizzin9]

I'm sure this has been covered but has anyone noticed a difference taking the intercooler cover off?

cosmetically, yes.

[WTF MATE]

Ok so performance wise no, That's what I figured. I didn't know if it got any better air flow from removing the cover. Or maybe helped out with the heat soak.

[ByrdMan23]

Ok so performance wise no, That's what I figured. I didn't know if it got any better air flow from removing the cover. Or maybe helped out with the heat soak.

You really wont get anything out of it.. to some people it looks better and some people like the guard better.. but as far as performance increase nothing..
If anything you will be hurting your car because the guard protects the intercooler..

But really its just personal taste! i think it looks good either way

[shpankey]

I threw my garage door opener in there!

ditto, perfect fit

[Circle9]

I noticed that on a friends Caliber SRT-4 they have a duct diverting air from a scoop on top of the hood down and back to the turbo, which is situated in about the same place as ours. Would our turbo benefit even the tiniest bit from something similar?

Oh, and I doub't the SRT-4 owners gain much from intakes, the stock one is pretty good, it has a cone filter and a ram-air duct running to it from the front grill.

[wardgillette]

Gutting your car for more performance? Yes, that will work. You take out the extra seats, spare tire, jack, power window system, a/c, door panels, stereo, headliner, dash panels, carpets and anything else that does not affect the engine, aerodynamics or structural integrity of the chassis. More horsepower/pound...Zoom-Zoom.

[destrux]

The first time I put mine on the lift I unbolted two of those damn NVH damper weights. One was bolted to the rear subframe, the other was somewhere up front. I think there was one under the hood too. 5 pounds of useless crap. I don't care if I hear that pebble I just ran over. My other car doesn't even have carpeting or door panels, this one still feels like a lexus to me.


Also, although it's not free.... it's a "free side effect" to something that most people spend money on anyway....
When you downsize your wheels to 17"(assuming they aren't heavier than the stock 18" wheels) your car gains performance from the reduction of rotating weight and the fact that the heaviest part of the wheel (the rim hoop) moved closer to the center, reducing the wheel's rotational inertia. Most people buy wheels for a visual upgrade, or to mount wider tires... and forget about the rotational inertia improvements that can be made. SCC magazine did a test on this about 8 years ago and found that a car (a JDM Evo 6 I believe) with 17" wheels was actually faster around a road course (by a consistently noticeable amount) than the same car with 18" wheels.

[mazdaspeed32007]

The first time I put mine on the lift I unbolted two of those damn NVH damper weights. One was bolted to the rear subframe, the other was somewhere up front. I think there was one under the hood too. 5 pounds of useless crap. I don't care if I hear that pebble I just ran over. My other car doesn't even have carpeting or door panels, this one still feels like a lexus to me.


Also, although it's not free.... it's a "free side effect" to something that most people spend money on anyway....
When you downsize your wheels to 17"(assuming they aren't heavier than the stock 18" wheels) your car gains performance from the reduction of rotating weight and the fact that the heaviest part of the wheel (the rim hoop) moved closer to the center, reducing the wheel's rotational inertia. Most people buy wheels for a visual upgrade, or to mount wider tires... and forget about the rotational inertia improvements that can be made. SCC magazine did a test on this about 8 years ago and found that a car (a JDM Evo 6 I believe) with 17" wheels was actually faster around a road course (by a consistently noticeable amount) than the same car with 18" wheels.

minus the weight i wonder if throwing on a set of 17's would effect the gear ratio for the worse. i know this transmission has a really close gear ratio already and dont know the effects of rim size to gearing from experience.

[destrux]

Not if you size the tires properly. The tires affect the miles per revolution, not the wheel size. My tires are a bit undersized, I had them on the wheels from the last car I used these rims on. I'm sure there's a difference, but not enough for me to notice.

[meicalnissyen]

The first time I put mine on the lift I unbolted two of those damn NVH damper weights. One was bolted to the rear subframe, the other was somewhere up front. I think there was one under the hood too. 5 pounds of useless crap. I don't care if I hear that pebble I just ran over. My other car doesn't even have carpeting or door panels, this one still feels like a lexus to me.


Also, although it's not free.... it's a "free side effect" to something that most people spend money on anyway....
When you downsize your wheels to 17"(assuming they aren't heavier than the stock 18" wheels) your car gains performance from the reduction of rotating weight and the fact that the heaviest part of the wheel (the rim hoop) moved closer to the center, reducing the wheel's rotational inertia. Most people buy wheels for a visual upgrade, or to mount wider tires... and forget about the rotational inertia improvements that can be made. SCC magazine did a test on this about 8 years ago and found that a car (a JDM Evo 6 I believe) with 17" wheels was actually faster around a road course (by a consistently noticeable amount) than the same car with 18" wheels.

the heaviest part of the wheel is the black thing attached to it