What are some mods I should get?!?!

[RuZec]

Sorry if this in the wrong category!

Im already pretty set on buying a forge BPV, rear engine mounts, COBB SRI, and in time a RE Amemiya exhaust system. But if you think I should get a different kind or have any pros/cons on the items I listed, please let me know!?!

Thing is though I dont want to do anything to major right now because I just bought the car and I have a 10 year warranty. Im kinda considering a DP but not sure yet.

So i guess im looking for basic mods and what not.

as far as appearance I'm trying to find a good place to buy eyelids.

but thanks in advance.

[GoFast]

what you have listed isnt bad. just make sure you can take them off before going to the dealer. stay away from peoples mazda in vegas once you get there because they will screw you and not do the work they claimed to do.

[RuZec]

alright thanks for the head ups man!!

But what about a DP? Im reading about the cobb and corksport. Im just unsure on which one to buy and which one is better quality and better feed back.

[GoFast]

my personal suggestion, and i am sure some will disagree, do not get a downpipe. that is a sure way to void your warranty and i have noticed a trend that many with the downpipes have blown their motors

[GoFast]

oh yeah, here is a link to my experience with people BTW

peoples mazda headache (http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123704012&highlight=gofast)

[RuZec]

HMmm alrighty.. ill take what you said into consideration..

also what about a boost guage?

[RuZec]

also is the TMIC fine or would a FMIC be better?

[phillyb]

people aren't blowing motors due to a downpipe...furthermore, some dealerships probably won't care if you mess with the exhaust. key word is some...
tmic vs fmic...
hmmm...there is a thread here regarding that issue, you should read it. i have fmic and love it. but you won't notice much gains from the fmic, it just allows you to run more efficiently and it eliminates heat soak.
boost gauge ftw...

[mr_mazda329]

what you have listed isnt bad. just make sure you can take them off before going to the dealer. stay away from peoples mazda in vegas once you get there because they will screw you and not do the work they claimed to do.

Peoples is way better than Courtesy. The service tech manager there is real cool and has no prob with basic mods. I know, I talked to him face to face. Courtesy has been real shady to a couple of my friends here.

RE-Amemiya CBE is really nice and all but I dont have that kind of money to shell out on just a CBE ($1200). Don't bother with a boost gauge since it can void your warranty. Get a Dashhawk.

[RuZec]

What kind of problems do the DP cause? what kind of boost gauge and where would be a good spot to place it?

[GoFast]

people aren't blowing motors due to a downpipe...furthermore, some dealerships probably won't care if you mess with the exhaust. key word is some...
tmic vs fmic...
hmmm...there is a thread here regarding that issue, you should read it. i have fmic and love it. but you won't notice much gains from the fmic, it just allows you to run more efficiently and it eliminates heat soak.
boost gauge ftw...

while i personally dont have any exact proof, i think you are right. people are not blowing their motors because of the downpipe, it is because they are not tuning to compensate for the changes the downpipe made.

as for the dealer issue and mods is concerned, the best thing to tell you is talk to your dealership first and try to get to know them if you plan on modding.

[phillyb]

blown engines happen when people turn up boost
blown engines happen at partial throttle and at full throttle
blown engines happen cause the rods and block are weak
blown engines have nothing to do with a dp or the power associated with it

[RuZec]

ok, sure will...

I wonder how the gains will be with the mods i plan on geting?!?!?

[GoFast]

blown engines have nothing to do with a dp or the power associated with it

you honestly believe that?? i gave you more credit than i should have then.

[RuZec]

I dont know what to believe now!

this might be a little difficult for me probably since im new to mazda and to FI cars. where to go to read more on things?...

[GoFast]

ok here a better suggestion. read around. read these forums, read some others and make a choice for yourself. dont listen to either me or phillyb because we obviously have differing opinions.

his opinion is that a dp will not cause any problems and mine is that it could cause some problems, including blowing a motor, if you do not properly tune for it.

no matter what you do to increase how much fuel or air is coming or going, to or from your engine it will put a strain on your motor unless your computer is told how to deal with that change.


even if i am completely wrong about the downpipe and it actually has no affect on the engine whatsoever, i promise you that unless you have a mod friendly dealer, then you will have warranty issues if you put a dp on your car.

[RuZec]

Ok. Thanks for your input GoFast. Any piece of information I cant get is good for me so I kinda have ideas of what people think of certain things and what not.

But if you were in my position what would you get?

[lestat13]

Ok. Thanks for your input GoFast. Any piece of information I cant get is good for me so I kinda have ideas of what people think of certain things and what not.

But if you were in my position what would you get?

Been in your position. Got intake, turbo inlet, new intercooler, downpipe, etc. Under 10,000 miles turbo started smoking and getting warning signs from my motor. It's probably a luck of the draw thing, but I'm going back to stock, buying a mazdaspeed intake, maybe reinstalling a test pipe, but pretty much keeping the car stock until I pay it off and buy a more reliable platform to mod.

[GoFast]

i guess i would say the very first things would be motor mounts, i prefer the trz mounts but any mounts are better than stock. then some shifter base bushings from twm. next i would say intake. cobbs or that new cp-e nano seem like pretty good choices. then maybe a bpv. the forge would be my choice. after that id say a test pipe/race pipe and maybe if you want a better sound, catback exhaust. that would be as far as i would go with engine mods.

then it would be time to start playing with the suspension and brakes but thats a different segment all together. good luck

[GoFast]

Been in your position. Got intake, turbo inlet, new intercooler, downpipe, etc. Under 10,000 miles turbo started smoking and getting warning signs from my motor. It's probably a luck of the draw thing, but I'm going back to stock, buying a mazdaspeed intake, maybe reinstalling a test pipe, but pretty much keeping the car stock until I pay it off and buy a more reliable platform to mod.


now there is some solid been there done that advise from a guy who knows. thats the kind of advise you want to listen to on forums.

[RuZec]

oh alright. So Let- Would you suggest me doing the whole SRI and BPV since my car only has 300 miles. Also I will be doing a 9-12 hour drive to las vegas. So i dont know if it will play a role in messing with my break in process or something.

Gofast. Ill look into the shifter bearings and what not..

looks like im still set on my Forge BPV. SRI. Turboxs DP so far

[lestat13]

now there is some solid been there done that advise from a guy who knows. thats the kind of advise you want to listen to on forums.

I fucking love this car, but then when engines start going and no one knows why.... even stock, it's bad. Looked into trading in but can't get what I owe on it. I'm gonna try to pay double on my payments to get it over and done with. Makes me sick though because it's my favorite car from all the ones I've owned in my life. Even people with new internals are blowing. Such a disappointment.

Oh, my bad, back on topic. Keep it simple. Motor mount inserts and solid shifter bushings are cheap and really enhance the driving experience. Add an intake, I say sri cause in my area we get snow and rain, and I personally know 3 people who hydrolocked motors, so I don't like CAIs generally. Add a new bpv or a blow-off in recirc to add some sound and maybe a pound or two in the lower gears. If you want some sound and a bit more power, test pipes are easy to install and easy to uninstall.

No matter what you do, I recommend a dashhawk and/or a boost gauge so you know what your car is doing. I have both. I set my warnings and knew what to look for, and now I will never drive without both of them.

If your dealer says you can mod, get IN WRITING what they say you can do. Just because mazda sells and intake doesnt mean they will warranty someone else's intake. Just watch your back, they are here to make money, not be your friend.

Don't let me get you down, just watch yourself. Cheers and enjoy the car!
(cheers)

[lestat13]

RuZec, I started modding right after my first oil change at a thousand miles :D Go ahead, do it now

And if you are dead set on the downpipe, make sure its still warm when you pull the O2 sensor and be careful. It can takes you weeks to get a new one and they are over $500. Know a few people ::cough cough:: who got fucked that way, even with only 2 or 3 thousand miles on their cars

[RuZec]

Ahh ok.. thanks for the input Lestat!

Yeah i guess ill hold off on the DP for a while.. What are some good maintenance steps I could do when I do start lightly modding my engine?

[mo08ms3]

I agree with the others that a test/race pipe would be a beneficial mod that is easy to install/uninstall. I have even heard that if you choose to go the Cobb AP route, you can use the stage 2 maps without the DP.

[RuZec]

would the Test pipe be street legal in las vegas and on base? once again im new to FI and platform

[GoFast]

yes your test pipe will be fine in vegas and on base.

[RuZec]

ok.. does it throw CEL's at all. Would I need something to tune it?

[GoFast]

it shouldnt and you shouldnt have to

[RuZec]

Alright cool!

Have you personally had this on your car before?

[GoFast]

yes and my car has been on that base before too

[Alexsered]

look up the catted dp from cp-e. I love cp-e and chose to use mostly there parts on there car after comparing some of there stuff with other companies. catback is not a big deal, but the dp is a huge deal and I've only heard and experienced great stuff with cp-e products. There DP in my opinion is the best out there.

[RuZec]

Alright, ill look into cp-e any sit you would recommend for good prices?

[Alexsered]

I can pm if you want, but I think they block any sites that we try to post on this forum. check out cp-e's website, you can call the guys up too, they are really chill and they are never too busy to talk to anybody. CP-E has bent over backwards for me, I'm sure they would for you too.

[RuZec]

yeah i would appreciate it if you did. But yea. i think im going to buy my forge BPV and COBB SRI in a couple weeks

[phillyb]

you honestly believe that?? i gave you more credit than i should have then.

whatever. go prove to me that a downpipe causes an engine to blow. i think you'd be hard pressed to do that. i ran a downpipe for a little bit with no tune. no problems.
in fact, there are a lot of people who are running a downpipe with no tune. are you on the other boards?
you might get a lot more information from there, that is actually correct

[RuZec]

hmm you two should make another thread arguing about what you believe. i juswant to see what each you think and whats your reasonings.

[Alexsered]

hmm you two should make another thread arguing about what you believe. i juswant to see what each you think and whats your reasonings.

if you get a dp, make sure it's catted, there are some people here that think that a non catted dp is what ruins turbo's. It's just not true, but a non catted car does stink pretty bad and the cat would get rid of most of that stink. If you get an intake, a turbo back exhause and a bpv, your car will feel completely different.

[lestat13]

if you get a dp, make sure it's catted, there are some people here that think that a non catted dp is what ruins turbo's. It's just not true, but a non catted car does stink pretty bad and the cat would get rid of most of that stink. If you get an intake, a turbo back exhause and a bpv, your car will feel completely different.

One arguement that I have heard (and believe) is that non-catted downpipes don't cause you to smoke, but they do let you see the smoke. Your turbo can smoke but cats, even high flow ones, can burn up the smoke so that you don't see anything by the time it reaches the tailpipe.

On the stinking arguement, especially if you are going to run a vta bov, yes, it will stink. Buy something catted the first time instead of paying for a do-over.(dunno)

[phillyb]

running vta makes it stink?
really?
running catless makes it stink.
whatever.
fyi guys, i'm not talking from my ass. i have a catless downpipe and i don't smoke and my engine is still in the car.
engines blow due to the open/closed loop transition. for a moment, the car runs lean...(from what i understand)

[phillyb]

here are gofast's mods...gofast, please feel free to correct me if these are not still correct.

http://i40.tinypic.com/35ixaih.png

and here are my mods
cpe catless dp - cpe fmic - mscai w/ air straightener
cpe standback with pnp unit @ 16.0 psi - dashhawk - auto meter boost gauge
trz poly rear mm - top speed passenger side mount
twm sts w/ bushings no shifter weight - hotchkis front & rear sway bars
denso itv22 step colder plugs - upgraded horn - silverstar front bulbs
led rear turn signals with resistors - led interior lights - black emblems
rear wiper delete - removed side moldings - clear rear reflectors

now, who do you believe?

[GoFast]

so because you have the downpipe you are right? well just because a guy has herpes doesnt mean that i should go screwing some some chick with herpes and no condom.

i dont have a downpipe for a reason.

[Alexsered]

lol, I hope people don't think a downpipe hurts their car.

[phillyb]

my personal suggestion, and i am sure some will disagree, do not get a downpipe. that is a sure way to void your warranty and i have noticed a trend that many with the downpipes have blown their motors


lol, I hope people don't think a downpipe hurts their car.

this is the whole fucking reason i'm debating with gofast

[phillyb]

so because you have the downpipe you are right? well just because a guy has herpes doesnt mean that i should go screwing some some chick with herpes and no condom.

i dont have a downpipe for a reason.

ummm...who believes you?
you obviously have no experience with what you're talking about and claiming.
me, on the other hand...i have a downpipe in my car. why would someone believe you?
again, blowing your rods through the block has NOTHING to do with a downpipe.
sure, people blowing rods through the block could have a downpipe, but that's a coincidence. as lestat said earlier in this thread, people are blowing engines stock!!!
again, engines don't blow from downpipes.
engines blow due to lean conditions, too much boost, partial or full throttle. not cause of a fucking downpipe!

[GoFast]

blah im done. to the OP as i have stated before.
1. listen to who you want to listen to
2. if you do get a dp, make sure you monitor whats going on and tune for it
3. if you get a dp, be sure your dealer doesnt mind your downpipe and if he says he doesnt, get it in writing.

[lestat13]

again, engines don't blow from downpipes.
engines blow due to lean conditions, too much boost, partial or full throttle. not cause of a fucking downpipe!

Engines don't blow from downpipes....... but it's much harder to get warranty work done ;)

[Alexsered]

man, I have been on many forums, but I have never been on a forum that everybody is so bitter to each other.

[lestat13]

That was a stab at humor, I am not trying to be bitter. For one, I have never been on a forum with so many people willing to politely help each other out

[phillyb]

blah im done.

good. what you're saying is meritless. your opinion is based upon speculation.


man, I have been on many forums, but I have never been on a forum that everybody is so bitter to each other.

welcum 2 t3h internets

[Alexsered]

welcum 2 t3h internets


yeah, but don't most of us own a mazdaspeed car? Don't know why we all have to hate on each other. Guy just asked about what parts he should get and it turned into a downpipe bickering.

[phillyb]

it was relevant if you ask me. it helps the op determine whether or not the dp is a good addition or not. but i see your point.

[RuZec]

i found the argument some what helpful..

[phillyb]

helpful enough for you to make a thread about the txs dp

[RuZec]

I think i made that thread way before you two were debating....

[phillyb]

oh, whatever. go check it. i posted some new info for you