Low End not good enough!

[dima_rus]

A lot of you guys and gals probably have a CAI in your Mazda 5 and hopefully noticed that our car has a really pure respond while driving under 3000rpm.
I am currently planning on getting rid of the second cat and resonator and running a straight pipe instead. Do you think it will improve the low end?

For those who replaced or modded the exhaust system, did you notice any gains at all?

The reason I'm asking about it is because I had a mazda 6 2.3L in the past and that car only has 1 cat. After I replaced my exhaust system on the car with Magnaflow cat back I had a small gain (2-4 hp), but even comparing two cars in stock condition mazda 6 has a lot more whp then mazda 5.

Please share your thoughts and ideas.

Thanks in advance.
Dima

[mazdadude]

Naughty!:eek:

I would love to try it, but it is not worth the jailtime and fines that they have here in California.(sad2)

That being said, wouldn't an electric exhaust bypass/cutout valve be the way to go? That way you could have the best of both worlds. A quiet unmodded exhaust one moment, flip the switch, and presto you have open exhaust! (band2)

[red headz]

I'm used to driving my VW TDI and I love the low end torque. With a chip, injectors and intake - my VW TDI is near 220-250 ft/lbs torque & 120HP (never dynoed but it's clamied). Diesel driving isn't about hp, it's all torque baby! Especially in America - when can you use the upper end horsepower anway? But torque OTOH makes me giggle every time!

It's what I call drivability, but the Mazda 2.3 lacks the low end ooomph.
I agree, we need more low end torque.
michael.

[tillyspeed81]

i dunno but would changing out the pulleys help any?(wiggle)

[dima_rus]

i dunno but would changing out the pulleys help any?(wiggle)

wasn't planning on doing that. The car is under warranty, that's why I am keeping all the OEM parts just in case and don't want to mess with my OEM exhaust.

[dima_rus]

Venom or whoever else has an aftermarket exhaust system, can you please post some pics of your setup please.

Dima

[Kojack]

im 99 percent sure im going to use the autoexe exhaust. the sound is awsome, not loud, but more hp and torque from what they are saying. then I may dive into the motor with some new cams, and maybe new pistons to bump compression a bit. that gives more torque too.

[dima_rus]

too bad autoexe does not have a bolt on exhaust system for our car.

[Kojack]

yes they do...its listed right on their site...check it out again.

[Heat]

A high-flow exhaust system? How much?

[MD5]

Be aware of HP claimes made by people peddling "performance parts".


Think about it. If you gain 5-10 HP, you won't even be able to feel it. If you say you can, you must be the princess that felt the pea.

A 5-10 hp increase on a vehicle that weighs 3,300 lbs is very negligable.

[dima_rus]

I will have to disagree with the last statement. You can definitely feel extra 5-10whp on top of 120whp. That's why just by adding CAI you can feel the car pull a lot better.

[08M5GTGSP]

Hmmm.... I've never, ever found the performance of the 5's engine lacking. I have more than enough power to keep up with, or overtake, traffic or pull out on a busy road.

Plus, I've driven everything from Honda Accords to Land Rover LR3's, and find the 5 very mechanically refined. I can't imagine a smoother 4-cyl powertrain!

[bootman]

A CAI will rarely if ever improve the low end.
You are looking for more torque.
Sorry to say but the only real way to do that with our 2.3 is with a supercharger.
The difference between the 3 and 5 is solely the weight difference.
The specs are the same.

For a 2.3 and the weight of the 5 this things runs fine.
(and I've owned V8 Mustangs, wife currently drives an IS...)
If you really want to launch off the line, you need a different car. ;)

[Kojack]

and bootman, where would we find a nice roots style S/C for our car? i would LOVE TO HAVE ONE! Not for racing around but for all out drive abitility...since we only have 2 way roads, passing times are important to me...as well as pulling out into traffic, an sc would make this car fantastic...