Heat Soak Help

[msp1986]

Hey everyone so just to start off with an update to my previous 2 threads, i finished replacing the wastegate yesterday after 7 grueling hours and finally having to pull the whole manifold off. she runs much better and is holdinng at a constant 7-8 pounds of boost and now around 18-20 vac at idle (altitude, no leaks believe me i checked.) Everything seems to be peachy except for one thing: The car still feels like its mechanically bogging down after it has sufficiently heated up, it feels like it could either be the car switching to open loop and dumping fuel, or heat soak. dont know much about heat soak but would sure like to?? can anyone fill me in a bit on what heat soak looks like and whether or not my symptoms match it???

[Metallic36]

Heat soak basically makes your car feel like it can't get anywhere.. weighs it down, because it's not getting any cooling from the SMIC. It restricts your power, and doesn't let your car perform it's best.

[_MSprotegy]

what she said. you can fix that with either an upgraded SMIC or a FMIC kit.

[Knox Joe]

I was thinking the other day and wondered if a CO2 sprayer would be any help on the stock smic. It's about the same price as an upgrade, and it may work even better. Just throwin it out there.

[mazdaspeedp]

theres a co2 sprayer where do you get that? i bet it would work allot better i know my car pulls way harder after i spray it down and water gets on the smic

[BOOSTR]

Sure it's heatsoak and not the stock tuning holding you back? Is your car flashed and have you considered getting a Split Second AFC or other product to straighten out the AF ratios?

[StealthWyvern]

Sure it's heatsoak and not the stock tuning holding you back? Is your car flashed and have you considered getting a Split Second AFC or other product to straighten out the AF ratios?

how can you tell if your car is flashed?

[BOOSTR]

how can you tell if your car is flashed?

Some dealers were putting on a sticker. Mine did not I just have the receipt for it. The dealer could plug in to your port and confirm if it's been done though.

I remember what it was like driving unflashed. The car would just fall on it's face randomly no matter what gear you were in.

[Knox Joe]

theres a co2 sprayer where do you get that? i bet it would work allot better i know my car pulls way harder after i spray it down and water gets on the smic

Lot's of places have them, just google intercooler co2 sprayer.


Everything seems to be peachy except for one thing: The car still feels like its mechanically bogging down after it has sufficiently heated up


That statement leads me to believe heat soak. If it runs great when it's cold, then starts bogging down after it gets hot, it's most likely heat soak.

[msp1986]

ya its got to be heat soak then cause sometimes after driving around a while it just falls on its face feels like its going no where. i was gonna do upgraded piping and a small fmic pretty soon here anyway... i should probably wait to turn up the boost until after i do that tho it probably wont help temp much right?? Also MAzda has no open campaigns for my car and says that the ecu was completely replaced in 2004. would the new ECU have come pre flashed or should i still insist that they plug it in and check?

On a side note my wastegate put the stock boost up to between 7-8 what is the absolute highest i can go safely with an MBC.. Ive heard 10 but it honestly freaks me out to do any upping without some kind of reassurance...

My mods are: 2 3/4 turbo back exhaust catless, ATP wastegate, Injen CAI, custom fab hot side IC pipe with BLitz DD BOV

[Metallic36]

Trust your instincts on upping your boost.. wait until you have the supporting mods for that. I wouldn't go any higher than you already are just to be safe.

[mazdaspeedp]

yeah i wouldnt go higher and you should get a 3inch pipe but if your having trouble with your intercooler heat soak try spraying it down with water every time it starts to over heat and bog down i found that helps allot just a little mist here and there

[nottykat21]

So are you suggesting to pull over to the side of the road and spray down the IC everytime it gets hot, or spray it down on the engine start up, or like every few hours or so (assuming your on a long drive)?

[Metallic36]

I would save the extra effort and just upgrade to a FMIC.

[mazdaspeedp]

yeah it works good lol or you could just spend a bunch of money and get the intercooler and new pipes and maybe even a new turbo

[msp1986]

im definitely getting a fmic kit within the week.. i did have another question though? can someone explain what moving the MAF to the cold pipe does.. in theory wouldnt the pressurized air make it read wrong and differently than sitting in front of the turbo? and if i did this where would the other sensor that site in front of the MAF go?

[StealthWyvern]

im definitely getting a fmic kit within the week.. i did have another question though? can someone explain what moving the MAF to the cold pipe does.. in theory wouldnt the pressurized air make it read wrong and differently than sitting in front of the turbo? and if i did this where would the other sensor that site in front of the MAF go?

if you have any leaks before it wont affect the reading, and if you wanted to go with a BOV you wont have to worry about it stalling on you.