To those in the know...What should I do?

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K. Soze

Member
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2003.5 Mazdspeed Protege
I'm looking for advice or general knowledge. I will be getting my car dyno tuned next spring and I hope to have it tuned at 11 or 12 psi. I know this is a questionable boost setting and let's face it...kinda scary.

My question is, what should I have to keep it as safe as possible? I am going to make sure I have the J&S Safeguard installed before I try this endeavor. I'm already running 9.5-10 psi right now. I'm a little nervous pushing it to 12 psi, but I thought I would get everyones opinion on what I should have to ensure I keep it as safe as possible.


Mods: (engine related)

Perrin FMIC
GHL Turbo-back
AEM Cold Air
SS AFC v.2
PG intake manifold, P&P
Greddy boost controller (so I can actually run 12 psi)
 
Get some 440cc WRX injectors and make sure the J&S is keeping things in order.

You really don't have much else to do, other than pray ;)
 
try copper one step colder plugs with a tight gap to help minimize the chance of detonation.
 
Oh yea, I have the NGK copper V-Power plugs (ZFR6F-11) gapped at .32

Praying is something I might have to do. I don't know if I have the balls to run 12 psi.
 
low_psi said:
Get some 440cc WRX injectors and make sure the J&S is keeping things in order.
Click to expand...
Larger injectors aren't really needed at that boost level. They won't hurt, but .. they really aren't necessary. Save the $150 and spend it elsewhere!
 
at the higher boost levels (or even stock for that matter), you really need to watch how you drive the car.

do not boost the s*** out of 5th gear.

do not over redline (biggie)

try to minimize driving at WOT... meaning dont go nuts 24/7





also, definitely make sure you have a good tune. you do not want any lean spots. the j and s is a good safeguard (hence the name!), definitely get it installed.

there is a sensitivity knob on the j and s unit. i would recommend staying on the more sensitive side just for precaution.
 
Seeing as you are getting dyno tuned, you might want to consider installing a progressive water/methanol injection system before doing so.
 
Make sure the dyno operator knows what he/she is doing, knows what ping sounds like. Take baby steps, dont just crank the boost and pray, go little by little to see if the car has enough fuel to support it. I have seens proteges take more, and I have also seen them blow at a lot less. Good luck.
 
I appreciate all the advice. I'm going to definitely take it slow. I know how fragile this car is. Boosting in 5th is a no-no, I drive like a grandpa most of the time, and I when I am WOT I try to not flirt with anything past redline. I've thought about water/meth, but have decided against it.

If the tuner gets to doing his thing and he tells me it might not be a smart idea to go that high with boost, I'll keep it conservative. 12 psi would be nice, but if I can get good numbers at 10 psi, so be it. BTW, I'll be taking it to P&L Motorsports in Franklin Park, IL. This was a suggestion by Ken and some of the other guys at Protege Garage.
 
Jorge at P&L is an awesome guy and an awesome tuner. Just make sure he knows that the unit does not tune in real time.
 
Forged internals are down the road. I'm talking about stock block.


Aric, I heard he was good. Ken and Jason were raving about him and the place. I feel if I have everything in place and get a good tune, I can make it last a while.
 
Why no meth? Are you the one that works for Labonte?



K. Soze said:
I appreciate all the advice. I'm going to definitely take it slow. I know how fragile this car is. Boosting in 5th is a no-no, I drive like a grandpa most of the time, and I when I am WOT I try to not flirt with anything past redline. I've thought about water/meth, but have decided against it.

If the tuner gets to doing his thing and he tells me it might not be a smart idea to go that high with boost, I'll keep it conservative. 12 psi would be nice, but if I can get good numbers at 10 psi, so be it. BTW, I'll be taking it to P&L Motorsports in Franklin Park, IL. This was a suggestion by Ken and some of the other guys at Protege Garage.
Click to expand...
 
I run 14 psi, stock engine.

Methanol, J&S, and basically all supporting mods. AFRs are at 10 - 10.8 at 14 psi, with no signs of detonation. Running 50/50 meth. Stock injectors.

I have 440's, but they weren't needed, as Rush said.
 
Do you think methanol helped you out a lot? I used to work for a water/meth company, but quit. I was always up in the air about it. I know all the benefits, but just don't know if I wanna do it.
 
I don't know if it so much helped, but there's no way in hell I'd run that much boost wihtout it. At lower psi, I think it actually may have bogged me down, but that was probably in the tune, and the meth controller settings. I played with the settings a bit, and when I have it come in later it works much better, so a lot of it is the tune I believe.

But man, with the meth, I can hit that switch, and nail 14 psi, and who ever I was playing with is usually bus lengths behind.
 
id go a stage colder in spark plugs and would install the 440cc injectors over 10 psi. its always better to run a lower duty cycle when you count on it the most. theres no point on going border line with the injectors. if the engine blows because one of the injectors fail or max out, then that was a engine failure you could of prevented.

id also think about a new turbo if your gonna go forged anyway later. lol
 
Last edited:
Rush said:
Larger injectors aren't really needed at that boost level. They won't hurt, but .. they really aren't necessary. Save the $150 and spend it elsewhere!
Click to expand...

Some people have logged 90%+ IDC at even 10psi. AFRs may be OK, but at 12psi the injectors are very overworked from the datalogs I have seen.
 
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