Just got a 2007 mazdaspeed6 and have questions

Ok, so I am not new to the world of turbos but I am new to the factory turbo and tuning world of Mazda though. The basics of turbo are simple, push as much cold boost into the engine as possible without blowing it up. Obviously ever motor has it limitations before rods crunch into little pieces but these motors seem built as well as the first gen DSM engines in the AWD talons/Eclipses. I think the only killer of this motor would be bad tuning, detonation, or a retarded owner who is trying to run too high boost without fuel (tuning, again!)

These are the first few things I noticed about the car and wanted to have some others chime in.

1. The factory intercooler is crap, basically worthless and probably causes MORE power loss than it presents for gains. It looks to be heat soaked almost instantly after start up and was designed poorly. Once I get time I will test how restrictive it is as I am willing to bet there is a large pressure drop between end tanks and the efficiency is probably non existent. It may almsot be better to just run the boost right to the intake manifold and bypss the intercooler. Thats how bad it looks to me!

2. The car is a fat pig and runs rich as can be. Most likely to combat detonation from the ridiculously hot air that the boiling turbo is pushing into the engine and the lack of a efficient intercooler.

3. The PCM is touchy and like to retard timing and opens the wastegate far too early. Car is slow to recover between shifts and the recirc BOV is REQUIRED for the PCM to work correctly. I wish they used a MAP sensor instead.

4. Intake system plumbing is junk and restrictive. Downpipe looks to be restrictive as well. I am willing to bet with a good downpipe and CAI this thing could make about 30+ more HP stock without any other mods.

5. I like the factory exhaust sound. So i will not be modding this, even if it yields a 7 HP gain. I can make that up through boost and other mods.

6. Handling seems sloppy but good. Car tends to want to drive like a FWD car, but its still very stable and predictable. It could use some stiffer springs, better shocks, some anti-roll bars, and sticker tires. But otherwise the suspension is very capable for factory and rides super nice!

7. Stock seats are worthless if you drive the car like it should be driven. Driving through the canyon my a$$ literally flew off the seat as I took a corner with momentum. Had there not been a door or center console to stop me I assure you I would have tumbled out the passenger side window. ;-)
These are on my list of first things to replace.

Overall its a good car with lots of potential. I see the ability to make something that can easily hang with Subaru and Mitsubishi on the straights but on a autocross track it will lose. Even with suspension. Its too fat, prone to drive like a FWD car, and not rigid enough. But its great as a fast soccer mom car for my fiance'



List of mods I am doing!!!! Any suggestions, input, etc. Please comment.

1. ATP fuel cut defender. Not sure how it works, but if someone has one please chime in. Also, do I need to run a boost controller with it, does it bypass the wastegate signal from the CPU. Please enlighten me about this item.

2. ATP downpipe. Self explanatory.

3. Mazdaspeed CAI. Preserve factory warranty as best as possible. Self explanatory. Looks nice too.

4. Look into a FMIC or Air to water intercooler. Anyone have a good suggestions here? I would prefer a FMIC but all I ahev found are custom fabrications that cost 1200 and up. That is not worth it IMHO because there is about a 40% profit in that.

5. BOV?? Anyone running more than 20 PSI with the stock one? It looks decent, but I bet it will leek at anything more than 18-19 PSI. Who has a dual mode BOV that runs recirc and VTA? How does the car run, what is your gas mileage like? Any hesitation, backfiring, lean conditions? Do you have track time slips and what mods are you suing with this BOV?

Thanks and sorry for the long post.

Nick

1. when you install a downpipe or maybe just an intake the boost raises too because of less restiction, and the ecu will induce a fuel/boost cut to correct it, the atp fuel cut defender stops that you that your car doesn't react weird when the boost is raised, I have it and it works wonderfully.

5. our factory bpv is made out plastic, come on! i have the hks ssqv and it's really good, i've tried it both vta and recirc and to tell you the truth it works better in recirc. although it doesn't sound as loud as vta, when its set up in vta it backfires and hesitates when i shift from 2nd to 3rd. my car still has the same fuel efficiency as stock.

hope it helps.

Why bother getting a Mazdaspeed CAI to keep the warranty when you plan on tearing everything else apart that will surely void the warranty?

My dealer is very "into" aftermarket goodies and sells cars already with non-Mazda aftermarket parts, but he suggest for basic principles at least getting a CAI that is Mazda since most dealer wont "look" for issues unless there is an issues. Unfortunately as soon as you pop the hood, the CAI is the first thing most tech will see.

They wont go looking for a T3-T4 ball bearing turbo with an external wastgate with a custom 4-1 exhaust manifold. ;-)

The sad thing is, intakes and exhaust are the basic things everyone, no matter how car savvy, already knows.

I can tell you if the tech looking at the vehicle even has a clue they will see a custom 4 into 1 and a totally different size turbo wastegate combo than what comes on the car..


As far a s calling the intercooler crap, look back 20 yrs to two other cars I own which also have an intercooler, they sit over the turbo as well==as long as you keep air incoming it works like it is supposed to yes it will get heatsoak- most do anyway. See CP-E
2... Yep it's rich, wouldn't call it a fat pig.. the knock sensor is there to pull the timing to keep from detonation.
3. Welcome to the internal combustion engine with Fuel Injection and a turbo. Even my 84 pulls so much timing to keep it safe it kills the fun..
4. Most are.. The intake system is built for quiet and yet function.. Take off the big box and silencer, remember this is the adult friendly version who has a family and wants to hear their radio, see the how to section or the search button...

5. If you do decide to do it read the files on our exhaust so you dont end up buying new bumper pieces..

6.yeah there is some understeer but hopefully you were happy with it before you bought it. At this point I am thinking you should have went for an STI or an EVO........
7. Well put your seatbelt on that will aid you in not sliding out of the seats.. Yeah they are not racing seats... I have had no problem and I like to take corners pretty quick..


8.. Good luck with all the money you are about to dump into your new car. If your going to go max hp on stock engine keep us posted I would like to knwo the limits. Personally just saving my pennies at this point wait til 50k and do it all at once starting with the Big Valve head. A BVH really wakes up the SVO and Turbocoupe can't be far off on these cars..

Well, my old Mitsubishi Starion had a better intercooler and larger turbo than this car. Does that count?

The knock sensor should pull timing, not add more fuel! That doesn't explain why the car runs ridiculously rich even when not in boost running closed cycle. Everyone should know that when running at part throttle the computer should use all sensors to compensate for the best A/F ration and only switched to closed loop at WOT. So, with that in mind, explain why it runs so fat ALL the time?

No engine should pull timing unless needed to prevent detonation.

As for the understeer, its not TOO bad but definitely noticeable, predictable however which is good. The car is still easy to handle.

I assure you I wear my seatbelt, I would have just liked to see seats more like the MS3 which have more side bolstering.

gerasimatos said:

My dealer is very "into" aftermarket goodies and sells cars already with non-Mazda aftermarket parts, but he suggest for basic principles at least getting a CAI that is Mazda since most dealer wont "look" for issues unless there is an issues. Unfortunately as soon as you pop the hood, the CAI is the first thing most tech will see.

They wont go looking for a T3-T4 ball bearing turbo with an external wastgate with a custom 4-1 exhaust manifold. ;-)

The sad thing is, intakes and exhaust are the basic things everyone, no matter how car savvy, already knows.

Click to expand...

I thought your dealer was making you hoping mad?

Did i state that Norco Mazda is my dealer? No.

gerasimatos said:

Did i state that Norco Mazda is my dealer? No.

Click to expand...

actually..you kind of did. (lol2)

gerasimatos said:

Went to Norco Mazda today and had their service department look over my car, brand new MS6 with 500 miles on the odometer. I advised them I wanted the clutch adjusted, the CEL looked at, and to look into my loss of power in the car. It feels really slow as compared to my friends MS3 and even compared to my 2007 Audi 2.0T which has 74 HP less and weigh about the same.

First, let me say my service advisor is an A-hole and I will not be bringing my car back to them. No offense to the dealer as a whole, but their service department is seriously lacking in technical ability.

The service advisor told me that there is no way to adjust the clutch since its hydraulic. I printed off and showed him the thread that shows how to do it and he advised if I modified the clutch I would be violating the warranty!!! WHAT!!! You MUST be joking!

Secondly, he said the CEL was not stored since I reset the battery. So, next time it comes on I guess I need to drop everything I am doing and drive straight there. Pshhhht. Whatever. let me stop my life to visit the freaking dealer........ I don't think so.

Lastly, he denied that their is a TSB regarding loss of power and said that I didn't need to update my PCM. Funny thing is, he didn't even look to see what revision I was running. Basically, he ignored me and offered a free car wash and said if I have any other issues to "come on back". Right. I will do that........ NOT!

So, anyone in the So Cal area that knows of a COMPETENT dealer. Can you make a recommendation please! My car doesn't seem to be running right, I just dropped an a$$ load of cash on it (4000.00 cash plus the 2500.00 rebate) only to get a slug with a bright yellow CEL and a stiff clutch that "cannot" be adjusted.

Needless to say. I am starting to wish purchased a different car.

Click to expand...

(rofl2)

Let me rephrase my statement then.

"THE" service advisor was an A-hole.

The stock BOV is weak. It can and has leaked with stock boost.

Don't get the fuel cut defender. Save up and get the CP-E Standback.

Downpipe: The ATP downpipe is nice. I have new CP-E catless DP that I could make you a deal on.

If you don't want to get a FMIC designed for the Speed6, you can get an intercooler and standard IC piping kits that will work for around $700.