How much power/performance will these mods do to my cx5 gt?

Zf_cxagm10

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Coming soon: Most likely a Mazda
Hello everyone, I recently got my 2017 cx5 GT premium and love it! However I'm thinking in the next couple months to mod my cx5 to make it a little faster and go around bends a little quicker with less body roll and I would like to have some input as to how much power/performance/or if these are even worth doing.

Here's the list (I'm open for others to recommend me some others too)!

-Corksport exhaust
-Corksport SRI
-Rear sway bar (need recommendation for a top manufacturer)
-Front Strut Tower bar (maybe)
-Lowing springs (Corksport or H&R)
 
I think the Corksport exhaust and SRI will drop you to sub 5 second 0-60 times and the suspension mods will allow you to out corner a 911 around Nrburgring.

Sorry, just being cheeky. I don't thing the Corksport stuff will do more than sound better. Honestly, their exhaust looks very easy to install and the sound appears 100% better. Not sure if it fits the 2017 though.

The suspension mods I think have more bang for the buck and most threads have reported very positive results. But some of these end up being more difficult to install and start requiring other mods. Check out posts from Chris-top to find out more.
 
Have you already changed the tires? That's probably the best bang for the buck "performance mod" for any car.
 
I would delete the second cat at a muffler shop and then get a racing beat axle-back.

For cornering mods:
-camber plates
-front and rear sway bar
-coilovers such as BC racing
-stickier wider tires

Next, get an ECU tune. Remap the transmission if you find someone to do it. If you can find someone to install Catless headers in your car there is good sound and power to be gained from that if you tune the ECU.
 
I laughed...

The intake and exhaust mods might add 'some' more go, but in the end you are limited by what the car has and what the ECM/ECU is programmed to provide. Sure, the engine is an air pump and the more efficiently you can get air in and out, the potential for more power will be there. However there are LOTS of other factors affecting horsepower numbers.

More air means more fuel, but your fuel injectors can only provide soo much more based on ECU programming as you begin to reach the upper limits of all things in the fueling/ignition system. There is a limit to adding power to a N-A engine with basic bolt-ons, even with chip tuning. And the list is bigger than this as there are a lot of parts that make up the power potential.

It is not as simple as adding a bigger carb, changing the jets, adjusting the timing, like days gone by, to get more power.

Even though these mods will get you a bit more power (not sure where in the rpm range) and potentially add to your skid-pad numbers, it is tough to say without a base line. No 1/4 times. No slalom or figure-8 numbers. No Solo I/II; AutoX times. No dyno numbers. Without a baseline, it is tough to say. Sure, it may be faster, but by how much?

As mentioned above, better tires will help. However, all the power/grip in the world is only as good as the person behind the wheel. I'd look into some sort of driving school, and if you are close to a major race track, chances are high there is a school there. You don't need a racing school, just a driving school like Skip Barber, Bondurant, or similar. Multi-day is best.

I'm near the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and here is a link to their driving school page - http://midohio.com/more-news-a-announcements/576-the-mid-ohio-school-s-2018-course-dates

Have fun and enjoy the drive.

(drive2)
 
Agreed. Tires, and driving school. And in some cases, a diet -- my wife is 50-70 pounds lighter than me, depending on my ice cream intake, and will be faster all else being equal.
 
Its true. With an ecu tune this engine will quickly make respectable power.

50 pounds would barely make any difference. You can go faster by making basic modifications to your driving style and entering a corner slightly differently. Good tires and some driver skill go a very long way. The best way to learn is gradually, within your own limits under a variety of circumstances.

With that being said, I think the biggest let down during hard cornering is the stock open differential. Those of you with FWD models should look into having a custom front differential done.
 
Sell the CX-5 and buy a street legal track car, it will run better & cheaper in the end. And I'd bet a modded cx5 would sell for less then kelly blue book low end value... only new jeeps increase in value from being modified. ... hell could have bought a near perfect 1969 Camaro for less then a new fully loaded cx5, or two 10 year old Corvettes... that last line I've told myself a few times ... but I'm getting older, and I know a car with 800 pound front leather motorized seats would need to go if I'd go the route you're thinking, and I'm keeping my seats... but getting a 10 year old vett for $20k sounds fun ... no body says we can't own more then one car ...
 
I laughed...

The intake and exhaust mods might add 'some' more go, but in the end you are limited by what the car has and what the ECM/ECU is programmed to provide. Sure, the engine is an air pump and the more efficiently you can get air in and out, the potential for more power will be there. However there are LOTS of other factors affecting horsepower numbers.

More air means more fuel, but your fuel injectors can only provide soo much more based on ECU programming as you begin to reach the upper limits of all things in the fueling/ignition system. There is a limit to adding power to a N-A engine with basic bolt-ons, even with chip tuning. And the list is bigger than this as there are a lot of parts that make up the power potential.

It is not as simple as adding a bigger carb, changing the jets, adjusting the timing, like days gone by, to get more power.

Even though these mods will get you a bit more power (not sure where in the rpm range) and potentially add to your skid-pad numbers, it is tough to say without a base line. No 1/4 times. No slalom or figure-8 numbers. No Solo I/II; AutoX times. No dyno numbers. Without a baseline, it is tough to say. Sure, it may be faster, but by how much?

As mentioned above, better tires will help. However, all the power/grip in the world is only as good as the person behind the wheel. I'd look into some sort of driving school, and if you are close to a major race track, chances are high there is a school there. You don't need a racing school, just a driving school like Skip Barber, Bondurant, or similar. Multi-day is best.

I'm near the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and here is a link to their driving school page - http://midohio.com/more-news-a-announcements/576-the-mid-ohio-school-s-2018-course-dates

Have fun and enjoy the drive.

(drive2)


Hello,

Unfortunately, the link to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is not working. I've found a couple of reviews here
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attract...id_Ohio_Sports_car_course-Lexington_Ohio.html and https://drivingschoolnear.me/, but I'm not sure... My sister is insisting on a driving school, because (she says), I'm too old to walk :) There're 20+ local driving schools in my area, but I can't decide which to choose. I was in a good shape a couple of years ago, but now, I gained 50 pounds I guess just sitting at home doing nothing.

Terry
 
I have the CS springs and sway bar and I can tell you, that my car is a gocart(read no suspension travel). But man it's fun, when I take corners. Not fun, when I bottom out though, which rarely happens.
 
Almost inevitably, lowering springs will increase ride stiffness, depending upon the spring rate. I did this with both my cars and because the MX5 springs dropped the car less than did the Eibachs in my 3, the 3 rides stiffer than the MX5. Handling is superb but I'm the only one in my family who thinks the improved handling is worth the ride degradation. Just keep that in mind. My old MX6 GT Turbo had electronically controlled dampening shocks that stiffened at higher speeds (normal setting), stayed soft on the Soft setting, and was always stiffer using the Sport setting. This is different in that the Koni shocks in my cars are not really the reason for the ride difference; it is the difference in spring rates that affect the ride the most.
 
Almost inevitably, lowering springs will increase ride stiffness, depending upon the spring rate. I did this with both my cars and because the MX5 springs dropped the car less than did the Eibachs in my 3, the 3 rides stiffer than the MX5. Handling is superb but I'm the only one in my family who thinks the improved handling is worth the ride degradation. Just keep that in mind. My old MX6 GT Turbo had electronically controlled dampening shocks that stiffened at higher speeds (normal setting), stayed soft on the Soft setting, and was always stiffer using the Sport setting. This is different in that the Koni shocks in my cars are not really the reason for the ride difference; it is the difference in spring rates that affect the ride the most.

Wtf? Never knew mx6 had that. Or did you add it? Tein has a ser of coils for the cx5 you can adjust on the fly
 
Wtf? Never knew mx6 had that. Or did you add it? Tein has a ser of coils for the cx5 you can adjust on the fly

It was OEM, not aftermarket. In fact, when they started wear out enough to be noticeable, I found out that the replacement cost was about $1200 at set + installation, so I went with KYB shocks.
This generation of MX6 (88-91, I believe) also had 4-wheel steering as an option. My car didn't have that but some of the car magazines during that time ranked the MX6 GT as among the best handling coupes.At one point I bought a modified ECU box (deleted the boost limiter), made a boost controller, and set the boost to about 10 psi instead of the factory's 6 psi. It made a significant difference. I think each psi increase raised HP by 10. I then added a triple gauge pillar pod with boost pressure, oil pressure and temperature gauges. Eibach springs and shortened bump stops gave it a nice stance that made the car stand out.

Eventually, gasket leaks that were costly to repair, and drivability issues forced me to sell the car in 2014 after 17 years of ownership. Not having airbags was also a concern.
 
Oh ok that makes sense, you did say turbo gt. I was thinking of the next gen probe/mx6 variant. That's pretty neato.
 
Yes, I did know either. I used to have a 94 MX6-LS.

That's the version I was thinking aabout. I forgot the previous gen had the 2.2? Turbo

4545e9328a8aa2b53859f9597b1c45c0.jpg
 
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Oh ok that makes sense, you did say turbo gt. I was thinking of the next gen probe/mx6 variant. That's pretty neato.

All of my car's generation had turbos from the factory, as did the Ford Probe equivalent.1989 Mazda MX6 GT.jpg

This looks almost exactly like the one I had.
 
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