Future P5 owner

Tuning Help

I plan to purchase a P5 in the summer. I was wondering if anyone could help regarding basic P5 tuning; where should I start? What are the best parts? HELP!!!!!
 
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Sorry at times the board can be rather slow on respones; sorry.

Basic tuning:

First it would be helpful to consider just what path you plan on taking. By this I mean are you pursueing a "dragster" or road course carver.

Course the basics which can be apply to both are intake, exhaust, springs/struts, and upgraded sway bars.

Now the intake has been known to void warrentys at picky dealerships, which is a crock. Intake should not void a entire warrenty as there is a law that basically says: Aftermarket parts that do not directly affect the failed part shall not void the warrenty on that part. So intake shouldnt affect the tranny etc.

Course you could also keep your stock box handy and when going to the dealership just swap the old box in there.

Exhaust. Many many choices, or you can spend the extra and get the Mazdaspeed one. Its a axle back so its not a full exhuast, but looks nice and gives it a nice growl. If possible do not let the dealer install this. It is super easy even for a beginner, plus gives you learning experiance on your car.

Springs/struts. These are also easy plus many around besides the Mazdaspeed. Might take alittle more installation skill to successfully complete it. However with proper instructions and tools its not to diffuclt if you take your time.
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Unfortunely to get any real power gains you are going to have to spend more than commonly found on other cars.
But power is not the strong side of the cars design. Its designed in my opinion to race on road courses. Where lots of power is not always a strong point.
 
What are the HP gains with the two basic upgrades, the intake and the exhaust?

I read the various 'tuner' magz, but they seem more interested in tuning the usual civic and rsx. Do you know of a mag that focuses on tuning Mazda be it paper or internet?
 
Oh, to answer your initial question, I plan to just tune for street purposes, you know, that occasional idiot at the light who thinks that just because you drive a P5 that he will just blow by you with his fancy V6. Little does he know.......
 
Overall combine the gains arent anything to really great. You *may* push more than 145 if that. But later down the road the gains will be more. Perhaps through in a set of custom cams and you could make it higher.

As far as mags, I'm not really sure. There are probably sites online that have some interest in the P5. I normally just read my dads Miata mag, which sometimes has other info on Mazdas.


V6s?? HA I'm challenge by many many V8s. Like what are they thinking!! Do we pose that much of a threat or do people think that I'm fast. I dunno, maybe its the insane speeds I take offramps and corners at
 
well in any NA car...the usual basics of power are the I H E combo...intake, header, exhaust combo is the first thing to look at...but even at that it will be hard to take some v6s...

hahah...v8s just need the assurance that they are fast...lol
 
I find it sad at times, that or perhaps a P5 with NOS or Turbo probably kept/beat them. Therefore they felt the need to take revenage on my completely stock P5.

Any ho it makes driving around town interesting, and actually rewarding when I can get one to pull over and discuss cars with.
 
Guys, I've found the intake and the exhaust that I want, but where in the world is the header? I've looked at everybody's website that is dedicated to tuning and nobody seems to have a header for the MP5. Maybe you can throw me some knowledge.
 
Good site for lot of FAQs on the Protege

FAQ, bookmark it

Be advise though that the header for the touring cars as mention does result in messing with your cats. As such it will not pass emmissons or even visual inspection in most states in the US.

And it may not be simple for a beginner to try and install and relocate everything.

Removal of the primary cat will confuse the heck out of the ECU, so you'll have to relocate the sensor. You can always weld them to the secondary cat, but again might want a shop to do this.

It will give you a good increase in HP, just going to be loud, little hard for a beginner and expensive if you cant find a decent shop.
 
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