i am really wanting to make the p5 a little faster mine is stock(other than a k and n factory size replacement filter) and its a manual transmission and my friend has a new focus st (i know no way i am going to be near as fast) but it is making me itch to make the p5 even just a bit better off the line. what are some budget conscious ideas to give it a little more umph at take off?
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
suggestions on how to give the p5 more "pep in her step"
- Thread starter kms1990
- Start date
tweety2300
Member
- :
- 2001 mazda protege mp3
Save up for a turbo setup
If you don't want to turbo it then start with the mp3 flash
If you don't want to turbo it then start with the mp3 flash
- :
- Mazda, Protege5 2002
Save up for a turbo setup
If you don't want to turbo it then start with the mp3 flash
agreed, turbo is the best bang for buck...
thinks like intake and exhaust will give you nothing but a hole in your wallet
but in my opinion the best mod that i have done without any mod to the engine and great tires and LIGHT wheels
tweety2300
Member
- :
- 2001 mazda protege mp3
agreed, turbo is the best bang for buck...
thinks like intake and exhaust will give you nothing but a hole in your wallet
but in my opinion the best mod that i have done without any mod to the engine and great tires and LIGHT wheels
For a good set of light wheels you will be in the cost of turbo territory. Honestly he thinks the st is fast. MP3 flash fsze cams intake and full exhaust would make him more than happy. It's not like the st is super fast or anything
the st has 252 hp and 280 ft pounds of torque it gets up and goes especially for a ford focus and a 4 cylinder at that. the speed 3 and 6 are faster as well as the sti and evo but it is faster then my car and just makes me itch to get mine pepped up. his st will put you in the seat on take off. i really want a 90-96 nissan 300zx but all the good ones are still way too much and the maintenance on those is a PITA as the engine barely fits so no room. i am thinking about waiting until i graduate college here in about a year and when i find a decent job using the p5 as the commuter and finding something like a 300zx or a mazda speed ect to tinker with as a secondary car
icantshift
Member
- :
- 2002 Protege5 5spd
My bad intake made my car feel faster and sound meaner. High-flow exhaust too, even cat-back makes a difference. Other than the flow you can always try small engine mods if you feel like squeezing a bit more balls out of your N/A.
tweety2300
Member
- :
- 2001 mazda protege mp3
the st has 252 hp and 280 ft pounds of torque it gets up and goes especially for a ford focus and a 4 cylinder at that. the speed 3 and 6 are faster as well as the sti and evo but it is faster then my car and just makes me itch to get mine pepped up. his st will put you in the seat on take off. i really want a 90-96 nissan 300zx but all the good ones are still way too much and the maintenance on those is a PITA as the engine barely fits so no room. i am thinking about waiting until i graduate college here in about a year and when i find a decent job using the p5 as the commuter and finding something like a 300zx or a mazda speed ect to tinker with as a secondary car
And my. 323 making 190 whp left one sitting with its feelings hurt, he did a little better on the track though. Paper numbers mean nothing. I was looking at a 5.0 mustang and a dealer talked me into test driving one. Not sure where you get the sink you I'm the seat feeling. It does handle very well though. I highly recommend a speed 3
Pimpecoven
Member
- :
- 2002 Mazda Protege5
For a good set of light wheels you will be in the cost of turbo territory. Honestly he thinks the st is fast. MP3 flash fsze cams intake and full exhaust would make him more than happy. It's not like the st is super fast or anything
Just curious, how much does mp3 ECU run? And does it mess with gas mileage much?
I think SpicyOrange does flashes of the P5 manual ECU for $150. Then you either leave your car in the driveway for a few weeks or pick one up off a junked one. Or he said he'll throw in the ECU for another $100. But with that, you have to remove the intake VTCS (I think) butterflies and run premium fuel all the time. Keep that in mind. I'm thinking about it myself, but it wouldn't be until fall or winter at the earliest.
tweety2300
Member
- :
- 2001 mazda protege mp3
You can do a core charge and he will send you an ecu and return the money when he receives it back
You don't have to delete vtcs. The mp3 will not recognize it and it will not function runners will stay open all the time
You don't have to run premium. I regularly ran 87 in my mp3 with no issues for years. But I did get better mpg runing premium and definatly a power difference. I got 30-32 runing premium and 27-28 runing 87
You don't have to delete vtcs. The mp3 will not recognize it and it will not function runners will stay open all the time
You don't have to run premium. I regularly ran 87 in my mp3 with no issues for years. But I did get better mpg runing premium and definatly a power difference. I got 30-32 runing premium and 27-28 runing 87
tweety2300
Member
- :
- 2001 mazda protege mp3
yes it can when he punches it and yes i know paper numbers mean nothing but it is faster than my p5 is what i am saying and it makes me want to get something faster
If you want fast your best bet is to look for another car. Protege is not a racecar and not meant to be fast
You don't have to run premium. I regularly ran 87 in my mp3 with no issues for years. But I did get better mpg runing premium and definatly a power difference. I got 30-32 runing premium and 27-28 runing 87
Okay good to know. Just so I can compare to mine, how did you do before the MP3 ECU swap? I'm trying to determine if it's worth it for me to get it.
tweety2300
Member
- :
- 2001 mazda protege mp3
Okay good to know. Just so I can compare to mine, how did you do before the MP3 ECU swap? I'm trying to determine if it's worth it for me to get it.
We'll I had an actual mp3 so I couldn't tell you
tweety2300
Member
- :
- 2001 mazda protege mp3
yes i know the p5 is not meant to be fast, but i just want it to feel a bit faster. but that is my plan now i am just going to not mod the p5 and use that money to help save for a new car after i graduate college
Get some coil overs and a rear sway bar and leave him behind in the twisties. With a few suspension mods the protege will out handle an st with ease. Corvettes had a hard time keeping up with my mp3 on back roads only thing that put up a good fight was a 911. Most of it was driver mod though
Light weight fly wheel, ECU management, CF hood & trunk, cold air intake, headers, full 2.5" exhaust, JDM cams, adjustable cam gears, air con delete, methanol injection, light weight wheels, sticky rubber, lowering springs or coilovers,.....all of these or a combination will make your protg actually faster BUT not that much. Another "less costly"method would be to get 12.1 pistons and methanol injection. The BEST bang for you buck IMO would be shorter gearing, that would definitely make your protg ALOT more peppy (fact)......
Last edited:
tweety2300
Member
- :
- 2001 mazda protege mp3
I've never heard of any na car using meth. All it does is cool down intake temps
New Posts and Comments
- Replies
- 5
- Views
- 984
- Replies
- 10
- Views
- 469
- Replies
- 101
- Views
- 23K