Bogging down problem

[slow 3]

Hello, I tried searching for an issue similar to mine, but I couldn't find anything.

Anyways, I have a 2008 Mazda 3 2.0l automatic and I am having some problems with it. The only true performance parts I have on the car is a Fuijita cold air intake, and a corksport catback exhaust. My issue is that when I am driving it seems like the RPMS stick at 2K. If I punch the gas the RPMS will pop up again. Also, when the RPMs stick, the car bogs down and it sounds like crap and I can't go anywhere (car also seems sluggish and idle is low). I have a CEL saying my MAF is running to rich. I have changed the MAF sensor before and the problem is still there. I have also checked the wires for the MAF and they are all good. My question is do you think since I am allowing more air into the engine, it is trying to compensate by dumping more fuel? Which in return would cause it to bog? I wanted to ask around before I spend more cash on a data logger to check my AFRs. Any insight on this problem is much appreciated.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[MZ3SPORTRUE]

bump! im curious to know the answer! wish i could help

 

[slow 3]

lol so am I!!!! If any one can answer it it would be fantastic!!

 

[MZ3SPORTRUE]

lol yeah. well...... i have read that the fujita has 3" piping which is the biggest cai (tubing) you can get, and i heard that will lose some low end but pull hard on the top end. i think maybe thats what your experience, is that bog kind of thing in the low end but all is well in the top end.

as far as the cel goes, is there any water sitting in the tube that maf maybe picking up?

besides the early rpm bog, how does your intake and catback feel, pull alot harder? big difference in power?

 

[slow 3]

Well before I had this CAI.. I had a Simota SRI and I was having a problem with that one as well. I have a AEM bypass valve on the intake so that would take care of the water issue if any. When I really hammer on the throttle, the car likes to go. The intake and catback both sound really nice and I believe I have a slight increase in power (never dynoed it). The catback has such a nice tone to it as well.. low rumble when the RPMs are lower and sounds better when you start to accelerate.

 

[MZ3SPORTRUE]

well i heard, that a bypass valves actually restrict a ton of airflow so its almost defeats the purpose of the cai because of them. (thats what i heard)

do you have any videos of your car? when you said the car wants to "go" is it definitely noticeable, way more than stock?

 

[slow 3]

Yeah, you can def feel more power than if you were just driving stock.. I don't have any Vids of the car.. however I can take some and post them up

 

[MZ3SPORTRUE]

you def shood man! i would love to hear ur setup. the corksport sounds nice!

 

[slow 3]

One idea I had was to cut a hole somewhere that would allow more air flow.. since the filter is by the wheel well and there is not a good spot around there that has a lot of air (since there is plastic all around it). I was thinking on cutting a hole (just a small one) on either the bottom of the car or taking out the fog light to allow more rushing air to enter into the filter

 

[MZ3SPORTRUE]

you can try it, but i dont think that would be much of a problem. but........you would let more water be able to come in from the hole you made risking water in your filter. (if im thinking of the whole in the location your talkin about lol)

 

[slow 3]

Lol yeah the water thing is the thing that's stoping me

 

[hat1018]

So, from a standing start it bogs a 2k rpm? Everytime? btw I would not recomend cutting any holes in metal structure that stuff needs to be there, plastic parts maybe but as was mentioned before that could cause a water issue. I don't think this is an intake(mfg.) problem. But then again I am no expert either. The bump may help draw in a more knowledgable member. Hey heres a thought, have you reset the ECU? Just spit-ballin, to see what sticks...lol.

 

[slow 3]

I wasent going to cut into any metal lol.. And yeah I reset the ECU before multiple times lol.

 

[joshritger]

I have an 07 Mazda 3 hatch with the Automatic Transmission and I just installed the corksport intake, I have noticed a slight drop in power in the low end, ie around the point you are talking about. I notice it most when going up a hill from a stand still. When I take of and can keep in the power band I am fine. Also I noticed a larger throttle response when around 3000 rpms or higher.

Thanks,
Josh

 

[bbrich57]

I'm clutching at straws here (guessing,) but mine had a similar problem which got worse... lots worse before I had to have it fixed.
It did turn out to be the MAF, but the first one replaced did not solve the problem. I had to have a second one installed (warranty.) But all this did occur not long after I installed my Mazdaspeed CAI. The service tech said one had nothing to do with the other, but I think some of these MAF's are just too sensitive.
I had a similar problem 6 months later that turned out to be the evaporative fuel purge valve. The car began to feel much the same as it had when the MAF started to go bad, but I didn't wait to have this one looked at.
These cars do tend to run rich anyways. They would run much better if they could be leaned out a bit.
As for creating a hole to allow more air.... I wouldn't do it if I wuz U. I think that would be asking for more trouble than you bargained for. The ECU will try to compensate and when it realizes that the air intake is greater than it's range to adjust, it will likely put you in limp mode. Plus you take a change of letting dirty air into the engine which will certainly kill it before it's time.

 

[MZ3SPORTRUE]

well one thing i know for sure about Mazda 3s, short ram intakes make you lose low end and seems as if your car kinda "bogs" but u feel better in the top end! i heard most cais lose a little bit of low end but its not very noticable! ( dont quote me on the cai part lol (peep) )

 

[hat1018]

Hang on a tick. Am I wrong or does a Mass Air Flow Sensor read air flow, and not whether a rich or lean condition exists much like an oxygen sensor? So after we answer that question we can say that the cel is more likley low air flow, right? Still not an answer, just more questions, I know. I am trying to work this out.

 

[bbrich57]

To my way of thinking, it's the combination of all the sensors input that the ECU uses to determine which fuel map to use.
I don't know for sure either. 'Just an educated guess.

 

[hat1018]

I think you may be right. A combo platter of bad readings and boom cel. Makes sense, but why? Intake, I would say no because others would have the same issue. Maybe that bypass valve thing? Get rid of that and see what she does.

 

[slow 3]

I know we are all raddling our brains on this one (I know I have been for a while now). I Think your right on not cutting a hole (allowing dirt in the intake is a bad thing lol). Also, thats bypass valve was recently put on. I was running it without it and whether it is on or off still did not make a difference with the bogging issue. I can buy another MAF and see if it will make a difference (sometimes parts are bad from the vendor so I could have easily gotten another bad MAF). And I did take this to the dealer and have asked them to check the fuel pump and make sure everything is on the up and up, so im pretty sure it has something to do with the MAF not liking the CAI. I would put the stock air box on, but me being me, I like to figure out why its not working and to solve the problem incase anyone else comes accross this.

Anyways, I also want to say thanks to everyone who is attepting to help me out with this problem!!!