Looking for low-end power

[Serjical]

Hey,
I just installed a CAI a couple of weeks ago, and noticed the loss of low-end power that I was warned about... I'm not liking it. I just want a little bit more push off the line, instead of slowly crawling to a get-go. I don't want to push it into 4000 RPM each time I want to zoom zoom, you know? If anyone knows which mods will give you some more low-end power, I'm all ears.
Thanks,
Chris

 

[J dragon]

Do you have an AT or M?

A header would help, followed by some cams

 

[protege02]

go back to stock, try a sri, and i dont know what else works.

 

[blueprotegelx]

i was in the same search and still am...i have sri, header and catback and still lookin for low end power. depending on ya budget ya may just wanna look into a turbo kit. haha. but u posted this in the n/a section so your prolly not lookin for that kind of answer! i completely understand that. i think get yourself a header, udp, front awr engine mount and a set of cams and you should be decently impressed. it'll be better than stock, but if your like me you'll get adapted to it and want more.

 

[Serjical]

Yeah, sadly, I am driving an AT. I was considering the Wagner Shorty Header since the group buy is going on right now, but I don't know... thanks for the input everyone. And trust me, if I had the money, turbo would be my first priority.

 

[Gen1GT]

I honestly doubt you've lost any low-end. Because of your increased upper RPM breathing, it just seems sluggish down low in comparison now.

Anyways, if you want torque, anything you can do to increase volumetric efficiency will help first of all. Which means I/H/E WILL increase torque. Underdrive pullies will 'free' up some hp/tq too. But if you're looking for more hp/tq in the 1500-3000RPM region, your best bet is adjustable cam gears. Something in the region of +4 intake and +6-8 on the exhaust will move the power band down a bit, especially since you're decreasing overlap.

Be warned though, moving your powerband down will make your car slower, even though it FEELS faster.

 

[changedman]

agreed. any loss would be marginal.

 

[Serjical]

I seriously doubt that the loss from the intake is as small as you guys are saying. But even before I got it, I was hoping for more low-end power. I know the intake wasn't the best way to achieve that, but I'm hoping to mod as much as I can, and I figured that intake was the best way to start. Anyways, thanks for the input.

 

[scorch70]

Hey,
I just installed a CAI a couple of weeks ago, and noticed the loss of low-end power that I was warned about... I'm not liking it. I just want a little bit more push off the line, instead of slowly crawling to a get-go. I don't want to push it into 4000 RPM each time I want to zoom zoom, you know? If anyone knows which mods will give you some more low-end power, I'm all ears.
Thanks,
Chris

UDP, lightweight flywheel would be my picks.

 

[blueprotegelx]

what kind of flywheel would u all recommend? and what about cams? from my understanding no one has bought the wagner cams or atleast bought them and dynoed them, have they? i may be wrong....

 

[protege02]

what kind of flywheel would u all recommend? and what about cams? from my understanding no one has bought the wagner cams or atleast bought them and dynoed them, have they? i may be wrong....

someone proved that the cams are legit for at least 20whp on an auto tranny. so it is likely to reach the 26whp increase with the cams on a manual transmission. also, with 20whp it wasn't tuned. it's about a $1200 mod, but here is the link. http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=105802

 

[Lord_Zath]

He proved that cams, midpipe, and untuned cam gears were good for 20 whp. So there were other factors adding to the 20whp.

For the auto, I'd recommend looking into getting an SRI as well as an Underdrive pulley. The reason SRI over CAI (this has been debated far too many times) is that personally I don't plan on turbo'ing the car or doing anything major to where heatsoak would be such a big deal. SRI means shorter distance air travels into engine which means faster throttle response. Plus no worries about puddles of water.

Also, did you re-set your ECU?

LZ
Z

 

[Aricjm15]

you dont want to push it to 4000rpm??? these engines dont make ANY power untill 3500, and they peak around 5500-6000rpm.
Almost anything you do to these engines will make more power up top, turbo = top end power, cams = more top end power
to make more power for an NA engine you need to get more revs and more air, the cams would give you alittle more mid range power, but I'm pretty sure there will be almost no gain down low, and alot of gain up top.
short of getting a custom roots type blower, you will not get any more low end power than what you have now

also dont be afraid to rev the snot out of your car while driving it, mazda programed the tranny to shift at a very safe spot, taking it to 6500rpm will not hurt

 

[Aricjm15]

hahaha I jsut remembered somthing
you could get a set of cam gears and set it so your cams are FULL ADVANCE
when you advance the timing of your cams the power band moves LOWER in the revs, 5 degrees and that thing would probably pull like a mad b**** at 2000rpm, but with that you lose all of your top end power

 

[Mad Hatter]

Sounds like the power loss was a ecu thing. did you reset the ecu? If you did, you need to drive the car hard for a week after resetting. You should notice the power again after a few hundred miles. But remember drive it hard. Happens to me whenever I reset my ecu as well. Feels very doggy, comletele might and day difference. Let us know if this works for ya.

 

[twilightprotege]

yep, reset ecu no 1.
2. udp
3. cam gears.

but like josh said, i'd be very very very suprised if you lost any low down power. with all of my mods i've lost maybe 1-2whp under 3000rpm tops. it's all relative and it just feels slower down low because you're faster up high.

also, keep the cai. an sri wont gain you any more low end power.

 

[Mad Hatter]

yep, reset ecu no 1.
2. udp
3. cam gears.

but like josh said, i'd be very very very suprised if you lost any low down power. with all of my mods i've lost maybe 1-2whp under 3000rpm tops. it's all relative and it just feels slower down low because you're faster up high.

also, keep the cai. an sri wont gain you any more low end power.

Correct me if I am wrong, but when you restet the ecu, the car will feel a ton slower than before you reset the ecu. It usaually takes a few days, to feel normal again.? This is what happens when I reset mine. Can't break the wheels loose from a dead stop for a good few days, and the car lags bad.

 

[blueprotegelx]

hahaha I jsut remembered somthing
you could get a set of cam gears and set it so your cams are FULL ADVANCE
when you advance the timing of your cams the power band moves LOWER in the revs, 5 degrees and that thing would probably pull like a mad b**** at 2000rpm, but with that you lose all of your top end power

would this really work? im not worried about top end, what would u mean it'd take away top end? how much? i'd kinda rather have off the line go power...lol

 

[Aricjm15]

I did it with my 86 chrysler laser, advance the cam 5 degrees and it pulled like mad at 2000 rpm, but after that it fealt kinda crappy, but the turbo kinda made up for that
I cant remember, but there was a kindof a not so general rule that said every degree moved the powerband by 500rpm
so if you advance both of the cams at the same time you will move the powerband lower in the rev range, like 2 degrees would bring it down 1000rpm,
with most dual overhead cam engines though you would want to advance one cam and retard the other to get more overlap, I'm not to sure how much you would do for a protege though

BUT, if you do advance both, your upper RPM's will be pretty useless, would be kinda gay I think to have your power fall off after 4500rpm

 

[toucci]

you'd probably save a lot of gas though, right? not having to rev to get power...