mazdaspeed protege Engine Swap ideas...
- Thread starter Alejo_NIN
- Start date
hornsfan10609
Certified Mazda Tech
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- 2003.5 Mazdaspeed Protege x2
A properly built MSP would outrun a modded MS3 easily
protege3690
Member
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- 2003.5 MSP #290
this is true, unfortunately not too many people willing to have the down time to build the engine, and then build the tranny (still risk cracking the case) and tune it. that's about 10-12k just in parts
Fact of life, and also my constant debate. Why drop 10 to 12 K on an MSP when I could just buy a newer faster car? The answer I come to is..... how many MSP's have you seen since owning yours.....shoot most people think it's an Evo and I for sure take pride in having a car most people know nothing about or let alone steal because the market for parts is blooming. Hope I'm making sense. I've owned the MSP for less than a year now and have already spent money on an lsd, smic upgrade, hardpipes, bpv, miscellaneous sensors, megasquirt, coils, wires, sparkplugs, gauges, clunk fix bracket, DocB oil pump, spare head, spare block, timing belt, GT28R, and the list goes on. I'm afraid to add up how much $$$ I've already spent on less than a year of ownership.
tweety2300
Member
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- 2001 mazda protege mp3
Yes, my 323 making 200~whp would slightly pull on a stock one. But look at what the ms3 can take compared to the msp. Plenty of people have seen 500whp on stock motor and trans. Do that with a protege, he'll sink $2,000 into an ms3 and you will be mid 300's- low 400 whp depending where you spend the money. If I could have found a stock one with low miles I would have gotten it instead of a regular mazda 3 after my protege threw a rod.
And by plenty I mean 8 that I saw 2 years ago when I was looking and doing research. And those were daily driven iirc
Edit not to mention one of the biggest things they have on the protege is they don't run 3500+ rpms on interstate
After owning a third protege u can easily make the protege put out the same power for the same money as a speed 3 depending how you spend your money and if ur paying somebody to put it together protege becomes extremely expensive but when your doing it yourself its a different ball game what the ms3 doesn't have is a light and tight body and great handling capabilities which the msp does even though its slow in a straight away it power is easily built up at the same time its no cheaper to mod an ms3 cuz build the block and head will cost you the same depending on the quality of the parts... For instance lets say ur budget is 10 grand if u bought a speed3 7500-8000 its at the range where it will need the engine built and other things but if u bought a protege just built the block left the head alone which can be done for 1500 to 2000 grand a haltech is 2500 and a custom built downpipe and fmic other necessities another 1500 definitely will faster then any car for 10 grand.... The problem with the msp is when people start modding them they don't really have a plan
tweety2300
Member
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- 2001 mazda protege mp3
Do more research. There's no need to build the ms3. Gt35, fmic,standalone,fuel pump,injectors, intake and exhaust, boost controller and it will hold 500whp. To make that with a protege you will need to build it. Them the trans can't hold more than 300-350 unless you build that as well but that's $10k. Now we will be nice and say it will hold 400whp the 100whp the ms3 makes will more than make up for the extra 400lbs
I will say the msp not only looks better and handles better but the build quality is also better. I own a mazda 3 and it's on par with china quality . But the motors are 25years apart and the motor in the ms3 is actually meant to make power.
I agree with you... The msp can never be at its full potential because nobody has taken it there in the aftermarket world there has not been enough support from the protege owners i mean mfactory came out with a gear set that help us put down great power nobody is stepping up to the plate when its not that expensive
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tweety2300
Member
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- 2001 mazda protege mp3
Because no one wants to spend the money to forge the motor of a 15 year old car in order to make enough power to be able to break the trans. No one wants to start on a project that has a weak motor and trans from the get go, therefore no one builds them which means no one is buying parts
It's all about supply and demand no money in making parts that no one will buy
This might sound crazy but you brought up all the reasons why I bought the MSP. After having one car stolen, another one with a failed attempt to be stolen, owning a car like the MSP is a dream. No one is gonna want to steal it. There is no market for it, cars get stolen when they know they can dump the parts immediately, shoot 90% of the time a modified stolen car has "customers" lined up to purchase the parts. That will never happen with an MSP.
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tweety2300
Member
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- 2001 mazda protege mp3
Depends on the person. Some people steal for joyrides. That would make the msp a perfect target
Most people still don't know anything about the MSP..... another thing I love about it
tweety2300
Member
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- 2001 mazda protege mp3
I have a 323 gtx Most people have never heard of it and think it's an escort with spoilers
Most people thought my mp3 was a wrx
Most people thought my mp3 was a wrx
KrayzieFox
Member
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- 01 MP3 Turbo
+1, I get it all the time.. especially out here in the NW where every other car is a Subaru.
So far two of my neighbors thought my MSP was an Evo. I wish lol.
