ms3 newbie needs advice!

[MrJon]

Hey all,

Just got an 08.5 black mica ms3. I plan on modding it a bit and need some advice as to where I should start with intake, exhaust etc.

-should I go with a cat back or turbo back? Is there much to gain with turbo back? any personal video files would be great.

-any suggestions with intake? I've seen a lot out there, but I dont know what works best with the ms3.

Thanks in advance.

 

[jam_asian85]

The BEST advice I can give is, to go and have a word with both your service advisor and master speed tech @ your local dealership and find out if they are mod friendly.

 

[AAMguy]

-i would honestly go with just a downpipe and midpipe, suprisingly the stock exhaust is 2.5 mandrel bent and i have seen only minimal hp increase with a catback.

-the intake is pretty much up to you, i know most will say cobb but i am running the hks sri and made 255whp and 270lbs with just that mod.

but congrats on the purchase and happy modding!

 

[mike8748]

Upgrades

The first 3 things you should get:
1. An intake, I have the COBB SRI and I love it.
2. New motor mount or inserts (I have the CorkSport motor mount inserts and they do the job just fine, I am very pleased w/ them)
3. New BPV, the stock is know for leaks. As soon as I upgraded mine I noticed an improvement right away. I got the Forge Motorsport BPV. BOV are not recommended for our cars.

You will notice a considerable difference when driving your car after these upgrades. You will not be disappointed.

I would not worry about the Catback, it is mostly a sound difference.
I researched before I did each upgrade.
I always looked for performance gains not sound gains.
Although I do not have a down pipe yet I have heard that is where the biggest gains come from.
Go w/ the Turboback exhaust (downpipe+racepipe) keeping your stock exhaust.

Then go w/ upgraded intercooler, EMS or MBC w/ MAP clamp.

Good luck and have fun!

ETS 3.5 TMIC, COBB SRI, COBB Shifter weight, TWM Shifter bushings, Forge BPV, SU boost tubes, Custom Silicone Turbo Inlet, TB bypass mod, CorkSport Racepipe, CorkSport Motor mount inserts, COBB AP, MSD DashHawk

 

[lestat13]

I agree with what everyone is saying and here is my advice.

1. Get an intake. MS6s have hydrolocked, so I say stay away from CAI and go SRI, but people will argue this to death

2. corksport motor mount inserts. I never excepted they would make such a huge drastic difference in the way the car feels and behaves. Just make sure to use lock-tite the first time

3. Downpipe/midpipe is fantastic! The sounds are nice and the gains are fantastic. I can't go full throttle in first and second gear anymore cause I lose traction.... sometimes third to. Even with my mm inserts which are suggestion #2 from me.

4. As far as the stock bpv goes, I have run aftermarkets in full vta, 50/50 and full recirculate. Right now I have a greddy type-s in full recirculate. Honestly, 50/50 drives fine and bpv drives flawlessly. Even tuned correctly, bovs in vta make your car run like sh!t, especially if you don't plug the recirc tube like you are supposed to.

5. Get a dashhawk. This should be #1, go get one now. If you ever map clamp, make sure you get a REAL boost gauge cause the dashhawk will read what the ecu thinks its seeing, not what its really seeing

My next major mods are fmic and cobb ap.

You should now be equipped with enough power and noises to make you very very happy and make some evo owners very very angry. Just don't go from a dig, but def take anything rolling!

Congrats on the car!

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

Show me proof the stock BPV leaks. I hear this all the time and there is no proof. It may only hold boost to a certain level (deliberately) but wouldnt call that a leak. Same as our turbos are built to with stand 18.5 continuous PSI of boost but rarely put that down, you most commonly see 14.5 - 15.5

 

[lestat13]

Someone on here posted proof, and I have heard from people that after 20-30k miles their stock valve doesn't hold as much boost as if used to. Besides, aftermarket gives you the ability to customize your sound along with insurance that you are holding full boost

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

And how long till those non warrantied aftermarket BPV's or hybrid BOV's stop working or come to find out there is long term damage to a 50/50 recirc when it really needs to the 100%? My BPV starts to leak Mazda will replace it. The dash hawk will show the loss in boost pressure.

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

Oh, dont read a tone there. I am really curious about all that and the long term. I hate when people sound argumentative on the forums and they really dont mean to be...

 

[phantom6294]

<snip>My BPV starts to leak Mazda will replace it. The dash hawk will show the loss in boost pressure.

I've been struggling with what seems to be lower than expected boost levels according to my DashHawk; though it is at times intermittent. Everything I've read says 15.6 PSI is what we should be seeing (and I assume +/- some amount for variations in the sensor, etc.) At times, in 3rd+ gear, I can't seem to hold more than 14 PSI of boost; the other day running through 3rd, it never went above 12.xx PSI.

My concern is... how does one go about approaching a dealer about the loss of a few PSI in boost suspected to be caused by a leaky BPV? Is 15.6 PSI in anyway documented and guaranteed? I don't have the expertise to properly diagnose what seems to be low boost -- all I can do is check hose clamps, check for leaks and then seemingly blame it on the BPV based on it being the commonly accused culprit. I can't imagine a dealership taking my word that I am seeing lower than expected boost... so, what is one to do?

 

[lestat13]

I would say first call the dealer and tell them your dashhawk is showing lower than normal psi by 2+ psi and you want your bpv replaced. done. if they argue, then argue back or just upgrade

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

Well I would start with the BPV and get an aftermarket one then and see if the readings change. If not, then it may be your ECU. If it does then take it in and at least see what they say. Got to at least try. Would be nice to at least have a brand new stock BPV in the garage while you drove with the aftermarket one.

 

[Alexsered]

Show me proof the stock BPV leaks. I hear this all the time and there is no proof. It may only hold boost to a certain level (deliberately) but wouldnt call that a leak. Same as our turbos are built to with stand 18.5 continuous PSI of boost but rarely put that down, you most commonly see 14.5 - 15.5

There is a video online of our BOV leaking really really bad. They stuck an air hose to hit and put it under a clear tank of water and put 15 psi to it to simulate real world conditions of boost and such. That think had alot of air leaking out of it. BOV needs to be replaced, I felt a big difference in quite a few areas.

 

[Alexsered]

I've been struggling with what seems to be lower than expected boost levels according to my DashHawk; though it is at times intermittent. Everything I've read says 15.6 PSI is what we should be seeing (and I assume +/- some amount for variations in the sensor, etc.) At times, in 3rd+ gear, I can't seem to hold more than 14 PSI of boost; the other day running through 3rd, it never went above 12.xx PSI.

My concern is... how does one go about approaching a dealer about the loss of a few PSI in boost suspected to be caused by a leaky BPV? Is 15.6 PSI in anyway documented and guaranteed? I don't have the expertise to properly diagnose what seems to be low boost -- all I can do is check hose clamps, check for leaks and then seemingly blame it on the BPV based on it being the commonly accused culprit. I can't imagine a dealership taking my word that I am seeing lower than expected boost... so, what is one to do?

I don't know how to approach the dealer with a leaky BOV, but I had the same problem, I bout a synapse BOV and now my car spikes to 17-18 psi and sits on 15.5. The only mod that I did was replace the BOV for this to happen.

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

We dont have BOV's. You mean a BPV, and was it the stock one and with how many miles or had they switched it in and out and caused the brake? I ask all of this because no one can show the long term damage to holding boost at those pressures for long periods of time.

 

[phantom6294]

I don't know how to approach the dealer with a leaky BOV, but I had the same problem, I bout a synapse BOV and now my car spikes to 17-18 psi and sits on 15.5. The only mod that I did was replace the BOV for this to happen.

More than likely, that is what I will end up doing as well; I'll probably get a Forge and see how things go.

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

I just dont like that sound on the Forge. the Tuboxs sounds stock but louder and they hve it in black.

 

[Shiroi_ms3]

i am running the hks sri and made 255whp and 270lbs with just that mod.

I was thinking about picking that one up too since the COBB is constantly out of stock, was it simple to install and uninstall for those dealer visits?

 

[MrJon]

Thanks for all the replies!!

 

[mike8748]

I have never taken anything off for a dealer visit.
They don't say anything about it either.

Now before I modded my car I asked about the MSCAI when it was still sold at the dealer and the guy told me to be careful because they already had one person come in and had to get their engine replaced because they sucked up some water in to the engine when they went through a puddle of water.

I knew what direction I was taking then.
Plus I did not want to take my bumper off to install the thing.

Cobb will be coming out with a SRI air box in the near future to help w/ the engine bay heat. I have been very happy w/ my Cobb SRI and it is a very easy install.

So is the BPV and the ETS TMIC.
I am thinking more w/ going to a FMIC.
Either that or that new CF hood they have at ********** w/ the airscoop
in the middle of the hood.