New Black MSP owner needs help! Plz? :)

[Eric-BlackMSP]

Hey guys, I'm one of the many who bought this fantasic car, and I was wondering if anyone could help me out? I a major newb to car tuning, but all my friends do it, and why not me too right? I know a little, just stuff I read from mags, but nothing close to a guru or even a novice.

I was just wondering what people's suggestions were to simple modding this bad boy car?

I have a budget of about 1,000 over this summer for parts, and I want nice simple parts to make the car generally perform better, nothing too extreme but something with bite. I do not want to void warranty just yet.

I got some quick questions:

-Whats a turbo timer, and what does it do?
-Will a boost controller void warranty?
-What is a SAFE boost to run the car on?
-Can I install any Blow off Valve to this car?
-Can I use the MP3 intakes that are onsale on ebay for this car?
-Can what are headlight grades? Can I just buy MP3 PIAA lights?
-Is the current audio wiring decent? Can it support 2 12" 1000w peak subs hooked up to a 600w RMS mono amp?
-What are the speaker port sizes?
-How hard is it to remove center console to change the head unit?
-Are there any defects with the car anyone has noticed?

Sorry for asking all these questions all at once, but the boards are all over the place! I figured I would start a thread for everyone general Q that can be answered quickly, well anyway thanks a lot in advance! Any help would be great!

Oh yeah, I love this car! Too bad it is not AWD!!!:wtf: :'(

 

[AFaceInTheCrowd]

wow thats a lot of questions. i'm at school right now so i'll just touch on some of them for you.

a turbo timer lets the car idle of a given amount of time when you remove the key. this lets the turbo cool and hot oil to circulate out.
you can install a bov (may have problems).
you can't use the mp3 intake (wait for injen).
speakers are: 6X8 fronts and 6.5 rears 1" tweets
clunk is a problem along with some hesitation (i haven't had both)

 

[BlackMSP]

Welcome to our forums =D u name stealer (lol jk)! Here is what I know:

Buy an intake, boost controller, turbo timer, and you should be good. If you want for looks you can also get lowering springs and tint.

That should be around $1,000 if you shop around and do the work yourself.

Turbo Timer runs down the turbo (your car idles for about 40-60 seconds) so the oil doesnt get cought in their and mess things up.

I am almost sure A boost controller WILL void your warranty.

A safe boost to run with a boost controller is 8-9 psi.

You can install a blow off valve to the car.

You cant use mp3 intakes.

You can use mp3 PIAA lgihts.

The audio wiring is decent and it can support those subs with a new amplifier or you can use the stock one but it wont give it full power.

Not hard to remove center console dash just pop it off.

Only defects are the clunk (no big deal) and sometimes boost cut.

 

[Eric-BlackMSP]

Damnit, I really wanted a boost controller! lol oh wellz, so I guess I should just get the injen intake and the PIAA lights.

I would need 6 lights right??? a pair for the norms, highs, and fogs right?

Also, about the boost controller...what if I install it, and then remove whenever I need to go back to the dealership for warranty stuff?? Any thoughts on this? Thanks!

 

[AFaceInTheCrowd]

just 4 if you want the fogs too. we don't have separate high/low beams.
if your willing to do the work to put the controler on and take it off, thats fine.

 

[Eric-BlackMSP]

How much work is involved? I got some pretty skilled friends, and his dad is a mech if we get stuck.

So when I buy PIAA they come with a high and low beam??
And I would just need the fogs?

Sorry, for all da Qs!

 

[AFaceInTheCrowd]

bulbs have 2 power ratings, one high and one low. so you need a pair of H4 (i think) headlight bulbs and a pair of bulbs for the fogs (not sure what kind).

 

[PaulMP3]

h3 and h4

 

[Eric-BlackMSP]

Oh yeah, how hard is it to make those side makers clear? And what type of gun metal alteza should i buy? hehe this board rulz, you guys are da bomb

 

[PaulMP3]

you already have clear sidemarkers. If your talkin about the amber in the corner of the headlights: there is a thread somewhere on how to remove it, or what i want to do is find some Pro5 headlights. They are chrome and have no orange corner.

 

[Spooled]

I am so glad to see all of these questions together! This pretty much summarizes everything that I have been looking for in the forums.

I, too, am very curious about the boost controller. How much WHP will I gain just from the boost controller? This seems like the most economical power addition for the car.

Do you have to worry about exhaust temps when you boost the PSI? If so, I suppose you'd have to get a temp gauge, too.

Great thread. Thanks.

 

[MemphisRacer]

About the boost controller, and about your warranty as a whole, nothing on the car can ever void a warranty unless it directly contributes to a problem and they have to be able to prove that. There is a congressional bill that says so and i have tossed that in a service writer's face that thought he would show out in front of his boss

 

[Eric-BlackMSP]

Oh i ment make my direction on the side of the car blink white and note yellow, and the direction in the back of the car blink white and not yellow, just for looks .

I was also wonderin if i buy MP3 alteza will they fit in my MSP?

Also to clear up the head lights, i just need h4 Piaas right? so i buy ONE box, and it comes with BOTH a high and a low? And then i buy a h3 piaa box for the fogs??? Sorry I real nweb! lol thanks a lot guys!

 

[Dexter]

you just need to swap out the bulbs then with hyperwhite bulbs. i am probaly going to do that to my turnsignals eventually.

 

[Captain KRM P5]

mp3 and protege sedan "altezzas" will fit the mazdaspeed protege just fine. the protege5 taillamps will not fit as they are entirely different shapes.

the boost controller will add wheel horsepower (WHP) based on how much more boost you plan on running into the car. for example, my car has roughly 200 crank / 170 wheel horsepower at 6 psi. that's an increase of about 11 hp per psi of boost. so when i blew my engine apart at 9/10 psi, I was probably pushing 235 - 240 horses to the crank.

By this math (and I admit this is some rough math here, folks), you MSP owners gain 40 horses to the crank at about 7 psi, or about 6 hp per psi of boost (smaller turbo than my setup). So if you want a rough estimate, at 9 psi you will be gaining around 54 horses to the crank, or 184 crank horsepower. This would equate to about 150 - 160 wheel hp.

Rough math I know, but I hope it helps.

By the way, you need to worry about ALOT more than just exhaust temp when you crank up the boost. My engine blew to hell because of improper fuel management. Things like that (air/fuel ratios), the durability of your internals, timing, the fuel pump and injectors, etc. Read up in the forced induction forums.

Another thing you might want to consider (and I don't even know if anyone makes one right now) is a better intercooler. I can't say I think too highly of the one thats on the car stock.

 

[Eric-BlackMSP]

Our MSP have 170hp at the flywheel right? I remember readign somewhere like car and drive that the car test on a dyno at about 150 at the wheels. Please correct me if I am wrong .

Also guys, I was wondering about the 2 cat back exhaust. Anyone got an good tips for an exhaust replacement? I want to replace the cats with a high flow cat back.

My friend said it is mad easy, and he did to his GSX, also my other friend with a Cobra just has straight pipes.

I am thinking of going with the super flow cat back. Anyone got any models numbers/tips for me? Thanks!

 

[Captain KRM P5]

it is 170 crank horsepower

 

[Eric-BlackMSP]

wait...is crank wheel hp? or flywheel? if it is wheel that is a decent amount of hp IMO .

 

[Aaron]

crank is at the flywheel I think??? but I know for a fact it has about 150 at the wheels!!!

 

[Dexter]

the engine makes 170hp, the wheels see ~150hp