Upping the Horses... for cheap.

[theMerovingian]

Hey its me again with more car queries as I know nothing.

I am currently looking to tweak the performance of my zippy little MP5 with a new exhaust or air intake... I have found THIS

Would this or a new exhaust do more for my car. I find the mp5 has the acceleration but not the power I want.

I guess I am just asking for some suggestions and tips and links for places to look for reliable quality things. I am new to the car community and any and all help is appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[speed5hornet]

step 1)
cold air intake (real brand like injen)

step 2)
catback exhaust+midpipe (you dont want cats, or at least get high-flow cats)

step 3)
header such as a 4-1 stainless steel obx header

step 4)
set of pulleys

that should make you right as rain my son

find all of these/the best of these at www.protegegarage.com

 

[tviera]

CAI + Headers + full exhaust = more power. I would start with the CAI and then go CBE then midpipe and headers. The faster you can get air/fuel in and out of an engine the more power you will make.

 

[ProtoType5]

Intake or Exhaust alone are basically just noise-makers...

Header will be the only thing that gives you a noticable gain by itself...The others will add up to a few more hp, but nothing like the header.

BTW...I've just dyno'd with Header/K&N Typhoon/High flow catted midpipe/Racing Beat exhaust = 110whp.....So don't expect to be pulling anything amazing..but it is definitely a lot more fun to drive...just not very powerful

It costs a LOT of money to make N/A power on the FSDE engine...

 

[jamesk]

ya man, a full exhaust and intake should deff. make the car alot more fun. i would also get a rear swaybar and new spring/strut combo for suspension. makes the car alot faster on turns.

also even the car stock, it has a horrible tune from factory. if you get something to tune for the full exhaust and intake, then that should deff. give you power through out the hole rpm range. so that will make the car feel much better and cleaner acceleration. good luck

 

[mazdaspeed777]

I would also suggest removing your VTCS from your intake manifold, porting and polishing ledges left behind, and fill in side holes from removing the VTCS. This will help get the air into the engine a little faster. This is a bit difficult mod but there is a how to on it in the how to section of the forum.

 

[idrift4wd]

yea all these mods are hp gainers but...

like 15-20 hp though

 

[justanothermp5]

ok first of all go to protegegarage.com if u want to order something because they normally have the cheapest prices

second if u have inspections in ur state then u cant get headers or a catless midpipe

so get pulley set, either lightened or underdrive, catback exhaust, hiflow catted mid pipe and either a CAI or SRI either one works
if u are in an area where it floods or rains alot get the SRI

and then rims and struts/springs or coilovers and a short shifter

 

[StealthWyvern]

You cant get headers for your car or well you cant but you cant have more then one header on at a time.... roflmao

 

[theMerovingian]

inspections

So I live in a state where i need to pass inspection. It looks like the CAI is the best bet to start off with. I am a college student so my budget is super tight, but I would still like to tool around with my car. The injen intake at protegegarage.com looks pretty good. I would get the K&N Typhoon but i dont have money to throw around on parts.

And as far as tuning goes and other minor tweaks to get the most out of my mp5... what can be done? Again im on a budget so it will either take me a while or it can be cheap.

 

[Tom03es]

Sounds like its going to take awhile then.

Removing the VTCS is free, except for the cost of new gaskets, if you have a dremel and a solid day to put the car down.

 

[THE Phen]

Don't you have a sedan section?

 

[Tom03es]

Hey now, these are more general questions that apply to any 3rd gen.

 

[THE Phen]

Heh. Just playing.

 

[theMerovingian]

sedan section? my car is a 2002 p5... not sure what you mean by a sedan section.

and as far as this VTCS business... i dont think i trust myself going into my car like that... as i have no prior experience.

 

[THE Phen]

Sorry to confuse you. Tom03ES said something to me about posting pictures of my Protege5 in the 3rd Gen Protege section. Protege5's are also 3rd gen Proteges, but we have our own section. I was telling him to stick to the 3rd Gen sedan section. Jokingly, of course.

 

[speed5hornet]

if cash is ur main problem (which it seems like it is) then just stick with a cai(cold air intake) a catback exhaust and a midpipe with i highflow cat. That will give a nice boost in ponies, and make your car sound a lot better and overall more fun to drive

 

[THE Phen]

But truely, and unfortunately, what it comes down to is...

The Protege is a slow car. It is just fun to drive overall.

 

[mx-p5]

If you're on a budget, keep saving your pennies.

If you want a faster car, go buy one.

It's an honost truth. I love mine, but, i've accepted that without $10K plus in mods, it'll never be FAST

But, it'll always be fun! Even stock

 

[Tom03es]

and as far as this VTCS business... i dont think i trust myself going into my car like that... as i have no prior experience.

Me neither. Until I did it. It's honestly not that hard. Taking my time and doing it by myself, I had the manifold out and in my hands in under an hour. I just swapped manifolds with another one that I had preparred previously.