Mild:
Balance shaft delete kit (2.3l only) Short or cold air Intake Cat back exhaust Stage 1 clutch (manual) Lightweight flywheel (manual) Oil filter conversion (2.3l only) Stiffer rear engine mount Ground kit Lowering springs Strut bar Short shifter NGK plugs Decent brake pads (EBC, Hawk, etc.) Lightweight crankshaft pulley (You MUST tq to 80ft pds and then turn the nut an additional 90 degrees using a breaker bar)
Wild:
Stage 2 clutch Lightweight accessory pulleys Tq dampener Stiffer trans mount Valvebody upgrade (autotradgics only) A/F controller Intake mani Header Shocks Accelerator lag reducer (electronic throttlebody only) Launch controller
Extreme:
Oil sump Polished and rebalanced crank to desired rpm Forged rods and pistons Head gasket Valvetrain upgrade Cam and cam gears Standalone EMU Re-enforced trans gears (manual) Tq converter (auto) Spec clutch Performance radiator and fans Turbo kit Supercharger (eventually...maybe) Stiffer drivers side engine mount Coilovers Cable throttle body conversion High output Injectors LSD
Basic build w/info
Intake: Any one will do, none differ from the other except size and price, top of the ine is K&N and F2 but all will give the same amount of gains, which ever one you use make sure its black, this is to ensure you get the best heat dissipation possible to keep the air charge cooler Exhaust: If you decide to do just a custom cat back the recommended pipe outside diameter is 2.5in anything bigger you will loose back-pressure therefore losing ow end tq. If you can find a mazdaspeed 3 exhaust its a direct fit as far as the bends go, its just a tag longer though. If you want to get a header as well you can go the cheap route and get the obx setup but that is a 4-1 setup which is mostly beneficial to higher hp applications the other option is vibrant 4-2-1 mostly beneficial to higher hp applications the other option is vibrant 4-2-1 the price is extremely high but its a better setup Motor: If your feel good about this then i recommend doing the crankshaft balance shaft delete mod for the 2.3l. 4cyl are naturally unbalanced, all the balancer is also keeping down vibrations....its just a comfort thing, some say it promotes engine longevity but thats a myth, cheap and easy.
Lightweight crankshaft pulley, the only thing that i suggest is that you get someone who is 100% on how to do this, if done incorrectly, stripped bolts holes, wrong timing among other things could result in one bad day. If you didnt know a lightened pulley will dramatically increase the rate engine rpms ncreases. Motor mounts and/or engine tq dampener, if your complaining about too much wheel hop then you must be beating on the car kinda hard, a GREAT way to reduce that is stiffer motor mounts, downside? depending on durameter rating extreme vibrations that will diminish after a month or two Trans Short shifter, lightened flywheel, staged clutch are the norm. Careful when purchasing a short shifter even though the throws may be shorter thats not purchasing a short shifter even though the throws may be shorter thats not always the best. You can never go wrong with a lightened flywheel. When it comes to picking a staged clutch make sure its a stage 1 for a mostly stock comes to picking a staged clutch make sure its a stage 1 for a mostly stock build, otherwise severely reduced trans life may occur or premature flywheel glazing as well as a short lived clutch. build, otherwise severely reduced trans life may occur or premature flywhee build, otherwise severely reduced trans life may occur or premature flywhee glazing as well as a short lived clutch Suspension: A common mistake made is people who think lower is better or just getting springs and keeping the stock shocks/struts is a good enough to make it springs and keeping the stock shocks/struts is a good enough to make it handle better, well there wrong, if your looking for a better handling ride w/o getting coilovers and wanting a nice ride for everyday driving and spring and shock combo is a must. A strut tower brace along with front and rear anti-roll bars will also noticeably improve your 3's handling capabilities. bars will also noticeably improve your 3's handling capabilities.
Braking:
People also tend to believe that bigger brakes are better, well that may be somewhat true its highly unnecessary to spend that kind of money if your just daily driving your 3 or even if your in autoX, road race, or mt.climbs, but what you DO want is better brake pads and your NOT gonna find them at advanced autozone, or pepboys....nor your dealer .*Please keep in mind that above list is not going to add a major difference in power, what will be felt is a considerable amount of response. Budget turbo build Low compression forged pistons 9.1 (stay at 15psi max) Forged rods Rod bearings Ebay turbo kit (replace wastegate and bov) ARP head studs AEM Fuel and Ignition F/IC 8 2.5in exhaust Stage 1 clutch Lightweight flywhee Lightweight crankshaft pulley (See above note) Mazdaspeed short shifter Stiffer rear engine mount.
All motor build
Forged pistons Forged Rods (12.5:1 if u want to stay with reg pump gas, 14:1 is for 103 and up octane) octane) Rod bearings Head gasket ARP head studs Full 2.5in exhaust 4-2-1 Header (A 4-1 header will decrease back-pressure therefore destroying ow end power) Lightweight crankshaft pulley Valvesprings Valves Standalone EMU 550cc and up injectors Intake manifold or custom ITB Stage 1-3 clutch Lightweight flywhee Short shifter*Note: As of now there is no budget all motor build worth making__________________"Street racing or going to the grocery store, either way the potential of hitting an innocent bystander is the same, just one is more fun than the other." Active Officer of street racing u
