Project Mazdaspeed 3 Continues: The Proof is in the Pudding

Back in the day, it was hard to really quantify the benefit of a your run-of-the-mill bolt-on modification. Sure, most mass-produced intakes and exhausts were shiny and and likely made some better noises compared to the stock components. However, local dynos were hard to come by and most people couldn’t afford fancy programmable ECU’s. So, we had to rely on manufacturer claims and the woefully divergent reviews on various web forums…most of which came down to the infamous “butt dyno.” One guy felt a huge power increase, another says the car is slower. Sigh.

Jon recently installed a newly revised Corksport Turbo Inlet Pipe on the Mazdaspeed 3. It’s design certainly looks much better than the stock piece. Thankfully, with a few simple datalogs (and some knowledge of Excel) it’s easy to see how it compares to the stock inlet. Over the course of a few logs pre-and-post installation over the same road, we can see that the Corksport inlet spools faster and holds a bit more boost from about 4500 rpm up on our setup. Target boost is 21 psi, so there is slight post-spool spike to tune-out.

While the butt dyno is happy as well, I’m glad there is some actual data to support the investment. The new inlet also fit nicely and the ricer in me loves the slightly louder spool compared to the Cobb silicone SRI alone (which has been installed for some time now).

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Paradise by the Dashboard Light

Just got these in and they are hot!! For all you Haltech E8, EV12, and Platinum users, this is what I’d call a “must have”. Racepak and Haltech have now teamed up to make a plug and play configurable dash solution. All the cool features you have come to expect from Racetech, but in a more cost effective package.

This comes in 2 versions – one with datalogging and one without

The IQ3 dash represents an entirely new concept in data logging dashes. This uses Racepak’s exclusive smart sensor type, that means that only one small cable will transmit the data from all the sensors to the rear of the dash. For the customer, this means no bulky, heavy sensor wiring harness. All sensors transmit their data through a single cable (Vnet) which is routed to the rear of the dash. This eliminates the need for a sensor harness, greatly reducing installation time, complexity and overall weight.

The programmable shift lights are protected from sunlight by a molded shield above the lights, while the low glare LCD display is well recessed in the housing in order to provide viewing in all light conditions.

Haltech IQ3 Features:
– 32 Channels
– Programmable Shift Lights
– Programmable Warning Lights With On Screen Warning
– 24 Programmable Sensor Inputs On 4 Pages
– Programmable Channel Names
– Gear Indicator
– Predictive Lap Time
– Includes Software and Installation Manual
– Metric / Imperial Configurable
– Haltech CAN Communication Module built in ($375 Value!)
Priced at $695 SHIPPED!
Datalogging option:

All features from display-only IQ3 plus:
-512mb microSD memory card
-Data logging up to 32 channels at 100 samples per second
-GPS track mapping, speed, and lap times (no beacon required!)
-3 Axis G Meter Priced at $1440 Shipped!

To order your IQ3, Haltech ECU, or if you need a combo setup, let us know! ‘Tis the season and we’re making deals!