[aceblaster]

I have been looking into engine/performance mods for my 2005 M3, I don't have a ton of money atm due to my liver transplant so I was wondering what exhaust/cold air intake I should buy that won't cost too much?

I have heard that different cold air intakes will give the engine more H/P at certain RPM's. I am interested in one that will give the engine a boost in the lower to mid RPM's. Any info on that would help a ton.

Also with the Exhaust I have read on a couple other sites that with the cold air intake that the cat/back exhaust will also boost the HP. (only if you have the intake though, otherwise it just sounds awesome.) I was looking at the bat/back and it seems to be quite expensive for me atm. Is there any other exhaust that would be good combo that again... isn't too expensive.

When I say not too expensive I just mean a good price while I'm still getting a good product.

Thanks for any info you can give me on the subject.

 

[ronin82]

So to start off with the cold air intake question. I put in a AEM cold air intake which gives me more rpms in the mid to high range. If you are looking for something to hit right off and give you power through the mid its the short ram system and not the cold air. Keep in mind anything you put on your MZ3 is not going to give you all that much power gain. Although the gain I got from the cold air was noticeable but not huge. So really the difference between the short ram and the cold air are very small but the short ram generally is going to cost you less. Brand wise going with K&N, Injen, AEM or any other big name is fine.

Next for the exhaust. This is something I am still trying to figure out for myself. I figure you can go off what sounds the best for you. I have spent hours on Youtube looking up MZ3s that sound like what I want (which is very deep on the launch). I have found that the Magnaflow cat back with the resognator is one and the HKS cat back is another. Oh and the cat back (incase you have no idea what it is) is from the catalytic converter back (it took me a while to figure this out).They are all going to be a little bigger diameter than the stock pipe and polished inside and out for better flow. Once again your not going to get much hp gains from these.

I figure that the most I got out of the AEM cold air intake was a nice sound that the wife likes and better fuel economy, which is gone after I stomp on it to make it sound cool, which is always. So basically it sounds cool.

A good exhaust can cost you from $450 on up and the intake $150 on up.

Good luck figuring it all out!!!!!!!!!

 

[ithurtz]

bomz is a CAI injen rip off, should cost u about 50$ shipped. I run it

 

[aceblaster]

[quote author=ronin82 link=topic=139441.msg3011031#msg3011031 date=1237791782]
So to start off with the cold air intake question. I put in a AEM cold air intake which gives me more rpms in the mid to high range. If you are looking for something to hit right off and give you power through the mid its the short ram system and not the cold air. Keep in mind anything you put on your MZ3 is not going to give you all that much power gain. Although the gain I got from the cold air was noticeable but not huge. So really the difference between the short ram and the cold air are very small but the short ram generally is going to cost you less. Brand wise going with K&N, Injen, AEM or any other big name is fine.

Next for the exhaust. This is something I am still trying to figure out for myself. I figure you can go off what sounds the best for you. I have spent hours on Youtube looking up MZ3s that sound like what I want (which is very deep on the launch). I have found that the Magnaflow cat back with the resognator is one and the HKS cat back is another. Oh and the cat back (incase you have no idea what it is) is from the catalytic converter back (it took me a while to figure this out).They are all going to be a little bigger diameter than the stock pipe and polished inside and out for better flow. Once again your not going to get much hp gains from these.

I figure that the most I got out of the AEM cold air intake was a nice sound that the wife likes and better fuel economy, which is gone after I stomp on it to make it sound cool, which is always. So basically it sounds cool.

A good exhaust can cost you from $450 on up and the intake $150 on up.

Good luck figuring it all out!!!!!!!!!
[/quote]

Ok, I have another question (sorry if they are dumb questions I am just getting into this kind of thing and still learning everything.) I heard along with the small HP gain with the cold air intake it will also give me better gas mileage. 1st- Is that true? and 2nd- If it is true is the short ram going to give me better gas mileage as well or just better gas mileage?
I kinda want something that will give more HP while still not ruining my MPG.

And when you say more RPM's in the mid to high range does that mean more RPM's at a higher speed?
I am looking for something to give me more HP, but I don't necessarily need a lot. I'm just doing small projects right now until I get how to do it and understand what I'm doing a little better.

And to reply to your input on the exhaust I'm also still looking because a lot of the exhausts are "rice burners" A.K.A Loud and obnoxious when on a car you drive everyday. I am just looking for something to give it a more rough sound. The stock exhaust to me just sounds like it should be on a Geo or a Honda Civic.

Another question to go along with the exhaust. I was told by a friend that if I just got a new header and a muffler it would increase gas mileage because of the header and give a better sound if I get the right muffler... Is that true or should I just buy a whole new exhaust when I find one that sounds good?

Thanks for the info so far, again sorry if the questions are dumb.

 

[g3ck0]

I think neither a CAI nor a SRI would give you a noticeable gain in mpg. Assuming you drive in a similar fashion after you put in your mods, you shouldn't see a mpg hit though.

 

[aceblaster]

[quote author=g3ck0 link=topic=139441.msg3012480#msg3012480 date=1237847043]
I think neither a CAI nor a SRI would give you a noticeable gain in mpg. Assuming you drive in a similar fashion after you put in your mods, you shouldn't see a mpg hit though.
[/quote]

What is the real difference between a CAI and a SRI? When do they help? Does one do better at higher/lower speeds? I don't really know what to look at to choose what one to look into buying and id I did I wouldn't know why I buying the one I did.
If anyone has a "Car Parts for dummies" please send it to me lol.

What I mean is will someone let me know the difference in terms you would tell someone that knows nothing about what you are talking about to get them to understand.
Sorry. Still Learning....

 

[Kte24]

you could get an OEM Mazda speed3 catback exhaust for ~$200 used. i heard theyre pretty good, im trying to get one myself.

 

[bsapoznik]

well I have a Fujita F5 intake with a MS3 CBE and I have an 2.0, to tell you the truth I love the sound of both and my car is taking off faster... if you want some sound videos I have for both of them

 

[rickfogle]

I've got a Fujita F5 CAI as well and I love it.

CAI = Cold Air Intake: Longer intake tube designed to put the filter inside your fender well where it pulls in cool air from outside, rather than hot underhood air. The larger the pipe diameter, the higher in the RPM range you'll see the gains. InJen, AEM are 2.5 inches, give good low to mid-range gains, Fujita F5 is 2.75 inches, gives best gains in the mid to upper range and the F2 is huge at 3 inches and really performs best in the upper RPM's. Advantages are better high-end gains, really nice sound when you are on it hard. Disadvantages are the possibility of 'hydro-locking' your engine by sucking up water. It's happened a few times, though the consensus is that you'd have to drive your car full-throttle into a knee deep puddle to do it.

SRI= Short Ram Intake: Short tube that places the filter inside the engine bay. Because the air under the hood is usually hotter than ambient temp, this intake can sometimes give lower gains for the first hundred feet or so, until you get air moving through the engine bay. Advantages, no risk of 'hydro-lock' and you can leave the stock airbox in place to make it easier to switch back to stock if yo need to for dealer service.

 

[ronin82]

First off lets talk about headers! From everyone that I have talked to there is no reason to buy headers for what we are trying to do. Headers are expensive and dont do all that much to improve anything. If you have a turbo and a ton of work done to your engine internals ie rods, piston heads, and you want to squeeze any last ounce of power out of the stock engine then you get headers. This is not what I am trying for and I dont think that is what you are either.

Second is concerning the intake. In my opinion (which I have only from the small amount of work I have done on my car) the stock intake is a heap of crap. The amount of bends and turns in the plastic make me laugh to think that my engine had to suck air through that. Compared to the smooth mandril bent piping you get in any air intake kit is an amazing difference. The factor intake is like having a dirty filter that air has to be sucked through to get to the engine. So less drag on the air flow and you have a better performing engine (and cooler air). So yes a new air intake whether it be CAI or SRI are both going to help mpg and hp gains. But when you hear the lovely noise it makes you will rev your engine all the time to hear the beautiful sound and lose your MPG.

Third is the matter of mid to high vs. low to mid rpms. This basically means when you feel the car really take off. Its as if you put your foot on the gas and once it hits lets say 3000 rpms (my case) the thrust throws you back in your seat and you feel the power. That would be mid to high rpms. Now low to mid would be when you first take off you will feel the power in lower rpms and then it will disappear after 2500 to 3000 rpms. So the CAI like mine will give you longer amounts of power but after 3000 rpms and the SRI will only give you a short gasp of power right at the beginning. I think the SRI would give you a deeper throat sound, but I am not sure.

Hope this helps you more. Please correct me anyone if I am wrong on any of this. I only know this from asking around and trying some stuff on my own.

 

[aceblaster]

Alright. Thanks a ton. Guess I will look into buying a CAI then and ditch the header idea. Thanks again for the info.

 

[*txmica3*]

http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?topic=139769.0

this guy's selling an intake and two exhausts. maybe one of them would interest you? i had the borla on my car in the past and it was excellent quality. nice and quiet too, didnt wake up the neighbors, could still talk on the phone no problem, it had a very nice deep tone.