Topic: Used Vehicle Review: Mazdaspeed6, 2006'2007

[Fobroader]

I didn't see any mention of the heatsoak/octane losing power issues these cars had?

Its such a shame Mazda screwed this car up so badly.

I've followed the Mazda forums for years and haven't heard about this as an issue.  Can you provide some more details.

Overall, I think Mazda's execution was good.

I do know the TMIC was rather inefficient and prone to some heat soak with the stock ducting, nothing a quality FMIC couldn't fix. Also, I heard the engine is rather allergic to big power gains if those are sought after. Weak pistons or fiddly engine management? Maybe someone else can elaborate...Still, love this car.

A FMIC, oil cooler, oil catch can, exhaust, intake should be pretty well standard modification for every turbo out there. Also a turbo timer is a good thing as well. I thought this was common knowledge.

depends on the gains you want to see I guess. FMIC ususally are not needed until about stage 3 in most cases, but not all - I understand that. Other than that air in and out are usually common mods, I agree. The catch can is a case-by-case basis in my experience - some turbo cars dont need them really, some REALLY do [MINI S for example]. Never seen aftermarket oil coolers as a 'standard' requirement for modding a car unless big power gains were sought after...

FMIC make sense and they are more efficient. Sure, the little cooler above the engine on a WRX looks cool, but hot air rises and the flow through it wouldnt be nearly as good as if they stuck it out front. An oil cooler for a turbo is almost a no brainer to me, something that runs as hot as a turbo needs effective cooling, its cheap insurance.

I agree on both counts there. It is just that FMIC are expensive and I usually only see them on stage 3+ cars where the cost is justified by the gains. I only have done one oil cooler, in my old MINI Cooper S, and it seemed to help things. Sold it so I dont know the effects it had on long term reliability, but I am sure it didnt hurt it. Now thanks to this thread I am looking into going to stage 3 on my Saab...ouch pocketbook.

Im trying to get my buddy with the Supra to do a nice FMIC. Hes really bent on leaving the vehicle stock, but Im trying to get through to him that a FMIC is better for the cars longevity and fuel mileage  Also, Ive never understood this whole "stage" thing on cars....whats that all mean?? Is it a government standard?? Are there ISO standards you must meet?? Help me out here 

power levels are usually done in stages according to roughly what hardware you are putting in the car. Here is an example from my tuner JZW for a Saab 9-3 Aero 2.8 V6T:

Stock: 250bhp and 260ft-lbs
Stage 1: 320bhp and 409ft-lbs
Stage 3: Full Exhaust, 335bhp and 439ft-lbs
Stage 3+: Add IC and custom tune, 357BHP and 456ft-lbs
Stage 4: Full Exhaust, 19T Turbo Upgrade, stock injectors, 375bhp and 483ft-lbs
Stage 5: Full Exhaust, 19T Turbo Upgrade, larger injectors 415bhp and 532ft-lbs

stage 2 is missing as it is merely a CEL delete and retune for a cat-back exhaust - most go full exhaust in the aero so he didnt list it

hope that explains it

Oh ok...cool, so its different for every car. My buddy who had the turbo Neon was always stage 3 this and stage 5 that and I just nodded and smiled, one-because I had no idea what he was talking about and two- because he had a turbo Neon.

[ChaosphereIX]

thats funny, yeah SRT4 were tin cans with turbos - they were quick once properly modded, but still tin cans

[Fobroader]

His was retardedly quick, but felt like it was held together by hope, faith and the promise of tomorrow. I never liked that car.

[mik101]

I didn't see any mention of the heatsoak/octane losing power issues these cars had?

Its such a shame Mazda screwed this car up so badly.

I've followed the Mazda forums for years and haven't heard about this as an issue.  Can you provide some more details.

Overall, I think Mazda's execution was good.

I do know the TMIC was rather inefficient and prone to some heat soak with the stock ducting, nothing a quality FMIC couldn't fix. Also, I heard the engine is rather allergic to big power gains if those are sought after. Weak pistons or fiddly engine management? Maybe someone else can elaborate...Still, love this car.

A FMIC, oil cooler, oil catch can, exhaust, intake should be pretty well standard modification for every turbo out there. Also a turbo timer is a good thing as well. I thought this was common knowledge.

depends on the gains you want to see I guess. FMIC ususally are not needed until about stage 3 in most cases, but not all - I understand that. Other than that air in and out are usually common mods, I agree. The catch can is a case-by-case basis in my experience - some turbo cars dont need them really, some REALLY do [MINI S for example]. Never seen aftermarket oil coolers as a 'standard' requirement for modding a car unless big power gains were sought after...

FMIC make sense and they are more efficient. Sure, the little cooler above the engine on a WRX looks cool, but hot air rises and the flow through it wouldnt be nearly as good as if they stuck it out front. An oil cooler for a turbo is almost a no brainer to me, something that runs as hot as a turbo needs effective cooling, its cheap insurance.

I agree on both counts there. It is just that FMIC are expensive and I usually only see them on stage 3+ cars where the cost is justified by the gains. I only have done one oil cooler, in my old MINI Cooper S, and it seemed to help things. Sold it so I dont know the effects it had on long term reliability, but I am sure it didnt hurt it. Now thanks to this thread I am looking into going to stage 3 on my Saab...ouch pocketbook.

Im trying to get my buddy with the Supra to do a nice FMIC. Hes really bent on leaving the vehicle stock, but Im trying to get through to him that a FMIC is better for the cars longevity and fuel mileage  Also, Ive never understood this whole "stage" thing on cars....whats that all mean?? Is it a government standard?? Are there ISO standards you must meet?? Help me out here 

power levels are usually done in stages according to roughly what hardware you are putting in the car. Here is an example from my tuner JZW for a Saab 9-3 Aero 2.8 V6T:

Stock: 250bhp and 260ft-lbs
Stage 1: 320bhp and 409ft-lbs
Stage 3: Full Exhaust, 335bhp and 439ft-lbs
Stage 3+: Add IC and custom tune, 357BHP and 456ft-lbs
Stage 4: Full Exhaust, 19T Turbo Upgrade, stock injectors, 375bhp and 483ft-lbs
Stage 5: Full Exhaust, 19T Turbo Upgrade, larger injectors 415bhp and 532ft-lbs

stage 2 is missing as it is merely a CEL delete and retune for a cat-back exhaust - most go full exhaust in the aero so he didnt list it

hope that explains it

Oh ok...cool, so its different for every car. My buddy who had the turbo Neon was always stage 3 this and stage 5 that and I just nodded and smiled, one-because I had no idea what he was talking about and two- because he had a turbo Neon.

It's a pointless number system to simply it for people who don't really understand what the parts do, or what actual ratings are for things such as clutches.
I'm a firm believer that if you don't know what something does, you probably shouldn't do it because then you won't know what to do when it breaks. I'd get a lot less messages from kids who do modifications they don't really understand, then end up needing help, if people actually followed that. 

I always loved the whole package of these cars, but my few friends that had MS3s were enough to scare me away from that engine. It got expensive for all 3 of them rather quickly.

[Fobroader]

Thats why I never got it, tell me what youre doing, now what level you picked to call it.

[mixmanmash]

Thats why I never got it, tell me what youre doing, now what level you picked to call it.

Agreed.  The stages are only relevant to that particular vehicle.  In the 300ZX (Z32 chassis) world, people use to use stage charts.  Problem is, that new part developments have rendered them pointless.  Before, you had to upgrade the stock turbos to make 400RWHP.  Now, you don't.  So what's the point?  Just to sound cool to all your buddies when you're bragging?

[MR2Pritch]

"ya bro totally got the stage four kit on er, and the stage 6 3-puck clutch, cause you know, sometimes fools in Si's be hatin at the traffic lights, o, and i only run royal purple motor oil, cause sometimes i redline first and second gear on the highway and that breaks normal oil down, plus its 9 horses" = many tuner folks i hear talking at the local car show

[Fobroader]

"ya bro totally got the stage four kit on er, and the stage 6 3-puck clutch, cause you know, sometimes fools in Si's be hatin at the traffic lights, o, and i only run royal purple motor oil, cause sometimes i redline first and second gear on the highway and that breaks normal oil down, plus its 9 horses" = many tuner folks i hear talking at the local car show

Ahhh, good to see that the average "ricer" is pretty well standard everywhere in the world. I especially like when they talk about their 15-20 horse air intake...on a Civic....DX....

[MR2Pritch]

the joke up where i live in sudbury (and a little north of here) is how everyone selling a chev silverado on kijiji or whatever puts that it has a 350 with 400 horses cause its got a k and n filter and big exhaust...

'Three fiddy, four hundred horse" is like...a common saying when you see an older truck like that around here.

sorry, your old 350 with toilet-bowl injection does NOT make 400 horse, air filter and exhaust or not..

and ya, a filter on a civic might free up 15 horsepower if the one it replaces was made of concrete...

[Fobroader]

the joke up where i live in sudbury (and a little north of here) is how everyone selling a chev silverado on kijiji or whatever puts that it has a 350 with 400 horses cause its got a k and n filter and big exhaust...

'Three fiddy, four hundred horse" is like...a common saying when you see an older truck like that around here.

sorry, your old 350 with toilet-bowl injection does NOT make 400 horse, air filter and exhaust or not..

and ya, a filter on a civic might free up 15 horsepower if the one it replaces was made of concrete...

My buddy with the Supra belongs to a car club and I went one night to one of their meets just to check out what everyone has. For the most part, great group of guys with a highly varied group of cars, from a 60's Beaumont coupe with a 700 horse 502V8 in it to a twin turbo C6 Vette to a bunch of RHD JDM stuff. Now, there was a bunch of new guys out there who were around the early 20's who were talking crap about everyones rides and talking to them quickly realized that they had no idea what they were talking about. One of them had a Mustang Cobra, a 97 Mustang Cobra  , with a whopping 305horse V8 and he kept on rattling off how his cat back exhaust  and K&N air filter now made him able to eat new 420 horse 5L Mustangs for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

[MR2Pritch]

its sad.. but i get it

i was 21 once and thought my nissan 240sx was the fastest thing on four wheels.

 if you want to convince yourself that your mustang / camaro / si / supra also is, then fine. but its when people get disrespectful and bash each others cars that it becomes irritating. unless of course the car is a 'total' piece...

ah to be that young again. everyone makes fun of my mr2 at the car show cause its old, has a door dent and often blows turbochargers.. i dont take it personally or think my cars faster than anyone elses.

[Snowman]

the joke up where i live in sudbury (and a little north of here) is how everyone selling a chev silverado on kijiji or whatever puts that it has a 350 with 400 horses cause its got a k and n filter and big exhaust...

'Three fiddy, four hundred horse" is like...a common saying when you see an older truck like that around here.

sorry, your old 350 with toilet-bowl injection does NOT make 400 horse, air filter and exhaust or not..

and ya, a filter on a civic might free up 15 horsepower if the one it replaces was made of concrete...

  Yep...Sudbury for sure 

[ChaosphereIX]

"ya bro totally got the stage four kit on er, and the stage 6 3-puck clutch, cause you know, sometimes fools in Si's be hatin at the traffic lights, o, and i only run royal purple motor oil, cause sometimes i redline first and second gear on the highway and that breaks normal oil down, plus its 9 horses" = many tuner folks i hear talking at the local car show

Ahhh, good to see that the average "ricer" is pretty well standard everywhere in the world. I especially like when they talk about their 15-20 horse air intake...on a Civic....DX....

too true, I totally agree. There are good tuners out there, the Saab community is great albeit small, and there are bad ones. Guys at our local Timmies who turn up with slammed Civics with K&N and giant fart cans are not cool, and often they are cocky as hell. I went with a buddy of mine once in his 19t 415hp 9-3 Turbo X, everyone hated on him because he was in a "Saaaaaaaab" or "Soooobbb." We killed them doing some pulls in the countryside, it was not even close - I could have taken them with a blown turbo...Modding is great as long as you are sensible and keep the look mostly stock. Kids these days need to understand to go faster does not mean a giant sub in the back, a K&N with a 4" exhaust outlet, and a body kit.

[Fobroader]

"ya bro totally got the stage four kit on er, and the stage 6 3-puck clutch, cause you know, sometimes fools in Si's be hatin at the traffic lights, o, and i only run royal purple motor oil, cause sometimes i redline first and second gear on the highway and that breaks normal oil down, plus its 9 horses" = many tuner folks i hear talking at the local car show

Ahhh, good to see that the average "ricer" is pretty well standard everywhere in the world. I especially like when they talk about their 15-20 horse air intake...on a Civic....DX....

too true, I totally agree. There are good tuners out there, the Saab community is great albeit small, and there are bad ones. Guys at our local Timmies who turn up with slammed Civics with K&N and giant fart cans are not cool, and often they are cocky as hell. I went with a buddy of mine once in his 19t 415hp 9-3 Turbo X, everyone hated on him because he was in a "Saaaaaaaab" or "Soooobbb." We killed them doing some pulls in the countryside, it was not even close - I could have taken them with a blown turbo...Modding is great as long as you are sensible and keep the look mostly stock. Kids these days need to understand to go faster does not mean a giant sub in the back, a K&N with a 4" exhaust outlet, and a body kit.

You mean to tell me that underglow neon, a giant spoiler, enough amps that you can weld with and a killer ninja, black samurai body kit dont make you go faster.....say it aint so.... 

[nlm]

I think the Legacy GT was/is more of a natual competitor to the MS6 than the WRX as reported in the article. LGT probably wins in reliability department though.

[Fobroader]

I think the Legacy GT was/is more of a natual competitor to the MS6 than the WRX as reported in the article. LGT probably wins in reliability department though.

They didnt sell a lot of the Legacy GT either, but yes, as a competitor, the Legacy more than the Impreza.

[ChaosphereIX]

I think the Legacy GT was/is more of a natual competitor to the MS6 than the WRX as reported in the article. LGT probably wins in reliability department though.

They didnt sell a lot of the Legacy GT either, but yes, as a competitor, the Legacy more than the Impreza.

agreed, those were stupid quick and sounded great. Too bad Subaru went and neutered itself after about 2006. Also the Saab 9-3 TurboX is also a natural competitor from my side, as is the Volvo S60R. Dont say it, I know they were more expensive and the TX was only available 2008+, but still if shopping used now the prices are a wash...

[Black Hatch]

Back in 2004, I was hoping that they would release the mazda6speed as a hatch instead of a sedan.
The mazda6speed was originally a hatch.
I think a hatch would have sold better.

[OliverD]

Back in 2004, I was hoping that they would release the mazda6speed as a hatch instead of a sedan.
The mazda6speed was originally a hatch.
I think a hatch would have sold better.

They needed to offer it as a sedan so they could have extra chassis bracing.

[Black Hatch]

Back in 2004, I was hoping that they would release the mazda6speed as a hatch instead of a sedan.
The mazda6speed was originally a hatch.
I think a hatch would have sold better.

They needed to offer it as a sedan so they could have extra chassis bracing.

And then why was the hatch prefered form for the WRX then circa 2009?
I think they could have still done the hatch with less of the cross-bracing.