Finally Talked Wife Into Buying a Mazda Speed 3!

I got a little Red Mazda Speed 3!!

So way back in 09 I asked how I could talk the wife into buying a Mazda Speed 3. https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/need-help-talking-wife-into-mazdaspeed-3/12969/page1/ Short answer was I couldn't. We wound up selling the Celestial Blue 2010 Mazda 3 for a Prius V (way less zoom but more room room). I recently broke my 73 mustang via my lack of tuning expertise with a cheap but now costly used Holley TBI Commander 950 Pro setup and it kind of left me feeling like a big idiot. We needed a second working car that the kid could fit in and maybe with both parents. So again I was feeling the pressure to sell the Mustang for something practical.

I stumbled on the Mazda Speed 3 (MS3) and showed my wife. Days went by and then she said we should drive it (think I was mopping extra). And we did and within a week we brought it home. I would still love to have an MS3 in the Celestial Blue, but I think I can get used to Red Car as my 2 year old shouts it. He loves it and it is le fast.

Now I burn with a powerful itch to make it better. I'm in trouble. :)

They are fun cars for sure. GRM did all of the basic work a few years back to make it into a better machine, I forget which issues, though.

Looks as though the car came with rx8 wheels, nice bonus.

Brett_Murphy wrote: They are fun cars for sure. GRM did all of the basic work a few years back to make it into a better machine, I forget which issues, though.

I bet I have it in my stack!

It looks really good in red. Only ever see them in black around here.

Nice!

Did you sell the Mustang? Only reason I ask is I've been contemplating something similar with my LX 5.0, sell it for something more practical.

Don't try and make it better. They are brilliant cars out of the box and "making it better" is how everybody seems to run the fuel pumps beyond their limit and ruin them by running lean under boost. Congrats on the purchase, but by god, leave it alone.

SlickDizzy wrote: Don't try and make it better. They are brilliant cars out of the box and "making it better" is how everybody seems to run the fuel pumps beyond their limit and ruin them by running lean under boost. Congrats on the purchase, but by god, leave it alone.

There are things that can be made better. The suspension is too soft for the car. It plows then snap oversteers. Coilovers are your friend and not that hard to do. Rsb good. Fsb better but berkeley ever doing that again. Car does really respond well to breathing mods.

Love the Mazda red. I even like those wheels, what are they? Usually hate aftermarket wheels.

What a great little car those are. Good find!

Coldsnap wrote: Love the Mazda red. I even like those wheels, what are they? Usually hate aftermarket wheels.

Mazdas best kept secret. They're rx8 wheels. Look amazing on anything other than an rx8

I kept a set of S2 RX-8 wheels, just in case I ever get another car that can use them.

I think most of what GRM did was a mild tune that found power under the peak curve, airflow, the rear mount/dogbone and tons of suspension work.

My 07 MS3 has a mazdaspeed CAI, CPE 3" catted down pipe, rear mount, high pressure fuel pump, 3" top mount IC, cork sport RSB. Car is a blast. Now with 80k on it, its misfiring on start up from carboned up intake valves. Looks like I'll be pulling the intake off to clean them.

Does seafoam treatment actually help with carbon buildup?

Coldsnap wrote: Does seafoam treatment actually help with carbon buildup?

I haven't tried seafoam, but I've tried, the professional BG intake cleaner, CRC intake valve cleaner. Both seemed to give good results for about a week. Checked on the Mazdaspeed forum and You Tube, there doesn't seem to be anything that can clean the carbon without removing the intake.

The sad part is all the Ford Ecoboost motors are DI, as are the GM 3.6(Camaro-CTS), VW-Audi, BMW, some M-B. So there's a huge market for a successful cleaner that doesn't require intake removal. I heard BG is working on one. The problem with the cleaner is that with the engine running the cleaner isn't in contact with valve for very long. The only way would be with the engine off, to spray cleaner into the runners that have closed intake valves, let it soak for an hour. But how does one fill the intake port thru the throttle body? Then run the engine and do the same for the rest of the valves.

IDK I think I'm berkeleyed, looking at intake removal videos makes my SHO intake look like a piece of cake, which it is.

sergio wrote:

Coldsnap wrote: Does seafoam treatment actually help with carbon buildup?

I haven't tried seafoam, but I've tried, the professional BG intake cleaner, CRC intake valve cleaner. Both seemed to give good results for about a week. Checked on the Mazdaspeed forum and You Tube, there doesn't seem to be anything that can clean the carbon without removing the intake. The sad part is all the Ford Ecoboost motors are DI, as are the GM 3.6(Camaro-CTS), VW-Audi, BMW, some M-B. So there's a huge market for a successful cleaner that doesn't require intake removal. I heard BG is working on one. The problem with the cleaner is that with the engine running the cleaner isn't in contact with valve for very long. The only way would be with the engine off, to spray cleaner into the runners that have closed intake valves, let it soak for an hour. But how does one fill the intake port thru the throttle body? Then run the engine and do the same for the rest of the valves. IDK I think I'm berkeleyed, looking at intake removal videos makes my SHO intake look like a piece of cake, which it is.

Interesting. As small turbo engines are becoming the norm (it's almost like who isn't doing it now adays), this is definitely something the industry will need to address.

My Speed6 is full of Corksport goodies.
Buying and installing the upgraded high pressure fuel pump internals was an easy upgrade. I recommend it (Corksport or Autotech) even if you don't plan to do anything else. It becomes cheap insurance and a lean motor at high RPM will ruin your day.
Another good place for go-fast bits is www.edgeautosport.com

Those are not RX8 wheels. Those are regular Mazda3 wheels.