Aftermarket Mazda3 exhaust

[MDE]

I have a Mazda 3s (2.3L) and I'm considering a new exhaust. I see that Mazda has their "MAZDASPEED" branded exhaust, but I can't find any numbers about performance gains. Does anyone know what, if any, gains I'll get from the Mazda exhaust, or should I go with a cheaper third party solution (or a lightly used Mazdaspeed 3 exhaust)?

 

[vi edit]

You're basically paying $70-100 for every 1HP you gain. You just aren't going to get much out of a little 4 cylinder N/A engine.

The biggest gain would be changing the note/sound of the exhaust plus the looks of a big can stuck on the back if that's what you want.

 

[Arkaign]

Upgrading exhaust on Duratec 2.0 / 2.3L motors can be a significant gain, dyno proven, but you have to pair it with :

(1)- ECU Flash/Tune
(2)- CAI

For it to really pay off.

A good tune/intake/exhaust will net you up to ~20hp to the wheels on that motor.

Go here, register, and find some folks with before and after dyno sheets, comments on quality/fit/finish/sound of the products, fuel economy, and so on.

http://www.mazda3forums.com/

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: vi edit
You're basically paying $70-100 for every 1HP you gain. You just aren't going to get much out of a little 4 cylinder N/A engine.

The biggest gain would be changing the note/sound of the exhaust plus the looks of a big can stuck on the back if that's what you want.

That's just not true. It differs wildly from motor to motor, setup to setup.

I was very skeptical until getting involved in the Focus community.

There are five motors in the US Focus lineup historically :

(1)- 2.0L SPI ~105hp
(2)- 2.0L Zetec ~130hp
(3)- 2.0L SVT Zetec ~170hp
(4)- 2.0L Duratec ~140hp
(5)- 2.3L Duratec ~155hp

The SPI with a quality intake/exhaust/tuning job, can only gain ~5-8hp at best, it just doesn't respond well.

The Zetecs don't go very far either, you need to do internals and fuel delivery to gain much, and even then it's not going to be a very significant upgrade. Boost is the only way to really get much, and that can end very badly if not done right.

The Duratecs OTOH, respond like mad to bolt-ons and tuning. Significant, dyno-proven and timeslip-proven gains can be had by effectively combining tuning, intake, and exhaust work.

 

[vi edit]

We just have differing opinions on what is "significant" and their value.

A CAI, Exhaust, and tune is going to run upwards of what, $1200-$2000 depending on brands and labor costs. And for what, 20HP? I have A LOT better things to do with my money I guess.

It's not like doing an ECU flash on a turbo'd 4 cylinder and getting an easy 50HP/50 ft/lb for $300-$600. That's worth it to me.

 

[bananapeel42]

Lol, going from 155 FLYWHEEL hp to 175 FLYWHEEL, it's still slow. If you're going to upgrade it, please do it tastefully, no 5" can coming out the back.

I did actually own a 2.3L mazda 3 5spd and it wasn't a really slow car, but adding intake and exhaust isn't going to make it fast honestly, just not as slow as it was before.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: vi edit
We just have differing opinions on what is "significant" and their value.

A CAI, Exhaust, and tune is going to run upwards of what, $1200-$2000 depending on brands and labor costs. And for what, 20HP? I have A LOT better things to do with my money I guess.

It's not like doing an ECU flash on a turbo'd 4 cylinder and getting an easy 50HP/50 ft/lb for $300-$600. That's worth it to me.

Good points, and it really depends on how cheap it is to get the work done.

Doing it on the cheap for the Focus, you can get the following (for the 2.0 Duratec Mazda motor) :

Steeda CAI $240
Steeda SCT/XC3 Tune $400
Ford Racing Exhaust (2.5") $240

Combined, typical gains seem to be in the ~14hp range, with some exceptions going higher and lower depending on luck (some motors are better than others, even of the same model), brand, and all number of intangibles.

It really isn't worth spending a huge amount of money on, but if someone shops around, perhaps gets some parts second-hand, you can really get some nice gains for cheap.

Just please for the love of all that is holy, do not put a gigantic warbling exhaust tip on that 3.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: bananapeel42
Lol, going from 155 FLYWHEEL hp to 175 FLYWHEEL, it's still slow. If you're going to upgrade it, please do it tastefully, no 5" can coming out the back.

I did actually own a 2.3L mazda 3 5spd and it wasn't a really slow car, but adding intake and exhaust isn't going to make it fast honestly, just not as slow as it was before.

Yeah, you pretty much read my mind as I was posting the previous post lol.

Intake/Exhaust alone you are 100% correct, won't make a huge difference. The icing has to be the ECU tuning, or performance management system. Combined, it's a difference worth the time and effort, if you can afford to mess with it. Improved throttle response, wider powerband, and increases in peak HP and TQ are enough to shave some noticeable time off of 1/4 mile slips. Having to buy premium fuel is a PITA though, and all quality tunes require it.

That said, you're right, it will still be a N/A Mazda3, and won't be burning Mustang GTs. To do that, you'd have to :

hit the internals and basics (cams, rods, pistons, headers, etc)
add boost

After spending THAT kind of $$$, you'd have something notably quick, but IMHO, definitely not worth the expense in the days of $10k C5 Vettes.

 

[BassBomb]

Mazdaspeed OEM exhausts are fine and I prefer those to rice. They do not increase horsepower too much though.

My cousin has one on his Protoge (he tried two one from the Mazdaspeeed Protoge and one that was just a factory accessory and used which he liked better)

 

[fbrdphreak]

As others have mentioned, your gains will be small and the car will still be pretty slow. If you want to make it more fun to drive I would first invest in better tires (I like Bridgestone personally - RE050A for good above-freezing temp performance), then maybe some suspension parts. Some sways bar and/or better dampers/springs would be a far better investment in your car's performance than an exhaust or anything else short of forced induction or increased displacement.

 

[MDE]

Don't worry, I want the car to look bone stock from the outside, which is why I was considering the Mazdaspeed exhaust. Hell, if I go with something else, I may have the stock exhaust tip put on that just because. I'm looking at suspension, intake\exhaust, tires, pretty much anything right now, and going to weigh the cost\performance of each. The car is "fast enough" right now, I'd just like a little bit more from it, but something tells me I may never really stop wanting just a little bit more all the time.