boost

so im gonna get a turbo in my mazda whats the safe on boost with stock internals

i cant imagine much but i could be wrong. do you know what you have for internals (forged crank, rods, etc)

i don't know either but id guess not a lot most n/a cars that get boost can only run like 5-8psi

i would build the engine first. or maybe you can find a built block for a good price. not sure

I don't know bout Mazda's but the rsx can handle 12psi stock.... my guess would be around 5-7.

Start with a conservative amount and up it bit by bit with tuning, no knock you should be ok. just make sure you're not leaning out.

roguestatus wrote:

I don't know bout Mazda's but the rsx can handle 12psi stock.... my guess would be around 5-7.

hell calvin was pushing the stock bottom end K20 with E85 and a ton of boost...... here what he and i were talking about

My engine was 100% stock '02 RSX-S(K20A2) internal wise from the valve cover to the oil pan. The only changes I had made was when I bought the engine, I installed updated valve springs and retainers, good for revving to 9K, in order to do that, you have to pull the head. At that time, I installed a Supertech blockgard and used a thinner Mugen headgasket, taking my compression from 11.0:1 to 11.5:1 keeping in mind I was NA that year...then I boosted it last spring. So technically, it was stock. I was at 11.5 with 20psi lol Whoops.....

but that leads to a broken piston LOL

Boost is relative. What is the set up going to be? I would run conservative boost and turn down the timing. I would research on a forum to see if someone else has done the same thing and see what they have to say.

One of the mazda guys on here has a turbo mazda 3 (not a speed). I would shoot him a PM.

from what i've read, no more than 8-9 Psi..

I would start off by doing a TON of researching on turbos and 3s. I wouldn't push more than 7 psi stock. Be prepared to spend a lot of money (I have a friend from the east coast that has easily $10k into his turbo kit and supporting parts) to get it running right and reliable.

F2 makes a supercharger kit that is just bolt on. No fuel tuning or anything. Its their stage 1 SC kit.

With the money you will be spending you could have just traded in and bought a faster car


That's just my look on things though.

^agreed. It's always *cheaper to start with a boosted factory car, or do a full mazdaspeed 3 engine swap.


*unless it's a Honda, then you just use junkyard turbo parts.

there is no "safe boost" level for any car really. Because mods like exhaust and portwork/cams will change boost. its really about a power level. my car will handle 450-480 whp reliably on the stock bottom end but that power can be made on a variety of boost levels depending on other mods. but i would think up to 8psi should be ok with a good tune. but like everyone says, do a lot of research.

Personally, I'd rather build a Mz3 2.3 than start with the MS3 motor. You'll be able to make more power. It seems as though the MS3 motor is capped around 400 whp and they are less reliable.

I know a few people who have had mild mods and still blown their MS3s while I also know a couple people that have NASTY 3s that are turbo'd. One of them is over 500 whp and it is stable.



This car is the 500 whp. It is a true build, nothing spared. The thing is just crazy.

big turbo and spray to make 500whp? I'll build an SRT4 and make more power with less

Its a FWD car, anything over 400 is a waste anyway because you cant use it.

very true been there done that. hell look at some of the bad ass hondas out there..... 450whp kills the higher hp stuff on the normal street type stuff

my advice is like these guys have said... go with a different car, the amount of time and work expecially $$ that i have put into my n/a 3 to achieve a ~ 300hp fwd car isnt worth it. The guy that built that mazda in the pic above had unlimited resources and a still said the same thing at the end. he would never do it again. idk anything about sti/evos but you can probably cruize by 300hp pretty cheap and your awd.but if you want somthing not to many people have and you want the satisfaction of building your car shoot me a pm and we can talk..alot of good info on mazda3forums.com under forced induction

oh and if you dont beat on it you will be ok at 10psi, hard driving wouldnt go past 8