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Thread: Mod advice

  1. Default Mod advice

    Hey guys, I'm fairly new to Mazda's, got myself a stock 2006 Mazda 6 MPS. I was trying to figure out what kind of mods to get first, I was thinking of getting a tune and some intake mods so that it actually sounds like a turbo. Trying to decide between getting Versatune and Mazdaedit, any advice would be much appreciated.

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    I don't have any experience with or knowledge of mazdaedit to recommend with, however the most common tuning solution is Cobb accessport. Versatune has some more advanced features that I don't think are possible with cobb, however the only model that _I'm_ aware of that I would actually need those features for is the BL MPS3. I would use versatune to tune it because it can remove the steering wheel angle input to the tune (it's slightly annoying if you track your BL MPS3)

    But that's just what I'm aware of there may be other reasons for other models. I think things like launch control etc are possible with versatune, I'm not immediately aware of these things being possible with cobb AP.

    My suggestion would be versatune if you asked me to choose between versa and mazdaedit, but I'd also suggest I don't know enough about mazdaedit to make a clear case for why versa would be better except to say that I feel as though versa has more exposure in the market.
    "Blue Meanie" 2007 Aurora Blue MPS 3 - 18x8.5+44 SSR GTX01 - 235/40R18 Michelin PS5 - 3.5" ETS TMIC - CPE stg 2 mount - HKS/CPE BPV - 2XS inlet - 2XS short shift - Corksport turbo manifold - HT 98 octane tune - Leather/Aluminium handbrake - Momo shifty knob - 7" touchscreen - JDM Mazda Retractable dashtop screen assembly - Bespoke Raspberry Pi Android based GPS/Carplay and instrumentation - 36AH reserve battery and C-TEK isolator - TEIN Street Advanced coilovers 1" drop - Superpro bushings - 220Kw/410Nm.

    "Lipstick" 2013 Velocity Red MPS 3 - 18x7.5+48 Enkei RPF1 -225/40R18 Federal RS-RR - CPE TMIC - COBB inlet - CPE stg 2 mount - COBB Stage 1 98 octane tune - COBB shifty knob - 2XS short shift - 2XS turbo manifold.

  3. #3

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    A lot of tuners don't like tuning with versa due to it's logging is slow compared to AP v3. What i mean by slow is there can be knock etc but may not show in the logs due to the delay.

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    I don't have enough experience to tune cars on my own so I would need a tuner to do it. I was considering the Cobb AP, but it seems to be almost twice the price, around $1100 for AP and around $700 for open port + versatune.
    I was also thinking of getting CorkSport turbo inlet pipe, CorkSport Air Box and CorkSport SRI as supporting mods. Let me know if there are better mods to get first, I got around $2k to spend.

  5. #5

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    Seems like a decent tune is too expensive for you, yet you want to spend all the money on parts instead of what really makes the car go..Good luck lol, You don't have to tune the car yourself with an Access Port, you can get it one doing a simple 3rd gear pull from Freektune that comes with the AP, and he has tuned 1000's https://www.freektune.com/collection...-accessport-v3 , just a tune on a bog stock car will make more HP than bolt ons untuned, do it once do it right.
    Last edited by shaneski; 21-07-2020 at 12:03 AM.
    MPS Gen 2 2012 - i think i have Ebola

  6. Default

    Hi Ruzki, I'm in a similar position to you, and it kinda sucks because we're a bit late to the mps party and it's getting harder to find parts that folks were talking about on this forum years ago.

    I'm in the process of trying to work out what I'm going to do about strengthening diff mounts and engine mounts, but I've also started thinking about tuning and possibly getting a Cobb AP. Thanks for the link shaneski.

    I really have no idea what I'm doing in regards to tuning but from the little I've read on older threads (much more reading to do still though) the cobb AP seems like the way to go. I never even knew that you could do stuff like this with cars (haven't been into cars since my old rotary days) and I really like the idea of being able to tune the car myself and not have to pay big $$$ on pro tuning as I add more mods over time.

    A couple questions though

    1. Are these cobb AP's easy to use and do they come with detailed instructions?

    2. If i add a bigger turbo and down pipe, I could just buy a new tune from freektune right?

    3. Can anyone recommend a turbo and down pipe that are still readily available and also where to get it from?

  7. Default

    shaneski, fair enough so you recommend getting an AP and a proper tune rather than getting other bolt on mods. I guess I can retune after I get the bolt on's, question is how expensive would a retune be? Also I just checked and their full tune option is sold out, if I just have a stock car would OTS map be suitable.

  8. #8

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    Hey @Crom and @Ruzki, welcome and congrats on the purchases of the MPS cars .

    As shaneski was saying, Cobb AP is the way to go, it works different from other traditional tuning methods, in the sense you can get a dyno tune or what is known as an e-tune. Prices for the base tune and a revision tune is dependent on the tuner, but usually around $175 for a base and 1 revision. An etune means you dont have to physically go to the tuner, instead you send them a datalog. I am going through a tuner in the US, but the point is that is flexible and also you can view live time data and use capture data for fault finding as well.

    A recommended mod path for the mps, is the rear motor mount (if you can, get all 3), HPFP internals, then intake, downpipe etc. There is also diff mounts for the 6, as they are weak stock and can break easily.

    You can actually get a HPFP and Cobb AP on special atm through Wolfracing products, otherwise some of the parts have to come from the states or second hand off ex MPS owners.

    Lastly, with a tune and HPFP internals (HPFP internals dont add more power, it is a safety for your engine type of deal), you will get a much more responsive car.

    Hope that helps

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by shaneski View Post
    A lot of tuners don't like tuning with versa due to it's logging is slow compared to AP v3. What i mean by slow is there can be knock etc but may not show in the logs due to the delay.
    Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but Versatune supports a range of different OBD/CAN bus interfaces? Logging issues may be a function of the interface capabilities rather than the software. I'd bet on it actually. I found that when I was working with dashcommand to build an instrumentation layout about 2010 that the USB serial OBD bus interface I was using couldn't keep up to give properly realtime data. I had to prioritise the most important PID reads to ensure they were read more frequently than less important metrics. With a tuning process, there's less of a luxury in that regard - you simply can't afford to be missing knock events because you'll think things look fine when they aren't.

    That makes me think it's important to match Versatune up with an appropriate interface. I don't actually know what protocols the Cobb AP uses to communicate, but it may be that the Cobb uses faster protocols than the basic versatune interface.
    "Blue Meanie" 2007 Aurora Blue MPS 3 - 18x8.5+44 SSR GTX01 - 235/40R18 Michelin PS5 - 3.5" ETS TMIC - CPE stg 2 mount - HKS/CPE BPV - 2XS inlet - 2XS short shift - Corksport turbo manifold - HT 98 octane tune - Leather/Aluminium handbrake - Momo shifty knob - 7" touchscreen - JDM Mazda Retractable dashtop screen assembly - Bespoke Raspberry Pi Android based GPS/Carplay and instrumentation - 36AH reserve battery and C-TEK isolator - TEIN Street Advanced coilovers 1" drop - Superpro bushings - 220Kw/410Nm.

    "Lipstick" 2013 Velocity Red MPS 3 - 18x7.5+48 Enkei RPF1 -225/40R18 Federal RS-RR - CPE TMIC - COBB inlet - CPE stg 2 mount - COBB Stage 1 98 octane tune - COBB shifty knob - 2XS short shift - 2XS turbo manifold.

  10. Default

    Cool, thanks guys. Just need to decide how far I'm gonna go with this car now.


    So far I've sorted the suspension and more recently got the entire front of the engine replaced, so timing chain, oil pump chain, vvt actuator, sprockets etc etc. I was tempted to do the job myself but in the end I paid a mechanic for the first time in like 20 years, a mazda wrecker actually because I liked his attitude, confidence and also honesty about using aftermarket nason parts, which seem to be the way to go these days. These parts aren't cheap like those complete kits you see on ebay for around $200, but they're not ridiculously expensive like what mazda quoted me for OEM parts.


    anyway I'm really happy with how quiet the engine is now and have no doubt that It'll last a long time, but time will tell and I'll be the first to admit if the parts fail.


    By the way Ruzki, I read so much about this issue and tried to convince myself that it was ok for my car to sound like a diesel at idle and that it was just the sound of the "direct injection" and I actually got away with it for 30 thousand km's but make no mistake, these engines should sound smooth and quiet like any other at idle.


    You may already know this but if you warm up your engine, turn it off and feel the chain through the oil filler hole, it should be tight. My engine sounded like a diesel at idle since the day I bought it but the chain felt ok which is why I let it go for as long as I did, but it got to the point where the chain tensioner must have maxed out and the chain just kept getting looser every few thousand km's.


    As far as engine mounts go, I think I'll get a Damond rear engine mount soon enough, and to replace my broken driver side mount I've ordered one from trupro (ebay company) and before you all laugh, I have reason to trust them because I got my upper rear control arm bushes from them and received "transgold" branded bushes. This is a good thing because transgold are actually one of the more expensive brands offered by automotive stores, and they still look perfect after 25 thousand km's. Same can't be said for some other bushes I tried for the main lower front control arms... Now replaced with super pro... I'm hoping the engine mount I get next week is also transgold and solid rubber as advertised and not oil filled.


    Diff mounts... I know it's an issue and i'll probably have to do it sooner or later but I disagree with guy that did my timing chain. He reckons they're stuffed but I checked and nothing is broken and the bushes still look and feel solid. I mean they've lasted 140k so far, and I never thrash or launch the car, just gas it out of big sweepers in 3rd and 4th gear so I think I'll put it off for a while.... If I start getting serious with modding/tuning then I'll get a cp-e rear mount and at least a new bush for the standard front mount. Turbine tech front mounts are no longer available and I'm not convinced the aluminium "sure" ones with a hard bush are a good idea.

  11. Default

    Hi BR1JZL, I was looking at Freektune to get the Cobb Accessport but they are sold out of Full Tunes so it looks like I'll have to buy the Accessport and Tune seperately. That deal from WolfRacing Accessport + HPFP looks good, I'm just trying to figure out how much I'd get out of the HPFP while running a basically stock car. If the HPFP is one of those must do mods I can get that first with the AP and then get intake / downpipe etc later on.

    Crom, at idle its pretty smoothe but for some reason under acceleration it sounds pretty rough, although that may just be due to the engine being a chain slapper.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ruzki View Post
    Hi BR1JZL, I was looking at Freektune to get the Cobb Accessport but they are sold out of Full Tunes so it looks like I'll have to buy the Accessport and Tune seperately. That deal from WolfRacing Accessport + HPFP looks good, I'm just trying to figure out how much I'd get out of the HPFP while running a basically stock car. If the HPFP is one of those must do mods I can get that first with the AP and then get intake / downpipe etc later on.

    Crom, at idle its pretty smoothe but for some reason under acceleration it sounds pretty rough, although that may just be due to the engine being a chain slapper.
    HPFP gives you the fueling headroom to tune aggressively. Obviously you'd get the most from it when it's supporting lots of mods. I can tell you the ceiling of the OEM HPFP is 1750PSI (OEM tune commands 1600PSI) and upgraded HPFP around 2000PSI. I got away with OEM HPFP by NOT opening up the intake and downpipe and instead opening up inlet piping, big TMIC and turbo manifold. I did this when tuning solutions were rudimentary and flash tunes were not available (2008) and it places hard limits on gas flow while still getting good gains without needing the HPFP upgrade. But the moment I look at replacing the downpipe or MAF housing, the HPFP is an essential from my perspective.
    "Blue Meanie" 2007 Aurora Blue MPS 3 - 18x8.5+44 SSR GTX01 - 235/40R18 Michelin PS5 - 3.5" ETS TMIC - CPE stg 2 mount - HKS/CPE BPV - 2XS inlet - 2XS short shift - Corksport turbo manifold - HT 98 octane tune - Leather/Aluminium handbrake - Momo shifty knob - 7" touchscreen - JDM Mazda Retractable dashtop screen assembly - Bespoke Raspberry Pi Android based GPS/Carplay and instrumentation - 36AH reserve battery and C-TEK isolator - TEIN Street Advanced coilovers 1" drop - Superpro bushings - 220Kw/410Nm.

    "Lipstick" 2013 Velocity Red MPS 3 - 18x7.5+48 Enkei RPF1 -225/40R18 Federal RS-RR - CPE TMIC - COBB inlet - CPE stg 2 mount - COBB Stage 1 98 octane tune - COBB shifty knob - 2XS short shift - 2XS turbo manifold.

  13. Default

    Just need to correct something folks...

    I was reading an older thread of mine from when I first got the car and I said that it had 125k on the clock. Now for some reason I had it in my head that the car had around 110k on the clock when I first bought it but my memory must be letting me down here and I have to assume that 125k was accurate.

    The car now has 142k on the clock so what this means is that my timing chain went from feeling tight to completely loose in just 17 thousand kms! Goes to show how quickly they can deteriorate.

    This also means that my transgold rear upper bushes have only done around 12 thousand km's so I guess they haven't REALLY proven themselves yet. Although as I've mentioned I've seen rubbish bushes fail much sooner. The ones that came with the first cheap set of front lower control arms I bought started splitting after just a few months.

    In the end I replaced all six front control arms with Mevotech ones from a US site called "rock auto" and used super pro bushes in the main arms. The upper and trailing arm bushes are standard Mevotech rubber ones and still look perfect after 12k or so which is a good sign at least.

    Have to do the rear lower bushes next... Think I'll press in some "hard race" ones and also get some of these bad boys:

    https://www.carmodsaustralia.com.au/...-mazda-6-02-06
    Last edited by Crom; 30-07-2020 at 12:50 PM.

  14. Default

    Hey guys finally ready to get all the parts, does anyone know if https://www.mpsgarage.com.au/ is a decent place to get parts.

  15. Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Ruzki View Post
    Hey guys finally ready to get all the parts, does anyone know if https://www.mpsgarage.com.au/ is a decent place to get parts.
    MPSGarage are known flogs, now Wolfe Racing seem to be taking their place as competitiors with not delivering parts they said they had in stock when they didn't.

    You waited 3 days too late. EdgeAuto in USA had massive discounts all weekend which even with our shyte dollar and postage still works out the same or better. But you actually get your parts.

    Always ordered from them, they respond to emails quick as when enquiring if they have parts in stock, when they have them in stock it pretty much arrives at the door 4-6 days later. If they have to wait for the vendor to supply parts they won't bullshit about it like Wolfe and MPSgarage do.
    Last edited by shaneski; 01-12-2020 at 09:09 PM.
    MPS Gen 2 2012 - i think i have Ebola

  16. Default

    I tried to email mpsgarage a week ago but got no response. Just trying to figure out who to get the parts from, ordering from USA I feel like its going to take ages for the parts to arrive.
    Also wondering if it is worth getting one of these to go along with the air intake.

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    If you search IIRP’s garage you soon learn their track history with this community, bad news is the other distributor for CS isn’t earning a great reputation either.

    I would recommend buying direct and make sure your shipment can be sent via DHL,Fedex or UPS and you should receive things in a timely manner

    Quote Originally Posted by Ruzki View Post
    I tried to email mpsgarage a week ago but got no response. Just trying to figure out who to get the parts from, ordering from USA I feel like its going to take ages for the parts to arrive.
    Also wondering if it is worth getting one of these to go along with the air intake.
    Every man should have a V8 ute.....with a Chev badge.....and a Southern Cross sticker! Mods? What mods?

  18. Default

    Hey MPS2NV, I have been looking through Edge found the Accessport and HPFP, now just trying to work out which intake and turbo inlet pipe to get JRB or Cobb, any help would be appreciated.

    Quote Originally Posted by MPS2NV View Post
    If you search IIRP’s garage you soon learn their track history with this community, bad news is the other distributor for CS isn’t earning a great reputation either.

    I would recommend buying direct and make sure your shipment can be sent via DHL,Fedex or UPS and you should receive things in a timely manner

  19. #19
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    Cobb often run package deals so it would worth checking out those options! https://www.prospeedracing.com.au/ Are fantastic to deal with for Cobb parts in Australia.

    JBR also make great products, EdgeAutosport have ALWAYS been amazing to deal with also.

    Quote Originally Posted by Ruzki View Post
    Hey MPS2NV, I have been looking through Edge found the Accessport and HPFP, now just trying to work out which intake and turbo inlet pipe to get JRB or Cobb, any help would be appreciated.
    Every man should have a V8 ute.....with a Chev badge.....and a Southern Cross sticker! Mods? What mods?

  20. Default

    I checked out prospeed don't really have any deals going at the moment. I have been messaging edgeAutosport and their customer service is way better than mpsgarage, then again mpsgarage has zero customer service as 3 weeks on they still haven't messaged me back. Once I figure out what size turbo inlet I need to match the JBR turbo inlet manifold (https://edgeautosport.com/jbr-turbo-...d-6-2006-2007/) I'll order from edge. I think good customer service should be rewarded

    Quote Originally Posted by MPS2NV View Post
    Cobb often run package deals so it would worth checking out those options! https://www.prospeedracing.com.au/ Are fantastic to deal with for Cobb parts in Australia.

    JBR also make great products, EdgeAutosport have ALWAYS been amazing to deal with also.

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