Looking to improve my engine's performance
 

Hey there,

I was looking for an easy and cheap way to improve my car engine's performance a bit by increasing its horsepower or whatever. Cars in Egypt almost always have low engines because of the expensive customs, and mine is pretty low (1598cc). Anyway, a couple of people suggested a high performance intake (like from K & N) and a good highflow exhaust (flowmaster, etc.). That is a cheap and easy way, and a nice addition that MIGHT be a bit costy is a plug in chip that can change the engine's dynamics.

I'm a novice when it comes to mechanics, and that is why I need help with that. Don't worry, I'm not looking to start speeding again or whatever, I actually always have my seatbelt on and drive 80 - 110 km/h, but it'd be nice to improve the engine's performance since it is possible.

I stumbled upon some but I don't really know which is which or which fits or whatever. I need help!

im not sure which is correct for your vehicle, to find better help id try to find a mazda forum that has more members in your region. the 1.6l is not in the u.s so not many people would know about it, i can say this, the mufflers tips wont help anything.

Thanks for your reply. Then I'm pretty sure they meant Exhaust System not Muffler Tips, I guess I misunderstood. Are exhaust systems expensive? Oh and I heard that CAI intakes could trash the engine if I run over water and it reaches the filters and then into the engine. Is that true? I might go for normal intakes if that's the case, although I know cold air is better.

If you're expecting measurable performance gains from your 1.6 liter engine with the simple addition of a cold-air intake; I submit to you that you'll be greatly disappointed with the result. Were I in your shoes I'd save my money for either a faster car or a forced induction system for your current car instead of pouring money into modifications which are unlikely to improve performance much, if at all.

I don't think I will be buying any other car any time soon. I spent $27,258 USD on it which is a lot compared to prices of Mazdas in the States or any other country for that matter. Anyway, I never really expected a great performance increase, I wasn't expecting to start racing BMWs, for instance, but I was looking for a smoother and better engine performance so the take off wouldn't be so slow and heavy - not that I do burnouts, I'm just saying.

But anyway, what do you mean by forced induction system? Is that installable on my current engine or would I have to change it as a whole? And how much would that cost in the US?

A few points regardsing a Cold Air Intake (CAI):

• A CAI will not positively affect your low end power in any way shape or form
• Most CAI installations I've seen actually reduce your mid-range power
• The only power gains I've ever seen from a CAI came at the extreme upper end of the power band.

Long story short, a CAI will not help your off-line performance at all.

Regarding Forced Induction (i.e. either a supercharger or a turbocharger), yes, as far as I know there are applications which will fit your car. There are benefits and drawbacks to each:

• A supercharger is mechanically coupled to the engine and as such, can provide meaningful boost at RPMs just above idle. The drawback here is that superchargers are parasitic in that they consume a siginificant percentage of power from the engine (i.e. your engine is putting out significantly more power than what is making its way to the transmission), and superchargers are rarely effective in the upper power/RPM ranges.
• A turbocharger consumes (primarily) lost energy in the exhaust system to do its job. The good news is that if your engine is generating say 150 hp, then all of that power makes it to the transmission, the bad news is that at idle (and just above), there is very little energy available in the exhaust system so turbochargers don't do a heck of a lot of good down low.

As for forced induction sytems and their costs; I've heard of kits starting in the $2,000 range with the high-end instllations running as much as $5,000.

That's all I needed to know. Thank you so much, ship. I guess if I'm going to take that 'tuning', if that's what they call it, step, I'll go for a forced induction system. If it won't be too much weight, I guess I can buy the kit from the US when I'm there and take it with me to Egypt and get it installed by a professional. I hope it's going to make a difference.

One quick, final question, is it going to be noisy?

Noisy? Nope, turbocharged engines are typically rather quiet, the turbine actually quiets things down a bit. That said, some superchargers can add a small amount of noise. As for weight; nah, neither installation weighs all that much.