Seems like the best things I've done to this car are taking off the previous owners' mods. They took great care of the car, kept it mostly stock, did a lot of smart reliability mods, but the rest... I just don't get it.

Just pulled off an authentic B&M short shifter and put on a fresh-bushing stock shifter after hunting around for a while to get all the parts. It's like a whole new car! Now it shifts like a sports car instead of a hot rod. Easy flick of the wrist, still plenty short, and no more clunk-click jamming it into gear.

Can't wait to pull off the Airinx, put on a stock airbox, and (fingers crossed) watch my IATs drop.

Really hope I can reverse the full nonsequential, bring back the rats nest, and get out of lag-o-potomus mode.

 

+1. these cars are fun stock, and its very easy to turn the thing into a moving water temp gauge, which isn't fun.

 

Stock rocks! I swear the most PITA problems I've had is with aftermarket parts. The engineering isn't just there like OEM. Stock does generate more heat, but unless you track it, it's generally not an issue (if all your solenoids and actuators are in working condition). The only fault with stock I have are the gauges, primarily water temp and oil pressure. Get at least an after market water gauges to keep an eye on your temps and a boost gauge to monitor creep (which you shouldn't have if you are stock and actuators and solenoids are working). If you do any spirited driving, add the second (factory) oil cooler and upgrade the radiator.

Now if you track it, that's a whole other ball game where factory is completely inadequate

 

Do you have the stock IC installed? if so don't be too disappointed because the stock IC really does suck.


Coming from someone that came from a 100% stock (and I mean 100%). I am not a fan of the 100% stock configuration. I find the car is too restricted past 70 mph (the acceleration just isn't there) . Lets face it, a stock car is not very impressive when compared to today's sedans lol.

IMO the best combination is basic flow mods + reliability mods to achieve a very nice, driveable, and decently fast street car. Relatively quiet with very decent acceleration. Basically: reliability mods + A.I., M2 CAI, greddy vmount (retains AC), DP, resonated MP, with Racing Beat dual's at 10 psi and you're set.

 

I'm petty much on the same boat, going back to stock shifter, from full non-sequential to sequential, new oem harness...put the ac and ps back in...

 

but you are driving a cool vintage car and they have a depreciating "investment".

 

lol


pfft... I bought this car for myself to ENJOY for myself. In other words, I am not a storage facility keeping the car pristine for the next guy. I know people get too hung up on the potential value to be fetched. Whatever... I mean it is really nice that the cars are appreciating. However, if that is their sole reason to own one then there are much better ways to invest that doesn't cost money to upkeep (insurance, repairs, ect) nor take up garage space.

Edit- if you are being serious about the whole investment thing. Then there is a simple answer: The mods that I called out are boltons, which means the car can easily be put back to stock in a couple of days.

 

I've got the basic flow mods on the car with a tuned PFC, so it's ~280whp at 10psi. Aside from the lag, this is sufficient IMO. It's certainly faster than my DD lux sedan.

GReddy SMIC on there now, doesn't seem to be doing enough given input temps in traffic. I had another thread on this recently and I'm ticking off fixes one by one. My IATs on an 85deg day are basically a one-way ratchet up to high 40s, low 50s when I'm not cruising. 60s to (!) high 70s in real stopped traffic. My logic is what can I expect when I'm sucking in ~50-60c+ engine bay air to start with? Asking a lot of the big SMIC to cool that to the 30s.

I think your list is good except that the resonated midpipe means too much noise and stink. I thought seriously about the GReddy vmount but relocating the battery, relay box, etc is too much hacking and too far from "stock is nice." I'm hoping Greddy SMIC + CAI + Aux inj should be enough to keep intake temps down even at the track w/ modest boost.

 

Once you get the stock airbox in intake air temp rise won't be quite so bad.

I recommend the "cheap bastard" mod so the airbox has its own intake path and the IC alone uses the stock IC duct.

This is one of the fixes Mazda made in '99.

If you go one step further and put a slim fan behind the Greddy SMIC I think you will be about as good as you can get for heatsoak without running a vented hood.

 

...and make sure you cover the hole in the IC duct that feeds the airbox. See a lot of pics with a big gap there

 

I'm with you. Enjoy the car for what it is meant to be... driven.

To each his own but stock FD's are boring.

 

I've never owned a stock shifter in the car, and I agree it's clunky.
Makes me think I'll try a stock one soon and compare.

 

I HATE HATE HATE short shifter kits. I have yet to drive a car with one that was worth a damn. Most people go from a shifter with worn out bushings to an aftermarket one and think it's great. Just simply put new bushings on the shifter and its' a whole new world.

Dale

 

sort of, i cringe when people call their new BMW's "investments". its nothing of the sort, i'm not really current on prices, but people were thrilled to trade in their 5 year old 7 series BMW's when Obama was paying $3500 for them.
if you look at that "investment", they "invested" $100,000, and 5 years later it has lost 97% of its value. since we all know that new cars depreciate, its the worst "investment" in history.

a car is really just a depreciating asset. "investment" is the word that is used in advertising to help you think you're not just wasting $97,000 every 5 years.

historically even "collector" or "classic" cars are bad investments. sure something like a 308 Ferrari is worth $100k now, but how much was the bill for storage, registration, and maintenance for 35 years until it was worth something?

we're lucky with the FD, i think most of us bought at the low, and we get to enjoy a hugely great car for relatively small monies, and it'll probably sell for more than it was bought for, which is a way better "investment" than a new sedan.

 

I had a genuine b&m as well and hated it. I went back to stock pretty quickly. I shortened my throw on the stock shifter by cutting an inch out of it in the top section. It's almost the same as stock but it is shorter. I like the aesthetics of it better than stock, plus it blocks the radio less.

The most fun time I had in my car was when it was stock seq with a pfc and hi flo cat. Never had problems. MO powa MO problems.

 

B&M doesn't get much love. I like the action on it at least as much as the C's.

 

I've got what I believe is a genuine Mazdaspeed shifter, and I like it, but I could take it or leave it. If I had the little boot for the stocker, I'd throw it back in.

All mods are definitely not good, or better, just because they're aftermarket "upgrades". I sort of wish I could have a 2nd FD that was truly a street car. My original R1 with just a PFS catback, PFS Intake/IC combo, and RB lowering springs was an awesome and still usable car.

 

I used to have a pfs unit and most of the time my ait's were in the low 40's. Not too great but not as horrible as the stocker. A.I. should do wonders in lowering your ait's. I get you on the battery thing. Mine is in the trunk area so it is not hacking' into it by any means. Plus i have a great appreciation for the low ait's that a vmount brings and hence the trade of a relocated battery is a non issue to me. Especially since it can easily be put back to stock.

As far as the mp racing beat combo: it is not loud believe it or not. That is why I specified resonated mp and rb duals. And if you are near stock boost levels and are properly tuned aka not pig rich, the smell is not really there either. Just and FYI not trying to change your mind nor anything.


Just my suggestion from my experience as I am way past that point in terms of mods. Though it is still very streetable, there are some things that could be better and that I miss from the old days. But then again the car is fast as ballz now so... That is a huge consolation prize.

 

Agreed. It is always interesting to catch the look on people's faces when they realize how truly underwhelming a 100% stock fd really is. I'm talking general public not fd owners. As they know the car, it looks amazingly sporty, & they have heard many performance stories about them only to have their bubbles popped by reality of a stocker.

 

The Axial Flow short shifter for the RX8 (and I imagine s2000) is amazing. If only they could make one for the 7.

 

I have the MazdaSpeed short throw shifter kit and I love it. It basically feels (and looks) the same as the stock unit but moves the fulcrum point a little higher to make the throw shorter. Great solution!

 

My Manual R1 and my SP RX-7 both had short shifters in them when I got them... They felt notchy and slow, sort of handicapped. Removed the short shifter #$%^&* from both cars and went back to the factory shifter. Much slicker, smoother and easier to shift with a flick of the wrist. No more slow wrenching and ramming crap.

Some FD's I've bought in from Japan in the past have had crazy things done to them by the previous owners. 2 turbo timers in one car... Non sequential done very poorly... Electronics spliced in and wires twisted together by hand and taped up... Stupidly large wheels that rub the inner fenders to death... More boost twisted out of a stock ECU... You name it. I don't know what some people were thinking.

 

With Montego.. the mods on my car were for reliability and a little added performance. Like wine, all things in moderation or you're just looking for a bad headache the next day. Make it better not necessarily original. Reminds me of that recent Singer thread and the other one about being a reliable daily for beginners.

I'm also with the OP on the short shifter. I was so excited when I installed one years ago. It was only surpassed by the satisfaction I got after pulling the damn thing off and going back to stock.

 

More mods do not make a better car, intelligent mods like Aaron Cake do

I have a pretty simple approach to any situation, summarized in one question: What makes it work better?

The Answer:
Re-ducting the nose as Mazda did in 1999
All-aluminum Radiator (like a Koyo N-flo)
Relocating the turbo solenoids for longevity, replacing them with more available/durable parts
Silicone vacuum lines & viton check valves
Efini Y-pipe & silicone couplers
Greddy-style aluminum intake elbow
Boost & coolant temp gauges (duh!)
Stainless steel downpipe, hi-flow cat & RB dual catback.
AGM Battery with Marine Battery Terminals, Taurus Alternator & Soldered cables
An Actual Mazda Starter & Starter Relay Mod

And most of all...HEAT WRAPPING THE FRIGGIN' HARNESS!!!

 

I went from a Mazdatrix upgraded/refurbished stock shifter to an Amemiya one (which isn't really a short shifter...its more like a stock one that's been shortened), and could really feel a nice difference. I was coming out of an NB Miata and wanted that near-perfect feel that those shifter have when they're new.
The Amemiya one feels just like the stock 2001 Miata one did...which is about as good as a shifter can feel, IMO.

Akagis, don't forget the AST. that's the 1st one anyone does, and for good reason!