2010 Mazdaspeed 3: Now That's a Proper Air Intake

I dont own a MS3, but just from looking at that picture, im 99% sure that's an intercooler, not an intake...

+1 for Intercooler.

I have a MS3 and it is a top mounted intercooler. But technically, the scoop could be considered an "air intake".. for the intercooler.. I guess.

Isn't the air filter held in the trapezoidal black container?

Fake hood scoops with holes that go nowhere? Hey, at least they have holes. (I'm looking at you, '99-'04 Mustang.)

nofreee you are correct. That is our paper-thin heatsoaking top mount intercooler. To the right, that triangle-shaped box, is the stock air intake, which gets air fed through a series of tubes coming from the grin.

Yes, the grin is actually useful.

Sorry, should have been more specific, I was referring to the hood here.

Ed

top mounted intercoolers are no good. i swore i would never get a top mount intercooled car again (unless i was going to get a front mount for it) because heat soak was so bad. living in so cal, you are sitting in traffic forever and then it finally opens up and you floor it to relieve some frustration and it falls on its face. the engineers for the MS3 will agree that a front mount is far better, but the accountants overruled them.

Functional scoops, vents, holes etc are interestng, and can sure add some cool to a car, but a scoop does not add cool by default. The new Subaru's scoop reminds me of a one nostrilled cartoon monster I saw somewhere. And fake scoops are about the worst things ever. I once saw an Eclipse that the owner had carefully molded a roof scoop onto, with nowhere for the air to go. When he took it out for a drive the air pressure popped it off and ruined all the paint/molding work.

@huyracing

Amen - a top mounted intercooler makes ZERO sense to me.

I think the idea behind top-mount intercoolers is that the shorter piping reduces lag. Heat-soak is the tradeoff. Whether it’s worth it or not, I couldn’t say… haven’t tried it.

The big advantage of top-mount intercoolers is packaging. It's generally easier to add something to the top of the engine than it is to add an intercooler and plumbing to the front where you're fighting for space and efficiency with the radiator and A/C condenser and their plumbing. It's also easier to assemble and easier to install in the vehicle, which is a big plus for the factory assembly line. Less complex generally equals less expensive, so that's the main reason. If you're wondering how they can offer so much for $24k, this is one reason.

The Mazdaspeed Miata was the only U.S.-sold Mazdaspeed vehicle with a front mounted intercooler. Unfortunately, it was so small to fit into the existing space (and to be shared with European turbo-diesel models) that it probably didn't provide any better cooling than the big top mounted units in the Mazdaspeed 3 and Mazdaspeed6.

Let me correct myself... I forgot about the Mazdaspeed Protege. Like the Mazdaspeed Miata, it also had a tiny front mounted intercooler.

The Mazdaspeed Miata didn't really produce enough boost (only 8.5 psi) to require a large intercooler.

@carlisimo
Considering Subaru has fitted top mount intercoolers to their cars for going on two decades, I'd say that they have figured out how to get the system to work properly for OEM applications.

Never heard of an aftermarket system that places a TMIC on a car that didn't orginally have it though.

I also think that a TMIC is a less likely to get damage.

Question. For this MS3, and other cars like a Lancer EVO, since theres a hoodscoop, how about it when it rains? Wont the rain in any way ruin anything in the engine compartment ?

Generally the water just goes through the intercooler fins, over the tranny, and onto the ground. Water outside the engine is ok, as long as it doesn't find a way in.

One of the clever tricks Subaru added to the STI to address heat soak is a lttle water spritzer just above the intercooler.

A major issue with front mounted intercoolers (as mentioned above) is damage from road debris. The intercooler fins are very thin and delicate and easily bent by a stray pebble arriving at 60mph.

"The Mazdaspeed Miata didn't really produce enough boost (only 8.5 psi) to require a large intercooler."

The Mazdaspeed Miata's intercooler was all of 8.5" x 8.5" x 2.5". It heatsoaked quick. Mazdaspeed Miata owners know the first thing you do just to keep the stock power, let alone add more, is upgrade the intercooler, which is why there are several available on the market for a limited production car (5,428 total produced over two years; 4,000 in 2004; 1,428 in 2005 - plant fire ended production early).

to the comment about roof scoops, they have a purpose in 2 scenarios

1. Mid mounted engine intake

2. Rally, Using a roof scoop with an air filter the drivers can open their windows and have increased pressure inside the cabin to keep dirt from coming in. Basically the only A/C they are ever going to get.

I do get a kick out of seeing them on cars that do neither of those things.

My favorite “Fake-Scoop” is the one on the Toyota Tacoma TRD. They didn’t even try the “holes that lead to nowhere”…just a piece of plastic with little circular cutouts…classic.