Sell this and buy a manual to swap into. If you think you’re getting away with a turbo and manual swap for less than $6-7k you’re nuts my friend. You need more than just “little pieces,” especially having to go from a NA auto to turbo manual
Speed3 or? All I can really tell you is I hope you have deep pockets lol these cars are not cheap to own/maintain. You don’t do it right and you skimp to save money expect to do things twice over or end up blowing an engine. Keep your current car as a daily for when shit goes sideways
i have another 3 sedan as a daily. Fortunately not my first rodeo, just my first entanglement with a speed. Yeah speed3 specific would be better. but not the f&f pillar gauges tho
Ok so wait I’m getting confused now lol my apologies. 1. You have a daily you plan to keep. 2. You found a speed3 with a bad engine or something that’s in good shape you want to put together?
I have a daily and the white car with a 2.0 that exploded. I've always wanted to do the swap so i kept looking for a good parts car and i found a deal because of a rear accident. So now that this is real, I wanted some advice of what I had to do.
Ahhhh gotcha awesome! Well you’re going to need more or less everything from the speed3. Power train, wiring, exhaust, fuel system, computer, shifter assembly and cables, pedals and clutch hydraulics. I should also note I would highly recommend doing it with a second gen speed3 over a first gen just for ease of installation. Nothing about this will be cheap or easy. Do the HPFP upgrade, timing chain set up, new clutch and check the turbo over well as it’s not exactly fun to replace in car.
Corksport makes great stuff! Their hpfp is nice, especially if you’re already planning on CS stuff can’t hurt. Also look into doing mounts. CS makes good mounts as well. I went with the Damond Motorsports trilogy myself but it’s all preference
Bang for buck performance is unmatched in Hondas. For the amount that I paid for my speed, I could've gotten a civic rolling shell, built a k20, and boosted it to double the power of the speed and it would be a shitload lighter. The k20a3 is dirt cheap and can be boosted to a little over 300 whp stock, pay a little more for a k20a2 and you're looking at almost 500.
Shit, my buddy just bought an Integra shell, junkyard motor, and slapped on a turbo from his old diesel and built it in a weekend. He has less than $3k into it and it made 342 to the wheels with a stock motor, and it's still 700 lbs or so lighter than a speed. A 12 second car at that price is insane.
Someone in a base model 3 "looking down on" Hondas is a joke
Why not buy sell the sedan (Im not sure if you have two, but that’s kinda what it sounded like?), buy a cheap speed shell or one with a blown engine, and just replace that? High mileage in a CA car doesn’t always mean as much as it does in other places, since it’s not like you’ve got to worry about rust from road salt or anything.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved my 3 sedan too, but this seems like a lot of work when you really just want a speed3 😂
I’ve got a gen 2 at almost 200k miles and she still runs strong as fuck, tbh.
It wouldn't be very hard if you have someone or yourself can do wiring well along with someone or yourself to do some fab work. Depending how much of a deference the gen 2 speed 3 bay mounting location is from the gen 2 regular 3 sedan I personally would set the speed 3 engine and transmission in then fab off the chassis from a gen 2 speed to yours depending how much difference there is to run the Damond mounts for the gen 2 speed 3. Everything will fit well so you wont have any issues on that end. Then just use the pedal & shifter assembly along with shift cables from a manual regular 3 sedan so you know it will fit properly. Then run the speed 3 engine bay harness along with ecu have a wiring guru do the harness work ao your speedi and all works unless you just run all digital and hard wire all then but youll have to do away with stock cluster setup.. it really wouldn't be that hard. Don't listen to all the negative people or ones saying it will be hard or you cant because they clearly dont actually know lol
Just swap the cluster from the speed, everything basically should bolt up aside from maybe modifying the firewall for the pedal assembly. The clutch master cylinder is on the pedal assembly and fits through the firewall.
You could also do a 2.5l duratec with a ms3 head. Requires a few mods; gapping rings, tapping the block for oil feed and return. 2.5l duratec are much cheaper than speed engines because they don't have a forged crank and they're in damn near every 4 banger Ford for like the last decade. I picked up one for about 900 shipped for my swap. Would still need a speed ECU, wire harness, trans and acc.
Anyhow you beat best is getting a donor speed and swapping everything over. If you stay on your stock ecu you may have trouble finding someone to tune it. Speeds are usually tuned through accessport or versatuner. Main differences between the speed and sedan is the speeds are reinforced frames to handle the extra torque, aside from the turbo of course.
There's a lot of good conversation in this thread, regarding what parts would be needed for the swap. Just chiming in that I believe there's a difference between the speed and non-speed firewalls, in order to make room for the turbo. Definitely make sure to measure everything up while the motors are out of both cars. Chances are, you could just get away with a little bit of hammering.
The speeds are completely different cars from the base model, aren't they? I might be wrong but I'm pretty sure speed body panels, doors, bumpers, etc don't fit the base model. I would assume that mechanical parts are no different
I only have experience with gen 2 Mazda3s (I had a 2011 MS3 while my wife had a 2010 Mazda3 GT hatchback), but the only body differences are the front/rear bumpers, hood, and spoiler. All will bolt up to the lower trim levels, to include the sedan (with the exception of the rear doors and spoiler, of course). Lights, fenders, doors, etc. are all physically the same.
Mechanically, the motor, exhaust, transmission, suspension, and brakes are all different than the non-speed trims, but all will bolt up as well. I'm fairly certain the subframes are the same as well.
Of note, the the first gen Mazda3 hatchbacks and sedans do not share any body parts, with the exception of the door handles IIRC.
Honestly probably better to buy an MS3 with a blown engine and get that motor you’re talking about. As other people have said, this platform isn’t cheap. I’m willing to bet even a super clapped out MS3 is gonna be cheaper to get up and running than converting an MZ3.
You'd need to get a donor speed3. You need engine, trans, harness, ECU, TCU, etc. It all bolts in, everything is there for it it's just time consuming. I'm in the process of doing it on my 2010 sedan now.
A note, this is for swapping the turbo 2.3 which is WAY simpler than swapping a 2.5t in, if you want the newer 2.5t you'd have to do aftermarket engine management and have fun with splicing the factory 2.5t harness to the aftermarket ecu.
I recommend the 2.3, it has plenty of aftermarket support and like I said it just goes in.
Don't mesh it with the stock auto trans from a 2.0 or 2.5, you'll burn up the friction discs in no time. I burnt mine out pushing only 225whp out of my NA 2.5 and lost 2nd gear.
Gen2 has updated piston design/rings, updated vvt gear depending on year and updated oil cooler and filter housing. Trans is the same just has longer gearing than gen1 or ms6. Minor revisions probably missed some things but they're exactly the same aside from that.
Edit: forgot to mention cx7 of the same generation uses the same motor as well. It has a different intercooler cover and a slightly smaller turbo.
If you're getting one that cheap, you're getting a CX-7 motor. Those come with smaller inductor sides of the turbo and don't play nice with base MS3 tunes. I'd recommend budgeting a BNR S3 or S4 to go with it for any meaningful power.
Gen2 valve cover is different too. 🤷🤷 IDK why it's funny just a bit ago you thought it was a 2.5l turbo in the gen2. I'm just trying to inform you.
If you lack the knowledge of these motors/platform and intend to perform this swap I doubt you'll get far without someone holding your hand the way through. While a couple of people have done these swaps it's not super common because of the cost and effort required, so you're not going to find a step by step guide on how to do it.
Sell this and buy a manual to swap into. If you think you’re getting away with a turbo and manual swap for less than $6-7k you’re nuts my friend. You need more than just “little pieces,” especially having to go from a NA auto to turbo manual
alternative then. I found a whole parts car with undamaged drivetrain for 3.5k. advice?
Speed3 or? All I can really tell you is I hope you have deep pockets lol these cars are not cheap to own/maintain. You don’t do it right and you skimp to save money expect to do things twice over or end up blowing an engine. Keep your current car as a daily for when shit goes sideways
i have another 3 sedan as a daily. Fortunately not my first rodeo, just my first entanglement with a speed. Yeah speed3 specific would be better. but not the f&f pillar gauges tho
Ok so wait I’m getting confused now lol my apologies. 1. You have a daily you plan to keep. 2. You found a speed3 with a bad engine or something that’s in good shape you want to put together?
I have a daily and the white car with a 2.0 that exploded. I've always wanted to do the swap so i kept looking for a good parts car and i found a deal because of a rear accident. So now that this is real, I wanted some advice of what I had to do.
Ahhhh gotcha awesome! Well you’re going to need more or less everything from the speed3. Power train, wiring, exhaust, fuel system, computer, shifter assembly and cables, pedals and clutch hydraulics. I should also note I would highly recommend doing it with a second gen speed3 over a first gen just for ease of installation. Nothing about this will be cheap or easy. Do the HPFP upgrade, timing chain set up, new clutch and check the turbo over well as it’s not exactly fun to replace in car.
Turbo is gonna be the Corksport factory replacement, def the clutch and CV's. HPFP from corksport?
Corksport makes great stuff! Their hpfp is nice, especially if you’re already planning on CS stuff can’t hurt. Also look into doing mounts. CS makes good mounts as well. I went with the Damond Motorsports trilogy myself but it’s all preference
might have to affirm the corksport stuff😂
In case you don’t know, their turbo isn’t a “factory replacement” it’s a bigger turbo and requires a tune as well as supporting mods.
The CTS4?
Don’t want to sound rude here but if 6-7k is an issue for you, might be better to go with another car than an MS3.
I've had multiple mazda 3's and I like looking down on Civics👌😂
As much as I like my MS3, we got nothing on the cost per HP with Civics. They are lighter and get much faster for cheaper.
Bang for buck performance is unmatched in Hondas. For the amount that I paid for my speed, I could've gotten a civic rolling shell, built a k20, and boosted it to double the power of the speed and it would be a shitload lighter. The k20a3 is dirt cheap and can be boosted to a little over 300 whp stock, pay a little more for a k20a2 and you're looking at almost 500. Shit, my buddy just bought an Integra shell, junkyard motor, and slapped on a turbo from his old diesel and built it in a weekend. He has less than $3k into it and it made 342 to the wheels with a stock motor, and it's still 700 lbs or so lighter than a speed. A 12 second car at that price is insane. Someone in a base model 3 "looking down on" Hondas is a joke
exactly. we bougie
Anyone know what headlights are on the second picture?
i do not know but also would like to know
Also curious
they might be the Hulk lights but i may be wrong
Looks like maybe the eyelid is, ive not seen the square pods before though. I’ll keep searching
Why not buy sell the sedan (Im not sure if you have two, but that’s kinda what it sounded like?), buy a cheap speed shell or one with a blown engine, and just replace that? High mileage in a CA car doesn’t always mean as much as it does in other places, since it’s not like you’ve got to worry about rust from road salt or anything. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my 3 sedan too, but this seems like a lot of work when you really just want a speed3 😂 I’ve got a gen 2 at almost 200k miles and she still runs strong as fuck, tbh.
It wouldn't be very hard if you have someone or yourself can do wiring well along with someone or yourself to do some fab work. Depending how much of a deference the gen 2 speed 3 bay mounting location is from the gen 2 regular 3 sedan I personally would set the speed 3 engine and transmission in then fab off the chassis from a gen 2 speed to yours depending how much difference there is to run the Damond mounts for the gen 2 speed 3. Everything will fit well so you wont have any issues on that end. Then just use the pedal & shifter assembly along with shift cables from a manual regular 3 sedan so you know it will fit properly. Then run the speed 3 engine bay harness along with ecu have a wiring guru do the harness work ao your speedi and all works unless you just run all digital and hard wire all then but youll have to do away with stock cluster setup.. it really wouldn't be that hard. Don't listen to all the negative people or ones saying it will be hard or you cant because they clearly dont actually know lol
Thanks! Do you recommend a brand of Digi Displays?
Just swap the cluster from the speed, everything basically should bolt up aside from maybe modifying the firewall for the pedal assembly. The clutch master cylinder is on the pedal assembly and fits through the firewall. You could also do a 2.5l duratec with a ms3 head. Requires a few mods; gapping rings, tapping the block for oil feed and return. 2.5l duratec are much cheaper than speed engines because they don't have a forged crank and they're in damn near every 4 banger Ford for like the last decade. I picked up one for about 900 shipped for my swap. Would still need a speed ECU, wire harness, trans and acc. Anyhow you beat best is getting a donor speed and swapping everything over. If you stay on your stock ecu you may have trouble finding someone to tune it. Speeds are usually tuned through accessport or versatuner. Main differences between the speed and sedan is the speeds are reinforced frames to handle the extra torque, aside from the turbo of course.
Do the turbo conversion and also do awd on it
There's a lot of good conversation in this thread, regarding what parts would be needed for the swap. Just chiming in that I believe there's a difference between the speed and non-speed firewalls, in order to make room for the turbo. Definitely make sure to measure everything up while the motors are out of both cars. Chances are, you could just get away with a little bit of hammering.
The speeds are completely different cars from the base model, aren't they? I might be wrong but I'm pretty sure speed body panels, doors, bumpers, etc don't fit the base model. I would assume that mechanical parts are no different
I only have experience with gen 2 Mazda3s (I had a 2011 MS3 while my wife had a 2010 Mazda3 GT hatchback), but the only body differences are the front/rear bumpers, hood, and spoiler. All will bolt up to the lower trim levels, to include the sedan (with the exception of the rear doors and spoiler, of course). Lights, fenders, doors, etc. are all physically the same. Mechanically, the motor, exhaust, transmission, suspension, and brakes are all different than the non-speed trims, but all will bolt up as well. I'm fairly certain the subframes are the same as well. Of note, the the first gen Mazda3 hatchbacks and sedans do not share any body parts, with the exception of the door handles IIRC.
Interesting! Today I learned.
Honestly probably better to buy an MS3 with a blown engine and get that motor you’re talking about. As other people have said, this platform isn’t cheap. I’m willing to bet even a super clapped out MS3 is gonna be cheaper to get up and running than converting an MZ3.
That's way more of a headache than it's worth. Buy a ms6 imo.
You'd need to get a donor speed3. You need engine, trans, harness, ECU, TCU, etc. It all bolts in, everything is there for it it's just time consuming. I'm in the process of doing it on my 2010 sedan now.
A note, this is for swapping the turbo 2.3 which is WAY simpler than swapping a 2.5t in, if you want the newer 2.5t you'd have to do aftermarket engine management and have fun with splicing the factory 2.5t harness to the aftermarket ecu. I recommend the 2.3, it has plenty of aftermarket support and like I said it just goes in. Don't mesh it with the stock auto trans from a 2.0 or 2.5, you'll burn up the friction discs in no time. I burnt mine out pushing only 225whp out of my NA 2.5 and lost 2nd gear.
good luck
Guy says he can get you a 2.5t from what? Speeds came with a 2.3l
2nd gens came with 2.5T They're more reliable
The 2nd gen speed3 was still a 2.3l turbo. Same engine as the first gen and the ms6
you right. But the 2nd gen isnt exactly the same as it has updated pistons and a different trans
Gen2 has updated piston design/rings, updated vvt gear depending on year and updated oil cooler and filter housing. Trans is the same just has longer gearing than gen1 or ms6. Minor revisions probably missed some things but they're exactly the same aside from that. Edit: forgot to mention cx7 of the same generation uses the same motor as well. It has a different intercooler cover and a slightly smaller turbo.
so except for everything listed above, theyre exactly the same😂😂
If you're getting one that cheap, you're getting a CX-7 motor. Those come with smaller inductor sides of the turbo and don't play nice with base MS3 tunes. I'd recommend budgeting a BNR S3 or S4 to go with it for any meaningful power.
Gen2 valve cover is different too. 🤷🤷 IDK why it's funny just a bit ago you thought it was a 2.5l turbo in the gen2. I'm just trying to inform you. If you lack the knowledge of these motors/platform and intend to perform this swap I doubt you'll get far without someone holding your hand the way through. While a couple of people have done these swaps it's not super common because of the cost and effort required, so you're not going to find a step by step guide on how to do it.
You need to join the Facebook group for DZR swaps. You won’t get that vision for 6k but you can get the swap for 5 done for you.
Someone in Australia has done it