RX8 - R.I.P.... or is she?

Rossi~ said:
Put a better engine in it.
Click to expand...

This is the problem, a different engine will change the cars characteristics. Not many engines are as light and compact as the 13B-MSB RX-8 Renesis Rotary engine. At 220lbs or 95 Kilos an LS1 which in iteself is quite a light engine is almost double the weight.
 
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I thought you could get a rebuild kit for those for less than a grand so even if you pay someone to do it all i can't see how it'd be much more than 2k to get it up and running the same as before and you should easily get another 60k out of it.

Otherwise i'd V8 it if it wasn't so expensive to do over here :(
 
I would say B unless you fancy some more power then C. Though if you are considering C, would it not be cheaper to break the RX8 and buy an RX7 rather than pay 8k for a 13b swap?
 
Personally I would have the engine rebuilt. There is a rotary specialist 2 minutes down the road from me, check out their website for some pricing

http://www.apexrotary.com/prices-and-options/

The alternative is a different engine although having done some reading on it in the past, I seem to remember that although getting the engine in and working isn't so difficult, the real pig is getting the electronics working? I would absolutely love to have an RX8 with a SR20DET :cool:
 
Another vote for the LS1 conversion.
Although to be honest, I'd break it up, sell the bits and buy something else.
 
I'd buy something else. How many times would you throw money at it to keep it running.

Why do these engines even die?
 
If I were to be in the situation that you are in now (which I almost was a few years back when I was genuinely considering this) then I'd be looking at a 1JZ /2JZ swap. It can be done, has been done, and doesn't irrevocably fubar the handling. Plus you can get 600bhp with no effort at all
 
Get the current one rebuilt at a specialist and have some mods done, get uprated apex seals fitted, get the god awful oil metering unit remapped and redirected to a 2 stroke oil source. Then you can add other items like a supercharger the pettit racing one is good.
 
Drexel rebuilt his on here but I don't think it was as straightforward as first thought or did it end well. I may be mistaken though.
 
Well, a different type of engine i.e. Non Rotary will nto be going in, sorry should've specified... to me, if I was to do that I'd simply want anotehr car, where'as I'm thinking about keeping this... problem is, the sheer cost. I've got the cash that's not the problem, the problem is am I willing to throw it at it?

I'm tempted seriously by "C" and going a bit mental... I know in the right hands could be running 400bhp no problem with more potential... however, I'd be happy with the low to mid 320-350 BUT reliable (as a rotary can be obviously). Pains me to think about breaking her, is the problem and this type of thing doesn't come down to common sense usually... if you lvoe a car it's hard to let go. Sure people on here appreciate the predicament I'm in whether you like RX8's or not.

However I'd disagree with Gibbo, I think they sound ace... just like a massive supercharger and in the right hands are quick and without a shadow of a doubt down the lanes and driven properly will keep up with a lot more BHP cars... as they handle so well.

God... I hate stuff like this but when it's forced on you... I've got a few weeks to make the decision.

BTW, the £3k-3.5k was a brand new engine from Mazda... just incase anyone thinks I'm being ripped off and yes, kits and other options are available...

EDIT: Super Chargers - Yes been thinking about one for a couple of years BUT Petit no longer do them, the turbo kits available are a waste of money as they're just mnot reliable... the RX8 engine was built and was a missed opportunity... it's hard to get more power out of it N/A and meet emmisions... and to force it, just problem after problem... hence why I'm looking more at RX7 which had 260+ to start with... and the housing etc is thicker thus allowing and porting and bridging to happen without weaking the whole thing...
 
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Just buy an RX7 FD3. For what you're spending its the better option plus its likely to hold its value. A modified rx8 on the other hand wont. Plus you avoid all of the inevitable headaches of an engine swap.
 
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What sort of warranty would mazda give you on the new lump?

You obviously like the performance a rotary gives and in the big scheme of things 3-4K isn't that stupid if you see the rest of the car as fine.

That said a engine of a well cared for car lunching itself at 70k shows how flawed the rotary is.
 
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