Hey I decided to create this thread to get an idea of what basic mods (Programmer, CAI, Exhaust etc.) have been put on your rx8 and why you decided to choose it. When replying to this thread, please list all basic mods (non f/i) that you have for your rx8, as well as a breif description as to why you chose it, and approximately how much you had spent on each aftermarket part.



I'll start with my car:

AEM cold air intake - $342.00 - I chose the AEM cold air intake due to all the great reviews I've read on it... It claims to have increased the cars performance by 8 HP, which at first I thought wasn't very much but when I installed it, I noticed a pretty big difference in acceleration. It also makes the car sound sick.


This is the only mod I have on my car right now, and thats why I created this forum, to get a better idea of what other basic modifications can do for the rx8.

is this serious right now? i cant tell if this is a joke..

ahhaha XD....if you think the intake makes a "big difference in acceleration" wait till you install the midpipe. Hahaha... sad.

Looks like someone ripped you off on that AEM CAI...

Not here to be rude or anything.

But the AEM doesn't add 8 HP. Mostly just a sound. adds a bit of power.

K&N and Mazdaspeed/AEM.

Feels the same to me.

except that they made different noise.

turbonator, heavy weight flywheel.. zmax, tornado. electric turbo, magnets.

boyz i got it all!

beers :beer:

turbonator, heavy weight flywheel.. zmax, tornado. electric turbo, magnets.

boyz i got it all!

beers :beer:

I bet you didnt get the Mazdaspeed 8 with Turbo 14c with 20 pistons.

cuz I got that !

k&n drop-in filter. $30. 20rwhp increase (according to the butt dyno)

I bet you didnt get the Mazdaspeed 8 with Turbo 14c with 20 pistons.

cuz I got that !

damz,

i got rippped..

i only gotz 15.5 pistonz.. i gotts to do some more readingz.


beers :beer:

i has stickerz they add 5hp each!

"over the top men!" (its like trench warfare here...some poor rookie puts his head over the parapet and gets mowed down!)

The only "power" mod I have done so far is the K&N drop-in filter. I don't feel any difference in the performance whatsoever (maybe because I am determined not to so I avoid being mocked), but I have noticed that my car sounds like it breathes easier and it seems to idle more smoothly as well. That could all be mental though.

It cost me 54 beans at Autozone and about 5 minutes of my time to put it in. All in all, considering a standard filter is $30-40 and lasts 15k or so and the K&N is lifetime (just needs cleaned/recharged with a $10 kit from time to time), it pays for itself in 2 filter changes.

I thought about the AEM intake, mostly because it looks coolio in blue, but I didn't feel like spending $340 on it. I've never seen any numbers that back up its claim of 8 HP, but I've never seen any that refute it either I suppose.

When you say you noticed a big difference in acceleration - can you quantify that? Or is it just something you "feel"? I don't mean to be accusatory, it's just that butt dynos have a tendency to exagerate.

i has stickerz they add 5hp each!


dammnn. you should get some sticker flames... i hear they add like 10hp straight to the wheels!!! .


this is turning into a "what you should NOT do to your car" thread

Serioysly, 340 ... save your cash for something else.

or if u want, I sell you my MS CAI for 250 free shipping. LOL

I can always go back to K&N + RB duct u know :)

i move to permananty declare any aftermarket filter or intake be no longer referred to as a "power mod" and from hearon be known as an "engine audio mod"

Man, you guys are rough. One question was asked and maybe two posts have value. The rest is just a bunch of retarded crap. I am sure they are plenty of people who would appreciate feedback on their mods. I am new to the RX8 (not rotaries) and would love to know what makes the car move (since it's slow as shit from the factory). Now so far from my research, I have read that cat backs add nothing but sound, intakes are said to add nothing but sound either. Anyone in here actually dyno their cars when they do some mods? The only thing so far I see of value is replacing the cat with a high flow unit. I would also greatly appreciate a decent, documented path for newbies (since a lot of the dyno graphs have been pulled from threads and the info is getting old, this would be great). Thanks,

Sigfrid

k&n intake, i chose it cus i got it for 30$ used
AFE short shifter, i chose that cus i fell in love with the feel of it
turboxs midpipe, got a great deal on it, so i threw it on
wider tires and rims, again got a REAL good deal on that too

Man, you guys are rough. One question was asked and maybe two posts have value. The rest is just a bunch of retarded crap. I am sure they are plenty of people who would appreciate feedback on their mods. I am new to the RX8 (not rotaries) and would love to know what makes the car move (since it's slow as shit from the factory). Now so far from my research, I have read that cat backs add nothing but sound, intakes are said to add nothing but sound either. Anyone in here actually dyno their cars when they do some mods? The only thing so far I see of value is replacing the cat with a high flow unit. I would also greatly appreciate a decent, documented path for newbies (since a lot of the dyno graphs have been pulled from threads and the info is getting old, this would be great). Thanks,

Sigfrid

agreed, for the most part...soooooo i decided to play along

so you're saying the better the deal, the more power was added?

haha ok seriously,

i just have MS intake, i wanted to believe it helped but it could be my mind playing tricks on me. got a great deal on it, so i dont mind. it does however sound great..

from what i hear suspension mods go a long way.

yes ross...

now that i think about it, i havent spent much on my car...i get great deals on things

rims- 375$
intake-30$
short shifter-200$
springs-145$
midpipe-50$

nada surf - popular...i liked that song

i like my intake too. it sounds bitchin. i would like to see dynos stock and with it though. I notice myself going faster more. but i think that's only because i find myself in the higher rpms more just listening to that sound.

as for other mods, i got the afe short shifter. it really changes the feel of the car. and i highly recommend it. following your rules, i got it because i wanted a shorter shifter.

the tein basics i have don't cost a lot, but they do a good job tightening things up on the turns. and they drop pretty low too. i don't plan on being a competitive racer, so i don't really need much more in the way of suspension for my once and again track time. i think i'll be getting some sways and/or strut bars though.

i have the ms dual can exhaust. but i haven't installed it yet. i got this because it sounds and looks better than stock and as good or better than many other exhausts on the market IMO. it's pricey. but it's new and it's mine and it's sexy as hell. and i keep my warranty. i only have 15k miles on my car.

i imagine the performance difference will be a lot like when i installed the intake. i'll believe it to be much greater than it actually is.

but as long as i'm tricked into thinking i'm going faster than anything alive, who cares what's actually going on?

haha ok seriously,

i just have MS intake, i wanted to believe it helped but it could be my mind playing tricks on me. got a great deal on it, so i dont mind. it does however sound great..

from what i hear suspension mods go a long way.

+1. tires and suspension are where your money should go

i move to permananty declare any aftermarket filter or intake be no longer referred to as a "power mod" and from hearon be known as an "engine audio mod"

intakes CAN make power. as do exhausts. it might not be much, but it does.

To everyone who has positively participated in this thread, thank you. It is greatly appreciated. This was a thread generated for the basic rx8 noobs who just want to get a basic idea on what modifcations could be helpful on their path to building a ballin' car. ( I will gladly admit I am a noob when it comes to the whole rotary scene, I've only had the car for 6 months...)

To those of you who mocked me :) thanks... you are a real fellow for taking the time out of your day to TRY and make someone try to feel like an idiot, when in all reality you just looked like a piss poor excuse of a civilized human being. lol I'll be sure to get the flame stickers ;P


And for the CAI, the AEM website CLAIMS (as I had mentioned in my first post) to have added an extra 8 hp, which I know is probably from the best dyno test results they got... Unfortunately, I have not ran my car on a dyno when I first bought it stock, and I won't bother wasting my money on dyno time for just a CAI. I'd rather wait until I build my car up a bit more... My experience with the AEM CAI just seemed to allow my car to breath much better, and add a tiny kick to how much faster the car responded...

I certainly will look into buying a midpipe, hopefully at a reasonable price, and suspension mods would probably rock considering the cars handling stock is already pretty decent.


With the AFE short shifter besides the way it feels when shifting, would that decrease shift time resulting in quicker times?

...who just want to get a basic idea on what modifcations could be helpful on their path to building a ballin' car.

My humble opinion - forget turbos - forget exhausts - forget drops and shock. Go buy some clear corners. It is the single best enhancement to the car I've seen, and it's $75 (throw some white LEDs in there). I never thought it'd could be a big difference until I bought my own set about a month ago and popped them on. It's like night and day.

Ironic that the guy above you has 'amber corners ftw' in his sig lol.

I beleive the shor shifter gets you slightly quicker acceleration that you can feel. i imagine that translates to quicker times, though i wouldn't be caught dead on a drag strip. boring,.

Man, you guys are rough. One question was asked and maybe two posts have value. The rest is just a bunch of retarded crap. I am sure they are plenty of people who would appreciate feedback on their mods. I am new to the RX8 (not rotaries) and would love to know what makes the car move (since it's slow as shit from the factory). Now so far from my research, I have read that cat backs add nothing but sound, intakes are said to add nothing but sound either. Anyone in here actually dyno their cars when they do some mods? The only thing so far I see of value is replacing the cat with a high flow unit. I would also greatly appreciate a decent, documented path for newbies (since a lot of the dyno graphs have been pulled from threads and the info is getting old, this would be great). Thanks,

Sigfrid

It's not slow as shit, you just need to learn how to drive it properly...

^ slow as shit on straights i would agree. Even if you drove perfectly 100% , its still slow , if a camry beats you , its slow :)

well i certainly wouldnt go as far as saying a camry has ever beaten me.. with the intake after a ton of runs with a 2007 chevy cobalt ss only pulls by a few inches. I couldnt imagine a camry being able to come close to competing with a cobalt. but shit i suppose it could work haha clear corners sound nice. and on the straights the rx8 doesnt perform as quick as id like it to... autox is where it definitely seems to be for these cars.

Nice, more childish comments. How do you know how I drive (topgear8)? How about NASA participation for the past 9 years. Racing in Miata spec, HPDE classes, a racing license, over 25 cars and a few years on my belt. 2 3rd gen RX7's, one with a 383 LT1 (hence I feel the RX8 is a DOG.....), an Evo, a mazdaspeed6, hell a GTI that was faster than the 8, 9 mustangs, a 924, 2 1st gen RX7s, an integra, and some more cars...... get yourself a new set of references. I am merely upset that someone is trying to get valuable information to save time and money and is asking for help yet a bunch of baffoons answer with corner light suggestions. Simple request, what mods help? By how much? your impressions?
Those would be useful replies..
Sigfrid

Oh and please do come by Denver so we can see how you can drive. I'm available. I"ll even drive my wife's Honda pilot just to give you a head start....

Nice, more childish comments. How do you know how I drive (topgear8)? How about NASA participation for the past 9 years. Racing in Miata spec, HPDE classes, a racing license, over 25 cars and a few years on my belt. 2 3rd gen RX7's, one with a 383 LT1 (hence I feel the RX8 is a DOG.....), an Evo, a mazdaspeed6, hell a GTI that was faster than the 8, 9 mustangs, a 924, 2 1st gen RX7s, an integra, and some more cars...... get yourself a new set of references. I am merely upset that someone is trying to get valuable information to save time and money and is asking for help yet a bunch of baffoons answer with corner light suggestions. Simple request, what mods help? By how much? your impressions?
Those would be useful replies..
Sigfrid

Oh and please do come by Denver so we can see how you can drive. I'm available. I"ll even drive my wife's Honda pilot just to give you a head start....

Calm down here...based on your track record, yes, the Rx8 is a Dog on a straight line.

Its basically a big Miata with hard top...or S2k without the VTEC :P

It drives beautifully tho. And on a track with not a lot of long straights, it can hold itself against much more expensive cars.

Anyway, back to your question.
A)Replacing your cat with a high-flow one / run catless race pipe will give you the most significant gain on a N/A Rx8. Problem is that its definitely illegal and it STINKS.

Verified hp: 8+hp AT LEAST

B)The catback exhaust will give you the second most gain by
1)reducing weight if you got mazdaspeed/other lightweight ones
2)better flowing exhaust and getting the distinct rotary sound back

For this two reasons alone, you should get this first even without a cat you will gain more horsepower.

Verified hp: 5+hp AT MOST

C)AccessPort tuned by experienced vendors
This will give you a full control of the PCM. If you dare to learn the programming, you can even change the A/F ratio, pump rate, etc at will. HOWEVER, it cost a lot and if you don't tune it yourself, you have have difficulties getting updates from our famous MazdaManic guy, who is the best here on tuning these - he don't have much time.

Verrified hp: Depends on application. On my rx8, it goes up freakin 2hp at higher rpm. DYNO Verified.

D)AEM / Mazdaspeed CAI; Racing Beat Revi intake and duct; KN Filter with removed screens.
This will give you a cool intake sound, but frankly not much else. Racing Beat's setup is widely acknowledged as the most hp gain.

Verified hp: Check Racing Beat website...I think at least 2.5hp+?

E)Pullies, flywheel etc...
Well these dont increase your hp but reduced load/weight and make your engine rev faster and more responsive. I assume you definitely knows about these...

You can do a search on these topics and see detailed analysis. Good luck.

really??!!? accessport only gives you an extra 2.5 hp?? is that even worth it? the system itself is like 600 bucks... is that just with the pre programmed settings?


and can u smell the exhaust fumes from inside the car if you run a highflow catless race pipe? I want a loud ass exhaust, but not if its going to annoy me by the smell while driving it lol

excellent info kafka much appriciated!

There are some people on here that talk way too much.

Get a life.


Not aimed toward anyone in particular. lol

wow,

lots of talk, and not enough searching. this is getting silly.

one might start with the stickys..



beers :beer:

ya for those of you who keep saying "all the guy is asking for is help" blah blah blah

There are THOUSANDS of noobs on this website everyday asking the same questions. We actually got smart and made a sticky thread and lots of other threads that already discuss the EXACT topic. Also there is a search button on the top for those who have not familiarized themselves with the site layout. Try it one day.

I think registration to the site should have a introduction waiver explaining this. Just my 2 cents..

rims+tires: 1100
hood: 500
kn intake: free
ap catback: 500
afe ss: 200
tanabe gf: 200
exedy stage 1: 300

I honestly think that saving the money from a lot of the "cheaper" mods and investing in a decent suspension is the way to go. It will do more for you than most of the other mods combined....well, as long as you're not dragging. The long and short of it is, you usually get what you pay for. So, if it's the twisties you're interested in, lay it down on the suspension and use what you have left over for a few small "power" mods or better yet, a light-weight flywheel.

Don't you miss turbos? Gaining 20+ hp off of a catback.........................:banghead:

^ yeah or a bigger displacement engine :). But of course that is taboo around here XD....or so it seems. Imo accessport free's up some horsepower and makes the car run better with the mods you have. Also its required once you go FI , so i find it a good buy when N/A also. Really depends on your goals for the car...

thank you very much for all of your help. With the info I have now gotten I will start to search on google and stop asking u guys now that i know what to look for. once again everyone, thank you.

OBX exhaust $300-bought becuase not too many ppl had it and liked the sound not too loud
Wheels$900 first set $700 second set..first set damaged and don't make anymore so got different ones.

HID conversion-like 90 bucks better visibility
sound system-550 or so don't quite remember

Once again this thread is a perfect reason why the "post new thread" button should only appear on the search results page. :nono: