Carbon8

iTrader: (4)

Carbon8's Build Thread

I've been around here for about 8 months and so far only good things to say about all of you guys, the knowledge base and information available here is unsurpassed. Just a quick thank you to everyone


-------------------------------------------------Table Of Contents-------------------------------------------------

Post 2 Engine Removal and Engine Bay Strip
Post 3 Engine Bay Paint and Pettit Motor
Post 4 LIM Disassembly
Post 45 LIM VDI/SSV Cleaning
Post 69 Engine Bay and Short Block Assembly Start
Post 119 Short Block Assembly Cont
Post 129 Engine and Bay Assembled
Post144 Engine and Supporting Modifications Install
Post145 Engine and Supporting Modifications Install Cont
Post 223 Engine First Start
Post 230 AutoExe Steering Wheel and Gauge Install
Post 297 Dyno (7/28/13)
Post 303 Dyno Misfire
Post 313 Fouled Plugs and Premix Case
Post 324 R1Concepts Brake Install
Post 327 Porosity Tab Idle
Post 357 More Misfires With Fouled Plugs and Oil Test Report (08/6/13)
Post 377 Coil Dwell Misfire Related
Post 464 Engine Compression Test
Post 514 Chassis Restoration Start
Post 530 Chassis Stripped
Post 537 Engine Compression Test Normalized
Post 538 Engine Oil Test (01/10/14)
Post 547 Injector Cleaning
Post 548 Bolt Restoration DIY (Black Oxide)
Post 549 Chassis Assembly
Post 554 Engine Install Bottom
Post 570 Chassis/Suspension Build Complete
Post 606 BHR Long Tube Header Install
Post 613 BHR Long Tube Header Dyno
Post 618 Fire Extinguisher Install

Now the car, 2004 6 port M/T; original build date 08/03. I bought the car 3/2/12 with 24K miles on it from a guy in SC, now has exactly 29K on the ODO.

Originally Purchased March 3rd 2012



Last On Road (6/16/14)


Engine Bay


Interior



Current Diagnostic Data

Normalized Compression Results (01/29/14
Rotor 1

Rotor 2


Engine Oil Test (03/15/15)


Dyno; Black is before BHR header, Red is all Mods(3/19/15)



Coilover Dyno Plot Top Front, Bottom Rear(2/10/15)


----------------------------------------------------Modifications----------------------------------------------------

Brakes

• Eddlebrock SS Brake Lines
• Hawk HPS Brake PAds
• R1 Concepts Drilled and Slotted Rotors

Drivetrain

• Pettit Racing Street Ported 13B RENESIS W/ FD 3mm 2 Piece Apex Seals and Proprietary Oil and Cooling Jacket Modifications
• BHR Ignition Kit
• Supernow Underdrive Pulley Kit
• ACT HDSS Clutch
• ACT Prolight Flywheel
• Clutch Reinforcement Bracket
• Rx8Performance Oil Coolers and Line W/ External Tstat@175C
• Mazmart High Pressure Oil Regulator
• Greddy Oil Pan
• Raceroots Oil Filter Relocation
• SOHN Adapter
• Mazmart Water Pump and Tstat
• Ron Davis Radiator
• FAL 440 Cooling Fans
• Mishimoto Upper and Lower Radiator Hose
• Autobahn88 Radiator hose
• Series 2 Transmission
• S2 Short Shifter
• Eddlebrock SS Clutch Line
• Raceroots Syncro Saver
• S2 Starter
• Gates Racing Belts
• Racing Beat Condenser and Oil Cooler Screens
• Rx8Performance Motor Mounts
• Rx8Performance Trio Canister (SOHN, Catch Can, Washer Fluid)

Engine Management

• Cobb AP Pro Tune

Exhaust/ Intake

• AEM/MS CAI
• BHR Long Tube Header
• BHR Resonated Long Tube Header Midpipe
• ExoticSpeed R2-Titan Catback

Exterior

• 5% Tint
• Stealth Markers
• LED Parking,Tail, Marker, License Plate Bulbs
• EFX Exotic Red Hi,Low,Fog HID Conversion

Fluids

• ATE Super Blue Racing Brake Fluid
• Redline MT-90 GL-4 Transmission Fluid
• Redline 75W90 GL-5 Differential Fluid
• FL-22 Mazda Coolant
• Mobile 0W-40 Engine Oil
• Protek-R Premix and SOHN FLuid
• S2 Oil Filter

Gauges

• Wideband A/F
• Fuel Pressure
• Boost/Vacuum
• Oil Temperature
• Oil Pressure
• Water Temperature
• Racing Beat Water Temperature Adapter
• Aeromotive Fuel Line Adapter
• Lotek Dash Gauge Pod
• Racing Beat Lower Gauge Pod

Interior

• AutoExe Steering Wheel
• Pioneer Appradio 2
• Metra 95-7510HG Dash Kit
• Metra Axxess ASWC Steering Wheel Integration
• PLX WIFI OBD2 Dongle
• Rx8Performance OBD Relocation Bracket
• Steeda Performance OBD No Flash Cover
• Embroidered Floot Mats
• Redline Leather Shift Boot
• Red Ambient Light Kit

Safety Equipment

• H3R Performance Haltron 2.5lb Extinguisher

Suspension

• BC BR 8K/10K Coilovers
• Progress Tech Front and Rear Sway Bars
• Power Grid Front and Rear End Links
• MazdaSpeed Front Strut Support With Brake Boost Brace
• Beatrush Rear Strut Support
• Megan Racing Camber Arms
• Megan Racing Lateral Arms
• Megan Racing Toe Arms
• Megan Racing Traction Rods
• Megan Racing Trailing Arms
• Mazdatrix SpeedSource Rear Subframe Bushings
• Rx8Performance Rear Differential Bushings
• Powerflex Lower Control Arm Bushings
• Powerflex Upper Control Arm Bushings
• Power Flex Traction Rod Bushings

Wheels

• Garageline 25mm Wheel Spacers
• Mazda OE 18"x8" Alloy Wheels Powder Coated Gloss Black
• MazdaSpeed Rotary Center Caps
• BFGoodrich G-force T/A KDW 2 245/35/18

Carbon8

iTrader: (4)

Car as it sits before Build


Reason for N/A build is simply a matter of reinforcing engine and supporting components before doing an FI build later next year. Plus the I have tons of time before the new Pettit charger is available.


Progress thus far, First day



Growing Parts Pile


Transmission Dropped




Motor Pick




Short Block Tear Down










Motor is shipped off to Pettit so while i'm waiting for rebuild I decided now would be the best time to do an engine bay overhaul.

Engine bay strip

Carbon8

iTrader: (4)

Now to add some New Color








Motor At Pettit





Finally Got The Motor Back, big thanks to Cam and all the guys at Pettit Racing, turnaround time was amazing and quality is unmatched


Adding A Little Color To The Irons

Carbon8

iTrader: (4)

Cleaning the carbon out of the LIM and decided while I am waiting for parts to send it out for powder coat, dropped it off this morning.

Carbon8

iTrader: (4)

Currently just waiting for more parts and putting the engine bay back together, progress will be updated as soon as i have finished more.

HiFlite999

iTrader: (2)

You might consider something like this to simplify the oil lines: RX8: Oil System: Oil Line Set - 04-08 RX-8 Manual Trans only -

Much easier to do when the engine is out.

slvrstreak

iTrader: (3)

wise choice sir

X7rotor

iTrader: (2)

Very clean and quick build looking forward to see more. There someone that does itb and did the whole custom setup for a corolla for 800 ill talk to them see if tgey would build one for an 8 might be usefall on a na build.

Carbon8

iTrader: (4)

Already included in the cooler kit
Performance Oil Cooler Kit by RX-8 Performance | RX8Performance.com

lumiester123

29k and already rebuilding the motor!?! Props, looks like a solid build. I am still enjoying mine stock lol.

Carbon8

iTrader: (4)

Motor was fine when I pulled it out, just decided it was time to start building and wanted the features pettit offered.

lumiester123

What horsepower do you expect to achieve? While staying NA

Carbon8

iTrader: (4)

Realistically once its all tuned and said and done 210WHP-220WHP but im not really worried about that for this build. The main purpose here is to get a reinforced and strong core build so i'm ready for a good reliable FI build next year

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Nice build, I like what you did with the engine bay.

The rx8performance oil cooler kit is not worth it. The stock coolers will be more than sufficient for an NA build (and most FI builds as well unless it is a track car) and you could get top notch fittings and lines from a hydraulic hose supply shop and make your own lines and save yourself a ton of money. You could also remove the stock oil cooler thermostats and run a proper oil thermostat like I did.

I am turbocharged (oil lubricates the turbo) and I have yet to get my oil temps above 210F-215F. My oil pressure is increased via a Pineapple Racing oil pressure regulator but just by going with larger more direct custom oil lines you will see an increase in oil pressure even with the stock oil pressure regulator and coolers installed.

Why are you thinking of nitrous if you have FI plans?

RotaryMachineRx

iTrader: (1)

Well nobody is going to tell you that you didnt do your homework... looking forward to watching you join the FI club!

Carbon8

iTrader: (4)

All great points, when i was pricing out the racing beat lines I noticed it was only an extra 400 bucks for this kit and it had an separate Tstat included, so i figured it would be worth the extra cash not only to include the lines and the tstat but then to get brand new coolers as mine are a little chipped up, figured if I was going to do might as well do it right. So even though these coolers wont give me much more performance then the stock ones, the lines and tstat where enough to convince me to just go with this, better have it a not need it than need it and not have it.

And i'm just thinking about the nitrous, probably wont really use it but again its one of those i have it kinda of things. Not to happy about having to redo the entire fuel system to do it so its still an undecided upgrade

fastlaneracing

Thumbs up for a great build!

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Yeah I have installed the RB lines and they are Earl's fittings and lines and are of great quality. If you are going to use aluminum fitting and SS lines make sure you have proper AN wrenches if you ever need to remove them, it doesn't take much to screw them up. If the rx8performance lines are not high quality fittings and lines then I would be very wary, because an oil line failure is not something you want just because you decided to save a few bucks. Going cheap on hose and fittings is a big mistake.

Carbon8

iTrader: (4)

Words of Wisdom, Noted

Brettus

iTrader: (2)

Wow - lots of work going in here . Hope you get the results you desire .

BTW - I took my LW fly off recently - was a good move for me on an FI'd engine.

Carbon8

iTrader: (4)

What was the issue?

Brettus

iTrader: (2)

Just felt the car had become too uncivilised for the street and that it is a waste of time when you have plenty of power.
Limit becomes traction in the gears where a LW fly is effective .

Mawnee

Nice build!


I came to the same conclusion in using LW flywheels on my first vette. Especially when coupled with an agressive clutch/cam. Makes it a real pain to drive...casually.

olddragger

iTrader: (3)

i do well with mine---supercharged engines do idle faster which probably helps.
I wish I had taken time to do my engine bay like you did--very nice.
I am surprised no one mentioned the new freeze plug like thing inbetween the leading and trailing sparkplugs--lol.

I will pass on some knowledge some builders have passed on to me and others. Dont let your oil temps get over 200F for any length of time. The oem coolers will not cool the oil well enough for that. You need bigger coolers and fans for the low speed times.
Flame suit on.

very nice and thought out build.
Oh yea if you are getting the cobb dont waste money on a a/f gauge

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Yeah what is that plug looking thing? OD, your car felt like a beast when I drove it. Was the stalling you were experience when you let off the throttle abruptly related to that? I know a couple of others have experienced that with lightened flywheels.