New and recommendations needed.
07-18-2010, 05:27 AM
#1
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New and recommendations needed.
Hey rx-8 club
so right now i own an '08 Volvo c30 (a member of www.c30world.com for what it's worth) done some suspension tuning, new cat-back...minor things. youre probably thinking what the hell am i doing here? well to answer that my buddy is getting an '09 rex and i told him i'd help him with some research. so before i get flamed, know that i had utilized the ever so handy "search" button ive gathered the following:
the 1.3 liter has a lot of potential to be powerful, but there are a variety of things that can be done to the engine aside from an ECU tune including lighter flywheels, underdrive pulleys, etc. but because the rotary engine is sensative to detonation if anything is done that dramatically alters exhaust or airflow they should be done with special care and possibly and engine tune to follow.
so here is where i am stuck. I've done a quick search on google and used the vendor directory and have been overwhelmed with links so i was hoping that you guys could help me out with the names of some perfomance companies for suspension parts, thats the first thing that is getting upgraded in the car. also if i missed anything crutial about the engine.
so right now i own an '08 Volvo c30 (a member of www.c30world.com for what it's worth) done some suspension tuning, new cat-back...minor things. youre probably thinking what the hell am i doing here? well to answer that my buddy is getting an '09 rex and i told him i'd help him with some research. so before i get flamed, know that i had utilized the ever so handy "search" button ive gathered the following:
the 1.3 liter has a lot of potential to be powerful, but there are a variety of things that can be done to the engine aside from an ECU tune including lighter flywheels, underdrive pulleys, etc. but because the rotary engine is sensative to detonation if anything is done that dramatically alters exhaust or airflow they should be done with special care and possibly and engine tune to follow.
so here is where i am stuck. I've done a quick search on google and used the vendor directory and have been overwhelmed with links so i was hoping that you guys could help me out with the names of some perfomance companies for suspension parts, thats the first thing that is getting upgraded in the car. also if i missed anything crutial about the engine.
07-18-2010, 10:03 AM
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I'll leave the details to some others, but you're not going to make any significant hp gains with anything other that FI. The RX8 is pretty much all about handling and the great sound of the ultrasmooth rotary. It's all about the total package not huge horsepower. I'd much rather have a twisty road that I can drive keeping the revs between 5k & 9k, than I would accelerating between stop lights.
There's one company that I have no problems recommending, and that's Pettit Racing. I bought my '93 RX7 from them, and I always call them for answers and recommendations. To me, they're the RX experts. They're a great group of guys. Give them a call and they'll answer all your questions. And listen to what they say about how to keep a rotary engine in top condition. It's not a typical engine, and you need to take care of it. As you can see from my sig, I've had a few, and love them.
Hope that helps. For what it's worth, I've always really liked the c30 - cool car.
There's one company that I have no problems recommending, and that's Pettit Racing. I bought my '93 RX7 from them, and I always call them for answers and recommendations. To me, they're the RX experts. They're a great group of guys. Give them a call and they'll answer all your questions. And listen to what they say about how to keep a rotary engine in top condition. It's not a typical engine, and you need to take care of it. As you can see from my sig, I've had a few, and love them.
Hope that helps. For what it's worth, I've always really liked the c30 - cool car.
Last edited by RX22; 07-18-2010 at 10:07 AM.
07-18-2010, 04:51 PM
#6
You've done your homework, and that shows. Like RX22 said, you won't gain much horsepower without going forced induction. This is a key point. A lot of people (myself included) have tried to gain power from the NA version of our rotary, and have not yielded much gain. The RX8 lives in the corners, where her true sports car spirit comes alive.
Your route to upgrade suspension first is a good idea, as it will only improve upon what is already there. I'm not going to make this into a "best upgrade" discussion, but do a little research and you'll find plenty on where you can make additional power and how. In the end, this car is not a drag car and not designed to outrun everything on the street. This is a car designed for the track. She is unique and she requires a lot of attention. She is a commitment, but one that is completely worth it when you drive down the street and countless people admire you for being different.
Your route to upgrade suspension first is a good idea, as it will only improve upon what is already there. I'm not going to make this into a "best upgrade" discussion, but do a little research and you'll find plenty on where you can make additional power and how. In the end, this car is not a drag car and not designed to outrun everything on the street. This is a car designed for the track. She is unique and she requires a lot of attention. She is a commitment, but one that is completely worth it when you drive down the street and countless people admire you for being different.
07-18-2010, 06:12 PM
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You've done your homework, and that shows. Like RX22 said, you won't gain much horsepower without going forced induction. This is a key point. A lot of people (myself included) have tried to gain power from the NA version of our rotary, and have not yielded much gain. The RX8 lives in the corners, where her true sports car spirit comes alive.
i doubt anyone on this forum is from greenwich, CT but we have some amazing driving roads with twists, turns followed by straight aways and more turns. we also have the merrit parkway which is an amazing drive and i recommend anyone near by to take a drive on it. those are the roads i love driving the most. ive been doing alot of reading here these past two days and i think im getting off on the right foot. rx8club has been very useful so far.
07-19-2010, 09:39 AM
#10
<3's Bunnies
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Companies that make good parts for the 8.
- Mazdaspeed www.mazdausa.com
- Racing Beat www.racingbeat.com
- Black Halo Racing www.blackhaloracing.com
- Progress Technology www.progressauto.com
- JIC Magic www.jic-magic.com
- Agency Power www.agency-power.com
- Tanabe www.tanabe-usa.com
- Cork Sport www.corksport.com
- Tien www.tien.com
- Bilstein www.bilstein.com
- Stance www.stance-usa.com
- Koni www.koni-na.com
- Tokico www.hitachi-hap-la.com/tokicogasshocks/
- AEM www.aempower.com
- Racing Brake www.racingbrake.com
- Stop Tech www.stoptech.com
- GTspec www.gtspec.com
- Greddy www.greddy.com
Just to name a few...
- Mazdaspeed www.mazdausa.com
- Racing Beat www.racingbeat.com
- Black Halo Racing www.blackhaloracing.com
- Progress Technology www.progressauto.com
- JIC Magic www.jic-magic.com
- Agency Power www.agency-power.com
- Tanabe www.tanabe-usa.com
- Cork Sport www.corksport.com
- Tien www.tien.com
- Bilstein www.bilstein.com
- Stance www.stance-usa.com
- Koni www.koni-na.com
- Tokico www.hitachi-hap-la.com/tokicogasshocks/
- AEM www.aempower.com
- Racing Brake www.racingbrake.com
- Stop Tech www.stoptech.com
- GTspec www.gtspec.com
- Greddy www.greddy.com
Just to name a few...
07-19-2010, 10:34 AM
#11
From Pettit Racing:
Always keep up with routine maintenance schedules, that way when you begin adding modifications, it will be to a vehicle that is mechanically 100% (i.e. fresh, clean fluids and filters, everything working properly, brakes and suspension operational, etc). Obviously, if your vehicle is not running properly, upgrading could cause more harm. From our experience, we have found that many premature engine failures are caused by simple oversights like a loose hose clamps or mixed plug wires. Poor fuel quality also contributes; it can cause detonation that can damage the engine. Make sure to run 93 octane, national brand fuel. For racing and forced induction, race fuel can be mixed in as well.
Allowing the engine to properly warm-up will greatly extend engine life. This is best accomplished by driving SLOW UNDER 4000RPM, (light acceleration), for at least 10 minutes. Never allow the rotary engine to overheat; it can be ruined in less than five minutes with out coolant.
Oil and filter change every 3000 miles or less. For hard driving like our test cars, we change every 2000 miles or less if it appears dirty, smells like fuel, when racing or if you drive like you’re in a race. For highway driving the oil seems to stay clean past 3000 mi. (Fuel smell is most common with boosted applications where the crankcase is pounded with hydrocarbons)
Use fuel lubricant with every tank of fuel, this is proven to extend rotary engine life by 30% or more. We recommend 4oz of Protek R with every fill up, (More info on our website www.pettitracing.com )
Never let anyone drive your car! Over the years, many customers have come to regret this decision.
If detonation occurs, avoid that operating range until better fuel is obtained or the problem is corrected. When detonation occurs it is usually under moderate to heavy load, so if you have to drive, drive easy with a light foot!
Inspect the spark plugs! It is also very important to be sure they are properly torqued, we have seen several cases of improperly torqued plugs, (evidenced by a partially crushed, crush washer) this can allow carbon to get on the threads and cause difficulty removing them. Carbon on the threads and/or plugs that are just plain loose can reduce heat transfer and cause the plugs to run hotter and fail sooner, another problem this can cause is damage to the housing threads and that is definitely not good, $$$. On cars with forced induction we recommend .028-.030” gap.
The RX8 Ignition coils are prone to fail (even without boost), so it’s probably a good idea to change them, especially coils with 25,000 miles or more, or if random detonation occurs. You can also check the epoxy fill on the bottom for burn spots and /or surface flaws. It is usually smart to replace them and start fresh. Relocating the coils to improve cooling is another option that should improve life expectancy.
Now, if you are sure your car is 100% you are ready to upgrade. If you are not sure, it is cheap insurance to have a full maintenance service performed.
The whole concept behind upgrading is to have fun and to enjoy this one-of-a-kind vehicle. When you rush things, or do too much at one time, it is much more likely to create problems. Take some time and do research, It will pay off in the long run.
We routinely receive Renesis engines that failed: some of the causes are listed below by order of popularity:
# 1 Turbo charged w/high backpressure ratio.
#2 Poor maintenance
#3 Overheated
#4 Hi mileage/excessive seal wear; regular use of Protek-R will greatly reduce the likelihood of this occurring.
#5 Bearing failure, the oil recommendation 5/20 seems to be inadequate, most Renesis engines opened have excessive bearing wear, we therefore recommend a quality 10/40 or 20/50 oil the latter for racing and spirited driving.
©2008 Pettit Racing. All rights reserve
Always keep up with routine maintenance schedules, that way when you begin adding modifications, it will be to a vehicle that is mechanically 100% (i.e. fresh, clean fluids and filters, everything working properly, brakes and suspension operational, etc). Obviously, if your vehicle is not running properly, upgrading could cause more harm. From our experience, we have found that many premature engine failures are caused by simple oversights like a loose hose clamps or mixed plug wires. Poor fuel quality also contributes; it can cause detonation that can damage the engine. Make sure to run 93 octane, national brand fuel. For racing and forced induction, race fuel can be mixed in as well.
Allowing the engine to properly warm-up will greatly extend engine life. This is best accomplished by driving SLOW UNDER 4000RPM, (light acceleration), for at least 10 minutes. Never allow the rotary engine to overheat; it can be ruined in less than five minutes with out coolant.
Oil and filter change every 3000 miles or less. For hard driving like our test cars, we change every 2000 miles or less if it appears dirty, smells like fuel, when racing or if you drive like you’re in a race. For highway driving the oil seems to stay clean past 3000 mi. (Fuel smell is most common with boosted applications where the crankcase is pounded with hydrocarbons)
Use fuel lubricant with every tank of fuel, this is proven to extend rotary engine life by 30% or more. We recommend 4oz of Protek R with every fill up, (More info on our website www.pettitracing.com )
Never let anyone drive your car! Over the years, many customers have come to regret this decision.
If detonation occurs, avoid that operating range until better fuel is obtained or the problem is corrected. When detonation occurs it is usually under moderate to heavy load, so if you have to drive, drive easy with a light foot!
Inspect the spark plugs! It is also very important to be sure they are properly torqued, we have seen several cases of improperly torqued plugs, (evidenced by a partially crushed, crush washer) this can allow carbon to get on the threads and cause difficulty removing them. Carbon on the threads and/or plugs that are just plain loose can reduce heat transfer and cause the plugs to run hotter and fail sooner, another problem this can cause is damage to the housing threads and that is definitely not good, $$$. On cars with forced induction we recommend .028-.030” gap.
The RX8 Ignition coils are prone to fail (even without boost), so it’s probably a good idea to change them, especially coils with 25,000 miles or more, or if random detonation occurs. You can also check the epoxy fill on the bottom for burn spots and /or surface flaws. It is usually smart to replace them and start fresh. Relocating the coils to improve cooling is another option that should improve life expectancy.
Now, if you are sure your car is 100% you are ready to upgrade. If you are not sure, it is cheap insurance to have a full maintenance service performed.
The whole concept behind upgrading is to have fun and to enjoy this one-of-a-kind vehicle. When you rush things, or do too much at one time, it is much more likely to create problems. Take some time and do research, It will pay off in the long run.
We routinely receive Renesis engines that failed: some of the causes are listed below by order of popularity:
# 1 Turbo charged w/high backpressure ratio.
#2 Poor maintenance
#3 Overheated
#4 Hi mileage/excessive seal wear; regular use of Protek-R will greatly reduce the likelihood of this occurring.
#5 Bearing failure, the oil recommendation 5/20 seems to be inadequate, most Renesis engines opened have excessive bearing wear, we therefore recommend a quality 10/40 or 20/50 oil the latter for racing and spirited driving.
©2008 Pettit Racing. All rights reserve
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