AT to MT swap
08-14-2009, 12:24 AM
#76
kevin@rotaryresurrection
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While it would be *possible* to use the AT fluid cooler as an MT oil cooler, it would require a lot of custom plumbing that most people would find hard to pull off...so it is simpler to just find the factory plumbing and the cooler with it.
As stated in the first post, third item on the list of required parts, the manual starter is necessary. The auto starter is totally and entirely different.
As stated in the first post, third item on the list of required parts, the manual starter is necessary. The auto starter is totally and entirely different.
08-17-2009, 07:37 PM
#80
NO A/C :(
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Long post RR and I forgot who said if it would be cheaper to just buy a used MT RX8. I don't think so because for $2000-$3000, that probably is not a bad price. I was thinking about doing it myself but then reading your post, I officially changed my mind and said "screw that ****"! So have you been on a dyno yet, lol. Gonna go FI, or are you just leaving it as is?
08-17-2009, 10:36 PM
#81
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It now has about 1 year and 6k miles of NA driving...compared to other rx8s I've driven it makes standard power for a 6MT. No plans for significant mods to the renesis...however long term I'd like to do a 13brew swap and stop playing games with NA rotaries. 
08-19-2009, 12:38 PM
#86
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i tried to go over that in the writeup. Now of course i am a professional rotary engine builder who has worked on rx7s since 1999 full time, so it's a little different than a regular joe working in his back yard. Also with that said, i do not work in a big shop full of lifts and pits and such, i work with cherry pickers and jackstands in my garage, like like everybody else.
As for cost, i got all of the parts necessary for the swap for around $2500-2800. The engine could have been run as-is, but i of course chose to go through it being that i am a builder and i never trust used engines in my own cars. As such i will not really include rebuild/refresh time and cost.
If someone were to bring all the parts to me and ask me to do the work for them (the swap alone, not a rebuild) then i would charge them around a grand to do it. Most other rotary shops tend to charge more than that for swaps on rx7s, and would probably charge even more for an rx8 given the new-ness and the fact that they had probably not done the swap before either.
So in theory, if you do it yourself it can be done for under 3 grand, and in about 20 hours at most. The only difficult parts are pulling and reinstalling the engine/trans as a unit out the top, the car is not really made to do it this way (mazda wants you to drop the whole subframe/engine/trans out the bottom, which requires a lift) and also the pcm reprogramming. However if you get more/all of the electronic **** from the donor car (keys, cylinder, immobilizer module, abs module, etc.) then it is possible that this issue could be bypassed and it could become closer to a plug and play.
The next time i have an opportunity, i will try to do it that way and see if it works out any better.
As for cost, i got all of the parts necessary for the swap for around $2500-2800. The engine could have been run as-is, but i of course chose to go through it being that i am a builder and i never trust used engines in my own cars. As such i will not really include rebuild/refresh time and cost.
If someone were to bring all the parts to me and ask me to do the work for them (the swap alone, not a rebuild) then i would charge them around a grand to do it. Most other rotary shops tend to charge more than that for swaps on rx7s, and would probably charge even more for an rx8 given the new-ness and the fact that they had probably not done the swap before either.
So in theory, if you do it yourself it can be done for under 3 grand, and in about 20 hours at most. The only difficult parts are pulling and reinstalling the engine/trans as a unit out the top, the car is not really made to do it this way (mazda wants you to drop the whole subframe/engine/trans out the bottom, which requires a lift) and also the pcm reprogramming. However if you get more/all of the electronic **** from the donor car (keys, cylinder, immobilizer module, abs module, etc.) then it is possible that this issue could be bypassed and it could become closer to a plug and play.
The next time i have an opportunity, i will try to do it that way and see if it works out any better.
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Rock10 (04-24-2023)
09-04-2009, 12:55 PM
#89
Great thread you have here.....quick question so all i need is a tranny swap how much did this cost you in the end....
cuz four pages is way too much to read ppl are lazy On a serious note overall not a bad amount to spend on a swap wish I could do it on my own
cuz four pages is way too much to read ppl are lazy On a serious note overall not a bad amount to spend on a swap wish I could do it on my own
10-13-2009, 01:06 PM
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RPM issue
on an auto at the speed of 100KM/H the RPM used to be at 2000.
now after change to manual transmission, the RPM is at 3000 for 100KM/H.
Is this normal ? do you hv such issue ?
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-trouble-shooting-95/rpm-increase-aft-change-manual-transmission-184455/
now after change to manual transmission, the RPM is at 3000 for 100KM/H.
Is this normal ? do you hv such issue ?
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-trouble-shooting-95/rpm-increase-aft-change-manual-transmission-184455/
10-14-2009, 03:08 AM
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more details of the car here - https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=184455
10-14-2009, 10:11 AM
#94
kevin@rotaryresurrection
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it's from 6AT to 6MT.
more details of the car here - https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=184455
more details of the car here - https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=184455
http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/disp...ode=RX8&bhcp=1
Gear Ratios (:1)
------6MT 6AT
1st 3.82 3.54
2nd 2.26 2.06
3rd 1.54 1.40
4th 1.18 1.00
5th 1.00 0.71
6th 0.79 0.58
10-14-2009, 01:07 PM
#96
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Doesn't matter. The speed and rpm will be different because the ratios IN THE TRANSMISSION are different.
Of course changing the rearend (if his AT has the 4.3 instead of the 4.44) will also change the speed/rpm.
But he is trying to compare the way the car is now, to the way it was before...most of the difference is in the transmission gearing. Just look at the difference in overdrive (6th) gearing. The AT has about 25% more overdrive than the MT so of course the rpm/speed will be a lot different.
Of course changing the rearend (if his AT has the 4.3 instead of the 4.44) will also change the speed/rpm.
But he is trying to compare the way the car is now, to the way it was before...most of the difference is in the transmission gearing. Just look at the difference in overdrive (6th) gearing. The AT has about 25% more overdrive than the MT so of course the rpm/speed will be a lot different.
10-14-2009, 10:10 PM
#97
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THE GEAR RATIOS ARE DIFFERENT BETWEEN AUTO AND MANUAL
http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/disp...ode=RX8&bhcp=1
Gear Ratios (:1)
------6MT 6AT
1st 3.82 3.54
2nd 2.26 2.06
3rd 1.54 1.40
4th 1.18 1.00
5th 1.00 0.71
6th 0.79 0.58
http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/disp...ode=RX8&bhcp=1
Gear Ratios (:1)
------6MT 6AT
1st 3.82 3.54
2nd 2.26 2.06
3rd 1.54 1.40
4th 1.18 1.00
5th 1.00 0.71
6th 0.79 0.58
10-28-2009, 01:06 PM
#98
My car was an early build 04 AT with 117,800 on the original engine and a reman trans. I bought it for dirty cheap with the intention to convert it and mod it at some point. I drove it for over a year as an AT to learn how the car responds and drives, while gathering parts and information for the swap.
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Wow Kevin- I was wondering what year RX8 you bought. But I had no idea you bought an auto RX8 and converted it. Though I should have assumed you got it dirt cheap.
(I had been avoiding this site for some time now because it seemed to just point out more and more possible flaws with my car... but whatever. Voluntary ignorance is not smart. And that's why I just now read this thread.)
Wow- converted it. That's quite an ambitious task on any newer vehicle. Though it sounds like you swapped out everything needed to make the auto a full US 6 speed model. Have you considered auto-crossing it? The ETR SCCA uses the safety test area across from Walters State (other side of 25E) several times during the year. The RX8 is amazingly capable in stock form on a tight auto-x course.
I'm curious- did you consider swapping a 5 speed RX7 transmission onto the four port Renesis? IIRC- Mazda actually sells or sold the RX8 in four port Renesis form in other countries with a 5 speed manual, and they had suprisingly decent real world performance and fuel economy.
FWIW- I think Strange has a complete wrecked RX8 right now. Not sure if it's auto or 6 speed though.
Good luck selling conversion packages.
10-28-2009, 11:42 PM
#99
kevin@rotaryresurrection
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BTW I have seen you around town in yours. It looks almost as small with you in it as your 1st gen did.
(I had been avoiding this site for some time now because it seemed to just point out more and more possible flaws with my car... but whatever. Voluntary ignorance is not smart. And that's why I just now read this thread.)
It kinda fell in my lap. I would never have gone out and purposely bought one. I liked them okay, they were interesting, but not awesome or anything. After owning, driving, and working on it, I like it a lot, but it's still not all that and a bag of chips IMO.
Wow- converted it. That's quite an ambitious task on any newer vehicle. Though it sounds like you swapped out everything needed to make the auto a full US 6 speed model.
The only part that was remotely difficult was the electronic programming part...transponder key programming, pcm programming, and the abs/tcs issue. Everything else was easier than swapping an FC or FD (except for the engine swap).
Have you considered auto-crossing it? The ETR SCCA uses the safety test area across from Walters State (other side of 25E) several times during the year. The RX8 is amazingly capable in stock form on a tight auto-x course.
I'm curious- did you consider swapping a 5 speed RX7 transmission onto the four port Renesis? IIRC- Mazda actually sells or sold the RX8 in four port Renesis form in other countries with a 5 speed manual, and they had suprisingly decent real world performance and fuel economy.
I am pondering on an REW swap with an FD 5sp trans and probably a small/conservative single (twins are garbage most of the time) for the future. I am not happy with the gearing of this car, nor with the stoutness (or lack thereof) of the transmission. I can make more power and more torque while getting better MPG and having a stronger drivetrain for well under 4 grand, and I should be able to keep almost everything functional except for perhaps cruise control.
FWIW- I think Strange has a complete wrecked RX8 right now. Not sure if it's auto or 6 speed though.
Good luck selling conversion packages.
11-02-2009, 05:52 PM
#100
Thats the main reason I bought the car to begin with, to learn to work on the car and learn their tendencies, strong and weak points, etc. to utilize in my business in the future.
It kinda fell in my lap. I would never have gone out and purposely bought one. I liked them okay, they were interesting, but not awesome or anything. After owning, driving, and working on it, I like it a lot, but it's still not all that and a bag of chips IMO.
The only part that was remotely difficult was the electronic programming part...transponder key programming, pcm programming, and the abs/tcs issue. Everything else was easier than swapping an FC or FD (except for the engine swap).
Behind walmart? I have never even went back there...
And I kicked myself several times in the nuts for not trying SCCA auto-x before this year (I had to dislocate my knee- but it was worth it). Honestly- it's mainly great down to earth car people. Even the PCA (Porsche Club Association) event sponsored (open) auto-x I went to at Pellissippi State was full of (surprisingly) down to earth car people. And I honestly think running your AT to MT swap RX8 at some event (SCCA or other) will eventually return some RX8 business. You are a straight up down to earth guy, and that's refreshing (and very unusual) for somebody in your line of specialty work (at a fair price). And the RX8 is a very popular club sport car, which will probably grow as these get cheaper used.
See what I did there- I just turned a fun time into a work related event. That's called spin... for a justifiable reason for doing this.. for your wife.
And beyond that- it's just dang fun. Where else can you push a car in corners at 11/10ths legally? As they say- if you don't spin at least once, then you ain't driving hard enough.
As indicated earlier in this thread I have no intention of selling packages. I would offer the conversion service if someone provided their own parts.
And what about that sbc conversion?
j/k.... j/k.