RX8SpdDmn

Last night, I installed a set of 4-pod SuperWhite LEDs from autolumination.com in my parking lights (closest to mazda logo). What a PITA!!! Could they have possibly packed everything more tightly in there? I have skinny fingers and it was a challenge. Anyway, they look a lot better than stock. They have a purple-ish hue, which I wasn't hoping for, but it's way better than stock.

Next comes the fog lights. Does anyone know the procedure to install them? Thanks.

I also started playing with my intake, after I read another post regarding this yesterday. I took out the entire air box so I could open it up. In the top section (after the air goes through the filter), there's a trumpet with a metal screen on it and two "slots", one on each side. The trumpet looks like it would take the air in smoothly, but that wasn't a concern of mine because you want turblulence to mix the air and fuel as well as possible. Intake ports are designed to do so in most engines. I took out a couple screws and the slots came out, then three more and the trumpet came out. There was another metal screen at the exit of the air box, so I didn't have to worry about transferring that over. So at the end of this, the entire top of the air box was completely open on the inside.

So, what did it do? Well, I was expecting some more sound from it, but no power increase. I have a trained musician's ear, so I'd pick up on differences in the sound. In low rpms, the sound increase was unnoticable. At mid rpms, it became a bit noticable to me, and at high rpms, I definitly knew there was an increase. It was not nearly as much as any open element intake I've had on my other cars, but it was definitely present. As far as the power goes, it didn't feel slower. It felt like it may have been a little quicker, especially in the mid and high range, but I'm going to attribute that to the placebo effect. Or that it just sounded faster, lol. :D

So, I think it was worth the few minutes to do it, considering it costs nothing. I'm all about cheap mods for this car, considering it's leased. So, feel free to add some commentary. Thanks! :D

SpinninAgain!

I think you have to remove the front bumper to do the fog lights. That's not as hard as it sounds, in fact its easier than doing the d@mn parking lights.

There's a DIY for front bumper removal with excellent instructions and pix. A search should turn it up, or you can find a link to it on the oil cooler screens DIY thread. BTW, make sure you install oil cooler and AC condensor screens while you have the bumper off. Cheap protection to preven an expensive repair, and no point in pulling the bumper twice.

BTW, how did you get to the passenger side parking light? I haven't figured that one out yet.

RotorManiac

Any pics of the lights/bulbs?

Rotary Rasp

iTrader: (2)

I replaced mine, it was hard because I didn't remove anything but the ECU. However, it still only took me about 20 minutes to install.

RX8SpdDmn

Sorry, I don't have a digital camera, therefore, no pics. Not right now, anyway.

I took off the battery cover and ECU cover to get to the passenger side one. I took off the fuse box cover to get to the driver's side.

As far as the fog lights... You've gotta be kidding me!! I have to pull the bumper cover off to get to them?!? I'm sorry, but this stuff should be designed into the car for easy access. Light bulbs should not require anything but your hands to replace.

G8rboy

No, you don't... there's a DIY for it, but essentially, you remove the plastic guards in front of the tires, and a few bolts from the plastic guards underneath, then you can reach right up and replace them... took about 15 minutes. I put in hyperwhite halogens in my fogs and hyperwhite bulbs from Polarg in my side markers and parking lights (yes, they suck to put in!) and they look great- they match the HIDS perfectly.

I'm also experimenting with my intake right now- Last night I took out those partitions you mentioned, and installed a custom oval tapered K&N filter that goes on the tube you took out (had to remove the trumpet part). I'm planning on finishing it with some slightly different (more direct) ducting in front of the airbox, but I have to remove the bumper for that unfortunately. I'm putting some oil cooler grills on next week (which require bumper removal), so I'll kill 2 birds with one stone.

SpinninAgain!

I had the battery and ECU covers off, and the ECU unbolted and held out of the way. I even had the bottom part of the ECU box unbolted. And I still couldn't get my hand into that stupid parking light. I've got small hands too. Grrr.

Sorry if I misled you about the fogs. I had my bumper off to install oil cooler screens and saw the lights from the back. I didn't look for the fog lights through the wheel wells like G8rboy explained, since I wasn't really thinking about fog lights at the time.

G8rboy

I've got small hands too, and I still could only get my left hand in that spot (right is too "fat" I guess)... and scraped it all to hell getting that passenger bulb done. I'm glad to hear the front bumper was easy... which oil cooler screens did you buy?

RX8SpdDmn

You DO know which one it is, right? I was going after the wrong wires at first. Then I noticed that the bulb went into the housing from an angle. That "tube" doesn't run all the way to the back. The base of the bulb is long and has to "wings" on it to twist with your fingers. Then it pulls out. Getting it back in wasn't any easier, either, lol.