faffy

I might have seen you on Thursday 10:30 am. I was driving through Bernalillo and saw another Titan RX-8 with a spoiler on the back. I only caught the car from the corner of my eye.

Csaba

NiNjA99

How's it going fellow New Mexicans? I just joined and am from Gallup, NM, but i'll be moving to Las Cruces. Is anyone here from the Las Cruces area?

Kewl

faffy....that might have been MadDog - although not likely at 10:30a. His is a TI with spoiler and Mazdaspeed wheels - very nice wheels. I don't have a spoiler on my 8. I do have the RX-8 emblem in the middle of the front grille if that helps ID me...

You down this way often?

Hello NiNjA99....welcome! Do you come up to ABQ often?

NiNjA99

I go every once in a while when I have time. I have friends that live there. I always stop by when traveling between Las Cruces and Gallup. I was there recently to get the Squealing Brakes TSB done.

faffy

I took the family to the airport. I am not too often there. However, if we can arrange a meeting, I'd go there for sure.

Csaba

Kewl

I'll see what we can do about a meeting soon....will get back to you.

Shop for tires! Please don't even think about using the bridgestones in the winter.

MadDog

WOO HOO! My turbo kit has arrived! I installed the boost controller/data logger over this past weekend. I can't wait to get started with the turbo itself!

Kewl

Pictures! Pictures! We want lots of pictures! I'm still waiting for my intake kit. Did you have to replace the REVi for the turbo?

Kewl

WOO HOO! As MadDog says...I got my RB REVi Intake and Cold Air Duct last night. I've installed it, but have not finished re-installing the bumper so haven't tested in install yet.

Fairly easy install...more on that later.

MadDog

Yeah, I'll have to loose the REVi once the turbo goes in. I -hate- the way the intake for the turbo looks so I plan on chopping the stock intake to make it work for the turbo.

I got the WB02 sensor bung installed at Speed Lab the other day. Now I plan on running an LC-1 WB02 to the profec e-01. It'll log the AFR, boost and RPM for up to 3 hours! And I can also use it instead of a laptop to program the e-manage. Plus, its got a nifty little 4x3 LCD screen with indiglo backlighting.

I can't wait to get started! but there's a family camping trip this weekend!! ARRGH!!

-MD

Kewl

Well the good news is that you won't see the turbo intake unless you open the hood.

The profec sounds like a wonderful device, I wish they had something small that could do what the CANScan does without the need for the laptop. The interior of this car is just too small to be using a laptop.

The RB intake/RAM installed very nicely. Good instructions and it didn't take long to do. Actually I was surprised and very pleased at how easy the front bumper comes off and re-installs. I had not done that before. It is almost as easy as the Chrysler's bumper. Today was the first day driving the 8 with the new intake. The noise level isn't bad and the quality of the sound is most acceptable. It isn't really bad unless you are WOT. It is much different then what yours did. This one comes on strong at 3000 and increases slightly as you approach 5-6K and then is fairly steady to redline. It is the lower freq intake noise. I was a little concerned with the interface of the RAM and the filter box - I thought it might whistle, but so far it has not.

I did record some sensors driving to and from work today. Instead of a 30 degree increase in intake temp (in the PM) from outside air, it is now only about a 15 degree increase - as long as you are moving. I haven't studied airflow, or CAT Temp to see if there is any change, and frankly I don't expect to see any. Intake Temp was the one I was most interested in.

First look at MPG doesn't say much....miles to gauge position is about the same as before for what I've driven to date; but I have been doing a lot of WOT sound level testing.

Sorry to hear you won't be able to install the turbo this weekend. You plan on doing it at the house? Call if you want/need any help.

Fred

Candyrx7

congrats on the turbo. Maybe you'll be the 1st rx8 in town to give the rx7's a run for there money :p I cant wait to see the set-up keep us updated.

MadDog

Haha! I know there is one RX-7 that would still blow all my 4 doors off! I went down to Dyno Edge the other day to do a baseline. They had a 3rd gen there making 600HP!! unreal...

Anyhow, all my stuff is waiting in the garage for me... Every night I go in and just look longingly at the kit...

I'll definitely brng it by to show you guys. Actually, I might need to buy some time on the lift. I think I can do it on jack stands, but a lift sure would be nice! I hope to start installing the intercooler on Sunday. From there, the hardest part will be droping the engine mount to get at the manifold. You might be getting a call from me!!

:p

Candyrx7

was the 3rd gen at dyno edge yellow? If so thats the one w/ the ls1 in it. Good luck I hope everything goes smoothly

Candyrx7

whats the news whats the news!!! Any updates on the car maddog?

Kewl

there is a track day scheduled at the Sandia raceway west of ABQ on 27 August. I'm thinking about going....anyone else interested in going?

MadDog

Okay, here's the latest.

I spent a good portion of the day last Saturday (camping got rained-out) trying to extract the plug from my bung (sounds kinky!). It had seized in the bung and I totally stripped it out. Even an easy-out didn't work! I had to cut it off and weld in a new bung. I finally got the WB02 working.

So, as it stands now, I have the Profec e-01, WB02 (innovate LC-1), and the emanage installed. Its really a cool set-up. The WB02 runs to the e-01 so I can track all the info on one little slick package. The emanage is running the turbo maps right now, but since the turbine isn't installed yet, its not doing anything since its not detecting boost. I can trace the emanage as it tracks the RPM and vacuum, though. It seems to be working okay. I wanted to spend a week getting th bugs worked-out and making sure I really understood the fuel management before putting the turbine in.

I am planning on starting the turbine install tomorrow!! :D That is, if I get the turbine housing back from the shop today. I wanted the wastegate ported a little bit. At the very least, I'll install the intercooler and cold plugs tomorrow and get the housing back by the weekend. Keep your fingers crossed for me!!

Candyrx7

sounds awesome. your adventure with the stripped bolt sounds like mine 2 weekends ago. I was replacing a thermostat.. bolts were stripped by previous owners. he had a 8g coarse thread in with 2 other diff size bolts (not coarse threads on a rx7) so im trying to thread them back in hoping i dont have to tap and die the wholes but as im bolting one in the head of the bolt breaks off .. the easy out didnt get it out. ended up buying a whole new water pump housing from tom at rotaryrx. w00 what a mission. I hope you get things done soon sounds like it should be pretty fun.

Zuhalter Vati

I have a two part post. First off, I am going to be in New Mexico from this Thursday to sometime the next week to get my 8 registered. I wanted to see if anyone has any meets or anything setup this weekend (Labor Day Weekend). I would love to meet some of the 8 owners south of me.

Also, to any Shinka owners in New Mexico. Do you have personalized plates? if so what do you have? I want to save time by not requesting duplicate names.

Thanks everyone, hope to see some of you soon.

Zuhalter Vati

I went ahead and registered the car in Colorado since it was going to cost 1200 to do so in NM. $573 sounded a lot better. I'll be down there in my Buick Riviera now...lmao

wankleman

anyone live in Los Alamos, i go there often to visit my nuclear scientist uncle also those two word combos in this sentence "Los Alamos"&"nuclear scientist" will b flagged by the NSA, so everybody wave to the spooks :D

MadDog

Turbo update:

I have all the stock stuff off, and the turbo is going on first thing in the morning! After weeks of sitting on my shop table, that sucker is finally going in! I'll post more details tomorrow!

Prepare to eat rotary fumes, non-boosted 8's! :p (and you 7's lurking, too!) :D

-MD

jtimbck2

Hey folks,

I'll be moving to NM (Los Alamos/Santa Fe area) from VA later this fall, and I have a few random questions about car-related stuff.

About how much is vehicle registration/plates in NM (per year)?
Do the individual cities/counties have their own personal property (car) tax? Is a decal required?
Is there a state inspection? How often? What's the cost?
What about emissions inspection?

Thanks for any info you can provide.

Kewl

For the RX8 the tag registration is $62.

No city/country personal propery tax. Decal? no

Sales tax (called gross receipt tax in NM) for what it is worth and unrelated to this discussion does differ from county to county and city to city.

There is no state inspection.

Only Bernalillo county (Albuquerque) has an emissions test requirement if you live in the county.

MadDog, here in Albuquerque, is from your part of the country and there are several 8's in the Las Alamos/Santa Fe area.

Welcome to NM...if you have any other questions just post them here and we will do our best to answer them.

jtimbck2

I assume by your answer it varies based on the vehicle -- is it weight-related?
VA registration is $34-39 per year, depending on vehicle weight ($34 under 4000 lbs., $39 over). Cheaper than NM, but then we have city/county personal property tax (which can be several hundred $), state inspection ($15/yr), and city/county decals (in most jurisdictions $20-25) which more than makes up the difference.

Thanks -- we're moving probably in mid to late October (have to find a house, etc.)