Hey,
I meant to reply sooner but I didn't. Yeah the V6 is a small compact design and fits in the space that the renesis was. The balance if the car will be the same, give or take couple of kilos. I will do a final weigh of the V6 engine package when it's done to compare with the renesis. Take in concider everything so it's a true comparison, good or bad, I'm sure it won't be much over 10 to 15 kg.
Well, progress is a bit slow as it's getting colder and I've not really had a rest for a while but I still get in the garage nearly every day, only if it's an hour, I do have a very understanding wife, 😉
At the moment it's re-routing the brake pipes and fuel lines, petrol and lpg. Hopefully after the weekend that will be done then I can fit my infill panels in the bulkhead (firewall) for the cut outs to allow a bit of room for the cylinder heads. After that the mock engine will go in again for more (measure twice, cut once) method, engine mount adapter plates, exhaust, remote oil filter location and the front pulley. 😀

Keep the updates coming buddy, Were just starting a VAG20V 1.8T conversion and expecting lots of issues.

An in line 4? That's a tall / long engine isn't it?
I'm measuring a jag V6 3.0L this morning just to compare as lots of people has suggested the duratec 30. I'm sure it's too big and I made the right choice but I could never get the dimensions I really needed.

Hey, I did get some measurements and the Jag engine is near identical but I don't think I can change to it now. I've made so many mods and final mock up adapters, so for the penalty of changing the engine choice with more mods is not worth the time over power gain. I will be spending time on the klde, porting the heads and possible turbo to get close to the 300bhp range.
Do you have measurements for your engine? Will you have to make a new subframe? Total length available is 50cm..

Oh the Jag v6 is a Duratec? My daily driver is a '99 Cougar with a 2.5L. Same engine. I hate it. :)

Yeah the jag engine is a duratec but with cam timing for more power and variable inlets, 200bhp vs 240bhp.
My daily commuter is a mx6 with the 2.5L. The only thing that puts me off a bit is the sound can be a bit high pitched. I'd like at least a 3.0L. Oh, I did have to cut into my bulkhead.

Your right about it being tallish but not too long, here are a few threads where others have done it before.
rx8 vag 20v turbo conversion..... - JPOC - Japanese Performance Owners Club
Mazda RX8 project with 20v Audi turbo engine - PassionFord
http://www.pistonheads.com/GASSING/t...VAG+20v+motor+
It will fit with a wee bit of bulkhead cutting and the steering rack should be fine.
When I get it a bit further on I will start a thread, can't be bothered feeding the trolls at this early stage. :D:

The MX6 has the Mazda KLDE 2.5L right? The belt drive one? Totally different engine then a Duratec.


Does the 3.0L Duratec still have the water pump off the back of the drivers side head?

Oh I knew they were entirely different, I was only saying that the key points of measurements were similar. I'm not sure about the water pump, I think I saw it on the front externally. More google images I think...
Oh, what do you know about the Honda accord 3.0L V6? I'm trying to get measurements to see if that's worth while.

That's a J30. Here's info on Honda engines. Honda J engine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


I looked into the J30 as well as the C32B (NSX) but would up in the same place with limited transmission options. If you keep the 8's trans, the starter is usable as long as you make your own flywheel. Just put a 6VD1 in there and be done with it. :D

I always loved the sound of the VR6

Hows it going bud?

Yeah not too bad, the cold winter is making it more difficult and I have seemed to over strained my arms, elbows have been really sore for weeks and I've not given them a chance to recover.
The clutch master and slave and in with the new layout of pipework and brackets. It was nice to finish something as I seem to be doing a little of everything. I run into potential problems or modifications as I go along but it feels like it will suddenly come together quickly! The mock up engine has been in and out like a yo-yo and it won't be long till it stays in for exhaust mock up. To start with I'm using my existing exhaust cat back so there's very little exhaust work to make up. Once the engine is running I'll have 2 options for the exhaust, buy a sport exhaust, de-cat and back section for £300 or take it around to an exhaust specialist and get a quote. I don't have the tools to bend pipes but I can tig weld so I'm modding my manifolds, well, one of them. They are a standard fit sport manifold and I've had to change the angle at the flange. So, all I have to do is make a cheap temporary short connection from the cat or de-cat to the manifolds.
There's not much to see at the moment but I'll see if I can upload a photo.

I built my own exhaust I planned on using a cheapo toyo sports one but the bore was only 63mm and the amount of changes it would have needed rendered it useless.

Just used a load of magnaflow parts, SS pipe, big box of 3" and 2.5" bends and a lot of burns :D 3 inch bore to the diff where it splits into 2 63mm back boxes and a tail pipe on each side.

the wiring was the hardest part for me there just seems to be miles and miles of wiring + your new looms, Gauges, fuse and relay boxes.

On a side note front brake upgrades and coilovers really help well except it will scrape on pretty much everything :D

Hey,
What are you building or have built?
I have the cheap (£40) toyo sport manifolds, they are new but were second hand and never used! I only had to alter the RH side, yeah it was tricky to re-weld the 3 pipes in a new position but I have the use of a quality tig welder.
Why was there so much wiring to do? What car did you convert? I'm taking the easy route and putting in a stab alone engine management ecu, megasquirt do the fuel and ignition set up. I'm not going for the complicated one that includes a maf sensor. I want to get it running without an airbox to start with. It will have lamda sensors and the usual pick ups but that's it. The man that makes them says he can make it to what ever spec I want for about £450! That's my kind of price bracket! The inputs can be below 5v as kickerfox suggested so it will send a second set of signals down the cars ecu for the dash to work. The only lights I think will luminate are the engine management light an traction control, since I don't want traction control, (I like to use my right foot), I'll just open it up and deactivate the light.

No updates?

It might be easier with megasquirt as the ms3 has can bus outputs I've got everything but the tc, oil pressure( mainly as its got gauges in)

That is wonderfully craptastic. :/

Give him $5g so he can do it right.

Jesus Christ. I'm all for brutal honesty but let's see your build 9krpm. Oh wait that's just a bolt on turbo kit and some other bolts. Hardly considered "built"

:lol:, yes just a bolt on kit and some bolts. You must be real familiar with my build. It is nothing epic for sure compared to other builds I admire but I value my attention to detail, and I am proud that at any given time you can eat off of just about anything in my engine bay.

I speak my my mind and that picture shows a serious lack of attention to detail and I don't think anyone with half a brain would say otherwise. The wiring alone makes me cringe and I am no electrical engineer. You guys can whine all you want, it is what it is. I have no problems with swaps, just the seriously high level of half assiveness that I see in 90% of RX-8 swaps.

HAHAHA, says the guy who just got here. What a joke.

See in the uk Rx8s are everywhere(non running) and are pretty much worthless even scrap yards don't want them(as they have one in every colour) which is great for parts(except the engine). I was pretty much given mine has the engine died and the guy had no space for it so it would have just been crushed.

No i agree I wouldn't eat off anything in my engine bay the car was built very cheaply mainly from bits I had from my other cars and it was built as a fun car i.e. it will drift as it has a 2 way diff fitted( notice the intercooler been high mounted so not to be taken off drifting) but it will also do track work and unlike my other cars its 100% road legal it has around 300hp with about the same in torque so while its not that quick its a good laugh, quiet(full custom magnaflow exhaust with 2 tails pipes as singles look odd on the rx8) and with the big wilwoods and HSDs(coilovers) and all round adjustable arms it handles well tho you do notice the extra weight. which I think is fairly good means I made pretty made everything as there isn't a lot of off the shelf parts for conversions.

It does its job and is a very good base maybe next winter I will forge the engine and go top mount with a z33 box and aim for more Hp or fit a V8 or V6.

Its much better on fuel and oil than A stock one :D

Anyway thanks for your comment

I admit it isn't a SEMA car. I don't even think it is very well thought out and I also agree the attention to detail is sub par. It's very easy to do a clean job when it is something as easy as your build. I read throught the entire thing bc of all your statements made previously. I thought you were some magic wrench. Electrical engineers don't even wire 91% of the time. Electricians do that. Anyway for someone with a mildly modified Renesis you sure do have a lot to say about swaps.

Electricians work on cars professionally? :lol: You are a riot. I am sure the manufactures hire a lot of electricians to design and implement vehicle electronics, :lol:

And I have done quite a few engine swaps in my day, like I said, I have no issue with swaps, only when they are done half assed. It is nothing new, I have been a moderator on a Honda forum since the late 90's and was doing Honda swaps since way before it was made as easy as it is now. And in those days I saw plenty of clustefuck swaps. But yes, I have a lot to say, anyone who knows me here or otherwise will agree 100%.

And my Renesis is about as modified as you can get but you sure have a lot to say for a guy with no experience with a Turbo Renny. Get that car running and then come down to SAR and then we will see who built the better car. We have three different types of Turbo renesis here locally so you can pick your poison. I have been disappointing V-8 owners for 20+ years, it will be nothing new.

Yeah right, maybe mustangs or jaguar V8s. Bring those rotards down to Houston and get ready to lose your lunch money. I can count on one hand how many truly fast cars are in SA. Austin has even less. Mostly SW and Elite guys. As i said im not building a road warrior, but itll have no problem claiming some tubo rotor boxes.

9k if you started with Honda swaps then you have no room to talk. The whole reason Honda builds exist is to save money. They are cheap to mod. 9k what's your income? I'm thinking your "well off" and it went right up your ass. So far that you lost all respect for everyone else who does a swap on a budget.

kurorex - where'd the image go?

I am not well off and never have been. I do okay now but as a young sailor making $1,000.00 a month I still had one of the cleanest cars (Z28, then a 280ZX Turbo, swapped CRX,etc.) on the pier. Shit my Z28 was new, between the payment and the insurance I lived on $250.00 a month plus what I could hustle charging to take other sailors to the mall and still that car was always perfect (well for a 93' Z28). And as a young husband and father out of the Navy and not making much at all, I managed to build a show quality turbo Civic that ran 12's in the 1/4 mile and could hang at autox just fine. In my mid twenties I made a little more, owned three Maximas, a Speed Protege, a few SUV's, etc. etc. Using the lack of money to excuse half ass work is a cop out. It does not take money to wire shit correctly and do things cleanly. If you have a passion and are patient you can do it right. I know plenty of RX-8 owners here who are broke college kids working menial jobs and they get proper work done cleanly.

And Honda builds exist to save money? Maybe in Illinois. I had over $20,000.00 in my Civic ten years ago and now with K swaps being the thing, I know guys who make over 6 figures who own Civics with $60,000.00 plus easy in their cars. Don't even mentioned the S2000 crowd guys doing Turbo K24 swaps into those.

You earned a few points being prior Navy. I was beginning to think living in San Antonio you were chair force. FLY NAVY

I am 4th generation Navy/Marines on my fathers side, My Great grandfather was a Marine in WW1, My grandfather was a Marine Aviator in WWII, and My father is a retired Marine Sgt. Major who served in Nam, I was an OS on the U.S.S. Barry (DDG-52 Guided Missile Destroyer) since pre comission and served in Iraq, Africa, etc. My son just finished Marin Force Fleet training at Camp Lejuene last month and will be in Corpus until he gets placed with an MU and deployed. Lot's of Army too on my mothers side but we don't speak about that, :lol:

don't let 9k lie to you guys... he coined the phrase used by the Chappelle show: I'M RIACH BIATCH

I wish. I will be hood rich when my daughter turns 18 and comes to live with me for college though, :lol:.

haha you mean, you'll be bald...or severely grey haired

Here's some updates.
The mock up engine is sitting on it's mounts and ready for the real adapters to be made.
I finished the bulkhead and most of the most will be covered by the installation, shame it will be hidden but that's partly why I riveted it rather than welded the panels in, huge difference in time.

https://www.rx8club.com/members/kfc-...-mounts-41522/

https://www.rx8club.com/members/kfc-...ulkhead-41521/

Looking forward to more updates man !

This thread seems to have died, shame, i have been thinking along the lines of -" rx8, nice car, shame about the engine"
Now i dont want to start an argument, and i can see both sides of the discussion on this thread. Against the engine, in my mind is the fact it sounds like a ford anglia 1200, has no low end torque, eats itself, drinks oil and fuel. Yes it does produce the beans at the top end, but as daily drive i would hate it. In fact, i would say, given that you can have a rebuilt unit for around £800, it says it all that many people just end up selling the car.
So a v6 would seem an ideal, simple choice, if it can be made to work cheaply and reliably, against the conversion would be the time taken to engineer it.
Apologies for not doing a search before posting, thats next on my list.

Good luck with that.

Plenty of unfinished build threads here.
Some fade into oblivion after a bunch of big talk when knowledgeable members here warn them how difficult it is to do with an 8 on a budget, especially those who say they can do a cheap swap.
Very few admit failure.
The ones who do successfully swap engines usually don't crow about it.

Here is my work, I am sure it will cause a wave in the pool. Mazda 2.3L V6 KJ miller cycle engine turbo. Borg Warner EFR 6258. 10 psi boost 300/300 to the wheels.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...974c7a9377.jpg

Very nice! Did you have to cut the bulkhead? I'm about 85% done! Should be doing the actual swap not long after Christmas.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...f525bc8ff.jpeg




Adapter plates to the engine mounts.


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...09ab338ab.jpeg


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...8f4b095d8.jpeg

Looks good. You got that thing crammed back pretty far.

Can you post some pictures of the top view KFC. Yes I cut major material away from the firewall/bulkhead. Those RX8 mounts take up valuable space for turbo piping on the passenger side and on the driver side for the abs unit.

KFC--> is that the 5-speed manual transmission? I am using the 6-speed.

So how's she feel?

Yes please, how does she drive? I'd like to hear about the handling specifically, any changes from stock?

I only cut a bit away from the bulkhead, I'll post photos later today as they aren't on my phone. The time involved using the stock RH engine mount x2 with adapted plates took ages. Would have been better to start from scratch and I would have more room for later mods for a turbo.
I do want to run a turbo after it's built. I had to leave some fun jobs to do later. 😏
I'm using the 5 speed box as 5th gear is taller than the 6 speed. I didn't want to be doing 4000rpm at 80mph. Using a website to calculate the ratios, I rekon the 6 speed is about 400rpm higher at cruise speed on the motorway, I had to think about mpg as well.
If I don't like it, it's only £80 for a 6 speed then a straight swap.
I'll bet your crankshaft pulley is in the same position as the original renesis crank pulley? Mine is, making the weight distribution exactly the same. Engine package compare about the same, within 5kg. 😬

Who's engine?
Mine looks slightly further forward..

My crank pulley is even lower than stock. It sit behind the power rack and nearly touches the power rack with 5 mm clearance. The engine is as low as possible with the transmission being the lowest element just within the chassis envelope.

I weighed the engine-->

The rx8 engine 280 lbs with intake manifold, exhaust manifold, and flywheel.

The KJ/KL engine 286 lbs with flywheel, custom intake and exhaust manifolds and
turbo collector pipe.

So in my case the transmission is 1.5~2 inch low than stock and the engine weighs nearly the same and the battery is relocated and lighter. So I feel that I improved handling characteristics rather than the other common direction. I can not quinify the handling improvement at this time. Plus I never drove any other rx8, meaning I only ever experienced my v6 turbo rx8. Crazy I know, but it is true.

Here ya go.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...8750989c9d.jpg
Ally panels bonded and riveted in.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...c6f557595e.jpg
Sprayed up and ready to fit the insulation or sound proofing.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...c4ad1c7c3f.jpg
Re-routed the brake lines.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...0c7df95db4.jpg
Mock up engine in.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...f52694b0db.jpg
Early mock up in.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...1755b29d2.jpeg
My welding improving! Moved the thermostat to the front of the engine.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...4dd9cd4fb.jpeg
More of my welding, engine mount adaptor plate.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...7605264f8c.jpg
Chopped up the inlet for the flanges.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...65ed3d6f3a.jpg
Deciding what will work

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...9cab9dd28.jpeg
Nearly ready to fit.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...c6ddb17022.jpg
Machined RX8 flywheel and adapter plate.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...e39dd91752.jpg
Just showing hiw close the clutch slave bleed screw will be to the cylinder head. In reality, the gap is slighty bigger. I didnt have an adapter plate at the time, I was deciding the minium thickness.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...ad7437a4e6.jpg
[I]Early stage of fabricating my sump (oil pan).

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...fa8e51e16e.jpg


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...f271cc1a8.jpegAt work fabricating the exhaust.

I also went to town modifying the clutch slave cylinder to fit near the head. My engine to transmission adapter/sandwich plate is 0.25" thick 6061 t6 aluminum. I welded additional mounting tabs onto the engine block and filled several closely aligned holes and re-drilled so that 4 of the 6 transmission bolts directly interface with the engine block and the lower two bolt into the lower rear motor mount brace/cradle. So simply all the 6 trans bolts connect to the block which in turn makes the adapter more like a sandwich. A Solid connection IS A MUST. My work has be tested over 4000 miles of abuse with NO ISSUES related to MY work. That Is such an awesome feeling. Near or over 300 torque. Think about it... double the torque at half the rpm.

Updates?

Hi, I have been very busy with the build, it's coming along nicely. I'll try to upload photos this week.

Why you stopped to post ? updates ?