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I've dreading making this post. C-19 has given me time to work on this swap getting past my 1st and largest hurdle motor mounts. As the dozens before me have discovered the FC 13b motor mounts are nowhere near the REW or RENESIS and no one is gonna make a swap kit for this build. I was particularly between a rock and a hard place as I had spent a decent amount of money getting a proper FC motor built and fell out of love with my FC. A few years past and my RX8 shell and FC motor are collecting dust in my 1 car garage and Im not wealthy enough to pay a shop to do this for me and no engine builder would trade me a good FD motor for my FC motor so I can just buy this build, I was going to have to build my own build. I bought and few Gs in tools and a few hours on Youtube University getting to this pics.
13bt swap RX8. Mock-up mounts. Driver Side mock-up. Mount and Bracket. Passenger side mock-up. Mount and Bracket.
These are version 3 of these mounts. They are not perfect nor road worthy but I have some place to start.
Which leads me to my ask. I am building this car to make 400hp MAX that was the goal when I had the engine built.
My next obstacle is :
The FC lower intake manifold hits the firewall. Kinda see scratches on firewall in pic.
My solution is to make the intake fit by taking a sledge hammer to the fire wall or purchase the Elite Intake Manifold and hoping it fits and probably still have to sledgehammer the firewall. Could someone let me know how tight the AC is? (keeping AC is a pipe dream I know).
Disclaimer: I have ZERO intention of putting this vehicle in a non road worthy state. This is not a troll post, I'm not an irresponsible kid that's gotten too deep. I'm a guy that loves rotaries and wants to build something himself the best I can. Also I know the trans cant take 400hp.
I can’t recall ever seeing that version installed before. If the engine is in the proper transmission/PPF position then the centering type LIM should work in theory. However, it looks like they only have the curved style rather than centering it straight? You might make sure they’re willing to accept a return first before purchasing or discussing the situation with them first. Worst case the hammer technique may work depend on how much clearance is needed and what may be on the other side.
The only thing I’d say about the new mounts is that imo it’d have been better to have cut the mount to fit over the subframe flanged lip and conform to the structure and fully welded off. Since it’s already done, you might consider building that flange section back to the mount and welding off the sides. It’d be more rigid and less likely to flex that way. Can’t really say that it would be a big difference, just what I’d have done based on all my experience in that regard. Pretty much welding, Mech. Engineering, and metal fabrication has been the majority of my career.
What I think you need is a JDM import RX8 5-speed trans, which is the FD trans with RX8 specific bell and tail housing, improved synchros, and a straight bolt in. If you search around you can usually find a good low mileage one for cheaper than you think, but there’s a bunch if beat up grease covered ones out there too. Might just depend on where you live and the JDM sources near there. But I’m not very proficient on the FC engine. I’m thinking it should be the same trans mounting etc as the REW.
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I can't offer much advice for you but I do want to say that my engine builder was able to block of the EGR porting in my REW and was able to shave this part of the REW LIM off so the firewall had much better clearance. Plenty of people still bang out the firewall to make room for the REW swaps (I still had to a little bit) so my assumption is that you would be able to for your engine also.
As Team mentioned the JDM 5 speed is the best option for the trans; but at the same time I know of at least one person who has had longer term success with a 400+ hp REW and the stock 6speed. I'm leaving my 6speed in tact for now with a goal of 450whp on my REW swap with the intention of going the 5speed route when necessary.
Anyways, good luck with the swap, following along to see your progress.
Spent a couple hours with a hammer and taking the engine out a dozen times and the FC lower manifold will not fit at all. Elite manifold doesn't look any better and blows up my budget. I really wanted to get the CX racing intake but I have not found a single person with it.
A guy freaking make billet parts for FC, specifically a lower intake flange! Ordered. Will need to make a lower manifold which I knew.
Subscribed. I'm preparing to do the same swap, so I'll be following your progress with great interest. I was hoping the intake manifold would fit, but at least now I know to plan for a custom one.
Will you be using the stock turbo and exhaust manifold? With your mount location, it looks like the S5 turbo should fit without much drama.
Have you considered using the rx8 front plate in order to play nicely with the stock ECU?
You're primaries, are obviously good where they are, most LIM's have injector locations on the secondary runners (the two outside runners) on the vertical right above the elbow turning into the block. Here is a photo of my REW stock LIM.
Photo wasn't intended to capture the injector ports but you can see the front one just behind the electrical connector with the red on it.
Did this swap years ago I was the first lol looking decent. But you're doing a whole lot extra I had no extra motivation to do. I commend you. Also nice work on the mounts. I know you looked countless times for how I did it.... but that would make it too easy lol plus yours look better. Hopefully you didn't have to modify too much. Time to go hide for another 5 years ...
Finally ordered and some parts from the Turbo Source IWG kit. Finally get why people should not do this swap. REW is easier, its so much easier that I am probably gonna go that route.
Haltech 2500 will be wired this week and I will try to get the t2 motor running but I will be selling for the REW.
Side note, just for the "I told you so" folks. You were right congratulations.
Also. the intake manifold in the previous pic was fabricated.
And I have 1 question about wiring the starter, reviewing the wiring can the clutch switch be wired to the starter? Specifically in regards to the ecu pinout.
I dont want to use 2 inputs on the Haltech for this, I'm pretty much maxed out on inputs/ouputs.
I was just using a picture of a cast intake to demonstrate the injector positions for the question being asked. Yet they can pretty much be placed at any number of positions on a custom manifold; either near or far from the ports, and there are various pro/con opinions for those decisions if any one wants to research it further.
You just need to wire the starter relay with the starter interlock switch controlling the relay on/off power wire the same as the OEM setup
maybe no mods at all depending on which harnesses may or may not still be in place.
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Nice build. So you built your own drive shaft? Did you have it balanced? One of the often experienced issues with these swaps is driveshaft vibration. Some related to drive shaft angles (pinion and gearbox output angles), others related to balancing, then often people just seem to have issues even when drive shaft angles and balancing appear to be correct.
I'd strongly recommend having you drive shaft balanced if you haven't done it already.
Finally making some progress on the. Engine installation. Using FFE engine mounts and the Banzai Racing swap cross member. Clearances were tight and I needed to shim the engine on the turbo side to clear the compressor housing. Intake manifold is tight but fits.
3.5 inch Down pipe will need clearancing in the firewall. Roughly a half an inch.
I had asked Banzai if the FFE mounts would fit a year or so ago and all they had was a :dunnoshug: to offer. Seemed like they would and good to know, except I decided to do something different instead.
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Seems it sits the engine a bit taller than the normal Banzai mounts? Curious how come you swapped to FFE mounts instead of using the provided Banzai ones? TIA
but the real shocker will come when someone posts a modified Banzai mount with no motor mounts on the full-on race version i.e. doing something different, God willing …
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09-21-2020, 12:09 PM
