Ways to get more power:

1) Buy the manual - instant 40 hp compared to the auto.

2) Wait one more year - Mazda will introduce a 5 speed automatic on the 2006 RX-8 that can handle the revs of the high-output engine, so you get a better auto trans with the 238 hp, 9K redline engine. There's no way you'll find 40 hp more from a 2004 or 2005 auto RX-8. Oh, they'll also introduce that year a 6 spd sequential (semi-manual) trans, for a bit more cost.

Regards,
Gordon

"Want more horsepower? Why don't you buy a manual transmission? If you are any bit a car enthuasist, you will regret buying an AT"
I don't know how to drive stick.. even if I did I'd imagine it to be quite a pain in the ass for how I drive/where I drive mostly.

So in 2006 the model will have a better automatic transmission?
Oo tough decision, I really don't want to wait two years tho

"Sorry but I think this is a lame thread."
Well you didn't have to read it so don't put smart ass comments like that. No one is making threads to please you.

I think if you're looking for some straightline performance there are a lot of better AT cars out there. If you just want the 8 for the package it offers and don't care much about not being faster than other cars on the road, then get the 8. Or stop all this nonsense and learn to drive a MT like a real man :p

i donno, seems like using my brain and not having to do something the computer will do for me makes me a bigger/smarter man hahaha jk no need to start a fight. lol

Yeah I love the 8 for everything in the package, don't care about speed... but who uh, well who doens't care about speeD? It can always be faster, just doesn't need to be

Ok......

I know what an intake is.

I know what an exaust is.

I think headers are for piston engines???


EDIT: Never mind..........brain fart.

Yeah I never thought of that
headers are usually for piston engines but i could see how they'd fit a rotary... just not very practical

Learn. I learned in about 2 hours. I promise you that you will regret the AT.

No the engine in the AT is different, it only has 4 input ports, rather than 6 in the HP engine. The lack of extra port per rotor means it develops its maximum power at a lower RPM, spinning it faster wont help.

Whether the 4 port or the 6 port is more suited to forced induction is another question, but academic if you have the AT tranny, as it cant cope with the power. Unlike in the UK you dont get the choise of the 4 port engine and 5 speed MT, so the higher power MT is the only real option if you find a way of substantially increasing power output.

Cheers
---Dave

thanks for the clarification dave

Guess I'll be sticking with a medium-powered auto

On the contrary, previous rotaries have greatly benefited from free-flowing exhaust, complete with headers. My own RX-7 has the Racing Beat system, wich is rated for a 22% power increase at 7000rpm over stock. The later model 13B powered RX-7s have also benefited from a header system. The downside is that headers are not emissions legal, so depending on your locale, they may not be an option.

As for the power issue, I'm going to have to side with the 'learn to drive manual' crowd. I used to think that driving manual was silly in an age of automatic transmissions, but after I bought my first RX-7, my attitude changed. Now I can't stand automatic cars, mostly because you have little control over engine speed without manualy shifting the transmission, which defeats the purpose, IMHO.

willing to spend all that money and time to get 20 more HP, but not want to spend a few hours to learn how to drive MT for 40 more HP... just does not make sense.... are you handicaped?

bon9111
relax

very relaxed...
I just don't get the point. I know you are drving AT, but we are not talking about general AT drivers, so I think you need to relax.

I used to drive manual transmissions. After a couple knee surgeries, and a few thousand dollars in pain pills, I gave them up. My last MT car was an LT1 camaro, and I can truthfully say that I don't miss MTs at all (or the hp/tq much). I can say with absolute certainty that I do not regret buying the AT RX-8. It was either an AT or no RX-8, and there is no car available that fits with what I want in a car better than the 8. Besides the 6MT 8 is slower in general than all its competition in most situations, so no one bought this car solely because it is fast. So buy what you want and ignore all this "you're not a man unless you drive a manual" crap.

Find yourself a nice twisty road and enjoy the drive.

I thought this thread was about adding reliable HP to the RX-8.

"Sorry but I think this is a lame thread."
Well you didn't have to read it so don't put smart ass comments like that. No one is making threads to please you.



i agree

Go with the simple 3 item list that was given origionally.

-intake
-exhaust
-header

Those will increase hp & tq. You can add the smaller things like plugs, wires, grounding kit, and pullys. They don't make much power but add to efeciency and good smoother, more responsive throttle responce. Don't forget that the AT comes with the 16" wheels unless you option them to 18s. The 16s will help the AT feel a little more peppy.

??
 

6sp slower than most competition??..........what?.........have you looked at 8 different mags and reviews across North America...............the 8 ranged ffrom 0-60 5.9 - 6.3 secs........
G35 0-60 5.9 - 6.2secs
350Z 0-60 5.4secs

and the BMW 325 and even the 330i numbers are close 0-60 low 6's

so I can't believe you think it is slow compared to competitors..............it is still fast by modern sports car standards

Yes it is and you can add 40HP by just getting MT without doing any extra mod. How hard is that??

Those are pretty generic recommendations, and I haven't read anything on this forum to suggest that the RX-8 would find any benefit from those items. In fact, discussions on spark plugs have suggested that the factory plugs are as good as they get, and that there's no power to be found in wires. Grounding kits are suspect at the best of time (just clean the grounds you already have, folks). With the marginal A/C that the RX-8 already has, I don't know why anyone would want to further compromise this by underdriving the compressor...

Regards,
Gordon

BlueOakleyz,

I have owned both AT and MT cars and they both have their pros and cons. So, you should buy what you want and what you are most comfortable with. I would never criticize a person for buying a car with an AT.

I just wonder if you've ever tried learning to drive stick? It is easy and really a lot of fun. I learned to drive manual tranny on a Miata, so I can't comment on how easy the '8' is to learn on, but it seems very easy to figure this clutch out. I never stalled it until I'd had mine for a couple weeks, so there wasn't much of a learning curve.

You alluded to where you have to drive being a reason you don't want an MT. I can understand if there's a lot of stop and go traffic. Personally, I don't mind frequent changing of gears that you can get in city/suburban driving. That's all part of the fun! BUT if you are sitting in a lot of stop and go traffic, that's when it can get to be a pain. But if you have a decent amount of your commute that is not stop and go, the MT is really a great choice.

Seriously, I would suggest you find a friend who has a stick and ask them to teach you. See how you like it. You might find it a blast! And unless your friend is teaching you on an S2000 or Miata, the RX-8 will be a lot more fun to drive than what your friend has. Anyway, that way you could make the best possible decision for you. :)

ATs can be made to handle any power.
Mazda didn't want to waste profit money on expensive components(torque converters blowing apart at high rpms). Didn't the FD3S or Cosmo20b come with automatics?
Headers can be made emissions legal. Headers aren't only for boingers.

Intake, exhaust, header, mid/center pipe, pulleys, synthetics everywhere, will give you a bump in power. I bet that there will also be a ton of power hidden in the ECU.

Catback/intake/fluids are available already.

Pictures of headers/midpipes have been posted. But, I haven't seen any imported or developed here yet.

Pulleys/ECU tuning--only time will tell.

Those have significantly lower redlines - it isn't the power that was the problem with the hi-power engine and the AT, it was the 9000 rpm.

Further - it wasn't that Mazda didn't want to waste profit money - it was that Mazda didn't have the budgets or engineering staff to do the new AT transmission at the same time as the development of the new RX-8. Mazda IS engineering a new 5 speed auto transmission that can handle the hi-power engine's revs and output, and it should be available for the 2006 model year. Also to be released at that time will be a 6 speed SMG semi-manual transmission.

Regards,
Gordon

The Rx8 will have to sell like hot cakes for how many years in order to justify the staff/budget on a 5 speed auto or SMG semi manual.
Who are you kidding?
It won't sell if the price is too high. The local dealer here advertises the RX8 ever Sunday. The quantity in stock is always increasing. The dealer discounts are everywhere. The rebates are soon to follow. Once the fad wears off(complements of the ADD enhanced society), the cost cutters will move in.

Mazda outsources like many other automakers. All they have to do is call ZF/Aisinwarner/Jatco and say, "MAKE US A TRANNY" and charge the consumer.

I don't think people here are criticizing people who drive AT or buy AT. I believe it is the idea of getting AT, THEN look for more HP when more than he is looking for is already there with MT.
I mean would you do that??

"willing to spend all that money and time to get 20 more HP, but not want to spend a few hours to learn how to drive MT for 40 more HP... just does not make sense.... are you handicaped?"

First, yup I've learned driving stick.. I'd imagine that if I tried really hard I'd eventually get good at it. But yeah know what bon, I DONT WANT STICK... I love automatic. I love to able to just cruise.. I love the reliability and not have the need of shifting all the time, especially since all I do is drive in-town.
No I'm not handicapped... and no I'm not going to succumb to insults that lame asses have on so many car forums that automatics are dumb. I'm sorry I just don't see how they're dumb when they are doing the work for you that other people do manually in manual... Manuals are more fun,.... sure for racing and highways and stuff but that's not for me. Bottom line is, the automatic is a different car than the manual RX-8 and the automatic is the car I'm buying. With that as base, yes, I'm trying to add more power to it. Even if I did spend a few hours to drive MT (Which isn't the problem obviously)... I'd still want automatic.

"I don't think people here are criticizing people who drive AT or buy AT. I believe it is the idea of getting AT, THEN look for more HP when more than he is looking for is already there with MT.
I mean would you do that??"

Boy that sure is thick. Like I said, they're two different cars.. one is an automatic and one is a manual. Are you saying that I shouldn't look to add more power to my automatic just because there's a version out there that already has more power? Like just because a person has a mustang 6 cylinder they shouldn't try to upgrade it simply because there's a cobra already out there?

I'm not kidding anybody. Those are the facts - Mazda couldn't afford to implement the 5 speed auto or develop a SMG in time for the RX-8 release. It's also fact that those two will be in the car in 2006. Do you think that these will be exclusive to the RX-8? Think again. They'll also be in the Miata, and transverse versions will be used throughout the Mazda and Ford platforms. I heard this info from very reliable inside sources at Mazda (can't name names, or they will no longer be sources!). What's your source for doubting it will happen?

Regards,
Gordon

I couldn't agree more. I drove a stick for so many years I just got tired of it. Yes..the easy thing to do for an additional 40 HP is get the manual, if you want to drive one.
What in the world is wrong with wanting to modify the AT if you do not care to drive a stick? It makes since to those that don't want the hassle of operating a manual.
To some, the better driving experience comes from shifting, that's great, to others, it is a burden.

Now, with that said, if you were going to spend an addtional $1000 on mods, what would you get?

I agree mplc
1k
I will get exhaust and hopefully intake

That makes as much sense as dating a beautiful woman, and not wanting the hassle of making love, so you have a good wankel instead. :D

Cheers
---Dave

I disagree with your analogy

I disagree also, your seeing it from a very European point of view. AT would be ridiculous to most folk in the UK, I know for sure.

Nice quote though :-)

..as for all the aftermarketi parts, my patience is thining, looks like theres gooing to be nothing good until the new year.

hmm.... get rid of the cat and we can have some good gas mileage... stupid detuning cat related problems!

I hv read before dat an auto car can be mod.......from an engineer who claimed he has tried on auto from abt 200hp to 400hp....

Best engine mod??
 

What is the best engine mod for the rx-8 that adds the most hp and torque?????

ACOSTARACING's 20b.... Realistically though, there's not much out yet.

Canzoomers plug in fuel controller, good for a minimum 20 hp for $750 US. It's in final development stages - see the thread in the Tech Garage section called "official word from Mazda about dyno'ing the RX-8". Amongst those many, many pages of posts, canzoomer has detailed his investigations and development efforts.

Regards,
Gordon

Thnx alot man. I was just wondering because you donot really see that many tuned rx-8s
-Ron

You will...

Just gotta give it some time, but I'm sure you'll see them from here til sunday.

what about intake,once the rice rocket companies make stuff for the rx-8 intake should be half off for 8+hp

but the most hp for price is a turbo system but u risk your engine life so thats on you people

Yeah, how much PSi can the rx-8 get from its engine?

Nobody has made much headway with the intake so far. It's pretty sophisticated and pretty good, all told.

[sarcasm]
you mean compression?? check a shop manual.
[/sarcasm]
*rolleyes*

I meant PSi if it had a trubo in it, i didnt mean the compression ratio from the engine. thnx for the advice though!

Naaaaaaawzzzzzzzzzz!