Getting the most out of your Greddy turbo without breaking the bank
04-27-2009, 02:37 AM
#1
Getting the most out of your Greddy turbo without breaking the bank
So the Greddy turbo has been out for ages and there have been many improvements made by members over the years to get something worthwhile from what starts out as a pretty crappy kit.
I would like to go over some of the things that I’ve done to get the most out of what I had for the least amount of $ – we Kiwis are well known for this. It comes from being isolated and generally having a DIY attitude ingrained.
I started off by reading up on all the greddy fixes in this thread and went from there
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-major-horsepower-upgrades-93/definitive-greddy-turbo-fixes-here-they-81825/
*Tuning
As far as tuning goes the first thing you want to do is throw out the emanage that comes with the kit. I use Hymee Pro Tuner and it works well but from what I read on here the AP through MM is an excellent option also. This is all I want to say on this as it is a huge subject in itself but suffice it to say if you neglect this side of things you may as well not have bothered in the first place.
Some stuff on timing https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-engine-tuning-forum-63/ignition-timing-turbo-supercharged-renesis-post-your-maps-172245/
Pro tuner discussion https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-engine-tuning-forum-63/hymee-pro-tuner-discussion-167124/
Exhaust
If you can get away with it – gut your cat and run the stock midpipe. This works as well as anything aftermarket you can buy and will save you a bunch of $
A good free flowing aftermarket muffler is also a good idea . I don’t have a 3” system and still made over 300 whp so ……
*Intake
The Greddy intake is crap. Not only does it suck in hot engine bay air but it does not work well on the superior MAF based tuning systems. My setup works exceptionally well and I believe it has to do with keeping the MAF well away from any bends or other airflow disturbances. The filter is above the intercooler and as out of the way of any hot air as I could make it . I sealed the top of the inter cooler so that air would tend to pass through it rather than over it and also to prevent hot air seeping up to the air filter at idle.
One annoying thing about having your air filter in that location is that water can get onto it through the gap between the bonnet and the bumper and cause all sorts of BS . I found that being creative with a silicone gun and channeling the water to drop to one side cured this problem.
*Turbo
The stock turbo from Greddy is good for around 260whp comfortably , More than this and you are stretching things without some additional charge cooling .
It produces an excellent torque curve with nice low down grunt matching anything else out there.
Go to the one of the Greddy upgrade options and you can get to the 300whp mark and more – a very worthwhile upgrade IMO. Here is one good option. https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-major-horsepower-upgrades-93/newest-100%25-bolt-greddy-hybrid-turbocharger-168286/ I would recommend the 57 or 60 trim over the 60-1 simply because the they are more suited to the greddy kit as supplied and will give you the absolute best from the kit without having to spend more money. Significant mods to the kit will be required to get the best out of the 60-1 upgrade. With any upgrade , be sure to match the inlet tube to suit the diameter of the turbo inlet .
My particular upgrade is a T04e 57 trim wheel . Although this wheel is said to be less than ideal I actually love it - great response from low rpm with a usefull top end .
*Exaust manifold
I had my manifold ceramic coated before I fitted it so I have nothing to do a before and after comparison but it seemed like a good idea . some say it helps with spool up but the main reason I did it was to limit the heat buildup in the area.
The theory is that you should keep as much heat in before the turbo as possible so you have more energy to spool up the turbo . After the turbo the reverse is true so ceramic coating the downpipe is a waste of $ . Heat sheilds are a better idea than wrapping the downpipe purely from a power point of view .
*Boost controller hookup and tuning
I believe a lot of Greddy owners who fit boost controllers are over boosting in part throttle situations without even realising it . This could be leading to stress on the couplers and the turbo itself through compressor surge . Compressor surge is backflow through the turbo which actually reverses the direction of the turbo – very BAD . If you can hear a fluttering sound from the turbo at part throttle or closed throttle – you have surge.
Part of the issue is that most BCs instruct people to hook up the boost/vac sensor line to the upper inlet manifold . When the throttle plate partially closes the UIM goes into low boost/vacuum and the BC loses control of the turbo – result …….. 20psi + . If you don’t have a boost gauge on the turbo side of the throttle you will not even know this is happening .
There are a few ways to make sure this does not happen :
1/Fit a blow off valve that relieves any excess pressure under part throttle such as the Synchronic from Synapse .
2/ A Tune your BOV – see blow off valve for more info on this. If you have a vent to atmosphere BOV you are screwed and will have to live with a touchy throttle.
3/Plumb your boost controller signal line into the turbo side piping . Use the overboost function to cut boost when it reaches a certain level. I have found throttle response is much more controllable with the BC hooked up this way.
Here is a thread I started on the issue – as you will read I have many detractors on this . I say fit a boost gauge to your cold side piping and go up a hill under part throttle then see what happens ……
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-major-horsepower-upgrades-93/where-did-you-plumb-your-boost-controller-into-uim-no-good-169316/
Bonus Tip : You can get an extra few whp in the 5500-7000 rpm range by plumbing the boost control solenoid supply air AFTER the intercooler instead of just after the turbo . This is more important if your intercooler is causing a high pressure loss (like the Greddy does).
Vac hose plumbing
This seems to get done wrong very often and can cause serious issues so I started a seperate thread on the subject .
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-major-horsepower-upgrades-93/greddy-turbo-correct-connection-vacuum-hoses-dont-stuff-up-211884/
*Wastegate
If you are looking for big HP , and have an upgraded turbo you are going to have to do something about the wastegate issue . The wastegate actuator spring is too small . What happens is when the aux. ports open there is a sudden increase in flow through the engine causing an increase in exhaust pressure . In turn this causes the wastegate to open just as the turbo needs to supply more air . This problem seems to have been made even worse on turbos where the turbine has been clipped and the wastegate ported . This stands to reason ,as clipping the turbine will mean that more exhaust gas flow through the turbine is required to spin up the turbo for a set amount of boost .So any loss in exhaust gases through the wastegate will more severely limit how much boost is made .
To prevent this you will need to fit a larger actuator .
Alternatively you can do this for an even better result :
I have found that winding the arm in as far as it will go has solved most of the boost control issues I have experienced. What this does is close off the wastegate to the extent that it induces "boost creep" .You find boost actually increases as rpm increases . Be very careful the first time you go WOT after doing this as you may get way more boost than you were previously able to . The only disadvantage I have found with this is that you can't have a 'low boost' setting.
Here is what you do :
*Safely jack the car up
*Remove the x-member under the gearbox
*Remove the clip holding the actuator arm to the wastegate and disconnect the arm .
*Completely unwind the clevis
*Remove the locknut
*Replace the clevis and wind it in until it is threadlocked .
EDIT : previously advised cutting off 3mm of thread and winding right in - this is probably too harsh for most setups as turbo will overspool and you may need meth to cool your charge temps. Doing the above is a lot safer and will still give you a good result.
This will partially close off the wastegate - make sure there is still some travel left in the actuator so the wastegate is not jammed completely shut , or you will blow your motor (I promise)
*Reassemble
Seriously - you need to be extremely carefull the first time you drive after doing this and make sure your tune is able to support the additional boost.
*If you have a stock Greddy turbo I would not recommend doing this as the turbo will go too far outside it's efficiency range to support the extra flow .
What this mod does is induce boost creep IE wastegate is unable to expel the exhaust gases fast enough and boost will actually climb as rpms climb without even having a boost controller.
You cannot reduce the boost from this level without re-adjusting the arm . If you want more boost lower in the rev range use your boost controller . But my advice is don't even bother with the boost controller because you will really like the way it drives when this is done- very precise throttle control and high boost where you want it - in the higher rev range .
This is the result I got with my upgraded Greddy and NO boost controller after doing this mod :
8psi up till 5000
9psi at 5500
10psi at 6000
Then tapering back down to 8.5psi at redline .
Example of how this mod effect mass airflow at various boost control settings - note that above 5500 boost is identical no matter what setting the BC is on indicating that above 5500 the BC is doing nothing .
*Blow off valve
If you fit a boost controller I believe a BOV is essential for the long life of your system .
Most would say it is essential even without a BC.
If you have a MAF based tuning (Pro tuner or AP) you need to recirc your blowoff valve unless you like getting backfires and can tolerate all the tuning issues a vent to atmos. BOV creates .
I managed to tune my blowoff valve to help with the overboosting problem mentioned above by reducing the spring tension such that it just cracks open at idle . Some BOVs may already do this without tuning , I know the synchronic does - not sure about others though.
*Intake AIT Temp Sensor
I have my air intake sensor after the turbo – good practice I think but not something I noticed any tangible benefit from . Thread on how and why to do it here :
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-do-yourself-forum-73/diy-iat-sensor-turbo-164751/
*Blocking plate
The Greddy turbo kit comes with a blocking plate for the AUX ports . This met with much criticism from members here when it was introduced but tests I’ve done show some real benefit in using it with a STOCK Greddy turbo https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-major-horsepower-upgrades-93/greddy-turbo-owners-make-sure-you-fit-your-blocking-plate-164382/
*Aux port tuning
Many people who have fitted larger turbos actually open the ports all the time . This robs the engine of low down torque as it does not run efficiently with the aux ports open at low rpms . The reason they do this is to prevent detonation caused by the lean spike from the opening of the aux. ports . I have found that at below 13psi boost this does not seem to be a big issue so long as you richen up the mixture in that rev. range .
As far as timing goes , I've tried everything between 4000 and 7000rpm and eventually ended up conceding that Mazda have it pretty much right . I do run it 100rpm earlier than stock (at 6000) , (the improved acceleration means the actual opening point equates to the same rpm as stock)
*VDI valve
Leave this inoperative . For NA use this is beneficial but for FI It does have a small negative effect .
*Cooling
After seeing what a few people had done with extra radiators I decide to fit one as well . Seeing as my car is JDM (YO) with only one oil cooler , I decided to fit the radiator in the spot the 2nd oil cooler goes on US models . Works great but probably not something US guys have the option to do . IMO a lot of the other solutions around just waste your money . Fit an extra radiator outside the engine bay but in the airflow and you are golden.
Thread here
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-aftermarket-performance-modifications-23/cooling-mod-idea-155235/
*Intercooler
If you still have the stock bumper – make sure you cut out all the diamonds in the plastic grill in front of the IC.
The Greddy intercooler starts to become a restriction to flow at around 260g/s which is only about 5500rpm at 10spi .
If running the stock Greddy turbo this intercooler is fine but anything bigger than that making over 300whp would benefit from a larger intercooler.
I have run mine up to 350g/s (333whp) .
Click link below for a test i did on upgrading the intercooler. This did show up one very important drawback to going bigger - engine cooling. It is essential to avoid completely blocking off the airflow to the Rad with the IC . After going big on my first attempted upgrade and finding this out I eventually got hold of one the perfect size - see link.
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-major-horsepower-upgrades-93/greddy-turbo-intercooler-upgrade-comparison-test-185707/
Here you can see the gains from the second upgrade.
*Heat shielding
Don’t bother with the stick on stuff Greddy provide . I got hold of some weaved aluminium sheet with a ceramic core and cut it to size so that it fitted snugly up beside the turbo and had a flap that bent over the top of the turbo shielding the intake manifold. Works great.
*Ignition :
I was one of the first users of the now infamous Mazsport coils and after much analysis now believe they are partially responsible for me blowing an engine early on .
If you get misfires like I did – back off immediately . Your engine WILL blow if you persist like I did
From there I moved back to stock coils with high quality upgraded leads and have had no issues since. I believe this is satisfactory for all power levels up to around the 300whp mark . I have run the stock coils up to 333whp after increasing the dwell time by 10% and they performed OK .
Although other products on the market may well offer some benefits there is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding aftermarket coils at the time of writing .
*Gauges :
Most people spend too much on gauges in my opinion . But I do think an AFR guage is essential . You can use your boost controller as a boost guage to save a few $ but having a separate one has its advantages as well. IE have one on your UIM and one before the throttle plate .
If you are tracking the car extra guages are important . go for oil temp, water temp and perhaps oil pressure or fuel pressure . Not a lot of point going for cheap gauges - you want something that audibly warns you of a problem as you wont have time to visually monitor guages on the track.
*Injectors :
Stock Greddy owners need not bother with upgraded injectors but if you upgrade the turbo and run 9psi you will be tempting fate somewhat . I’ve seen 100% duty cycle on the p2s at the torque peak so upgraded to the Blue injectors from an Auto RX8 and later fitted the spare yellows in the P1 position in place of the reds .
Another option is to get a pair of yellows modified by taking the caps off . I have found that if paired with stock yellows on the stock latency table these flow a LOT less than advertised but still around 20% more than stock yellows. Ensure you are able to properly scale the injectors via your tuning medium after fitting.
Apex Seals If like me you feel the need to push the limits you will more than likely blow an engine .... eventually . The weakest link is undoubtedly the apex seals which will break rather easily under detonation . With FI unfortunately It becomes a question of not if you will blow an engine but when because **** will happen . Even a good safe tune is no garauntee against this happening.
I am currently trialing Esmeril apex seals and hoping these will offer a higher degree of safety under adverse conditions.
Thread here : https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-major-horsepower-upgrades-93/esmeril-racing-apex-seals-fid-renesis-post-your-experience-good-bad-195598/
Making your engine last some good discussion on this topic in this thread. The single biggest insurance policy being water/meth injection as recommended by others . I have yet to try this but it is at the top of my list for future mods.
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-major-horsepower-upgrades-93/how-make-your-renesis-turbo-sc-engine-last-187240/
My install thread https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-major-horsepower-upgrades-93/brettus-turbo-install-thread-158909/
300+WHP thread https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-major-horsepower-upgrades-93/first-rx8-club-greddy-turbo-making-more-than-300-hp-170884/
I would like to go over some of the things that I’ve done to get the most out of what I had for the least amount of $ – we Kiwis are well known for this. It comes from being isolated and generally having a DIY attitude ingrained.
I started off by reading up on all the greddy fixes in this thread and went from there
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-major-horsepower-upgrades-93/definitive-greddy-turbo-fixes-here-they-81825/
*Tuning
As far as tuning goes the first thing you want to do is throw out the emanage that comes with the kit. I use Hymee Pro Tuner and it works well but from what I read on here the AP through MM is an excellent option also. This is all I want to say on this as it is a huge subject in itself but suffice it to say if you neglect this side of things you may as well not have bothered in the first place.
Some stuff on timing https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-engine-tuning-forum-63/ignition-timing-turbo-supercharged-renesis-post-your-maps-172245/
Pro tuner discussion https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-engine-tuning-forum-63/hymee-pro-tuner-discussion-167124/
Exhaust
If you can get away with it – gut your cat and run the stock midpipe. This works as well as anything aftermarket you can buy and will save you a bunch of $
A good free flowing aftermarket muffler is also a good idea . I don’t have a 3” system and still made over 300 whp so ……
*Intake
The Greddy intake is crap. Not only does it suck in hot engine bay air but it does not work well on the superior MAF based tuning systems. My setup works exceptionally well and I believe it has to do with keeping the MAF well away from any bends or other airflow disturbances. The filter is above the intercooler and as out of the way of any hot air as I could make it . I sealed the top of the inter cooler so that air would tend to pass through it rather than over it and also to prevent hot air seeping up to the air filter at idle.
One annoying thing about having your air filter in that location is that water can get onto it through the gap between the bonnet and the bumper and cause all sorts of BS . I found that being creative with a silicone gun and channeling the water to drop to one side cured this problem.
*Turbo
The stock turbo from Greddy is good for around 260whp comfortably , More than this and you are stretching things without some additional charge cooling .
It produces an excellent torque curve with nice low down grunt matching anything else out there.
Go to the one of the Greddy upgrade options and you can get to the 300whp mark and more – a very worthwhile upgrade IMO. Here is one good option. https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-major-horsepower-upgrades-93/newest-100%25-bolt-greddy-hybrid-turbocharger-168286/ I would recommend the 57 or 60 trim over the 60-1 simply because the they are more suited to the greddy kit as supplied and will give you the absolute best from the kit without having to spend more money. Significant mods to the kit will be required to get the best out of the 60-1 upgrade. With any upgrade , be sure to match the inlet tube to suit the diameter of the turbo inlet .
My particular upgrade is a T04e 57 trim wheel . Although this wheel is said to be less than ideal I actually love it - great response from low rpm with a usefull top end .
*Exaust manifold
I had my manifold ceramic coated before I fitted it so I have nothing to do a before and after comparison but it seemed like a good idea . some say it helps with spool up but the main reason I did it was to limit the heat buildup in the area.
The theory is that you should keep as much heat in before the turbo as possible so you have more energy to spool up the turbo . After the turbo the reverse is true so ceramic coating the downpipe is a waste of $ . Heat sheilds are a better idea than wrapping the downpipe purely from a power point of view .
*Boost controller hookup and tuning
I believe a lot of Greddy owners who fit boost controllers are over boosting in part throttle situations without even realising it . This could be leading to stress on the couplers and the turbo itself through compressor surge . Compressor surge is backflow through the turbo which actually reverses the direction of the turbo – very BAD . If you can hear a fluttering sound from the turbo at part throttle or closed throttle – you have surge.
Part of the issue is that most BCs instruct people to hook up the boost/vac sensor line to the upper inlet manifold . When the throttle plate partially closes the UIM goes into low boost/vacuum and the BC loses control of the turbo – result …….. 20psi + . If you don’t have a boost gauge on the turbo side of the throttle you will not even know this is happening .
There are a few ways to make sure this does not happen :
1/Fit a blow off valve that relieves any excess pressure under part throttle such as the Synchronic from Synapse .
2/ A Tune your BOV – see blow off valve for more info on this. If you have a vent to atmosphere BOV you are screwed and will have to live with a touchy throttle.
3/Plumb your boost controller signal line into the turbo side piping . Use the overboost function to cut boost when it reaches a certain level. I have found throttle response is much more controllable with the BC hooked up this way.
Here is a thread I started on the issue – as you will read I have many detractors on this . I say fit a boost gauge to your cold side piping and go up a hill under part throttle then see what happens ……
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-major-horsepower-upgrades-93/where-did-you-plumb-your-boost-controller-into-uim-no-good-169316/
Bonus Tip : You can get an extra few whp in the 5500-7000 rpm range by plumbing the boost control solenoid supply air AFTER the intercooler instead of just after the turbo . This is more important if your intercooler is causing a high pressure loss (like the Greddy does).
Vac hose plumbing
This seems to get done wrong very often and can cause serious issues so I started a seperate thread on the subject .
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-major-horsepower-upgrades-93/greddy-turbo-correct-connection-vacuum-hoses-dont-stuff-up-211884/
*Wastegate
If you are looking for big HP , and have an upgraded turbo you are going to have to do something about the wastegate issue . The wastegate actuator spring is too small . What happens is when the aux. ports open there is a sudden increase in flow through the engine causing an increase in exhaust pressure . In turn this causes the wastegate to open just as the turbo needs to supply more air . This problem seems to have been made even worse on turbos where the turbine has been clipped and the wastegate ported . This stands to reason ,as clipping the turbine will mean that more exhaust gas flow through the turbine is required to spin up the turbo for a set amount of boost .So any loss in exhaust gases through the wastegate will more severely limit how much boost is made .
To prevent this you will need to fit a larger actuator .
Alternatively you can do this for an even better result :
I have found that winding the arm in as far as it will go has solved most of the boost control issues I have experienced. What this does is close off the wastegate to the extent that it induces "boost creep" .You find boost actually increases as rpm increases . Be very careful the first time you go WOT after doing this as you may get way more boost than you were previously able to . The only disadvantage I have found with this is that you can't have a 'low boost' setting.
Here is what you do :
*Safely jack the car up
*Remove the x-member under the gearbox
*Remove the clip holding the actuator arm to the wastegate and disconnect the arm .
*Completely unwind the clevis
*Remove the locknut
*Replace the clevis and wind it in until it is threadlocked .
EDIT : previously advised cutting off 3mm of thread and winding right in - this is probably too harsh for most setups as turbo will overspool and you may need meth to cool your charge temps. Doing the above is a lot safer and will still give you a good result.
This will partially close off the wastegate - make sure there is still some travel left in the actuator so the wastegate is not jammed completely shut , or you will blow your motor (I promise)
*Reassemble
Seriously - you need to be extremely carefull the first time you drive after doing this and make sure your tune is able to support the additional boost.
*If you have a stock Greddy turbo I would not recommend doing this as the turbo will go too far outside it's efficiency range to support the extra flow .
What this mod does is induce boost creep IE wastegate is unable to expel the exhaust gases fast enough and boost will actually climb as rpms climb without even having a boost controller.
You cannot reduce the boost from this level without re-adjusting the arm . If you want more boost lower in the rev range use your boost controller . But my advice is don't even bother with the boost controller because you will really like the way it drives when this is done- very precise throttle control and high boost where you want it - in the higher rev range .
This is the result I got with my upgraded Greddy and NO boost controller after doing this mod :
8psi up till 5000
9psi at 5500
10psi at 6000
Then tapering back down to 8.5psi at redline .
Example of how this mod effect mass airflow at various boost control settings - note that above 5500 boost is identical no matter what setting the BC is on indicating that above 5500 the BC is doing nothing .
*Blow off valve
If you fit a boost controller I believe a BOV is essential for the long life of your system .
Most would say it is essential even without a BC.
If you have a MAF based tuning (Pro tuner or AP) you need to recirc your blowoff valve unless you like getting backfires and can tolerate all the tuning issues a vent to atmos. BOV creates .
I managed to tune my blowoff valve to help with the overboosting problem mentioned above by reducing the spring tension such that it just cracks open at idle . Some BOVs may already do this without tuning , I know the synchronic does - not sure about others though.
*Intake AIT Temp Sensor
I have my air intake sensor after the turbo – good practice I think but not something I noticed any tangible benefit from . Thread on how and why to do it here :
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-do-yourself-forum-73/diy-iat-sensor-turbo-164751/
*Blocking plate
The Greddy turbo kit comes with a blocking plate for the AUX ports . This met with much criticism from members here when it was introduced but tests I’ve done show some real benefit in using it with a STOCK Greddy turbo https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-major-horsepower-upgrades-93/greddy-turbo-owners-make-sure-you-fit-your-blocking-plate-164382/
*Aux port tuning
Many people who have fitted larger turbos actually open the ports all the time . This robs the engine of low down torque as it does not run efficiently with the aux ports open at low rpms . The reason they do this is to prevent detonation caused by the lean spike from the opening of the aux. ports . I have found that at below 13psi boost this does not seem to be a big issue so long as you richen up the mixture in that rev. range .
As far as timing goes , I've tried everything between 4000 and 7000rpm and eventually ended up conceding that Mazda have it pretty much right . I do run it 100rpm earlier than stock (at 6000) , (the improved acceleration means the actual opening point equates to the same rpm as stock)
*VDI valve
Leave this inoperative . For NA use this is beneficial but for FI It does have a small negative effect .
*Cooling
After seeing what a few people had done with extra radiators I decide to fit one as well . Seeing as my car is JDM (YO) with only one oil cooler , I decided to fit the radiator in the spot the 2nd oil cooler goes on US models . Works great but probably not something US guys have the option to do . IMO a lot of the other solutions around just waste your money . Fit an extra radiator outside the engine bay but in the airflow and you are golden.
Thread here
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-aftermarket-performance-modifications-23/cooling-mod-idea-155235/
*Intercooler
If you still have the stock bumper – make sure you cut out all the diamonds in the plastic grill in front of the IC.
The Greddy intercooler starts to become a restriction to flow at around 260g/s which is only about 5500rpm at 10spi .
If running the stock Greddy turbo this intercooler is fine but anything bigger than that making over 300whp would benefit from a larger intercooler.
I have run mine up to 350g/s (333whp) .
Click link below for a test i did on upgrading the intercooler. This did show up one very important drawback to going bigger - engine cooling. It is essential to avoid completely blocking off the airflow to the Rad with the IC . After going big on my first attempted upgrade and finding this out I eventually got hold of one the perfect size - see link.
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-major-horsepower-upgrades-93/greddy-turbo-intercooler-upgrade-comparison-test-185707/
Here you can see the gains from the second upgrade.
*Heat shielding
Don’t bother with the stick on stuff Greddy provide . I got hold of some weaved aluminium sheet with a ceramic core and cut it to size so that it fitted snugly up beside the turbo and had a flap that bent over the top of the turbo shielding the intake manifold. Works great.
*Ignition :
I was one of the first users of the now infamous Mazsport coils and after much analysis now believe they are partially responsible for me blowing an engine early on .
If you get misfires like I did – back off immediately . Your engine WILL blow if you persist like I did
From there I moved back to stock coils with high quality upgraded leads and have had no issues since. I believe this is satisfactory for all power levels up to around the 300whp mark . I have run the stock coils up to 333whp after increasing the dwell time by 10% and they performed OK .
Although other products on the market may well offer some benefits there is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding aftermarket coils at the time of writing .
*Gauges :
Most people spend too much on gauges in my opinion . But I do think an AFR guage is essential . You can use your boost controller as a boost guage to save a few $ but having a separate one has its advantages as well. IE have one on your UIM and one before the throttle plate .
If you are tracking the car extra guages are important . go for oil temp, water temp and perhaps oil pressure or fuel pressure . Not a lot of point going for cheap gauges - you want something that audibly warns you of a problem as you wont have time to visually monitor guages on the track.
*Injectors :
Stock Greddy owners need not bother with upgraded injectors but if you upgrade the turbo and run 9psi you will be tempting fate somewhat . I’ve seen 100% duty cycle on the p2s at the torque peak so upgraded to the Blue injectors from an Auto RX8 and later fitted the spare yellows in the P1 position in place of the reds .
Another option is to get a pair of yellows modified by taking the caps off . I have found that if paired with stock yellows on the stock latency table these flow a LOT less than advertised but still around 20% more than stock yellows. Ensure you are able to properly scale the injectors via your tuning medium after fitting.
Apex Seals If like me you feel the need to push the limits you will more than likely blow an engine .... eventually . The weakest link is undoubtedly the apex seals which will break rather easily under detonation . With FI unfortunately It becomes a question of not if you will blow an engine but when because **** will happen . Even a good safe tune is no garauntee against this happening.
I am currently trialing Esmeril apex seals and hoping these will offer a higher degree of safety under adverse conditions.
Thread here : https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-major-horsepower-upgrades-93/esmeril-racing-apex-seals-fid-renesis-post-your-experience-good-bad-195598/
Making your engine last some good discussion on this topic in this thread. The single biggest insurance policy being water/meth injection as recommended by others . I have yet to try this but it is at the top of my list for future mods.
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-major-horsepower-upgrades-93/how-make-your-renesis-turbo-sc-engine-last-187240/
My install thread https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-major-horsepower-upgrades-93/brettus-turbo-install-thread-158909/
300+WHP thread https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-major-horsepower-upgrades-93/first-rx8-club-greddy-turbo-making-more-than-300-hp-170884/
Last edited by Brettus; 05-07-2012 at 02:02 PM.
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05-04-2009, 06:32 PM
#7
a.k.a. WhITeRE8
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nice write up! I still have to install my greddy kit, but I'm still debating whether if I should play around with the stock greddy turbo first or upgrade it with BNR.... hmmm...
05-04-2009, 10:48 PM
#9
I would do the boost controller last honestly... that is the icing on your well built cake.
05-05-2009, 06:25 PM
#12
Turbocharger Guru
I would trade the BC for a better turbo IMO.... a decent BC is 300+ bucks, the BNR is a grand.... overall the BNR is going to make way more power than the boost controller will - and save you in labor from having to uninstall and re-install it etc....
I would do the boost controller last honestly... that is the icing on your well built cake.
I would do the boost controller last honestly... that is the icing on your well built cake.
You are right and to point out that the greddy wastegate actuators are adjustable so you can actually turn up and down the boost by shortening and extending the rod length.
Bryan@BNR
05-07-2009, 02:17 AM
#13
With your upgraded turbo - have you had any customers pushing 10psi to the redline with the stock actuator yet ? I'm curious as to whether you have the same issue as I have experienced .
Last edited by Brettus; 05-07-2009 at 02:19 AM.
05-07-2009, 10:57 AM
#14
I will be able to let you know soon. I have been working with Kane and his PPO2 software and the AP. Maybe this weekend I can get a tuned map and then start boosting with the BNR turbo. So far its moving along pretty well. When I get the car tuned, I will start a new thread with install pics, datalogs, my feedback on the turbo, and a dyno sheet.
05-07-2009, 12:15 PM
#15
Turbocharger Guru
at one stage I shortened (or was it lengthend - i forget now) the rod as much as the thread would allow - I got 7 psi but noticed the wastegate would only open about 35degrees at that setting vs stock @5psi and 90 degrees .
With your upgraded turbo - have you had any customers pushing 10psi to the redline with the stock actuator yet ? I'm curious as to whether you have the same issue as I have experienced .
With your upgraded turbo - have you had any customers pushing 10psi to the redline with the stock actuator yet ? I'm curious as to whether you have the same issue as I have experienced .
I have had just 3 customers. Not much feedback. If you have boost fall off, either your compressor wheel is running out of air or the actuator is being pushed open by backpressure. It is normal to see 3-1 backpressure to boost ratio. Optimal is 1-1, but it is very hard to get that and have a great responding turbocharger. More tension can be made with the greddy actuator by shortening the rod. That can boost you a good 3-4 base pressure over the boost you are running. Take into account that backpressure works against you.
Bryan@BNR
05-12-2009, 03:29 PM
#17
I will be able to let you know soon. I have been working with Kane and his PPO2 software and the AP. Maybe this weekend I can get a tuned map and then start boosting with the BNR turbo. So far its moving along pretty well. When I get the car tuned, I will start a new thread with install pics, datalogs, my feedback on the turbo, and a dyno sheet.
05-29-2009, 04:34 PM
#19
Water meth is only necessary if you are pushing the boundaries . With my set up I'm pretty happy with the intake temperatures i'm seeing so have not seen the need to go to water/meth as yet . There is a thread on that subject around here - do a search ...
09-13-2009, 05:38 PM
#25