Newbie to RX8's wants a tripple rotor.
04-23-2013, 01:04 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Somerset, England
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Newbie to RX8's wants a tripple rotor.
Hello to all. A quick history lesson first.
A few years ago my wife had RX7 Turbo 2 that was sold when kids came along. Now they are a bit bigger the SUV has gone and we now have an RX8. We are looking for more power and thought about a turbo upgrade but people in the UK have been putting us off and they aint cheap. Now after reading an article on holiday we are looking at a triple rotor engine. What I would like help with is any advise as to how to go about this and what other parts would be needed or replaced. We have found an engine that has been freshly rebuilt but would like some more information. Any help that anybody offer would be greatly appreciated.
A few years ago my wife had RX7 Turbo 2 that was sold when kids came along. Now they are a bit bigger the SUV has gone and we now have an RX8. We are looking for more power and thought about a turbo upgrade but people in the UK have been putting us off and they aint cheap. Now after reading an article on holiday we are looking at a triple rotor engine. What I would like help with is any advise as to how to go about this and what other parts would be needed or replaced. We have found an engine that has been freshly rebuilt but would like some more information. Any help that anybody offer would be greatly appreciated.
04-23-2013, 01:07 PM
#2
Registered
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 16,684
Likes: 0
Received 239 Likes
on
109 Posts
I'll leave this open, even though I'm very tempted to close it out-right.
Short story: Turbocharging is easily half the price of a 20b swap. I recommend doing your homework.
Short story: Turbocharging is easily half the price of a 20b swap. I recommend doing your homework.
04-23-2013, 01:07 PM
#3
FULLY SEMI AUTOMATIC
iTrader: (9)
hope you got your flame suit on
04-23-2013, 01:19 PM
#9
FULLY SEMI AUTOMATIC
iTrader: (9)
im gonna go for a four rotor, three rotor rx8s are sooooo played out
04-23-2013, 01:30 PM
#12
FULLY SEMI AUTOMATIC
iTrader: (9)
hmmmm.....ill order the 12 rotor engine like a boss
04-23-2013, 01:32 PM
#14
04-23-2013, 10:16 PM
#23
Needz moar Mazdaspeed.
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mechanicsville, VA
Posts: 641
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You would be looking at a lot of money involved. I'll admit, I think about it often(Who doesn't want more power?), but quite frankly, my wallet keeps me from manning up.
There's plenty of issues you would run into doing a 20B swap, or any engine swap period. "Hard" is opinionated, but I would venture to say going forced induction would be the easiest route, at least not too terribly much will have to be custom done.
Between taking care of engine management, everything else electrical inside the vehicle(Such as your gauge cluster, the Rx8's power steering, blah blah blah), how everything will mount(Chances are, if it's not another Renesis, it won't mount the same, or bolt to the transmission the same), so on and so forth. It's a lot easier when you just go forced induction, with all of the proper supporting mods for that. Especially on something that won't be seeing the track, and you just want more pep out of.
Me on the other hand? If my wallet would let me man up enough, well.. Fuelly would need to add a separate slider bar for how much time spent on the track, vs city and highway.
God, I wish.
Anywho, if I were to get into everything, you'd be reading an entire book.
Here's some Renesis 20B stuff.
https://www.rx8club.com/major-horsep...s-pics-141000/
AusRotary.com • View topic - 3 rotor Renesis drifting vid in UK
There's also an Rx8 with a third generation Rx7 engine in it around here somewhere. At least one, I wouldn't be surprised if others existed as well. I think a 2JZ Rx8, and I know of some LS powered Rx8's. All of those have had some good money put into them, however.
If you do decide to have it done, it's best to find a shop who knows what they're doing and let them do it for you, it's not for the feint of heart.
There's plenty of issues you would run into doing a 20B swap, or any engine swap period. "Hard" is opinionated, but I would venture to say going forced induction would be the easiest route, at least not too terribly much will have to be custom done.
Between taking care of engine management, everything else electrical inside the vehicle(Such as your gauge cluster, the Rx8's power steering, blah blah blah), how everything will mount(Chances are, if it's not another Renesis, it won't mount the same, or bolt to the transmission the same), so on and so forth. It's a lot easier when you just go forced induction, with all of the proper supporting mods for that. Especially on something that won't be seeing the track, and you just want more pep out of.
Me on the other hand? If my wallet would let me man up enough, well.. Fuelly would need to add a separate slider bar for how much time spent on the track, vs city and highway.
God, I wish.
Anywho, if I were to get into everything, you'd be reading an entire book.
Here's some Renesis 20B stuff.
https://www.rx8club.com/major-horsep...s-pics-141000/
AusRotary.com • View topic - 3 rotor Renesis drifting vid in UK
There's also an Rx8 with a third generation Rx7 engine in it around here somewhere. At least one, I wouldn't be surprised if others existed as well. I think a 2JZ Rx8, and I know of some LS powered Rx8's. All of those have had some good money put into them, however.
If you do decide to have it done, it's best to find a shop who knows what they're doing and let them do it for you, it's not for the feint of heart.
04-24-2013, 09:00 AM
#24
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Somerset, England
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Triple rotor
This all started by my wife asking me to drive her car and telling her what I thought.
It's a great car to drive but coming from Impreza STI's and Evo's I was surprised that the power didn't come in until 5500 RPM. She then wanted more of the power lower down the rev range so we started to look to see what was about. Hours spent on Google revield no turbo kits for sale in the UK, only Japan, New Zealand, Australia and the states. Add to the cost of the kit shipping and import tax and they become very expensive. I then read an artical on holiday about a twin turbo triple rotor engine in an Rx7. I was hooked and then spent some time trying to find an engine. I found one that has been freshly rebuilt with all new seals and the like for £2100 ($3200). I do realise this is slightly off the original topic but seemed quite good when compared to the £4000 plus tax for a turbo kit. If you don't ask you will never know. Thank you Cro8tia and MS Addict for your replies.
It's a great car to drive but coming from Impreza STI's and Evo's I was surprised that the power didn't come in until 5500 RPM. She then wanted more of the power lower down the rev range so we started to look to see what was about. Hours spent on Google revield no turbo kits for sale in the UK, only Japan, New Zealand, Australia and the states. Add to the cost of the kit shipping and import tax and they become very expensive. I then read an artical on holiday about a twin turbo triple rotor engine in an Rx7. I was hooked and then spent some time trying to find an engine. I found one that has been freshly rebuilt with all new seals and the like for £2100 ($3200). I do realise this is slightly off the original topic but seemed quite good when compared to the £4000 plus tax for a turbo kit. If you don't ask you will never know. Thank you Cro8tia and MS Addict for your replies.
Last edited by Rexy2006; 04-24-2013 at 09:03 AM.
04-24-2013, 10:04 AM
#25
Registered
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 16,684
Likes: 0
Received 239 Likes
on
109 Posts
Well, you took the responses like a champ, that's a good sign 
We see far too many newbie posts of wanting a 20b where they have no idea what they are talking about to really take any of them seriously any more.
The simple truth is that there isn't actually a single "turbo kit" for the RX-8, every single one marketed as a "kit" is wrong and/or incomplete, and will require a fair amount of customization to get it to work correctly.
And just like buying a "kit" isn't the whole story with turbocharging, buying the 20b engine isn't the whole story on the swap either. At least with the turbocharging, you are still using the same engine, same mounts, same transmission, same driveshaft, same gearing, same wiring harness, same firewall, etc... None of which is true for the 20b, and that's just for starters.
Both ARE doable, but choosing to do a 20b over turbocharging the Renesis because "it's cheaper" is a HUGE clue that you really don't understand what is involved with either, because neither price is accurate.
Now, if the question was "turbocharge the Renesis or do an REW swap", then the cost actually starts getting far more comparable.
We see far too many newbie posts of wanting a 20b where they have no idea what they are talking about to really take any of them seriously any more.
The simple truth is that there isn't actually a single "turbo kit" for the RX-8, every single one marketed as a "kit" is wrong and/or incomplete, and will require a fair amount of customization to get it to work correctly.
And just like buying a "kit" isn't the whole story with turbocharging, buying the 20b engine isn't the whole story on the swap either. At least with the turbocharging, you are still using the same engine, same mounts, same transmission, same driveshaft, same gearing, same wiring harness, same firewall, etc... None of which is true for the 20b, and that's just for starters.
Both ARE doable, but choosing to do a 20b over turbocharging the Renesis because "it's cheaper" is a HUGE clue that you really don't understand what is involved with either, because neither price is accurate.
Now, if the question was "turbocharge the Renesis or do an REW swap", then the cost actually starts getting far more comparable.