04RX8silver

Well my motor took a dump at 90,000 miles on my 04 6 port 6 speed my engine. I got a replacement engine for free out of a 2005 4 port 4 speed automatic car. My question is, are there any other parts I need to grab from the donor vehicle? My friend said I can have whatever I want. I'm assuming the Ecu since the 6 port injects more fuel? Any problems a I'm going to have by switching these particular motors?


I searched but haven't seen anyone doing this swap. Just complete motor an trans swaps. I need an answer by tomorrow! Thanks guys

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Just sell the car. Seriously. If you have to ask then you cannot complete this project. Oh, and this swap is the dumbest swap ever. Okay, not as dumb as an Isuzu V-6 swap but still dumb.

04RX8silver

Figured there would be one of your "type" of people to chime in based on other threads I've read. For your information, I'm a 10 year ASE certified tech and have done plenty of traditional engine swaps. I've probably done more engine swaps than years you've been alive. I just don't dabble with rotory engines.


Anyways, like I said, the motor and anything I want for it is FREE. So of course it's worth it. I would be crazy not to replace it since the job should only take 4 hours tops. Besides that, I'm doing this for my 65 year old mother. (Her car) so get off this thread and go flame someone else.


Having said that, anyone with actual knowledge of this particular swap like to chime in? I am not at my shop until next week so I cant look up on alldata. I'm doing this from my iphone so bear with me.

Bladecutter

Yes.

Sell the engine to the guy a couple of posts above yours, and buy the right engine for your car. They are pretty cheap on Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market if you can't afford to get a better engine.

BC.

Mr_Pieper

The only way this swap turns out well is if you swap the actual cars. The engines do not easily interchange. Listen to 9k. He may know what he is talking about from time to time. Trying to be as cheap as possible with this car will not work.

McKennaR

iTrader: (1)

So you're a 10 year ASE certified tech. I no doubt believe that you have at least 4 - 6 years of journeyman / On The Job Training time under your belt before that, plus probably 3 - 5 years of shade-tree mechanic'ing too before you went pro. So about 20 years of experience give or take. Sound right?

Then I would place the dollar value on your time at right around $40 - 60 per hour depending on your market.

The amount of time you're going to spend on this alone, all told, without buying any parts, completely negates the money you're going to save by getting a free 4 port engine. Not to mention when resale time comes and you have to explain to the buyer why you did this.

My advice to you Sir:
1. Sell the blown 6 port already in the car for $300 - 400
2. Sell the free 4 port you're about to get for $1000 on ebay or here
3. Use proceeds to buy a good used 6 port.
4. Install good used 6 port into your mom's car (super cool, BTW, my mom drives a Prius)
5. Skip this step.
6. Profit.

Or, better, send blown 6 port to Rotary Resurrection for a professional rebuild for on or about the money you'd spend on a good used engine from car-part.com or this forum.

Seriously not trying to be a dick, just trying to be real about it. Your time is valuable and you'll spend probably $600 worth of it just on research and parts procurement alone, on top of the cost of buying the consumables (gasket set, etc) that any good mechanic would replace as a matter of cause while the engine is out.

04RX8silver

I forgot to mention the motor in question only has 20,000 miles on it. Not sure if that makes a difference to you guys. Also, I do not calculate my time as money when it comes to doing things for my mother. I could spend weeks on it and could care less. (even though we charge $88 an hour labor) I honestly like the idea of putting this motor in her car because the ECU should limit the rev to 7500 rpms rather than 9000 rpms.Which subsequently keeps her butt from getting tickets. (hopefully) Regarding resale, she is the original owner purchased in 2003. She has absolutely no interest in ever selling the car even though I've tried to persuade her into a more reliable vehicle that will actually start every time she turns the key. (I'm tired of driving 70 miles to the casino to pick her up at 3 am because of a flooded engine) Any-who, shes a stubborn old bird and does not like selling her $35,000 8 years later for $5000.




So, I basically just need to know:

1. If this motors block is the same so I can hook this beast up.
2. The ECU from the 4 port AT will communicate well in a 6 port MT
3. I just did the clutch and flywheel 5,000 miles ago so I plan on reusing them
4. Engine comes complete with harness, alt, etc etc.
5. Recommend swapping the PCM? Unsure of the difference (if any) in MT to AT in rotary engines.
6. Electrical connectors match up?
7. Fuel delivery the same?

If anyone can think of additional requirements to make this swap work please feel free to post up!

Chino_rx3

iTrader: (1)

Their should be a thread about swapping a auto to a stick shift it should let you know what you need from a swap point . But the most intelligent comment anyone can make in this forum is mentioning Rotary resurrection he help me with my build and was cool about it very professional . If I was you I will have a talk with him .
And to me Anythang is possible you may fail here and their but is a car it will work like any other if you doing everything correct and you search you can make it work.
Is funny cuz a lot of my friends said Im crazy I bought a low compression rx8 but now that is running and running good they all mention they always wanted one funny hu. It can be done, free is always good you can actually start a thread on how to do it and what not to Do lol

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Before you tackle this, read this: https://www.rx8club.com/specific-per...4/#post2563386 (Reverse stuff obviously since it's going the other way)

Seriously. It is VERY involved.

Even with the engine being free, this will cost more than the value difference between trading cars, and more than the difference between selling the free engine and buying the right engine.

Chino_rx3

iTrader: (1)

^ their you go I know it was out their but listen to him ^ me personally I wouldn't do it well maybe just for the hell of it

04RX8silver

Thank you for the positive encouragement. I've read about RR's success, he does quality work.



I dont think its involved as that thread. I read through it earlier today but it was referring to swapping a transmission as well where as all I'm doing is take a motor out of one and putting it in the other. I'm assuming the only mechanical parts needing to be swapped is the flywheel, input shaft, starter. And from what I read ABS pump. Then swap the PCM and ECU for good measure, which may need to be flashed which I can do at work.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Keep in mind that the 6 port has more wiring harness than the 4 port, for the intake valves if nothing else. This may change the ECU connector. I do not know if they have the same final plug design. If they don't you may have to hack apart the harness, or swap in a 4port harness as well, although a 4port harness will have extras for the transmission that you would have to figure out if ignoring is viable. It's also entirely possible that if you use a MT engine with a 4 port ECU that it will struggle with the stuff it expects from only 4 automatic gears, and might not have maps at all for 5 and 6? If you stay with the 6port 6spd ECU, then it may be struggling with trying to deal with intake actuators that no longer exist and the tune will be seriously out of whack since the injectors and airflow are both out of where it's expecting. It will need more than just a reflash, it will likely need it's fueling tables completely adjusted.

Also, if you swap PCMs and ECUs, you may need to swap immobilizer modules as well, unless you can get them unpaired and paired successfully.

Mazda interconnected every control module with every other module for each car.


It's certainly your choice to tackle this. But unless you simply enjoy doing this for the fun of it, it's a headache to make your car slower, while not saving any money and probably paying more. It's simply not logical.

But, let us know how you do.

McKennaR

iTrader: (1)

You know I had about 4 paragraphs typed up about what could go wrong but the bottom line here is it's all conjecture and speculation until you just do the physical swap, then come back to us with the questions / problems you encounter on the logical side.

Where there's a will (and a wallet), there's a way. Best of luck.

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Probably not actually.

There is a lot to this swap and I don't give a rats *** what you got for free, this swap will cost a grip. You obviously have not researched what is involved in doing this swap and that alone proves your ignorance and your likely low level of skills as a mechanic. The swap has likely never been done (why would they, it's like putting a V-6 auto in a GT Mustang MT) but yet you expect to waltz in and be spoon fed the info you need to complete it.

I'm actually not surprised you are a mechanic for a living as most of the "professional" mechanics I have met typically have a know it all attitude yet they don't know jack ****. But what you need to do, is some homework on this project and then sit back and understand that this project is just a waste of time and money.

Just have the 6 port rebuilt (or do it yourself) and save your car from becoming a bastardized piece of junk.

Bladecutter

Honestly, the best course of action would be to simply pull both engines from both cars, open them both up, and see what's dead in the 6 port engine.

If you can get away with it, just swap the 4 port rotor housings and rotors onto the 6 port engine, make sure the side seal and apex clearances are within spec, and button the 6 port back together.

Then, you can put a refreshed 6 port engine back into the 6 port car.

That's what I would do.
I don't understand why the OP didn't think of this himself if he's such a high level mechanic.

BC.

Mr_Pieper

Because he knows nothing about rotaries or this car but is going to tell people more experienced in this area how **** is done. This swap sounds like one of those nightmares afterwards where it has constant odd running issues until the new engine finally craps out.

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Uh, yeah that won't work.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

any so-called pro mechanic worth a snot would readily see that a low mileage used 6-port engine will make a lot more sense and ultimately cost a ton less once you factor in the resale value, labor, headaches, etc. and the fact that said pro mechanic would have the resources to locate said replacement engine for a decent deal

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

what a f-king moron, I feel sorry for whoever let a sorry a$$ like you to touch their ride. god bless THEM

man gotta luv these know-it-all. and watch them fail miserably, just like some jackass who said he found complete solution to a SSV CEL, yet he ***** out shortly after, LOL