Requiem-X8

do I need a BHR Midpipe?

- Amuse Ti Titan Extra Exhaust
- HKS Cat (33005-AZ001) *

* = Optional

bigbd03

I can't create a thread so I am adding to this one in hopes of having my question answered. It looks like the racing beat for sure and maybe the BHR midpipes are necked down towards the end from the pictures. Are there any midpipes that are not necked down and are a true 3"?

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

BHR has 3 inch midpipes back to back

NotAPreppie

The TurboXS is 3" from entrance flange to exit. It has a 2.5" (or whatever) flange at the front to mate with the stock header.

If you're going with a larger flange at the header, it won't be difficult to simply cut the 2.5" flange off and weld on an appropriately sized one.

Bonus points for V-band.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

most of them are not full 3” at either end because they’re designed to mate with the other OE exhaust parts. But any exhaust shop can modify the ends with bolted flange, v-band, slip joint, etc.

bigbd03

Thanks for the input everybody. I'll probably just go with my own custom exhaust (depending on what type of cat BHR uses or if they even respond back at all), was just trying to save time and effort. This whole RX8 situation sucks haha. I bought the car for the amazing chassis (handling, chassis rigidity, drag coefficient, sits 4 people). I did my fair share of research before, but am still just fathomed by the inability to enhance tangible performance and how much of a dog the RX8 really is (no offense). I still do love the car though and don't regret it as my new daily.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

I tried to offer you a good piece of advice in the other thread. What sucks is your lack of basic comprehension and lack of effort to do the right thing. People today can’t be bothered with anything other than getting what they want or need, right now!!!!!!

open google browser and either exactly type or cut&paste this:

site:rx8club.com HJS cat converter

then read, read, read, and read ... it’s not like you have anything better to do all weekend anyway.

please don’t reply, just go do it.

apex1

If you don’t appreciate the character of the factory engine and just want cheap power, You should look into an LS conversion.

bigbd03

We love the car. I am sure the lack of power will grow on me a little after I straighten out a full exhaust and tune. The motor belongs in a lower weight car in my personal opinion. As far as appreciating the motor, I do. Mazda did an amazing job squeezing as much power out of it as they could The car was bought for a swap (probably LFX though not LS). But its a mint 2009 with only 40,000 miles. So we are going to enjoy the car as it is for a few years. We just sold our LS Miata for the RX8 because we can fit our son in it so we could enjoy our deprecating interest bank account as a family again.

apex1

It sucks but today 3000 lbs is a lightweight car.

NotAPreppie

*Laughs in ND Miata*

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

but he who laughs last ... oh snap.

DannyR3

not sure what my R3 weighs, but my 07 Sport was 28xx lbs with half a tank of fuel. Not sure how much DSC and TCS adds since my 07 didn't have that. Or a sunroof. But my R3 doesn't have one either.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

It’s not just that, but if it has a sunroof then it generally also has leather power seats which are a lot heavier and all the other bell and whistle junk weighing it down. Unfortunately most RX8 owners didn’t really want a sports car any more than Mazda wanted to build one out of fear of impacting their sacred cow; the MX5. As if the fuel mileage reality wasn’t bad enough, the reliability issue pretty much sunk the boat. I’d like to believe it was all Ford Motor Co.’s fault, but not really. If they had stuck to the original concept car plan it would have been down around 2200 lbs. That would have been something.

I’m betting your R3 is at least 100 lbs heavier than your S1. It’s not loaded down with options, but they didn’t really try to take any weight out. They added weight to the S2 design in general. From a competition perspective it never was any better, usually slower from what I saw. Most of the road racers just swapped S2 bodywork onto their S1 chassis. All the chassis stiffness and geometry mods never quite measured up to their supposed worth, the engine never did. If they had I’d probably be in an S2 instead, but likely with an S1 engine in it instead. Sorry, I know you disagree, but the S2 engine is a total cluster imo.

DannyR3

I haven't had any issues with either S1 or 2 engines lol. I can't really say, that one is better, as both have been perfect. The rest of the car however, the R3 is clearly better from an overall perspective. But my S1 was a Sport so it's not exactly apples to apples either as that's the base and the R3 isn't. Both have been nothing but perfect and I guess to truly see which is better performance wise you'd have to drive both at the limit back to back, same tires, track, conditions etc. My guess is they'd fall within a couple % of each other which most of us never get up to.

Loki

iTrader: (1)

FWIW, I previously had the R3 suspension on my 2004 with significant track time before (stock) and after on the same track. This was a small, perhaps not statistically significant, time improvement and a qualitatively different car. Where the stock S1 is agreeable and confidence-building, the R3 suspension makes it a little more adventurous. Nothing drastic, but it's that little cherry on top for the stock chassis.

I'm actually considering going back to this config as I don't plan to track much more.
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TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

Unless you had the rear subframe too then there is zero difference in suspension other than some of the rear S2 arms are a bit beefier. I documented that on my 2005 maybe 5 or 6 years ago when I bought a full new set of S2 arms and directly compared them. You were just living in the Obama hope-for-it era is all. You wanted to believe, but it was just a lie tailored to take advantage for that very purpose.

.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

I’ll just add that most/none of them transition properly at those joints either. It’s typically a flat plate with the smaller tube size on the other side = fail ...

.

wannawankel

Did you contact BHR by some other means: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialblackhaloracing/ or

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UnknownJinX

Because most people value comfort as well and don't track all the time? That's pretty simple. If you want a car that doesn't have any "bell & whistle junk" stock, go buy a Lotus. Or tear an RX-8 out if you wish to. As a car company, Mazda has to appeal to the general public to make money. If they are like Lotus they'd be dead years ago.

2200 lbs for a car that can carry 4 people is also ridiculous, at least with a sticker price that's not insane. I mean heck, even BRZ/86's 2+2 setup weighs 2600+ lbs, and that's with nearly useless back seats and pretty barebone interior. Concepts are just that, concepts. They are usually one-off examples so it doesn't matter if it costs a million dollars or so to produce. Most of the concepts don't translate to production well or at all.

DannyR3

That's the next purchase, a 2006-2008 Lotus Exige hard to find one in Krypton Green though

bigbd03

What is the benefit of going with the BHR Midpipe. If you can convince me I’ll buy one. I was going to do my own Midpipe and catback because none of the Mid-Pipes are true 3” and /or do not flow the most efficiently. As it stands I just ordered a spare exhaust manifold to make an exhaust manifold similar to one of Team’s prototypes. I’m either going with an hjs or redback 200 cpsi cat (130mm x 130mm with 3”in/out). Then I haven’t decided a muffler yet but will prob be going with the longer Borla rotary muffler. It will be single exit. I’d be interested in buying just a resonator from bhr as well. Anywho that’s what I’m going to do unless someone can convince me other wise or stop me.
By the way if anybody cared both cat companies said a 100 cpsi cat will only last about 10,000 miles (then won’t work properly).

Loki

iTrader: (1)

The shocks and springs, Team. Just the shocks and springs. I suppose I should have been clearer on reasonable interpretations of "replaced my suspension".

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

Well come on, the S1 would be at least 10 years or most being older now. Shocks and springs should both be replaced at this point and there are better options than S2 parts. It still was never actually any faster in factory stock trim despite whatever butt g-meter response people may perceive.

DannyR3

exactly the reason I just replaced my R3 Bilstein shocks and springs even though they have less than 12k miles on them. I put on Tein S-tech with Koni adjustables/yellows. Looks nice and feels tighter. I had the same setup on my S1, different rear shocks though S1 vs S2, and always liked it.