JohnnyK

Hey guys, unsure when this 'New User' probation runs out so I'll post my question here (I planned to put it in the Rotary Swap section).

Don't jump on me, I have read everything I possibly could find in the past while, and while it looks like an REW is better for my purposes, they are impossible to find around here. Additionally, every thread that seems relevant to running standalone is from a decade ago, so I'm not sure if there are more players these days (for standalone ECU's, or other options, etc).

My goal is to connect a Renesis (or, any 13b depending on what I can find. Renesis is easily the most available by a long shot...) to a G96 transaxle (Kennedy Egineering) and plop it into a project car I have here, as space is tight. However, I only want engine functions and OMP, and as I've come to find out, the RX8 engine ECU controls everything in the car, making this swap impossible (or at least, financially unfeasible). The only one I really see is Adaptronics, are there more? There may be piggyback options on the stock ECU? But I am unsure how I feel about those (I was never a fan of piggybacking chips on Ford ECU's, for example).

Horsepower on the Renesis is a bit lower than I would like, but it's becoming clear a turbo isn't in the cards for this motor. I'm also not finding much information on turbo'ing the 80's 13B's, but also a little difficult to find up here, short of a few complete cars.

So to summarize, I want to use a Renesis engine, completely standalone in another vehicle, with some tunability. Easy with a piston engine where you can use a Holley or Edelbrock system (my other car recently got the Edelbrock EFI treatment instead of stock Ford EFI, and it's a nice, simplistic way to go). Options besides Adaptronics?

Thanks guys!

Loki

iTrader: (1)

Where are you located? REW sounds ideal, it's already boosted, has a huge aftermarket and engines should be relatively easy to come by. Maybe not as easy as Renesises, but at least as easy as *healthy* Renesises?

Beyond that, you're right that piggybacks are not going to be helpful. Most tuning on RX8s is done by reprogramming the ECU itself with an AccessPort, MazdaEdit or VersaTune. Not sure if you can disable the unneeded systems that way, but maybe someone with relevant experience will come along here. But, even if you can't, all you really need besides the engine is the ignition cylinder. The ECU will complain about not having its ABS module and other stuff, but that should not affect engine performance.

JohnnyK

Thanks for the reply! That would be ideal but seems to be very difficult to come by up here (I mean I could eBay it, but by the time it has shipped into Canada, taxed, etc, it is not very feasible). Renesis's seemed plentiful enough (I can buy donor cars left right and center here), but seems to be impossible to run standalone?? I mentioned the Adaptec ECU, I see someone has also used a Haltech ($$$) but it doesn't appear to do the oil metering. I was hoping to shave some lbs off this car by switching to a rotary, but there are definitely some hurdles to overcome!

CaymanRotary

Honestly there are better engines for this application. I would suggest an easier engine like a turbo 4 cylinder Honda or something similar. It would be more cost effective as the Renesis really requires the stock parts to perform optimally. You can use aftermarket and custom stuff, but the stock parts are ideal. Then you have the issue of a lower compression 2nd hand Renesis engine, you'll be lucky to make 170 hp. This engine was not designed to be turbo boosted and the kits to do it are $$$$ and don't even squeeze all that much extra power out of this engine. The culprit is the exhaust ports and high compression rotors. Too restrictive.

Loki

iTrader: (1)

If oil metering is the only thing holding you back on the standalone front, you could just premix and skip oil injection altogether. I don't have first hand experience with the Renny but most standalones provision for extra outputs that you can configure to do whatever you want: water injection, intake valves, etc.. It should not be impossible to control the OMP with a bit of work.

About REWs: since you are in Canada, what about the JDM shops in Vancouver, Montreal, etc? They usually have one or two laying around in unknown condition :/

JohnnyK

Yeah, that was my fear (the fuel management system I mean). Unfortunately my envelope is very small (DeLorean, with a longer transmission), and I was hoping to lighten the weight, and shift it forward, and not make a pendulum. A 4 cylinder is still a long engine. But, if a rotary can't be feasibly done, it can't be feasibly done.

Just as a matter of 'curiosity', the 80's 13B's (turbo and non-turbo). What sort of power levels can be achieved on these? Electronics seem much more surmountable. haha And I do have a couple of turbos waiting for such a project, but that's another 'is it feasible' scenario.

Thnaks guys!

JohnnyK

Oh, I don't know if oil metering is the only thing holding me back (Although I don't like the idea of premixing), I can't seem to find much info about any sort of standalone. Most swaps I've been reading about are swapping engines INTO the Rx's, not transplanting them into other cars. For Piston engines, the 3rd part management systems are plentiful (Edelbrock PF, Holley, etc) but apparently from my reading, the TBI styles don't play nice with a rotary, so not many options for standalone.

Yes, I have looked at JDM Montreal many times.. They definitely seem of dubious/no-warranty quality. hah