Just wanted to say hello to everyone that has already been working on their rx-8’s for the past few years as I move into this club. I’ve been rebuilding Hondas for about 8 years now, and have decided to switch it up. I’m currently on my second deployment to Iraq stationed in Baghdad. About 3 months from now when I finally get back to the states I’m moving to Phoenix, and heading right to the dealership to pick up and 8. I’ve been reading the forum a lot, and will depend on it when I start to ship boxes back home. I will be buying parts online before I get the car, which can be hard to do when you don’t know exactly what you need to fulfill your performance needs. Quiet power is my goal, no ricer exhaust sounds here.

Now I just have to decide where to start…….

If anyone has any suggestions or wants to share their experience on where to begin, I’m all ears.

Thanks.

 

This is not a flame, I'm just being honest...


If you buy a Honda, it has X HP and Y Torque. You can upgrade the intake and exhaust and you'll get a 10% boost in X & Y. A simple reflash adds another 5% to your new X & Y, and adjusts Y to work more where you want it. Upgrade your cams, manifolds, cat, and all your other bolt ons, and you'll end up with another 15% added to X & Y. Finally, upgrade your flywheel, clutch, and other weight/mass reductions, and you've got a shitton more power than you did when you bought the car.


Now, let's talk RX-8s...


If you buy an RX-8, it has X HP and Y Torque. You can upgrade the intake and exhaust and you'll get a 1% boost in X & Y. A simple reflash adds another 1% to your new X & Y, and adjusts Y to work more where you want it. The rotary engine doesn't have a lot of the parts that piston engines do, thus you can only do a limited number of bolt-on upgrades, and you'll end up with another 1% added to X & Y. Finally, upgrade your flywheel, clutch, and other weight/mass reductions, and you've got a **** squirt more power...
...but your lap times and drivability are MUCH better!



Mazda built this car right the first time. It comes stock with top-notch performance parts. Unless you want to spend thousands of dollars on FI kits, I would highly recommend you not buy this car. This car is for people who live for sensual driving experiences and listening to what their car is telling them, not people who like to tell cars what to do.

 

Agreed. But if you've got the $$$ to go FI (and experience to do it right, or more $$$ to give someone elst to do it right) then you can push 300whp. mmmmmm . . . 300whp . . .

Keep your head down, and when you get home go for a test drive. The question seems to be: what are your performance needs? As long as you aren't looking for the best speed between stop lights, you'll love the 8!

The exhaust note is nice & quiet, til you get it screaming up to the redline.

 

A pettit supercharger with a stock exhaust and a high-flow cat is VERY quiet...

Don't have the link handy right now, but do a search for it on youtube.

 

My Mazdaspeed CAI gave me 27 horsepower. I don't know what you guys are talking about...

 

Strakes.

Without strakes it's barely an RX8.

 

1st thing to buy is a SA2005 helmet, next is to get the address to the next Autocross or Lapping event at PIR. (Pheonix International Raceway)

Learn to drive the car and then go faster with you new found skill. Leave the bling BS for the "pimp my ride Crowd".

Oh and keep your head down and your power dry. Worked for me.

 

Thanks guys. ½mv², I realized the HP obstacles that I would have to overcome early on, you guys have all painted a very clear picture of what I'm about to get myself into.

Bastage, that is EXACTLY what I was thinking about at first. Using a supercharger this time sounded enticing because it would really ease the changeover to rotary, but I’m not too impressed with the output at a base price of $6400, plus I’ve always been partial to turbos. The sticky in the major hp upgrades forum shows max hp at 261 and 281tq , and if the pettit site is up to date they haven’t released their stage III yet; anybody know the proposed specs and release time of this kit?(this info might be somewhere in your o-so long 93 page pettit sticky but I haven’t seen it yet). I’m not ruling it out just yet, but for three grand less I could get the Greddy kit, and have some cash left over to bump it up.

I guess where I am right now, is trying to decide which kit to go with, but I’ve still got soo much more to read about this engine and the different FI kits available. Going with the Greddy kit is always too easy because of the price, until you find yourself replacing everything that just wasn’t good enough; at least that’s what I’ve experienced. Money is and isn’t an issue, I’m willing to pay to be happy, but there is always a limit; getting it done right is what’s important. I wish there was a satisfaction pole for the different sc’s/turbo’s available right now.

I know there isn’t really a straight-forward answer to this question, but after all of the changes made, and issues addressed, can the Greddy kit perform near as well as the more expensive kits from PTP, Mazsport etc? If the answer is no, or you guys say it’s not worth the extra headache then I’ll wait a few more months and spring for something else.

Ultimately, I think I need to break, or at least be at the 300hp mark to be happy. That is going to be my only big decision. Sticking with the stock exhaust and getting the high flow mid pipe sounds good to me. I’ve already got and edfc from a previous setup, so some flex’s will surely go on the 8. I haven’t decided on wheels yet, I actually like the stock set so they will probably last me a little while, and any body mods come much later. And good lord, over $400 for a damn double din mounting kit (corksport), there has to be another way.

 

I've owned 9 rotaries including my RX-8. I re-built a first gen RX-7 from the ground up. I designed and installed my own supercharger system. Trust me a little.

Step 1: Buy the RX-8.
Step 2: Do a proper break in of the engine.
Step 3: Drive it for a few thousand miles to get the feel for the car.
Step 4: Take it to several autocross days and/or performance driving classes.
Step 5: Drive it for a few more thousand miles until you learn exactly how much potential the car has in stock form.
Step 6: Start your modifications if you still think you need to.
Step 7: Do them one at a time and have the car professionally tuned after each significant bump in horsepower.
Step 8: Sell the car for a huge loss and start over on whatever new rotary car Mazda dreams up.

Enjoy.

 

You really need to buy another Honda.

 

I've got too many damn civics as it is Joe.

I know what your saying Rx Eight 7s, but I dont really see myself having it too long before I turbo it, so I was just wondering what you guys felt about the different kits. Ill do the legwork. Thanks.