proud owner of a 06 8 with 7,000 miles on it.....Looking to try to get a little more out of the car with keeping the warrenty intact....for now...Been checking into the Mazdaspeed cat back systems....and thier CAI system....What can i expect if any in gains in HP installing these systems....Any other suggestions will be appreciated......have around $2000 to play with and looking to get the biggest gain for my $$$$$............

 

Any bolt-ons for the RX-8 will not give any substantial gain for the money, as the stock intake and exhaust are engineered quite well already. The MS intake and catback will gain around ~3-5hp, with similar results for other brands. If you want more performance for the money, look into the Racing Beat flash (~8hp) and a high-flow cat (~8hp). Then there's always forced induction if you're willing to spend a bit more.

 

lightweight flywheel?

Probably the biggest thing you'd NOTICE for that amt. of money

 

The JIC and Turbo XS exhaust have the most HP gains.

 

I have the greddy sp2 exhaust ($515 shipped off ebay) and a custom CAI ($125). Can't say I've gained any HP but my car feels more responsive. I am looking at the RB flash and high flow cat next. They both can be had for about $750.

 

Agency Power pulley. $160 and it comes with belts. It weights in at .5lbs where as the stock crank pulley weighs 2.5lbs.

 

start with the pullies

 

Pullies are good but if you live in a hot area it will make your A/C not as cold, and the A/C system on the 8 already isn't that great. Otherwise I would get the Agency Power pulley, but I live in freakin Phoenix!!

 

^The U/R system doesn't underdrive the crank. That shouldn't effect your A/C. have you thought about getting that pulley kit?

 

a race pipe give you the most power, but it make your car smell bad and through CEL.
intake and exhaust don't give you much, flywheel need a lot of labor so it's not cheap. pully kit release some power, but all of them is under drive, so it effect the charging and ac.
so I will buy a suspension and a high flow cat.

 

ah fellow jersey, i'll add a comment.

racing beat has a flash for the computer that'll add 10hp, it's only $250, only downside is you have to be without your car for a few days because you have to mail them your cpu from the car. also i'd second that for a light weight flywheel, excellent mod.

also sways and springs for the suspension make a great add on

 

why not a full suspension, coilovers n swaybars?

or

afe short shifter (if you have stick)+ high flow cats + catback?

 

$2000 eh? This is how I would spend it.

ACT Prolite Flywheel -$385
AP Pulley - $150
Catless midpipe w/resonator- $250
Racing Beat Intake w/Ram Air -$450
Tein Basic Coilovers- $650
Racing Beat Sway bars (Front and Rear) - $330

Thats in the ballpark of $2K and with that setup the car would feel COMPLETELY different, like driving a new car. The car would handle 3X better than stock, sound much more agressive, flow better, pull harder, and accelerate quicker. I believe I hit all the bases as far as N/A work goes on the car, it would be a well rounded RX8.

Of course in the end you could just sit on you stocker for a little longer and come up with the extra coin for a Greddy turbo, and then you would see some REAL gains.

 

jim, how would you define "a little more" out of your 8? And when you say "for now", what are your long-term goals for the car? These questions need to be asked because there may be some mods that will not void your warranty but will provide decent improvements over the stock parts and they could still set you up for the long-term.

 

Wouldn't pulleys and/or flywheel that wasn't mazdaspeed and installed by them void the warranty?

 

Not necessarily. See the sticky/thread regarding the Magnusson-Moss Act.

 

Thanks guys for all the valueable suggestions....after consulting with a local Mazda dealer I've decided to start at the bottom and work my way up....The biggest issue for me at this time is to keep the warranty intact...vechicle only has 7,000 on it....So I'm having Mazdaspeed sport tuned shocks installed front and rear....and Mazdaspeed front and rear sway bars installed...any opinions in this area will be appreciated......thanks again.

 

In regards to the minimal amounts of power gained from intake/catback in this car. Suspension seems like the best overall investment if you are not willing to spend mad amounts of money and could possible void your warranty for a vehicle with such low mileage. I'd wait it for a few. Avoiding curbs is essential.

 

Springs and shocks wont void a warrenty. I have the espiler springs on with my stock shocks (soon to be koni's). I recommend leaving the MS Shocks alone and get koni's... you will be happy you did. PM the member TeamRX8, he is an autocrosser and can tell you all about that stuff.

Edit:
Forgot to mention about performance.... Exhausts wont get you much except maybe 3HP ( I have the mazdaspeed just because its lighter than the RB exhaust), A lightweight MS flywheel (makes a big diff revving and freeing up useable HP) and the MS intake (doesnt do much because mazda designed the stock one really well but you can get maybe 3HP outta that). Pullies are hit or miss... Dont get pullies if you like using your electronics like AC and stuff. If you can live with out that then by all means get the pullies. You could always do NOS too just an FYI. If you go the NOS route, PM member "Charles R. Hill" - he is the club NOS guru and can safely guide you through anything NOS related. How that helps some.

 

Not really. Lets say you blow up your tranny and you have an aftermarkt flywheel. Mazda will still cover the tranny provided it isnt your flywheel or the install that caused the damage to the tranny. They have to prove that the non MS part caused the problem. If you put in a MS flywheel for example but have someone other than mazda install it, its all still covered but your on the hook for the labor.

 

Sorry about this guys but I gotta pick your brain a little more....Decided to start at the bottom and work my way up....Suspension being #1.....took delivery today of front and rear MS sway bars....and Front and Rear MS "Sport tuned" shocks....While picking these items up...the parts manager recommended also that I think about installing MS Sport Springs...which they claim lower the vehicle around 1 inch......Has anyone gone this route....pros???? cons???? And too.... just as I was walking away suggested adding the front and rear strut bars...Any comments at all about any of these topics greatly appreciated....Thanks Again....