Anthony

Hi Guys,
Sort of lost track of the thread, can someone give a brief update of where the project is at the moment and how long until completion, any testing/dyno etc yet?

tokenbrit

Aren't we all :D ...

smrx8

iTrader: (1)

any updates ?????

rotarygod

I talk to Richard fairly often. He's slow at typing so I'll update you as I get relevant info. He'll still get on here from time to time though. He got in the new gear set this week. The old ones were cut differently and were noisy. The new ones while probably not any better from a performance standpoint, are quieter. This took time to get because they were not machined in house. This is just one small detail that takes time to do and isn't required to work good, but will end up giving you a better final product. It is small details like this that will make everyone's patience pay off in the end. The gears are not just a simple swap. He has to do some remachining on one part to make them fit. The new revision will be bigger and stronger as well.

He may be taking a while to do these, but he's doing them properly. Even after the new gear sets are installed and the unit completed, it still has to go back for more testing. There is no guessing that you got it right. A little more ecu playing is in order. He needs to know whether or not the blower is working as it should or if the ecu is shortchanging him.

After this part is verified, then he needs to develop a final mounting bracket and kit. Once these details are worked out and a unit has been tested and driven on a car, only then is it going to be ready to go into production. Don't expect to be able to go to your local parts supplier and purchase one of these. Distribution is a detail that isn't worked out yet but it will be limited. It's a special order kit. I know alot of people are impatient and want something right now. For those people there will always be alternatives. For those who are patient, you won't be disappointed.

Don't think all of this will take place in the next month. You may not see a finished project unit the summer. This isn't some turbo that you can just order off the shelf and take home, fabricate some piping and brackets and then sell. That's easy compared to this. Remember, Richard's got alot on his plate. He does more than just design RX-8 superchargers. He has a business to run and an income to make. This is just a part of it. He is the only person losing time and money at this point as well and he's doing it for a fairly small market. Compare the RX-8 market potentail to the LS1, Mustang, or Honda crowd and I'm surprised he chose these cars at all. Others only have patience to lose. Just hang on guys. It's coming.

Here are the pieces that needed changing. This is a repost from page 11 of this thread for all of you that can't find it.

Richard Paul

iTrader: (5)

Thank's RG, Notice how you use the written word to communicate better then I do? Thats because you were paying attention in school, while Hymee and myself were sneeking peeks at car mags stashed inside our textbooks.

Let that be a lesson to all of you that are still in school or plan on going back. The damn english classes are also of value not just the sciences.

rotarygod

I was sneeking peeks of mags in my textbooks too. They just weren't car mags! :D

Richard Paul

iTrader: (5)

Pervert

rotarygod

lol

Phil's 8

iTrader: (3)

I see that there are several young men writing in this "thread" with a wealth of knowledge about the R8. My question being will the supercharger be able to be used on an automatic 8? I ask this question everytime I see a thread about more power and am usually told "later" or "no". I'm not complaining becaue I fell in love with the handling of the vehicle. It sure could would be nice to have a little more umpth at the low end and my past experience with superchargers was that they are at their best then (not much experience, had a blown Hemi Cuda and my old jet boat had a blower but I did not work on them). Would one of you young men be able to tell me if it will work?

Turbine_pwr

Phil,

The axial supercharger or any other supercharger or turbo-charger for that matter will physically connect and provide increased airflow to your automatic RX-8. The problem comes in when you start talking about the proper fuel air schedules. If the ECU mods that are made for the axial flow supercharger are developed for the MT6... then they will not work for the AT because of the differences in the intake system and associated fuel schedules.

However, with the same physical axial flow supercharger hardware, it would be possible to develop fuel schedules for the AT. If and when that happens, the axial flow supercharger design could be used on an AT RX-8. Bottom line - the sticking point is not the hardware... it's developing the correct fuel schedules and being able to convince the RX-8 computer that everything is still ok.

Icemastr

Short answer: Yes. Yes.

Not sure what you mean by young, I think a lot of the people contributing technical information on this forum are in their 30s or older. I don't know Fred's age but he is certainly older than me :D I think Richard Paul is a little older too since he sometimes talks about supercharging cars back before I was born with his racing muscle cars etc.

rotarygod

I am 28. Turbine and Richard are definitely older than me! :D I met Turbine at Sevenstock. He's one smart but very tall guy! I definitely bow to alot of his knowledge.

Icemastr

I don't know if I have met Turbine or not, I did meet one or two really tall people at Seven Stock though. Unless you consider late 20's to 30's young, I am probably one of the few if only young people (20) that contribute somewhat at least correct technical information on this forum.

Richard Paul

iTrader: (5)

It is a sad, sad, thing............I'm to old for Kari.

Note the last quote in my signiture. That man had the best way with words.

Icemastr

Kari is a cradlerobber though, shes older than me :D

Kari

I am not a man, then again no one bows to my knowledge.

Phil@desertboilers.com: You might try reading this thread by Rotarygod, https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-specific-performance-mods-97/heres-why-engine-has-less-power-potential-than-6mt-20148/ as it shares some information about the differences between the automatic and manual engines of the RX-8.

Don't get discouraged though because you can still add a little boost to your 4 port motor. If you just want a bit more oomph from low RPMs on up, eventually you will probably be able to find a supercharger kit for the automatic RX-8 using some kind of positive displacement supercharger. Don't expect huge power gains but you will be able to notice a considerable improvement. It will however take some time before a bolt on kit appears on market.

Richard Paul

iTrader: (5)

Fine then Ice, buy the woman a house and you go live in your car.

zoom44

that's what i have said to him a couple of times already. and it better be a really nice house

philodox

I'm posting this pic for Richard since he's having technical difficulties. This pic is of new gears. Direct all questions to Richard

Richard Paul

iTrader: (5)

Cheers, the new gears are here. Gonna run them for a real long time on the bench this week. Tests are for noise and endurance.

Hymee

iTrader: (1)

Hmmm, when I visited I thought you were going for a helical cut planetary gear set?

Or did you just end up with a quieter profile?

Cheers,
Hymee.

Renesiskid

I've been reading this thread ever since it had only one page. Kinda lost track for a little bit because of work but I'm glad to see that Mr. Paul hasn't given up. Thanks for doing everything with quality in mind. I'll be waiting for the finished product and hopefully ill be able to get my hands on a kit.

Richard Paul

iTrader: (5)

Man that Hymee is sharp. Don't ever let him in your shop. I'm still looking for my book. :D (oh, now I get it) Right you are but R+D is a liquid thing, as you know. We consulted with a big company in Chicago and they recomended this new design. Since I know very little about gears I felt he was a better bet. Thus the gears you see. The difference is suttle, you can't tell in a picture.

We shall know in a few days.

Smiles? what the hell are smiles? I'm not aware of how they work or how to work them. Is this some underground secret on how to communicate??
I've seen them and some are cute but I thought that is all they were for.

IcemanVKO

I don't have an Rx8 Yet, and Probably won't buy one until a FI kit comes out. I'll be buying mine in July, or I'll be buying a MS6.

If your kit comes out at 3 grand and produces 50-70 bhp, then You can definately count me in.

Unfortunately it sounds like you are going to have to bump the price up 1 grand to manage the ECU.

Did you get any help in this area from the Ford tech mentioned earlier, who could crack the ECU and remap it (Suposedly.)

tokenbrit

When I was whinging, all I wanted was progress. This is progress. I'm now a happy chapie. :D
When will it all be put togeather and tested??...