March 17, 2025, 04:20:59 PM

Author Topic: Michelle's 2005 RX8 "All Stock Systems Work Swap"  (Read 38650 times)

Offline turbotalon1g

Re: Michelle's 2005 RX8 "All Stock Systems Work Swap"
« Reply #30 on: February 27, 2014, 08:07:37 PM »
If 4 cyl, then 4G63 of course.
Otherwise good ol' 5.3

Offline Exidous

Re: Michelle's 2005 RX8 "All Stock Systems Work Swap"
« Reply #31 on: February 28, 2014, 05:53:09 AM »
92.5+ 4G63 :-)
94 BB Sleeved gen IV LS7, MS3ProU with TC, RONIN 8.8 and LT's with custom 3.5"single to VAREX muffler.

Offline uummm

Re: Michelle's 2005 RX8 "All Stock Systems Work Swap"
« Reply #32 on: February 28, 2014, 06:48:00 AM »
I belive a FC T2 trans will bolt up to a 4G63 motor(wide block)  with B2600 truck belhousing .

Correct.  This is the route im going in my fc.  The bell housings are hard to find though as they only made them for 2 years (87 & 88).  If you go this route you can use a starion flywheel and an rx7 clutch (240mm).  As far as timing goes just make sure to use a quality timing belt (such as a gates belt) and make sure to replace at the proper intervals.  Also make sure you get the wideblock out of a truck.  For more info check out www.projectzerog.com.  It gives info for a starion swap but it could be applied to your application.
The magic triangle spins in the peanut and then apex seals come out.

Offline Tomo

Re: Michelle's 2005 RX8 "All Stock Systems Work Swap"
« Reply #33 on: February 28, 2014, 08:51:09 AM »
What are the differences between a Evo 4g63 and the truck block? Heads swappable? Casting quality?
1990 RX-7 FC LS1 Swap
2016 Ford Mustang Ecoboost

Offline uummm

Re: Michelle's 2005 RX8 "All Stock Systems Work Swap"
« Reply #34 on: February 28, 2014, 11:58:49 AM »
They are just about the same.  You can swap the heads, hell the rods are the same ones they use in the turbo block.  I think they lack the piston oil squriters (at least mine doesnt have them but mine is a 4g64).
The magic triangle spins in the peanut and then apex seals come out.

Offline mobythevan

Re: Michelle's 2005 RX8 "All Stock Systems Work Swap"
« Reply #35 on: March 03, 2014, 11:34:56 AM »
Testing the car to make sure Michelle likes driving it before getting into the swap.  Took a 3 hour drive and she loves it.





==86 FC Ronin Tri-Point Widebody 5.3, Powerglide, 8.8 TASA, MegaSquirt 3, S475, 16psi, E85==
    mobythevan1 on instagram
    First Turbo Drive: https://www.norotors.com/index.php?topic=5271.msg245290#msg245290

Offline airwolf16

Re: Michelle's 2005 RX8 "All Stock Systems Work Swap"
« Reply #36 on: March 03, 2014, 10:50:50 PM »
very pretty country!
I wish i was back out there. used to live in Sheridan WY before moving to MI then to SC...

so now that she likes it, and assuming your going ahead with the swap, how long are you giving yourself to finish?
“The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.” ― Neil deGrasse Tyson

Offline the_horse_lady2000

Re: Michelle's 2005 RX8 "All Stock Systems Work Swap"
« Reply #37 on: March 03, 2014, 10:57:03 PM »
As long as I get to finish first I don't care how long he takes to finish.   Oh wait,  you are talking about the car...
Mobythevan's personal parts runner.  Aka wife. :bacon:
Soon to be driving an RX8 swap

Offline the_horse_lady2000

Re: Michelle's 2005 RX8 "All Stock Systems Work Swap"
« Reply #38 on: March 03, 2014, 10:59:24 PM »
It was a very nice drive!  Nice car,  beautiful scenery in Garden of the Gods with the frost and a very nice companion,  doesn't get much better than that :-D
Mobythevan's personal parts runner.  Aka wife. :bacon:
Soon to be driving an RX8 swap

Offline N2v8fcs

Re: Michelle's 2005 RX8 "All Stock Systems Work Swap"
« Reply #39 on: March 04, 2014, 06:22:37 AM »
As long as I get to finish first I don't care how long he takes to finish.   Oh wait,  you are talking about the car...


LOL  :)
:drive:
new personal best 11.45 @ 120 mph N/A car...9.11 @152 mph for the turbo car.


1987 FC  355 SBC, T-5, T2 rear        retired 5-4-11
1991 FC  383 SBC, sold to Dad. Now 5.3 w 76mm turbo, G-force T-5, 8.8 Ronin rear 
1990 FC  370 CID 6.0 w 88mm turbo, Powerglide, Ronin 8.8 w 3.15 gears

Offline mobythevan

Re: Michelle's 2005 RX8 "All Stock Systems Work Swap"
« Reply #40 on: March 04, 2014, 11:51:37 AM »
so now that she likes it, and assuming your going ahead with the swap, how long are you giving yourself to finish?

I don't know how long it will take to swap.  I don't anticipate this swap being too bad because of the goals.  I will say 3-6 months.  Take that with a grain of salt, you know how these things go. 

Right now I am going to move ahead with the 4G63 as my engine choice unless it runs into a roadblock like being too tall(remember the goal is +-275whp and auto trans, still be as much fun to drive as stock rx8).  It is the engine I know the best and I already have several to use for fitment.  I am going check to see if it could work with the stock mazda automatic 4spd transmission just for kicks (using a custom adapter plate).  It may not, because the input shaft of the mazda trans may be position too high causing the 4G63 to set too high in the car.  My plan if the mazda trans cannot be used is to buy the Bushcur GM auto adapter plate for the 4G63 and use a 4L60E trans.  So my immediate to do list:

1.  Pull rotary (weigh it without accessories for posterity)
2.  Check 4G63 fit to stock rx8 auto transmission (steering rack, hood clearance, height of trans input shaft, bellhousing adapter possibility)
3.  Pull 4spd mazda automatic trans (weigh it with converter)
4.  Check 4G63/4L60E fit (steering rack, hood clearance)
5.  Weigh 4G63 without accessories for comparison
6.  Weigh 4L60E with converter for comparison

Once those tasks are complete I will actually know if I have a chance of using this combo for the swap or if I want to select a different combo.  I need to grab a 4L60E off craigslist or borrow one from someone who is local for the fit test.  Let me know if you are local (Colorado) and have one I could borrow for mock up.

Now we are down to the real question, when do I plan to pull that rotary out.  I was planning to pull it this coming weekend.  This is very tough because the car is running and driving, albeit on low power and low compression.  I guess if I pull it now before an apex seal breaks and inspect the rotors and housings, maybe I can sell it as a rebuildable core.  If the irons, rotors and housings are all in reusable shape I am going to be tempted to rebuild the rotary and throw it right back in because I have never rebuilt one before and the idea is very interesting to me.  So I am going to need to some persuasion from you guys to stay on track with a 4cyl turbo swap.  For the price of doing a nice rotary rebuild if all parts are reusable (I'm calling that price $2500) I can build a nice stockish 4G63 with small turbo and purchase a 4L60E and a computer to run the transmission.  I already have a couple spare megasquirt computers to run the 4G63. 

Of course I want to start this swap like every other ambitious person and say that I will be able to retain the stock steering rack, ABS, DSC, TSC and drive by wire TB so that the stability control would all work with the new swap.  However, I am not going to stall and get hung up on these.  I am willing to quickly ditch the steering rack and lose DSC/TSC to get this going.  From a technical standpoint, I am interested to see if this could all be maintained and integrate with a new engine.  I know a couple people on the forums claim they have maintained all of this, but they somehow do not list any detail or show videos of these systems working on the swap.  I have been thrashing the car a bit on the dirt and pavement to see how all of these systems work together to control the TB, apply the ABS and I assume change the sensitivity of the steering.  I can imagine retaining all the stock engine and trans sensors so the stock ECU works in the car.  Then it still controls the electric TB on the new engine and megasquirt just sees a throttle position input.  Now the DSC/TSC can still pull power from the new engine by controlling the TB like it use to.  However, the new engines torque curve is different than the rotary.  So, does this render the system useless or is it close enough that it still performs??  Yeah, you guys know that I will ponder all of this shit and then in the first five minutes of fitment decide to toss it all and get on with the swap.  Mental masturbation  :D 

EDIT: I should mention that it is acceptable on this swap to have a reverse hood scoop of a couple inches to clear the timing gears of a 4 cylinder turbo engine. 
« Last Edit: March 04, 2014, 12:18:22 PM by mobythevan »
==86 FC Ronin Tri-Point Widebody 5.3, Powerglide, 8.8 TASA, MegaSquirt 3, S475, 16psi, E85==
    mobythevan1 on instagram
    First Turbo Drive: https://www.norotors.com/index.php?topic=5271.msg245290#msg245290

Offline mobythevan

Re: Michelle's 2005 RX8 "All Stock Systems Work Swap"
« Reply #41 on: March 04, 2014, 07:48:10 PM »
Conservative guestimate says the 4G63/4L60E combo will add about 80 lbs.  Also, 4L60E has the same overdrive ratio of .69 as the stock RX8 4AT.  It is no problemo to build the 4G63 to have an rpm range up to 7500 to match the renesis redline(auto version of the renesis).  I'm thinking this thing will rip with a high revving four banger and barely any weight added from the swap.  A small of amount of weight will move up from the swap and forward.     
==86 FC Ronin Tri-Point Widebody 5.3, Powerglide, 8.8 TASA, MegaSquirt 3, S475, 16psi, E85==
    mobythevan1 on instagram
    First Turbo Drive: https://www.norotors.com/index.php?topic=5271.msg245290#msg245290

Offline jparker7

Re: Michelle's 2005 RX8 "All Stock Systems Work Swap"
« Reply #42 on: March 05, 2014, 09:56:49 AM »
As long as I get to finish first I don't care how long he takes to finish.   Oh wait,  you are talking about the car...


Sounds about like my wife

Offline Tomo

Re: Michelle's 2005 RX8 "All Stock Systems Work Swap"
« Reply #43 on: March 05, 2014, 12:48:38 PM »
Conservative guestimate says the 4G63/4L60E combo will add about 80 lbs.  Also, 4L60E has the same overdrive ratio of .69 as the stock RX8 4AT.  It is no problemo to build the 4G63 to have an rpm range up to 7500 to match the renesis redline(auto version of the renesis).  I'm thinking this thing will rip with a high revving four banger and barely any weight added from the swap.  A small of amount of weight will move up from the swap and forward.     

I wouldn't personally aim for the high-revving peaky power that you would get from the Renesis. The 4G63 will bring a lot more torque with it, aim for that. =)   Also, no consideration for the wifey to drive manual??
1990 RX-7 FC LS1 Swap
2016 Ford Mustang Ecoboost

Offline mobythevan

Re: Michelle's 2005 RX8 "All Stock Systems Work Swap"
« Reply #44 on: March 05, 2014, 02:08:55 PM »
She will have to comment on preference of auto or manual, but this being an auto car to start with I do not consider it worth the effort to add the clutch parts.

OH, and scrap that mention of the buschur adapter plate.  If this is going to fit I will contact Bill Hincher who is on project zero g and get an adapter from him.
==86 FC Ronin Tri-Point Widebody 5.3, Powerglide, 8.8 TASA, MegaSquirt 3, S475, 16psi, E85==
    mobythevan1 on instagram
    First Turbo Drive: https://www.norotors.com/index.php?topic=5271.msg245290#msg245290