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Cruisin's Drift RX-8; 3800 SC Swap

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  • Cruisin's Drift RX-8; 3800 SC Swap

    The first 100 posts cover the car, and my first engine choice, which didn't pan out.
    So NOW the plan is to swap a Supercharged 3800 from a Grand Prix.
    You can jump to Post 100 where I start tearing it down ~HERE~

    So as some of you may have read. I recently got my hands on a 2004 RX-8 6-Port, 6 Speed with 96k on it.
    In that time the car went through two engines. Being a rotary I'm not surprised, but the first engine was replaced under warranty at around 36,000 miles
    Second engine only seems to have lasted about 60k before it took a dump too.
    So it died on the owner and he parked it for 10 months until I got to it.
    Here's how it looked when I first saw it (minus the tow strap)


    It came with some goodies. A Cobb accessport. Racing beat sway bars. Stainless steel brake and clutch lines.
    A second set of wheels with winter tires, A few upgraded engine parts (useless to me, but not to my wallet )
    Short throw shifter, Ipod interface, and he even left a 400w inverter in the trunk haha


    The previous owner drove it as a daily so it has it's share of rust.
    The rear quarters and both rockers are pretty much completely done.




    (sorry for some blurry pics, shot em real quick on the phone)

    So I stopped at a car wash cleaned it up a bit and got it home and tried to get it running...


    We did get it running, and it sounded like it only ran on one rotor. It barely had any power and was a bit of a pain but at least I experienced a rotary. Half dead and barely powerful.

    The interior was in great shape though. I think I can get a good price parting it out....


    Anyways, onto my plans for this baby.
    I'm going to completely gut it, Everything is coming out, full interior, wiring, sound deadening, maybe even the dash, ALL OF IT
    I'll run my own switch panel and cluster with my own gauges. I'll wire in my own circuits for lights and windows and such to keep it street legal but awesome.
    Someone on the RX-8 forums managed to drop it's weight to 2700 lbs after a full gut.

    I plan to get some over-fenders and probably some side skirts or maybe a lip kit or wide body kit to hide all the rust and make it look more aggressive.

    Now onto the power plant. My original thought was something light but powerful, Nissan's SR20DET sounded very good.
    But I ran into some set backs.
    To get a DET (Dohc with turbo stock) I'd have to drop at least 2k and it would be a JDM engine, No emissions compliance here! So I either have to get the car exempt or figure something else out. Like using a nissan sentra ECU or turboing a stock sentra engine.
    Then My buddy (who is swapping an Isuzu V6 into his RX- suggested another engine, and it made me smile ear to ear.
    I'll explain why I want it before I tell you what it is...

    It's a V6, but doesn't take up very much space.
    It'll do 400hp-500hp+ on stock internals.
    For an iron block it's still not too heavy.
    And it's completely off the wall and will make for one unique car.
    Figure it out?
    It's Volkswagen's VR6 engine that they put in the golf, passat, jetta, and even some eurovans.
    I can get a 2.8l 12v for a hair over $500 and rebuild it for cheap.
    My buddy and I priced out a twin turbo setup, and I can mostly have a whole twin turbo setup done for well under a grand!

    The only issue now is the transmission. Long story short we will be making an adapter plate to mount a RWD manual trans to it.
    I'm currently looking at using a Pontiac Solstice transmission. Aisin makes them and they're built like tanks, Local trans shops don't know shit about them because they never break. They were used in the Hummer for towing too!
    I also may have to cut the firewall a bit because the VR6 is times on the BACK of the engine.

    Anyways it'll make for one incredibly unique and awesome project IMO. I love a good challenge and this is a good one...


    So fast forward to last weekend and I finally got the engine and trans out!!
    First we undressed the engine and cleaned up the bay a bit.


    I then got under the car, pulled the power plant frame (which was a BITCH), removed the drive shaft and drained the trans and got the hoist in place.
    A little work here and there and out it came!











    So now I have an RX-8 6speed tranny and a 13b 6 port rotary engine.
    The engine is pretty much sold, along with some other engine goodies, just waiting for them to come get it.
    I've got a few plans for messing around that include the transmission so I'll be holding onto that for a little while.

    It's got a long way to go, and winter is just starting so I'll have some saving to do!
    Can't wait to get this thing running and sideways
    Last edited by CruisinG6; 09-01-2015, 05:40 AM.

  • #2
    Re: Cruisin's Drift RX-8

    Where are you planning to drive at? Sounds like we're going to be crossing paths soonish.
    1972 F100
    1978 Twinstar
    1992 Miata
    2014 Mustang

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Cruisin's Drift RX-8

      There are a few events every year that I go to.
      Us41 at no limits raceway in Indiana.
      151 speedway in Columbus Wisconsin.
      Rockford speedway in Rockford.
      And they even have other events I have yet to check out at various other tracks

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Cruisin's Drift RX-8

        I though No Limits was a dragstrip only?

        You may want to check out the Streets of Detroit event. IDK if its still going to happen next year though. There's also some events in Indy at Lucas Oil Raceway.

        I buddy of mine drifts and I usually assist him at the events.
        1972 F100
        1978 Twinstar
        1992 Miata
        2014 Mustang

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Cruisin's Drift RX-8

          They have a big open lot at no limits where they do drifting.
          I've been going to events for a few years now and I usually make a video. My yt channel has a few on there.
          Last even I took the celica out which was a good time.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Cruisin's Drift RX-8

            Why not getting a 24 valves VR6 ? Is it too expensive ?

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Cruisin's Drift RX-8

              Yea 24v are a bit more costly.
              I mean if I come across one I may grab it.
              From what I've read the heads are interchangeable too.

              Either way the fewer valves won't really hurt a forced induction setup until I reach high rpms... And I don't really plan to rev it very high.

              Either way I can always upgrade to a bigger displacement vr6 with 24v down the road

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Cruisin's Drift RX-8

                Yes, heads are interchageable.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Cruisin's Drift RX-8

                  Hi man ! I don't know if you already saw it, but here : http://www.driftworks.com/forum/drif...3-project.html

                  It's a SR20DET RX8 project, and it is still ongoing. It looks pretty sick !

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Cruisin's Drift RX-8

                    That rx8 spoiler is amazing! I only like that kind of spoiler though. I want that kind on my car. Its amazing! I'll take the angled up look like that rx8 had or straight. Either way I'll be one happy Crummdaddy 6er!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Cruisin's Drift RX-8

                      Originally posted by DelHuge View Post
                      Hi man ! I don't know if you already saw it, but here : http://www.driftworks.com/forum/drif...3-project.html

                      It's a SR20DET RX8 project, and it is still ongoing. It looks pretty sick !
                      Yea I found that guy! I like his build, I originally looked at an SR20DET but the emissions could pose a problem here in the states. He's got a thread on the RX8Club forums where I too started a thread, along with my buddy's 8 swap.
                      Also getting an SR20DET with a trans and driveshaft is super easy, but it's a little over 2 grand. And then of course I either have to get the car exempt as a race car, or find a Sentra ecu to make that work, not worth it IMO.

                      Besides, I think the VR6 is a pretty unique swap for an RX-8 heh

                      Originally posted by GMManof3 View Post
                      That rx8 spoiler is amazing! I only like that kind of spoiler though. I want that kind on my car. Its amazing! I'll take the angled up look like that rx8 had or straight. Either way I'll be one happy Crummdaddy 6er!
                      What's on my car? That's just how the trunk comes out. No spoiler here.

                      Now there are some neat looking spoilers for the 8 that I do kind of like.
                      This rocket bunny style wing is kind of cool, comes out a little far but might suit it.


                      Then there is the legit (or legit looking) rocket bunny wing:


                      I personally haven't decided what I want to do for the 8, It might be a smaller GT wing, not sure yet.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Cruisin's Drift RX-8

                        So I forgot I made this thread for the Mazda. heh
                        Anyways general update. I got the engine!



                        It's a VR6 that came out of a 1998 GTI VR6, Had only one owner and only 113k miles. The car got hit and it wasn't worth fixing so their loss is my gain
                        I also got the complete engine harness and ECU, The harness was cut where right before it went into the car, which was dumb because a series of connectors and the fuse box was just a foot inside the car.
                        But, the harness shouldn't be an issue as I was most likely going to do most of my splicing there anyways.

                        After I got it home I started taking off what I didn't need, and removing what would eventually be relocated. I need to move the t-stat housing and sensors and move the hose end closer to the other side of the engine.
                        I may need to notch the firewall to account for the timing that runs on the back of the engine.

                        I pulled the valve cover off and the cams look awesomely clean, so far I'm pretty pleased with my purchase.









                        Next step is a trans and figuring out how to connect it, then I need to fit it in the car and start lining up mounts and figuring those things out.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Cruisin's Drift RX-8

                          Originally posted by CruisinG6 View Post
                          Yea I found that guy! I like his build, I originally looked at an SR20DET but the emissions could pose a problem here in the states. He's got a thread on the RX8Club forums where I too started a thread, along with my buddy's 8 swap.
                          Also getting an SR20DET with a trans and driveshaft is super easy, but it's a little over 2 grand. And then of course I either have to get the car exempt as a race car, or find a Sentra ecu to make that work, not worth it IMO.

                          Besides, I think the VR6 is a pretty unique swap for an RX-8 heh




                          What's on my car? That's just how the trunk comes out. No spoiler here.

                          Now there are some neat looking spoilers for the 8 that I do kind of like.
                          This rocket bunny style wing is kind of cool, comes out a little far but might suit it.


                          Then there is the legit (or legit looking) rocket bunny wing:


                          I personally haven't decided what I want to do for the 8, It might be a smaller GT wing, not sure yet.
                          The white car's spoiler is okay, but it's how the Gray rx8 did his is How I like it more. That body kit is amazing. Especially around the front tire wheel well and how the rear bumper ties in with the rear wheel wells.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Cruisin's Drift RX-8

                            Love the photos. I'm loving the progress also. With all that sliding around, when you drift, you will might need a deep oil pan so your oil sump pump can pick up oil no matter how the oil sloshed around down there. Unless it's not an issue?

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Cruisin's Drift RX-8

                              Originally posted by GMManof3 View Post
                              Love the photos. I'm loving the progress also. With all that sliding around, when you drift, you will might need a deep oil pan so your oil sump pump can pick up oil no matter how the oil sloshed around down there. Unless it's not an issue?
                              I'm actually not sure about the oil pan. It's a front sump motor and there's a chance that portion of the oil pan where the sump is can get in the way of my subframe. I might need to move the sump and make my own oil pan. In which case I'll add baffles to keep this thing well lubed.

                              Comment

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