Another cheap rx8...

Tomorrow is first fit!

Good luck, looks like an interesting project!

Nate K said:

Good luck, looks like an interesting project!

Thanks!

Just to show the "other swap"  3500 in a 2nd gen rx7...

Still doing camaro accessories on the front in the rx7?

In reply to Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter) :

It's a hodge podge of stuff....

Can you remind me how you did your intake and accessories?  I believe you flipped just the upper intake and used stock accessories.  Then you have a long upper rad hose, right?

Is that it?  No intake spacers or anything like that?

In reply to wvumtnbkr :

Correct. I did lop the egr port off the upper intake and welded closed, or else it would hit the water pump with no spacers. 

The only accessories i have is water pump, alt, and sanden 508 compressor. All custom brackets. 

The upper hose has the thermostat housing welded to the lower intake to change outlet and mount depth, necessitating an inline thermostat housing. And a stupid long hose setup. 

so, it looks good so far.  Subframe does need notched.  Steering rack and swaybar need moved down about 1.5 inches.  There are parts you can purchase to move the rack and swaybar.

abs  looks like it will clear!  Might need to trim the bracket just a bit.

the firewall might require a little hammer massaging.

trans shifter will probably sit about 1 inch forward, but stock interior bits should still fit just fine.

Sounds pretty close to the Miata fitment that I had.

I'm struggling between working on this (exciting new project), the racecar (needs some updates for the next race in june), house projects (built a new closet and need to install trim and paint it), and actual paying work.

I have more pics, but they are specific interferences that I will upload later once I notch the subframe.

I'm stopping here for the day.  Time to get something else done...

In reply to wvumtnbkr :

I know exactly how you feel. 

Took the day off for my mental health. Spent time in woods cleaning up dead stuff, finished the neon and test drove, put Easter away in the attic, etc. Too many irons in the fire, honestly. 

But, these are blessed problems to have, in my mind. We're blessed to have homes and families, racecars and project cars, paying work and family to spend time with. 

Do you need any details of how i did miata parts since its sounds like we hit similar interference? And look at notching the oil pan for rack clearance. I was able to lower the engine two inches that way without moving the rack. 

This rack is gigantic.  It is an eps rack and about 4 inches in diameter.  There is no way for it to live where it lives.  I'm pretty sure 90+% of engine swaps into rx8 require the swaybar and rack to move.

It's really not a big deal and doesn't hurt geometry too bad.  A bumpsteer kit is enough to fix it.

Edit to say: it's the front pulley that hits the rack.  Lowering the engine makes this worse!

I've seen a handful of swaps use EP3 Civic Si racks or Prius racks, since they're electric...not sure if it's at all relevant here but wasn't sure if you'd considered that

Hoondavan said:

I've seen a handful of swaps use EP3 Civic Si racks or Prius racks, since they're electric...not sure if it's at all relevant here but wasn't sure if you'd considered that

I could actually swap to the nc miata rack.

It's not a big deal to move it.  It's 2 plates that you can buy for around 150$.  Not gonna effect the final result.

I couldn't stand it anymore...

I cut the notch out of the subframe.  I put the engine back in.

Now, it hits the rotary trans that is still in the car.  I guess it's time to remove that trans!

Also, the engine hits the rear subframe brace.  I will need to notch that as well.

The engine is actually too low right now and has about 4 inches of clearance to the oil pan.  Not horrible, but not ideal (being the lowest point).

I will raise it about .75 inches once I get the trans out.

My racecar is using all 6 of my jackstands at the moment....

I still haven't removed the orig8nal rx8 trans from the car.  That will happen this weekend maybe.

2 things...  the 3900 ecu is somewhat tuneable...  however, to use a manual trans it seems it is best to use a 2006 OR 2007 pontiac G6 3.9 manual PCM, and wiring harness.  These are pretty rare.

The wiring harnesses are different between the auto and manual and different between 2006 and 2007.  Also, the PCM are different between 2006 and 2007.

In other words, you must get the correct wiring harness for the correct PCM.   you can NOT mix and match...

The above info is what I am finding at the moment.  it is possible somebody has worked out how to use a different PCM.  It's also possible that you could use a wiring harness from an auto vehicle.

The engine can then be any 06 through 07 lz9 engine.

I found a complete, uncut harness from a 2007 g6 gtp (3.9 manual) for right at 160$ shipped!

The tuner I am using is able to get me the correct matching PCM. 

I will update with the PCM serial number when I get that info confirmed.

This is starting to come together!

wvumtnbkr said:

to use a manual trans it seems it is best to use a 2006 OR 2007 pontiac G6 3.9 manual PCM, and wiring harness.  These are pretty rare.

I may have that PCM. I came across a G6 GTP at the U-Pull yard a couple years ago when I was contemplating doing the same swap in a 1st-gen S10, and I grabbed the PCM, DBW pedal, and gauge cluster out of the car. I can't remember 100% whether it was a manual car, but couldn't you just grab a manual tune file off the HP Tuners repository and do a "write entire" if necessary?

We ran the 3400 in my old race car on the automatic OS/tune and it didn't care, but that was a much older/simpler PCM.

Anyway, this stuff has been sitting on a shelf in my garage for too long, I'll send any/all of it to you for free if it would be useful.

obsolete said:

wvumtnbkr said:

to use a manual trans it seems it is best to use a 2006 OR 2007 pontiac G6 3.9 manual PCM, and wiring harness.  These are pretty rare.

I may have that PCM. I came across a G6 GTP at the U-Pull yard a couple years ago when I was contemplating doing the same swap in a 1st-gen S10, and I grabbed the PCM, DBW pedal, and gauge cluster out of the car. I can't remember 100% whether it was a manual car, but couldn't you just grab a manual tune file off the HP Tuners repository and do a "write entire" if necessary?

We ran the 3400 in my old race car on the automatic OS/tune and it didn't care, but that was a much older/simpler PCM.

Anyway, this stuff has been sitting on a shelf in my garage for too long, I'll send any/all of it to you for free if it would be useful.

OMG!  That would be absolutely awesome!

Do you mind shooting me an email?

Rabenr45 at g mail dot c0m.

Today I am digging out my transmission from the depths of its tote he'll.  I plan to reassemble it far enough to use it as a mock up.

Then, remove the rotary trans that's in there and offer the T5 up to the v6.  Let's see where this wants to sit.

So, to summarize....  parts are VERY slowly coming in.  Placement of major parts is slowly happening.  

Will update with piktors later.

Okay... first placement with engi e and trans generally where I want them...plenty of room left and right in the back.  Trans will be a bit forward, but an offset shifter handle will cure that.  So far so good!

I do have to say first step is jack up the car.

Step 2 is wiggle the car.

Step 3 is jack up the car again to move the stands.

Step 4 is remove about 200 pounds and pieces of stuff just to get to the driveshaft...

Step 6 is to blow off the driveway from all the sexual activity from all the trees....